Locals March for Single Payer, Saturday June 27

In support of the National Day of Service for Health Care, Hood River Democrats are organizing a march. Meet 10:30 at Jackson Park (13th and May) to make signs. The march will be to the Saturday Market downtown Hood River.
For more information call 541-386-3542 or 541-354-1036. Bring signs, sign making supplies if you have them. Materials will be available as well.

Health Care In Prime Time

President Obama will be holding a Town Hall Meeting to address questions about healthcare reform TONIGHT on ABC at 10 PM. Tune in!

National Health Care Day of Service

Organizing for America is working to ensure Health Care Reform in 2009. Community service is a key piece of that campaign, so OFA has designated June 27th as a National Health Care Day of Service. Volunteers will have a chance to make an impact in their own communities as we fight for long term, systemic health care reform.

Volunteers who participate in the National Health Care Day of Service will be stronger advocates for health care reform. Volunteer projects directly expose participants to the reality of our country’s health care system and the millions of people who it is currently failing.

A few ideas include:
• Volunteer at a Community Health Center
• Coordinate a Community Blood Drive
• Run a Healthy Food Drive
• Provide education to the community on Children's Health Insurance Programs

If you would like more information, or can help organize a project in your area, please go to the Organizing for America National Health Care Day of Service webpage.

The Klickitat Democrats also request that you bring nonperishable food items to the meeting on Friday, which will be donated to the Food Bank in support of this effort. Food items may also be dropped off at Coyote Coffee Shop, 120 W. Main St. in Goldendale today through Friday, 10 am til 3 pm. THANK YOU!

Wind Power

It's amazing how many windfarms there are now on the east end of the county. We are lucky to have options for clean energy here in Klickitat, with our hydropower and and stiff breezes. Our speaker for this week's meeting will discuss the electric power grid and how our electricity is distributed. How much power can the grid handle? If more wind generators come online, can the grid handle them all? It will be interesting to know how this all works.

The Whistling Ridge Wind Energy Project is a contentious one. This writer is undecided at this point as to whether this is a good or a bad idea. Part of me agrees with Jesse Burkhardt's editorial in this week's Enterprise. He makes some good points. From my viewpoint, I believe I'll be able to see the tops of some of the turbines, at least that's what I think from this simulation. That doesn't particularly disturb me. I'm willing to deal with that in exchange for cleaner energy.

But part of me distrusts that this will be the whole project, that it will grow to be even bigger, with more impact on the aesthetics of the area. What's the impact on the birds in this major flyway? People who live near the proposed development in Underwood and Husum are definitely impacted. Giant turbine towers were not in their vision of what the neighborhood would look like down the road.

How can we make this Wind Power option win/win?

This week's meeting about the power grid is very timely as we all gather information to help make important decisions about the future. We need to be informed, and we need our elected officials to make good choices on our behalf. Join us on Friday in Goldendale!

Meeting THIS WEEK

Don't forget our meeting on Friday, June 26th at the Goldendale Library Meeting Room!

Members and non-members are invited.

Please bring a nonperishable food item for the Food Bank.

5:30 p.m. Potluck
6:00 p.m. Short Business Meeting
6:30 p.m. Presentation on electric power distribution and the smart grid
by a Representative from the Bonneville Power Administration.
7:00 p.m. Questions and Answers
7:30 p.m. Adjournment

Gotts Gone

Big news from the Yakima Herald this week should make many Klickitat Dems a little happier. John Gotts is leaving Washington.

Of course, his name will still be on the ballot, which probably thrills Marichalar about as much as Gotts' shenanigans last election season thrilled Klickitat Dems. What a coincidence, this opportunity came up so suddenly, just six days after certification. One has to wonder what kind of person runs for State Leg while casting a big net for opportunities out of state?

More good news, looks like he won't be coming back to Klickitat. He's burned that bridge. Heads up to Yakima County Dems if he's serious about Toppenish...vet your candidates well. The 15th LD has two more years to field true Democratic candidates before 'Gottcha' comes back. Maybe he'll run as something else by then.

YAKIMA, Wash. -- State House candidate John Gotts of White Salmon is ending his campaign and moving to California.

Gotts, an Internet entrepreneur and one of two Democrats who filed to challenge Republican state Rep. David Taylor in the 15th District, said Wednesday he’d found backers for a new Web venture in Palo Alto.

“These opportunities don’t come up very often,” the 42-year-old said.

Gotts’ withdrawal from the race came six days after the state Secretary of State’s office certified this year’s legislative candidates. His name will still appear on the ballot alongside Taylor and Donicio Marichalar of Grandview in the August primary.

Meanwhile, Gotts said he’ll launch www.byjobi.com, a Web site designed to simplify Google’s advanced search features.

Gotts, who lost a state House race last year to state Rep. Bruce Chandler, R-Granger, wished Marichalar well Wednesday and said he expects to be back in 15th District politics.

“My intention, when this (Internet venture) is over in two years, is to return and probably live in the Toppenish area and probably be involved in politics,” he said.

Fall Races

There are still some political offices without candidates after the filing deadline. There will be a special three day filing period for the offices listed below, June 22-24. If you are interested, submit a declaration of candidacy to the Auditor's Office in Goldendale at the County Courthouse by 5 pm June 24th.

Glenwood School Board Positions 3, 4 and 5
Bickelton Fire District Position 3
Dallesport Fire District Position 1
Roosevelt Fire District Position 2
Prosser Fire District Positions 1, 2, and 3
Appleton Fire District Positions 1 and 3
Cemetery District 2 Positions 1 and 2
Cemetery District 4 Postitions 1, 2 and 3
Hospital District 2 Position 1

Meeting Schedule Changes

This is a time of many important opportunities for Democrats and liberal-minded independents. It is also a crucial time; a time when each of us must stand united against the influence of greed and billions of dollars that would prevent change from taking place. We must be well informed so that we are capable of separating fact from fiction. We also must be ever diligent in our efforts to support Democratic candidates seeking public office at the local, state, and national levels. It is to this end that the Executive Board of the Klickitat County Democrats has designed our general meetings to be interesting and informative. This month our focus will be on energy and how clean, alternative energy sources and a smart grid will move us more quickly to less dependence on the polluting effects of carbon-based and other polluting fuels. Each general meeting will have an educational focus, and our administrative agenda will be kept to a minimum. We believe that you will find our new format to be interesting and informative. Please see the Calendar of Events in the sidebar for the remainder of 2009.

- Loren Johnson, Vice Chair, Klickitat Democrats