Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Comments to Metropolitan Democratic Club, January 11th, 2012
The Commission completed their work with two and a half hours to spare. Everyone has hopefully seen the maps. The new 10th CD is around Olympia, the majority minority district is the 9th with Adam Smith as the incumbent. The new 1st CD goes from Bothell to Bellingham.
Commission protected most of the incumbents, but we're seeing some fallout. The 11th LD Senator was moved to the 37th, and she is retiring. All three of the seats in the 11th may be open, and they lost their district chair to the 37th as well.
The State Party directed legislative districts to begin operating within the new boundaries within 30 days of adoption of the final plan by the legislature. This means that I can't technically welcome the new members of the 46th until the plan is adopted. But I'm already moving forward with the new boundaries and I'm encouraging other LD chairs to do the same.
The LDs in King County had quite a shakeup. The chairs of the 11th, 37th, 45th, 47th and 48th all need new chairs, either because of resignation or redistricting. I'm seeing long time activists who have been frustrated over the last few years step up and stand for election. That's great.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Rep. Inslee: McKenna Lawsuit Not the Washington Way
For Immediate Release March 23, 2010
CONTACT: Robert Kellar
(202) 226-7040
Rep. Inslee: McKenna Lawsuit Not the Washington Way
Washington, DC – This evening, Rep. Jay Inslee (WA-01) released the following statement regarding news that Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna would be joining in a lawsuit to deem health insurance reform, recently passed by both the House and Senate, to be unconstitutional:
“We fought over 2,000 insurance industry lobbyists in Washington DC to protect Washingtonians health care, we shouldn’t have to fight our own Attorney General too. Stripping families of their legal rights to insurance, may be the South Carolina way, may be the insurance company way, may be the Tea Party way, but it’s not the Washington way.
“If the Rob McKenna had his way, he would remove the cornerstone of this house of health, bringing down all the rights and protections we have fought so hard to build. Rob McKenna would leave Washingtonians naked and allow insurance companies to deny them care for a preexisting condition or strip them of coverage after they get sick. That is not the Washington way. We should be disappointed that our attorney general has chosen to be in league with insurance companies and not Washingtonians.
“Rob McKenna does not know, or does not care that a significant part of this comprehensive reform includes the solution to decades of Medicare reimbursement disparity for Washington health care providers and hospitals, and more importantly a new structure for health care spending that will reward quality care, reduce the deficit and save families money.”
Rep. Inslee has served Washington State’s 1st Congressional District since 1999 and is a leading member of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee with primary jurisdiction over health care legislation. Jay is a leader of the Quality Care Coalition which negotiated language into health care reform that addresses the Medicare reimbursement disparity issue that has plagued Washington State health providers and hospitals for decades as well as action that will bend the cost curve of health care by moving Medicare away from a “fee for service” model that rewards quantity of service to a one that rewards quality of results.
# # #
CONTACT: Robert Kellar
(202) 226-7040
Rep. Inslee: McKenna Lawsuit Not the Washington Way
Washington, DC – This evening, Rep. Jay Inslee (WA-01) released the following statement regarding news that Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna would be joining in a lawsuit to deem health insurance reform, recently passed by both the House and Senate, to be unconstitutional:
“We fought over 2,000 insurance industry lobbyists in Washington DC to protect Washingtonians health care, we shouldn’t have to fight our own Attorney General too. Stripping families of their legal rights to insurance, may be the South Carolina way, may be the insurance company way, may be the Tea Party way, but it’s not the Washington way.
“If the Rob McKenna had his way, he would remove the cornerstone of this house of health, bringing down all the rights and protections we have fought so hard to build. Rob McKenna would leave Washingtonians naked and allow insurance companies to deny them care for a preexisting condition or strip them of coverage after they get sick. That is not the Washington way. We should be disappointed that our attorney general has chosen to be in league with insurance companies and not Washingtonians.
“Rob McKenna does not know, or does not care that a significant part of this comprehensive reform includes the solution to decades of Medicare reimbursement disparity for Washington health care providers and hospitals, and more importantly a new structure for health care spending that will reward quality care, reduce the deficit and save families money.”
Rep. Inslee has served Washington State’s 1st Congressional District since 1999 and is a leading member of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee with primary jurisdiction over health care legislation. Jay is a leader of the Quality Care Coalition which negotiated language into health care reform that addresses the Medicare reimbursement disparity issue that has plagued Washington State health providers and hospitals for decades as well as action that will bend the cost curve of health care by moving Medicare away from a “fee for service” model that rewards quantity of service to a one that rewards quality of results.
# # #
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Brian Baird plans 5 Town Hall meetings
Baird Expresses Regret for Remarks, Calls for Civil Discussions and Announces Series of Five Town Hall Meetings (August 12, 2009)
Washington, D.C.- Today, Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA-03) announced a series of five town hall meetings to reach out to constituents and discuss issues facing the nation.
"I have always been a huge advocate of town halls" said Congressman Baird, who has hosted more than three hundred town halls since taking office. "Frankly, I have had concerns about how we can have constructive dialogue and, unfortunately, in response to some of the things we've been seeing across the nation I have said some things myself that I regret. I want to express that regret directly and announce that we will be holding a series of five town halls so people can express their opinions and ask questions. My hope and trust is that we can have the kinds of informative exchanges that I have valued for so long and that reveal the very best of public discourse."
These town halls are in addition to the Congressman's pre-planned August schedule, which includes several telephone town halls that will reach thousands of people who would otherwise not be able to come to a town hall meeting. Congressman Baird will also hold a series of private, focused meetings with doctors, nurses, small business owners, and health care clinic administrators to go into more detail about specifics of the proposed legislation and how it would affect health care in our communities.
Please click here for a complete statement from Congressman Baird on health care town hall meetings and his recent remarks on the issue.
Below is the information for the upcoming town hall in Clark County. Locations are being sought for the four additional town halls that will be held throughout Southwest Washington in the next few weeks and these will be announced when possible:
Clark County
Date: Tuesday August 18
Time: 7:00-9:30pm
Location:
Skyview High School
Auditorium
1300 NW 139th St
Vancouver, WA 98685
Washington, D.C.- Today, Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA-03) announced a series of five town hall meetings to reach out to constituents and discuss issues facing the nation.
"I have always been a huge advocate of town halls" said Congressman Baird, who has hosted more than three hundred town halls since taking office. "Frankly, I have had concerns about how we can have constructive dialogue and, unfortunately, in response to some of the things we've been seeing across the nation I have said some things myself that I regret. I want to express that regret directly and announce that we will be holding a series of five town halls so people can express their opinions and ask questions. My hope and trust is that we can have the kinds of informative exchanges that I have valued for so long and that reveal the very best of public discourse."
These town halls are in addition to the Congressman's pre-planned August schedule, which includes several telephone town halls that will reach thousands of people who would otherwise not be able to come to a town hall meeting. Congressman Baird will also hold a series of private, focused meetings with doctors, nurses, small business owners, and health care clinic administrators to go into more detail about specifics of the proposed legislation and how it would affect health care in our communities.
Please click here for a complete statement from Congressman Baird on health care town hall meetings and his recent remarks on the issue.
Below is the information for the upcoming town hall in Clark County. Locations are being sought for the four additional town halls that will be held throughout Southwest Washington in the next few weeks and these will be announced when possible:
Clark County
Date: Tuesday August 18
Time: 7:00-9:30pm
Location:
Skyview High School
Auditorium
1300 NW 139th St
Vancouver, WA 98685
Monday, May 4, 2009
For those times when Drupal has trouble
I figured it was a good backup plan to have a Google Blog for the WSDCO.
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