A Few Great Things Written Or Said This Week

Geov Parrish shares with us his personal experience surrounding the death of independent news in Seattle as a result of the moral collapse of the Seattle Weekly. This has local significance, but it has national implications as well since this is only one of many such stories around the country where media consolidation is destroying our ability to exercise our right to know.

Keith Olbermann takes it to the President directly on his show Countdown. Olbermann does a great job zeroing in on the tragedy that is the death of habeas corpus at the hands of this president and what that really means to America. Have we no shame?

Lynn Allen at Evergreen politics calls for action in trying to persuade political candidates with excess money on hand to spread the wealth, specifically Norm Dicks. If enough citizens call his office and request that he donate 30% of his campaign cash to local candidates who could use the money more (like Darcy Burner and Peter Goldmark), we could seriously help in the effort to take back Congress.

And just for fun, check out Horse’s Ass where David Goldstein puts on display Dave Reichert’s own words that torpedo the myth of his “independent” streak. It seems Reichert only bucks the Bush administration when asked to do so by the White House or Congressional leadership. Why would they do that? Because retaining Reichert’s seat means allowing him (or forcing him to vote against his conscience which apparently he has no problem doing) to be “independent” as that is what appeals in his district. Vote for Darcy Burner, Reichert is a tool (of the Bush administration).