Category: Civics

Dear Group,

Government: the action or manner of controlling or regulating a nation, organization, or people.

Governments in the United States are sometimes described as a representative democracy. In representative democracy Individuals are elected by a defined group to represent the interests of that group in a governing body. (I use the plural “governments” here because there are many interlocked governing structures to which we, the populace, send representatives, federal, state, county, town, city, and fire and school districts.)

We tend to think of electing individuals to represent us in government bodies as simply natural, just, and proper, but the idea that government represents the individual humans to be governed (as opposed to estates, corporations and various vested interests) only began to blossom in the 17th Century (according to Encyclopedia Brittanica’s interesting article “History of Elections”):

Once governments were believed to derive their powers from the consent of the governed and expected to seek that consent regularly, it remained to decide precisely who was to be included among the governed whose consent was necessary.

When the men who wrote the U.S. Constitution got together in Philadelphia this idea of the “consent of the governed” was still pretty new. The U.S. Constitution specifies that the number of Representatives to be sent to the federal government by each State shall be determined by an “Enumeration” (census) to be conducted every ten years. It does not specify how the States will determine who will be sent as Representatives from the various States…except to say, “by the People of the several States.” (Article I, Section 2). (We’ve been arguing and passing laws and amendments ever since about who those “People” are who get to vote: non-land holders? former slaves? women?)

Let’s put this “People” in perspective. These were all white male colonists, certainly an “elite” of the time, trying  to come together and establish rules to assemble, control, and regulate the population under a Constitution and a rule of law. In so doing they felt the need to incorporate the relatively new idea, this ideal, that governmental authority must stem from the “will of the People.”

The population of the United Stated in 1790 was a mere 3,929,214 according to the 1790 United States Census. (For reference the population of the entire world in 1800 is estimated at around 940,000,000.) Today the U.S. is third in population [among modern countries] with nearly 330,000,000 people. In 1790 those rebellious colonists trying to form up a union of states under a new constitution represented a tiny fragment of world population (0.4%), so few the population of the assembled States was scarcely larger than half the population of the single State of Washington in 2018 (7,500,000)

So what has happened to representation since the Constitution was written? Here I draw from “United States congressional apportionment.” In the 1790s there were around 65 U.S. Representatives, one for every 34,436 people. Today, although Representative numbers have increased to 435 (limited by law passed in 1929), each Representative represents around 720,000 people. (Note this is population. This number does not reflect who gets to chose these Representatives. That’s the rule as set by the Constitution in 1789.) There is tension between the need to have a number of Representatives who can actually succeed at legislating and the desire for the populace to be better represented. (Read more on that in the “United States congressional apportionment” article in wikipedia.)

Take-homes from all this:

1) We have an over-glorified view of our origins as these United States, a view that sometimes borders on deification of “The Founders” and of the Constitution they put together. Our Constitution is a impressive document that has worked spectacularly well to advance the ideal of “government by The People” for 230 years. But it has required constant vigilance, amendment, and re-interpretation to further approach that goal. It behooves us to learn more about it…and participate.

2) Representative democracy requires understanding, vigilance, and nurturing. It has not been by accident that we have achieved the end of slavery and women and black suffrage in this country. It was by diligence and hard work of dedicated, informed citizens.

3) I have much more to learn. It is the Trump presidency that has awakened me to the need to pay much more attention. We are only as good as a country as how we, the citizens, function within it.

Keep to the high ground,

Jerry

P.S. The argument over who “the People” are has extended to whether or not folks who have lived in the United States since they were children (the DACA people) are ever to be offered a chance to vote (i.e. become citizens). Historically, you were a citizen if you were born in the United States or if you were born elsewhere and “naturalized.” Naturalized was not defined in the original Constitution, but by later statutes (starting in 1790) specifying a varying number of years one had to reside in the U.S., your race (“white”), and your “good moral character” to be considered “naturalized.” Happily, we nixed the “white” statutory requirement by subsequent Constitutional Amendment. All of the question of citizenship is statute-based and has been the subject of sometimes bitter argument since the late 1800s. The word “citizen” appears many times in the Constitution but it is never defined. My presumption is if you were living here for a while at the time of the founding you were a citizen. It was that simple. 

Dear Group, An article appeared on the opinion page of the Spokesman on Saturday, January 12, entitled “Why Congress is so Dumb,” written by Bill Pascrell Jr., New Jersey’s 9th Congressional District’s Representative to the U.S. House of Representatives since 1996.  It is worth your while to click and read the whole thing, but the take-home for me was this: Rep Pascreli documents a big problem. While lobbying from a multitude of interest groups has only increased, Congressional staffing, fact-gathering power, and the actual writing and debating the details of bills by real Congresspeople and their staffs has greatly diminished. This is the sort of thing thing that creeps up on the observer. It happens so slowly that many don’t notice the change.  This is outsourcing of Congressional function to lobbyists and think tanks that do self-serving “research,” and offer model legislation to Congresspeople. On account of creeping staffing cuts Congress is woefully under-equipped to critically evaluate the offered “research.” No doubt for some it must be a relief not to feel any need to critically evaluate, fact find, debate, and actually write legislation. After all, if one can rely, for example, on the Washington Policy Center, to craft bills and opinions then, like McMorris Rodgers, one can devote one’s time to crafting message instead of critical thought. Her entire $1.3 million Congressional Representational Allowance can then be devoted to staying in office as part of the Trump team. For good reason Rep. Pascreli dates the beginning of this outsourcing to 1995 and the Speakership of Newt Gingrich, a key architect of our current political morass. I would go back farther to the Powell Memorandum of 1971 [click and read that section], although one might wonder if, were he alive today, even Lewis Powell would wonder if his memorandum had been heeded a little too well. There is an obvious solution: Roll back the staffing cuts that Gingrich set in motion, beef up the staff and fact-gathering institutions that have atrophied, and put Congress back on track to function as the deliberative body it is meant to be.  I strongly encourage you to click and read “Why Congress is so Dumb,” Please let me know by “Reply” email if it cannot be accessed on account of a paywall.  Keep to the high ground, Jerry

Dear Group, We, as residents of Washington State, pay dues for our membership in this State. Some of these dues are used to fund a state agency called the Public Disclosure Commission. The PDC is an important part of the civics of Washington State. Allow me to introduce you. The Public Disclosure Commission is the only Agency of the Washington State government created by a vote of the people. In 1970 a group of concerned citizens calling themselves the Coalition for Open Government (COG) gathered signatures for Initiative 276. Initiative 276 appeared on the 1972 General Election Ballot and passed with 72% of the vote. Twenty years later, in 1992, Initiative 134 passed by a similar margin. Initiative 134 established contribution limits and other campaign restrictions governing electoral conduct for elections in the State of Washington..  Think about that. The Public Disclosure Commission was established with overwhelming support from the voters of Washington State, voters who wanted to make the electoral process in Washington State and the money that flows within it more transparent. I encourage you to click and read Washington’s Public Disclosure Commission, Its mission, services, and data files for a great overview. (I found this document in a few clicks via the Wikipedia entry under Washington State Public Disclosure Commission.) I’ve been a resident of Washington State since 1985. I am embarrassed to admit that prior to November, 2016, I was unaware of the Public Disclosure Commission, and until the day of this writing I did not know the first thing about the PDC’s origin.  The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) offers a wealth of useful information about election related spending of candidates, lobbyists, and independent election related expenditures for all offices and initiatives within Washington State. Candidates for federal office, i.e. the United States Senate and House of Representatives, work under the rules of the Federal Election Commission. (Interesting note: the FEC, like the PDC, was established in the early 1970s.) The PDC and FEC have to distinct websites, pdf.wa.gov and fec.gov.  As a small example of the utility of Public Disclosure Commission data let’s ask, “Who is gathering money to run in the August Washington State Primary for office in the City of Spokane?” I urge you to follow along. Go to pdf.wa.gov, click “Browse” and choose “Candidates by Office Sought.” Set to Election Year “2019.” Leave the setting at “Show All Campaigns.” Scroll down and Click “Municipal” and under that click “City of Spokane” (or anything else of interest).  Today, for the purpose of illustration, under “City of Spokane,” click “Mayor, City of Spokane.” There you see seven candidates. The only one I recognize is Ben Stuckart, the current President of the City of Spokane City Council. The Spokesman posted an article mentioning his candidacy for Mayor a few weeks ago. Who knew there were six others already raising money to run for Mayor? Who is this Shawn Poole? He is reporting having raised over $7000. Click his name. Note that $1000 comes from what is presumably his business, “Pooles Public House.” Google “Shawn Poole.” There you will find shawnpoole2019.com, a website that will quickly introduce you to his political bent. (Municipal offices are nominally “non-partisan,” but…) No one wins an election with raising money. The Public Disclosure Commission tells who has started to gather funds and how much. Others may still appear. Candidates officially file to run in the August Primary between Monday, May 13, 2019 and Friday, May 17, 2019.  Nonetheless, visiting the PDC now offers advance notice.  I present this by way of orientation readily available data. Use it. I hope never again to receive a ballot for an August Primary Election and wonder, “What election is this?” or “Who are these people?” One of these candidates will ultimately represent (or pretend to represent) my interests as a citizen. It behooves me to learn about the candidates before I’m asked to vote.  Keep to the high ground, Jerry

Dear Group,

Does the whole political process seem opaque to you, hopelessly complicated? Do you know someone you think might have the stuff it takes to make a real difference in an elected office? Have you ever toyed with the idea yourself, but you couldn’t imagine where to start? 

We have municipal elections coming up in August and November all over the State of Washington. It’s not too late (or too early) to start paying attention either as a voter or as a potential candidate. Candidacies don’t just happen the week before the election, it takes preparation and understanding of the process. 

I want to introduce you to a group with which I became acquainted at the Women’s March (these rallies offer great information and networking besides building enthusiasm). EmergeAmerica.org is a national organization offering interested Democratic women a manageable boot camp educational experience in the nuts and bolts of running for office. Best of all, Washington State already has an affiliate up and running, ww.www.EmergeWA.org. Click on that link and explore a bit. There are programs statewide with courses and real people engaged on this side of the mountains.  The full program starts in January and goes through May, for those that might want to apply for next year’s election cohort. Last year’s Emerge cohort included Jessa Lewis and Kay Murano, who both ran good races last year. It also included Tabitha Wolf, who has just filed to run for Spokane City Council in District 1 this year.

Interested in running for office in the municipal elections this fall? There is an intensive “boot camp.” This spring the east side boot camp is held at Reid Campus Center at Whitman College in Walla Walla the weekend of April 23rd to 26th. Here is an email quote from one of last year’s participants: “The bootcamp is intensive, and crams as much information as possible into a long weekend.  I learned a lot, and expect to learn that much more in the full program. Emerge does a good job of helping to build a strong network.  It’s treated as a sisterhood of sorts, and I see relationship building as an added advantage of the longer program in particular.” 

Curious? For more information contact Karen at karen@emergewa.org. or Alyson (my eastern WA contact with this organization and a recent graduate) at organizingbadass@gmail.com.

It’s time to get off the sidelines. Emerge offers a route through a major impediment: the perception that it’s all too complicated. It is time to take back our country, starting locally…

Keep to the high ground,

Jerry

Dear Group,

From Wikipedia: The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines civics as “the study of the rights and duties of citizens and of how government works.” The definition from dictionary.com is: “the study or science of the privileges and obligations of citizens.”

This year in August and November we, as citizens of communities in Washington State, will receive ballots asking us to vote on candidates for “municipal” elections. If you’re like I have been most of my life, you will be a little startled. “Who are these people?” If you’re diligent, you will go in search of information. You may be overcome by a sense of despair as you realize how hard it is to acquire clear and honest information about the candidates, there real values, who they are as people.

So we need to start now. For me, first that means getting a bird’s eye view of the electoral map of my particular registered voting location. I cannot do this for every town in Washington State, but I can offer insight into how you might gather information for your locality as I present my bird’s eye view from my perch in District 2 of the City of Spokane. 

Tool Number One: MyVote.wa.gov. Click. Read. Every time I go there I learn something new. This time ask yourself who your local elected officials are. Click “My Elected Officials,” scroll down and click “City/Town” and “Other.” For me in the City of Spokane, I see my officials are Mayor David Condon, City Council President Ben Stuckart, and District 2 Council people Lori Kinnear and Breean Beggs. Some several of these folks will be on the ballot I receive in August and November this year. Which ones?

I’m a little embarrassed to disclose the route I took to answer this question: I emailed and spoke with my City of Spokane, District 2, Council Members, both of whom were very helpful. Only later did it dawn on me the basic information must be in the City of Spokane City Charter–a document available to read on the City of Spokane website. Here it is: Section 5, Elected Officials. You can think of the Charter as the City version of the U.S. Constitution (writ small and in modern English). 

The very basic facts about the City elected offices:

1) The Mayor and City Council President are elected City-wide.

2) The six Council Members are elected by the voters of each of their Districts (see map). There are two Council Members per District. One of the two Council seats in each District is up for re-election every two years. 

3) The Mayor and City Council President positions are up for re-election this year (2019) and every four years along with the three City Council members who hold seat number 1 in their respective Districts. This year that’s Mike Fagan (District 1-NE Spokane-who cannot run again since he’s served two terms), Lori Kinnear (District 2-South Hill plus), and Karen Stratton (District 3-NW Spokane). 

4) All eight of these seats are for four year terms and each seat is term limited to two terms! (That was news to me.) Of course, having served two terms as a Council person, one might run for the first of what could be two terms as Mayor or City Counsel President. 

5) The three Municipal Court Judges are also City of Spokane elected officials. Like the other eight they serve four year terms. They do not appear on the 2019 ballot. Instead, they will appear in 2021 and each four years thereafter along with the Council Members occupying seat number 2 of their respective Districts. The Municipal Court Judges are elected City-wide.

Spend a few minutes today to orient yourself in your electoral map. One hint: I found it easier to get to the City Charter of the City of Spokane by googling it than navigating the City of Spokane website. You might find the same thing for the city or town in which you live. 

Keep to the high ground,

Jerry