Caucus 10.8.13: Mayoral Candidate Ed Murray

In kicking off the new format for Caucus, we have invited Seattle Mayoral Candidate Ed Murray to come down to the Jade Garden on Tuesday the 8th of October, 7:30pm to 9:00pm, to share his vision for the future of Seattle to the group.

As always, we will strive to keep a free flowing and open conversation with Candidate Murray, but structured with some milepost questions to guide the discussion.

Should be a good one! Looking forward to your attendance.

PLEASE RSVP, here. 

Caucus 6.4.13: The SUPERSONIC Telenovela w/Art Thiel

Nostalgic Sonic fan or not, the economic, social, cultural and political implications that professional sports have on cities and counties nationwide is real, and worthy of discussion.

With our experience in losing our NBA franchise, and now fighting to get one back, nowhere in the US is the issue more heartfelt and actual than here in Seattle. 

For this June Caucus, we decided to change up the format and invite a special guest, legendary sports writer Art Thiel (Seattle PI and Sportspress NW) to provide an intimate perspective on the issue.

Here are a few links to some of his recent writing on the subject: here, here and here.

Although a special guest is in the mix, the roundtable, free flowing discussion that you have come to know and love will remain the same. 

Should be fun. See you next week. And yes, invite other people.

Caucus 5.7.13: The Guantanamo Debacle

This month, Dr. Chris Casillas and I will be sharing the moderator responsibility as we delve into the debacle that is our country's detainment of detainees-prisoners-enemies-unlawful combatants at Guantanamo.
 

As you hopefully already know, there are now 100 of the 168 detainees-prisoners-enemies-

unlawful combatants held at Guantanamo engaged in a week long hunger strike. 23 of them are being force fed liquid nutrients (i.e. Ensure) through their nostrils.

If the situation wasn't bad enough pre-hunger strike, Guantanamo detention and the hunger strike managed to strike a chord this past week with the President and the Press now pressing the issue.

What has taken so long? Why and how does Guantanamo still exist? 

We will be addressing these questions and many many more on Tuesday night. See you there.

Below are some recent articles and Op-Eds that help to give context to what Dr. Casillas descibes as a "Total FUBAR."       

>>>>

Some articles, here, here & here.

Caucus 4.2.13: American Disability

This month, we will be diving into the recent report on the increase of Americans receiving federal disability payments, which has nearly doubled over the last 15 years. DEFINITELY worth the read and or listen. 

Respect given to Planet Money Reporter Chana Joffe-Walt. This is pretty comprehensive and stokes many a question for the roundtable.  

Written story, here, which comes complete with graphics and pics. 

And her This American Life episode, which is in essence a verbal telling of the article, here.         

Caucus 3.5.13: Gun Regulation

March is upon us and with it the madness of sequester. One thing is for certain, Caucus every first Tuesday of the month: 7:30pm to 9:00pm @ The Jade Garden in the ID.

Our esteemed colleague Dr. Chris Casillas will be leading us through a discussion on *gun regulation*. Below his explanation of the topic and accompanying materials. See you Tuesday.

For the next caucus, I'd like to focus on an issue of national significance -- gun regulation --  but focus on local legislative efforts, specifically a requirement for background checks on all gun purchases.  House Bill 1588 is such a legislative effort now pending in the State legislature.  The
attached links include materials on the bill itself, lobbying efforts on both sides of the bill, and general information from the Brady Campaign on background checks and the "gun show loophole."

http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Gun-control-supporters-to-form-lobbying-coalition-4310378.php

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1588&year=2013#documents

http://www.nraila.org/legislation/state-legislation/2013/2/washington-your-state-legislators-must-hear-from-you-today.aspx

http://www.kuow.org/post/rep-mike-hope-background-checks

http://www.bradycampaign.org/legislation/backgroundchecks/gunshowloophole

Caucus 2.5.13: Peak Oil

"Peak Oil" has been deemed the greatest challenge that our modern industrialized has had to face by the scientists, investors, and economist who understand the situation the best. Yet the realities of this great challenge have not penetrated mass consciousness in a world that can only bite off crises as they emerge.

Matt Elley will moderate our discussion and has provided the following materials to help better understand the issue.

Compact write up:
http://www.peakoil.net/about-peak-oil

A More detailed discussion with more extensive data points:
http://www.postcarbon.org/blog-post/1402948-the-really-really-big-picture-there

An alternative viewpoint on Peak Oil:
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Debunking-the-Myth-of-Peak-Oil-Why-the-Age-of-Cheap-Oil-is-Far-From-Over-Part-1.html

Additional Resources:

TED video posting of the founder of "Transition Communities" who discusses the local transformation of communities to a post oil world:
http://www.ted.com/talks/rob_hopkins_transition_to_a_world_without_oil.html

Additional info from the trusted resource National Geographic:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0406/feature5/fulltext.html

Caucus 1.8.13: WA Education Landscape Post-1240

Seattle Public Schools luminary Mr. Michael Tamayo will be leading us through a roundtable discussion on the Washington State educational landscape after the passing of Initiative 1240.

Below is the homework:

A primer on what a charter school is:
http://www.pbs.org/closingtheachievementgap/faq.html

The Myth of Charter Schools - Diane Ravitch. Basically a critique of the documentary Waiting for Superman by Ravitch, who is a staunch critic of the charter movement and former US Assistant Secretary of Education:

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/nov/11/myth-charter-schools/?pagination=false

The Seattle Times op-ed in support of charter schools:

http://seattletimes.com/html/edcetera/2019437870_charter_schools_in_washington.html