Silent No More!

In case you haven't heard 4000 people showed up for the Bellingham Tax Day Tea Party!! It was a peaceful expression of our frustration at out of-control spending and excessive taxation. I've never felt so at home in lib city Bellingham. It was an awesome day!!

How SEALs Carried Out Their Mission

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer

The operation to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips involved dozens of Navy SEALs, who parachuted from an aircraft into the scene near dark Saturday, landing in the ocean. The SEALs were part of a group of Special Operations forces involved in the effort, according to military officials. Click here for rest of story.

Free: Captain Richard Phillips, hero

By Michelle Malkin • April 12, 2009 02:21 PM

Good news on this Easter Sunday. Captain Richard Phillips is free.

Read details of the daring rescue by Navy Seals here.

Reports say Captain Phillips jumped overboard again, and the US Navy moved in — killing three of the pirates and taking one into custody.

A spokeswoman for the Phillips family, Alison McColl, said Phillips and his wife, Andrea, spoke by phone shortly after he was freed.

“I think you can all imagine their joy and what a happy moment that was for them,” McColl said outside of the Phillips home in Underhill. “They’re all just so happy and relieved. Andrea wanted me to tell the nation that all of your prayers and good wishes have paid off because Capt. Phillips is safe.”

When Phillips’ crew heard the news aboard their ship in the port of Mombasa, they placed an American flag over the rail of the top of the Maersk Alabama and whistled and pumped their fists in the air. Crew fired a bright red flare into the sky from the ship.

“We made it!” said crewman ATM Reza, pumping his fist in the air.

“He managed to be in a 120-degree oven for days, it’s amazing,” said another of about a dozen crew members who came out to talk to reporters. He said the crew found out the captain was released because one of the sailors had been talking to his wife on the phone.

Capt. Joseph Murphy, the father of second-in-command Shane Murphy, thanked Phillips for his bravery.

“Our prayers have been answered on this Easter Sunday. I have made it clear throughout this terrible ordeal that my son and our family will forever be indebted to Capt. Phillips for his bravery,” Murphy said. “If not for his incredible personal sacrifice, this kidnapping and act of terror could have turned out much worse.”

In the written statement, Murphy said both his family and Phillips’ “can now celebrate a joyous Easter together.”

Terry Aiken, 66, who lives across the street from the Phillips house, fought back tears as he reacted to the news.

“I’m very, very happy,” Aiken said. “I can’t be happier for him and his family.”

Electoral College Is Equal Representation

Mischievous is too mild to describe the activities that Washington State legislators have been engaged in. Their latest attempt is to radically alter our constitutional form of government with bills to abolish the Electoral College! SB 5599 has passed the Senate and HB 1598 is pending in the House.

The Washington State Legislature has signed onto a nationwide campaign called the National Popular Vote (NPV) for the purpose of enacting identical bills to abolish the Electoral College. This interstate compact would require our state electors to ignore the winner of our own state’s election and cast all the state ballots for the candidate who receives the majority of the popular vote.

The votes of smaller-state Americans would be of no consequence because candidates would concentrate on piling up votes in large-population states. This will have the effect of concentrating control in the largest and most liberal states. This un-American scheme will benefit minority factions and bring about a centralized national government.

For two centuries the Electoral College has served as a model to the world for fair and representative presidential elections. The inspired legacy of our Founding Fathers was to leave us with an electoral system that allows all states, regardless of size, to have a central stake in the process of electing our President.

If we allow our state to proceed with this outrageous action to strike down the original intentions of our Founding Fathers it will negatively alter our election system in ways we will quickly regret. Presidential candidates will focus their time, money and policies toward the handful of most populous states and narrow their campaigns to the largest urban areas.

Contact your state Representative today and urge him/her to oppose HB 1598.
Hot line to Olympia: 800-562-6000.

Path to prosperity or fiscal disaster?

House capital budget priorities

In the middle of a budget crisis and our legislators spend our taxdollars on this?!

Not to get lost in all the debate about the state's operating budget, the Legislature's capital budget proposals were also released this week. In years past the capital budget has been referred to as the "Fun Budget."

So what are some of the House capital budget priorities?

Note: this is only a partial list!

• Building for the Arts Grants - $12,000,000
• Apple Awards (for schools) - $250,000
• Washington State Historical Society - $12,250,000
• Eastern Washington State Historical Society - $1,939,000
• Admiral Theatre-No Theatre Left Behind - $140,000
• Artspace Everett Lofts - $1,000,000
• Building a Foundation for Discovery - $250,000
• Campus Consolidation (Cornish) - $375,000
• Convert Key Bank To Everett's Plaza Theatre - $500,000
• Cottage Renovation (Hedgebrook) - $20,000
• Downstairs at the 5th - $800,000
• Federal Way Performing Arts Center - $325,000
• Gateway Center (Lummi) - $150,000
• James Ctr for the Performing Arts (Sequim) - $150,000
• Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center - $475,000
• Legacy Project (Imagine) - $200,000• Modular Classrooms for Dance (Gladish) - $30,000
• Museum Expansion (Maryhill) - $1,500,000
• New Hands On Children's Museum - $1,000,000
• Phase II Renovation (Mt. Baker Theatre) - $1,000,000
• Reconstruction of First Stage, Issaquah - $400,000
• Seattle Opera Center - Phase I Design - $650,000
• Stage Two (Whidbey) - $450,000
• Vashon Arts Center - $1,115,000
• Visual Arts Education Center (Sno Co.) - $1,000,000
• Viva Vera Capital Campaign - $70,000
• WA Hall Acquisition and Rehab - $400,000
• A Home for Opportunity - $325,000
• Building the new Eastside Clinic - $1,900,000
• Community Center for Sand Point Housing - $350,000
• Donald G. Topping HOPE Center - $1,934,250
• Dove House - $240,000
• Duvall Multi-Service Center - $617,985
• East Central Community Facilities Expansion Project - $231,500
• El Centro de la Raza Safety & Systems Improvements -$250,031
• Emmanuel Family Life Center - $400,594
• Eritrean Community Center Expansion - $300,000
• Family Services Center - $1,265,000
• Ferndale Boys & Girls Club - $752,847
• Giant Step - $520,761
• Greenbridge Early Learning Center - $1,419,281
• High Point Neighborhood Center - $2,000,000
• Highline YMCA - $2,000,000
• Milgard Work Opportunity Center - $1,850,000
• Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood Education and Training Center - $881,847
• Northeast Community Center Expansion - $1,800,000
• Pierce County Therapy Center - $128,000
• Rainier Vista & Rainier Valley Teen Center - $3,906,000
• Repurposing Daybreak Star - $87,500
• Riverwalk Point Community Building - $79,253
• Rotary Support Center for Families - $3,500,000
• Technology Access Foundation Community Learning Space - $1,500,000
• The Keller House Services Center - $600,000
• YMCA/YWCA Central Spokane Facility - $3,500,000

Having fun yet?

(NOTE: CAPITAL SPENDING DOES NOT CORRELATE DIRECTLY TO SPENDING IN OPERATING BUDGET)

Posted by Jason Mercier of Washington Policy Center

No Joke!

April First Round-up:

President Barack Obama lands in Europe for the G-20 Summit with the largest entourage of any previous American president. American taxpayers on the hook for 500 Barack Obama sycophants.

European Socialist-Democrat leader critizes Barack Obama (uh oh!): German Chancellor Angela Merkel opposes the US President's economic stimulus package. Stop the train wreck! Been there done that! Government cannot spend it's way into prosperity.

Government-Run Health Care Outrage of the Day: 11,000 Colonoscopy Patients at Three VA Clinics May Have Been Exposed to HIV, Hepatitis. Follow link for details.

In a stunning move, the Obama White House announced today that GM and Chrysler must end their involvement in NASCAR stock car racing at the end of this season to remain eligible to receive additional financial aid from the government.

(okay, the last item is a joke, but you know with this president it's not out of the realm of possibilities.)

Tax Day Tea Party - Bellingham

Bellingham's Tea Party
April 15th
4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Guide Meridian (near Bellis Fair Parkway)

There are now more than 300 Tea Parties planned in cities all over the United States. Join thousands of Americans to express your concern about out of control spending and policy changes in the United States we love.

1. Please arrive early as we are expecting a crowd. Park in the parking lot of Good Guys/ToysRUs.
2. Bring you own signs. Keep in mind, this is not a Republican or Democrat event so we do not want partisan signs, or signs that are inflamitory or vulgar.
3. Signs and American flags will also be provided to those arriving early.
4. Citizens will stand on both sides of the Guide Meridan waving signs and flags.
5. If you are not able to attend, at least drive by, honk and wave. Consider a sign for your car, truck or motorcycle.