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ISLAND COUNTY DEMOCRATS: June 2022 Newsletter

Island County Democrats
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Island County Democrats

The Island County Democrats publish a monthly newsletter, which we are posting here. We believe that the statements made by the leadership of each party is of general public interest.

Message from ICD Chair, Joseph Busig

Office of the Chair

Chair Joseph J. Busig

Island County Democratic Central Committee

For Immediate Release:

Statement from Chair Busig Calling for the Resignation of Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler After Firing Whistleblower, Creating Abusive Workplace Environment

June 17, 2022

Oak Harbor, WA – Today I received notice of the situation regarding Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. After reports from The Seattle Times and other news agencies, I echo Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane), House Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma), and other lawmakers in calling for Commissioner Kreidler’s resignation.

This is not the first time Commissioner Kreidler has been in the news. He has had many allegations in the past of using racist, homophobic, transphobic, and sexist slurs towards his employees. He also has a long reported history of creating a toxic and abusive workplace environment. No elected official, regardless of party, should hold their office in such a way. In fact, it is incumbent upon members of the same party to hold their own accountable.

A party or organization that fails to hold elected officials accountable, whether on ethical grounds or to the promises of their platform and/or the platform of the party, is doing no service to the voters or to the people of Washington. Accountability should not, and cannot, be a partisan issue.

After a long recorded history of Commissioner Kreidler’s abusive workplace environment, mistreatment of staff, use of derogatory language, and firing a whistleblower earlier this week, there is no way he can regain public trust. Someone who retaliates in such a manner, by silencing those speaking out, will continue to erode public confidence in whatever office they hold should they stay in power. In consideration to his actions, Commissioner Kreidler is not fit for office nor is he deserving.

Respectfully,

Joseph J. Busig

Chair, ICDCC

News from ICD

ICD Endorsed Candidates

Federal

Statewide

Legislative

County

Supreme Court

Public Utility District (Camano Island, Snohomish County)

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Next E-Board meeting

Next ICD E-Board meeting is Thursday July 7 at 7:00pm via Zoom. Contact Chair, Joseph Busig for an invite icdchair@gmail.com.

Message from Island County Commissioner, Janet St Clair

Fundamental human rights.  As a child in school, I learned about our nation’s evolution in the recognition of fundamental human rights.  Overturning the 3/5 compromise in the constitution.  The women’s suffrage movement.  Civil rights.  ERA.  Connecticut v. Griswold.  Roe v. Wade.  Gay rights.  The Right to Marry.  These are the freedoms I have grown to take for granted.  These are the freedoms I have grown to take for granted as much as I have taken for granted freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to keep and bear arms, the freedom of assembly and the freedom to petition.   

Even after the Supreme Court leak shook me and I began to wake up, I allowed myself to remain in denial that my fundamental human rights would remain my fundamental human rights.  I continued to believe that my ability to make my own healthcare decision would remain my decision.  I continued to believe that the fundamental right to healthcare privacy would remain the same for a woman as a man.  The difference between yesterday and today is that now women like me, like my daughter, like my granddaughters can now be considered criminals simply for making our own decisions about our own bodies.  The decision yesterday has shaken me to the very core of my being.  I am now fully awake and living in this nightmare.

Some will declare that my words are hyperbolic.  My opponents stood on a sidewalk in Oak Harbor a few weeks ago smoking cigars and holding signs supporting this now official decision of a far right, activist Supreme Court.  Perhaps they will see my words as extremist. They are. I am extremely angry, saddened, and afraid. This decision is an extreme overreach of power that reduces women to less than whole persons and criminalizes our healthcare choices.  Perhaps my extreme outrage does make me an evil woman in the eyes of some. I hold tightly to me my outrage.  We as women are now fully awake.  My sin is taking for granted my fundamental human rights.  No longer.  I am awake and I stand ready at the gate to fight so “let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”  We are ready.

This lament in Amos 5 is a call to action.  Join me in that call to action.  Healthcare, equity, respect, fundamental human rights…Whether in my national advocacy or my local work in our own county I am awake and I will fight for all, believing we are all equal in the eyes of God and in the constitution.

Janet St. Clair

www.janetstclair.com

Message from Island County Commissioner, Melanie Bacon

I just listened to a 6-minute voice message from a constituent who wants me to call her back to discuss her fears about the proposed purchase of the Harbor Inn in Freeland by the Low Income Housing Institute to use for supportive and transitional housing. Her focus at first was on the loss of the motel for use by visitors to Whidbey—a concern I share—but by the 2-minute mark her message changed and it became clear she was really calling because of her deep fear that this project will result in drug users and criminals taking over the community. She mentioned that even now she is afraid to go to the grocery store in Freeland because there are sometimes homeless people around the parking lot.

As I exited the message, I noticed a post-it on my desk with notes I took after another recent constituent call. The last words on this post-it are: THE FEAR IS REAL & UNIVERSAL. But this call wasn’t about the motel purchase. It was from a citizen worried about potential interference by right wing extremists to our upcoming election processes. 

Everyone is scared right now, about something. Me, I’m scared about school shootings. You might be more scared about fallout on reproductive and civil rights from recent Supreme Court rulings. Or the existential threat to our planet from climate change.

This is a difficult time to be a citizen, and a challenging time to be an elected official trying to represent and protect those citizens. The William Butler Yeats poem, “The Second Coming” comes to mind: “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold…The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.”

But this is the thing: Yeats wrote that poem a hundred years ago. A hundred years ago, the people were frightened by the turmoil in their world. And rightly so. But they got through it—and we have a better, more just world today because they didn’t give in to their despair. 

A hundred years from now, the people wallowing in their fears then will look back at us and feel pride and awe about all that we accomplished during this difficult and fearful time.

Use your fears to make change for the better.

Melanie Bacon

Message from State Representative, Dave Paul

Friends,

It’s been a challenging month on a lot of levels. The January 6th hearings and the recent Supreme Court decisions on reproduction rights, gun safety, and other important issues only highlight the importance of our work to represent your values in the State Legislature.

We are working hard to do just that, and we’ve had a busy month. Our campaign is talking to voters almost every day, and we are getting ready for ballots to drop next month. But we need your help.

Consider joining us doorbelling! It’s a fun way to get to know neighbors, and we need volunteers to join us. Can you commit to one day a week? Email [Ed. Note: email link omitted] to join us.

Join Team Dave at the parades this Independence Day. We’ll march in the parade in Oak Harbor on July 4th–we’re number 72 in line. We are also looking for volunteers to walk in the Arlington Independence Day Parade to walk with Dave and Clyde! Email [Ed. Note: email link omitted] if you can join.

Check our website for more events and ways to help.

As always, it’s an honor to serve.

Dave

Message from 2nd CD Congressman Rick Larsen

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade not only radically constrains reproductive freedom in frightening and dangerous ways, it strikes a blow to our basic constitutional rights of liberty, privacy, and equality.

It is important for Washingtonians to know that the Supreme Court cannot restrict abortion rights in our state. Washington is one of 16 states with laws that protect abortion rights. This terrible decision paves the way for the 26 states and counting to enact their own Texas-style “trigger” laws banning abortion.

As a member of Congress with a 100% voting record on choice, endorsed many times by Planned Parenthood, I will commit to you that I will fight hard to codify abortion rights nationwide in federal law.

Last fall, I joined a majority in the House to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would do exactly that. It is currently being blocked by Republicans in the Senate, who have promised that they will seek a nationwide abortion ban if they take over Congress in November.

I  encourage you to attend local rallies in support of reproductive freedom and add your voice to the chorus of those demanding to be heard. The greater the turnout in every community throughout Washington and the country, and the louder our voices, the harder we are to ignore. 

With this backwards decision, reproductive freedom in America is under threat like never before, yet we can still shape a positive outcome. Remember, the American people are on our side and we stand on the right side of history.

Rick

News from the State Party

The Washington State Democratic Party held its 2022 Convention in Tacoma on June 24th. While it was bittersweet to hold the  convention right on the heels of the SCOTUS decision overturning Roe v. Wade, we remain determined, and will continue to fight for the rights of people who might need an abortion someday, as well as the medical professionals who provide abortion care. We are resolved to create A BLUE WALL around Washington State to protect those rights and continue to provide justice to all those disadvantaged. This was evident as we passed 31 Resolutions, calling on our elected officials to take action on the issues most important to us; And by developing and passing a 2022 State Party Platform that truly represents us. No other State Party has such a publicly accessible platform or employs a democratic process that considers and includes an equivalent number of proposed amendments – as each delegate had the opportunity to provide input.  There is no doubt that the culmination of our combined efforts (1001 planks) has resulted in the most unifying, comprehensive, and progressive platform in the Nation. Significantly, this year, we have included and strengthened our demand for our elected officials to align their efforts and votes with this Platform, creating a new Pillar named “Implementation of this Platform”. Liberalism is not so much a party creed or a set of fixed platform promises as it is an attitude of mind and heart –  a faith in our individual and collective ability to increase the amount of Justice and Freedom which all people deserve. And we now call upon our candidates and elected officials to stand with us, advocate for, and pass legislation that advances these beliefs.  When we elect Democrats up and down the ballot his November we will do so with representatives that aren’t content with just maintaining the status quo – but who create and pass legislation that aligns with our values – because our platform is so much more than just material for a campaign fundraiser!

v/r Fe Mischo and Albert Ondo

note: The entire 2022 Platform and Convention Resolutions will be posted for public view on the WA State Democrats Webpage in the next few days as party staff wrap up formatting,

Messages from the Candidates

Strengthening the ACA is not enough. We need Medicare For All

Over 330,000 lives lost in the U.S. during the pandemic could have been prevented – if we had universal healthcare.

That stunning revelation, from a study conducted by the National Academy of Science and published last week in Scientific American, also revealed that a single-payer healthcare system would have saved at least $105.6 billion dollars in pandemic costs alone. In fact, universal healthcare would save as much as $438 billion annually in a non-pandemic year.

When I see these numbers, it makes me furious. So many lives taken by corporate greed. So many families driven to bankruptcy by medical bills. All to serve the profits of a handful of giant multinational corporations.

I know this first hand because I lost my mother to the greed of the insurance industry.

My mother had gone in for a routine, but urgent, operation. On the day she was due to be discharged, she knew something was wrong and pleaded for another night of observation. But the insurance company would only pay for a single night in the hospital, so her doctor had no choice. The resulting complications ended up taking her life.

The CDC reports there are 31.2 million people in the United States who have no health insurance. According to the Washington State Insurance Commissioner’s Office, 430,000 of those people live in our state.

Just as a quick comparison, the number of people with no health insurance in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Australia, Canada, Israel…even Russia and China…is zero.

The United States is, in fact, the only nation in the developed world that does not guarantee universal healthcare coverage, and for most countries that guarantee universal coverage it is free as a right of citizenship or residence. Most of the roughly 30 countries that don’t guarantee healthcare are in Africa, and include the poorest countries in the world like Somalia and Sudan, and other non-African countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and Haiti; countries whose governments are war-torn and unstable.

The United States is the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, and there is no valid reason we can’t guarantee healthcare for all.

Last February, the Congressional Budget Office released a report that showed a single-payer (government insurance) program like Medicare For All can provide higher payments to providers than current Medicare while saving money through preventive care and eliminating unnecessary middle-men We can ensure everyone has healthcare that includes coverages that are often left out of private health plans, such as dental, hearing, vision, long term care, and mental health care. A federal single-payer program will also save states money, as Medicaid – a program that states contribute to – would be replaced with a better system that covers everyone.

What we have as a healthcare system now is unacceptable and immoral. When in the 2008 presidential race Sarah Palin spoke of government insurance as ‘death panels’, this was the first Big Lie. You and I know that private health insurance companies are the real death panels. They decide who goes into medical bankruptcy, and who dies because they won’t authorize care – just like they did to my mom.

While the ACA was an improvement on healthcare in some areas, the fact remains that no other developed country has this ridiculous tangle of private insurance networks, requiring untold billing labor hours and untold stress for people with insurance wondering if doctor-recommended tests, procedures, therapies, and medications are going to be covered.

Ask anyone who works in medical billing about the nightmare of dealing with insurance companies who dedicate entire departments to deny claims. It hurts providers – the doctors, nurses, specialists and therapists that provide care. And of course, it hurts the people who need healthcare – which is all of us – and can’t afford to be hit with a surprise bill of thousands of dollars.

Even though of course we must oppose Direct Contracting Entities and the new goal of some to fully privatize Medicare and medicaid through ACO Reach, it’s time we face facts: private, for-profit insurance is at its core an inherently failed model for healthcare delivery.

Its purpose is not to deliver healthcare, it is to make money for CEOs and shareholders. It is an exclusionary product. It wants to keep the good risks and exclude the bad risks. The bad risks are people who are sick and need medical care – your friends, your family – maybe even you.

The fiscal case for universal healthcare is indisputable. But this is more important than money to me.

I believe healthcare is a human right. I’ve been fighting for single payer for over a decade, and I’m not going to stop fighting until we get it.

It saves us money. It leaves no one behind. And most importantly, it is the right and moral thing to do.

Jason Call

Candidate, US House, WA-02

www.callforcongress.com

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Thank you to the Island County Democratic Central Committee for the endorsement of my campaign. I really appreciate your support.

For those that are not aware, my name is Tony Lam and I am running for the office of the island County Treasurer in the 2022 election.

I was born in Vietnam in 1974. In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, my family and I immigrated to the United States of America; specifically the state of Hawaii. From the age of 5, I lived on the island of Oahu growing up in the city of Honolulu. In my youth, I was most appreciative of the patience and great work ethic of my father, a taxi driver who worked hard to support his wife and 5 children. I have adhered to those standards in my own life.

In 1996, I graduated with a BBA in Accounting from the University of Hawaii. I worked in accounting positions for 10 years on Oahu, progressing to supervisory positions. In 2008, with a growing family, I moved to Oak Harbor to join my younger brother, and his own growing family. Whidbey Island is a beautiful place, and my family and I enjoy being a part of the community.

Two days after I moved to Whidbey Island in 2008, I started working at the Island County Treasurer’s Office as the Accountant. This is my first government job. I was able to learn the job quickly due to the 10+ years of prior industry accounting experience. After the current Treasurer was elected in 2015, I was asked to become Chief Deputy Treasurer. Under the guidance and encouragement of Wanda Grone, the Island County Treasurer, I was able to expand my knowledge as well as learn new management skills in my current position.

As a Chief Deputy Treasurer, I handle banking, investments and accounting responsibilities for the County, and its taxing districts (schools, fire districts, water districts, etc.). I supervise the office staff and perform all cash management functions daily, as well as administer the external investment pool. I coordinate with the Chief Deputy Auditor to provide property tax and investment information for the annual County Financial statements for submission to the State Auditor’s office. I work with the Assessor’s Office on property matters and concerns. Most importantly, I provide excellent customer service for individuals and business customers.

As Wanda is retiring at the end of 2022, I believe I’m the best person to fulfill the role of Island County Treasurer. Before anyone considers my opinion, please first understand the role of the Island County Treasurer’s office, and the responsibility of the Island County Treasurer.

The Treasurer’s office performs as an agent of the state in collecting taxes and provides banking and investment services for local municipal entities. The county, of which includes the Treasurer’s office, adheres to state statutes in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC). As an elected official, the Treasurer must understand those rules and coordinate with other offices and departments to govern them. State legislative changes occur frequently, and technology advances constantly, so a Treasurer must adapt in response to comply with the law and take advantages of new efficiencies. The County Treasurer must be present in the office at all times and act as an employee with assigned daily responsibilities, as a fiduciary, and an administrator of the County’s financial assets. As an elected official, the Treasurer must have personal high standard as a figure of public trust, and be responsive to the County, the districts and the public.

As a result of my 14 years of accounting and managerial experience in the Island County Treasurer’s office, I am confident I am ready to serve you as the newly elected island County Treasurer.

For more information, please go to my website at www.tonylamfortreasurer.com. Meanwhile, if you have any questions or concerns, please send me an email at [Ed. Note: email address and donation information omitted].

Thank you & Have a safe summer!

Tony

Message from the Editor

I’d like to recommend this video from Heather Cox Richardson to everyone – it’s well worth your time!  https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/videos/322186496790546

Donate

Your generous contributions will directly help ICD:

  • Host local community education and information events
  • Coordinate local Democratic Party volunteers activities
  • Train and inspire PCOs to action
  • Provide tools, materials and space for local Democratic Party planning and organizing

For the biggest bang for your buck, mail your checks to:

[Ed. Note: donation information omitted]

[Editorial Policy: The Voter Interests Project is a non-partisan organization. Part of our mission is to keep voters informed about the activities of elected officials and candidates for public office. We do not endorse or support any particular candidates; therefore, we omit all email links and donation links from candidate communications to supporters. If you are interested in supporting a candidate, we recommend you contact the candidate or their campaign directly.]

  • June 28, 2022

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