Is a Primary vote for Barak worth a 41-cent stamp?

Not if you want your vote to count at the Democrat convention in August. What you’re voting for is a headline after the Primary closes February 19. (We did send in our ballots. When we were packing to move here, we found some old stamps and we're using them up. One of our envelopes had six 6-cent stamps and one 5-cent stamp.)

The ballot you received last week didn’t say this election for the Democrats is only a “straw vote”, but it is. (If you want to vote for Ron Paul, your Republican ballot will count, partially – go to www.wsrp.org for information.)

If you want to help decide who the Democrats run in the November election, go to the caucus on Saturday. Nine precincts from this corner of the county will meet at the American Legion Hall in Birch Bay, sign up from 12 noon to 1 p.m. (or maybe 1:30 by some accounts, but you don't want to be late).

As the Seattle Times explained in a good article on January 28, Saturday’s local caucuses, the first level of a five-step process, will select 33,000 delegates to legislative-district caucuses. On April 5, these legislative-district delegates select 2,000 regular delegates and 1,000 alternates to congressional-district caucuses and the state party convention. On May 17, the congressional-district delegates select 51 delegates to serve as the State Democratic party’s Election Committee; these delegates also go to the national convention. On June 14-15, at the state convention in Spokane, the Election Committee selects 29 additional delegates to join them at the national convention. Also joining the delegation will be 17 “super delegates” – party leaders and election officials. The final step, on August 25-28, finds 97 delegates and 13 alternates from Washington attending the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.

Of those 97 delegates, 46 of them, almost half of the total, will be uncommited to the initial voters – no wonder the U.S. loses out to Sweden in lists of “pure” Democracies. This uncommitted factor may be important. As Jonathan Alter of Newsweek explained to Keith Oberman on MSNBC’s ‘Countdown’ Monday evening, “Whatever happens on ‘Super Tuesday’, this thing will go on.”

For now, let us honor our local volunteers. Bob Henricks, whose home is in Blaine, is the site leader for the Democrat caucus at the Legion on Saturday. He’s captain for Precinct #301. Other captains are: #302, Wendy Davis; #303, Fay Adams and Bryan Dickson; #102, Ronda Fleming and Julie Pruitt; #103, Jean Savidge and Alexis Staley; #104, Karen Dolphin, #106, Pat Brush; #107, Elizabeth Ivory; #109, Rick Poitras and Trudee Smith.

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Last Friday evening, we were among 20 guests in the elegant home of Larry and Barbara Daugert, who have a horse farm west of Ferndale. There we had the opportunity to meet Dean Fluker, a field organizer in the Obama campaign.

Most of the guests were committed to Barak. Barbara Daugert said this is the first election since Eugene McCarthy that she doesn’t need to hold her nose. One man with a full head of biblical white hair – a well-aged hippie – spoke passionately about the need to change the direction of the country, to get out of the many military bases the U.S. has in foreign countries and to support other elements of the progressive agenda. (Asked if he has read books by Chalmers Johnson, ‘Blowback,’ ‘The Sorrows of Empire’ and ‘Hubris’, he laughed and said his wife tells him about them.)

We were there mainly to see what an Obama organizer is like, and we weren’t disappointed. Here is a young man – at 23, young enough to be grandson of some of the participants -- who’s been in the state only a few days, assigned to cover five counties. Ten days before the caucuse,s he’s sitting there relaxed as if nothing more is on his mind than the people in this living room.

Two younger women said they were uncertain. One asked many questions, seeking ammunition for arguments with her older sister. Fluker asked the other woman to describe what she wanted in a President. Her answer sounded like she could be Al Gore’s sister. Fluker said, “You’ve just described Barak Obama.” He elaborated a bit but didn’t dominate the discussion.

His most salient point was that the anti-war speech Obama made in 2002 came as he was preparing to run for the Senate; many Illinois politicians said being against the war would be disastrous for his candidacy. Wrong.

This meeting was informational. There was no request for money. When we asked Fluker if he had enough, he said, “I think so but I haven’t checked my bank account lately.” He said contributions should be made via the Internet at http://www.barackobama.com.

Would you want your granddaughter to date an Obama organizer?

“Absolutely,” says Ruth.

'Is this seaside community ready to be a city?" ...

... is the title of our article about Birch Bay, published by the Cascadia Weekly, Bellingham's alternative weekly -- available at pickup locations through next Wednesday.

Also available on the web at: www.cascadiaweekly.com/pdfs/issues/2000805.pdf
-- pages 8-10.

Support the Blue Fish

When we learned about the problem with the Liquor Control Board, we were about to write an obituary, expecting that the restaurant would be forced to close. But Genee’ Haws Kay of the Chamber of Commerce reported in an e-mail that Larry Campbell, the general manager, advised they would stay open, inviting people to try their new menu. Then came the message that the Blue Fish would host the Chamber’s February luncheon meeting. This was good news for members concerned that the restaurant was not participating in Chamber activities. “They’re a different culture,” said one.

We’re from San Francisco where everyone is a minority and everyone eats all cultures. Al learned to use chopsticks in Seoul, at the only on-limits restaurant for GIs at the time, 1956. And he well remembers Wendell Wilke’s ‘One World’ speech in the 1940 Presidential Campaign. If you put all the Asian-owned businesses in Birch Bay in one column and all the others in another, which column do you think is generating the most retail sales tax -- income that we need to support a city government or to get our way with the County?

Grant Cho, the current owner, grew up in Seoul. From two brief conversations, we expect he could be a respected member of the community. (He’s tall enough to be a pillar.) The first conversation was when we crossed the Drive after an unsatisfactory meal at another restaurant. Mr. Cho handed us his business card saying, “Have a free meal on us.” Several days later, we enjoyed a baked salmon. The next time we visited on our own check, we had bacon-wrapped prawns and baked oysters. Both first rate.

Lisa Guthrie, of Homestead, who was involved in the development of CJ’s Beach House, says a place like Birch Bay needs at least two good restaurants to be a destination for folks from Bellingham and other parts of the county.

We’ll be back for a Valentine’s dinner when there will be a piano player. We can drink wine when we get home.

Try the Blue Fish for yourselves and tell us about your experience at birchbayblog@hotmail.com

Is there enough talent for a Birch Bay government?

1.21.08

About eventual incorporation, Bob Aiken wrote a letter published in The Northern Light stating, “I don’t see any good coming from this.’’ Then he attended his first meeting of the governance subcommittee and questioned the talent pool available to run a city.

This Bob Aiken should not be confused with respected former aerospace engineer who is active in the Chamber of Commerce and leader of the popular 49th Parallel Dixieland Jazz Band. This Bob Aiken is a determined letter writer who wanted to save the Blaine airport. But we shouldn’t be too quick to put him down because some others in the community agree with him about potential office holders.

But compared to what? In our view, public people are about the same – a combination of strengths and weaknesses – whether it’s in the local school board or the U.S. Congress.

Here’s a list of people we know who we expect would be thoughtful and dependable in leading a city government:

Kathy Berg and Doralee Booth, who’ve kept the Steering Committee going;

Kelvin Barton, who has 30 years experience in the Everett city government;

Elie and Alan Friedlob, who early on began working on storm water problems and are making BBWARM happen;

Jerry Larson, their collaborator, and defender of shellfish in the Bay;

Ted Morris, the Northwest Parks and Recreation commissioner, who worked hard for passage of the levy in the last election;

Cynthia DeJong Colinaris, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Tammy Pearce, the Chamber's vice president and the dynamo of the Bay Café;

Lisa Guthrie, chair of this year’s successful Polar Bear Plunge, who, while representing Homestead, demonstrates a broad view;

Mike Kent, the inspiration and enabler of the New Year’s Eve Ring of Fire and Hope;

Bruce Montegani, who made sense when he spoke during the first open meeting with the Feasibility Study consultants;

Valery Anderson, president of Birch Bay Village Homeowners Association, a steady participant in Steering Committee meetings;

Jeri Smith and Tom Vuyovich, if they ever come back.

Tell us your candidates at birchbayblog@hotmail.com

Applause for BBCC

1.14.08

When the Urban Growth Plan was completed four years ago, Kathy Berg proposed that the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce be responsible for economic development. But one of the Elders said, “The wheels are off there.” At the time, the Chamber was in turmoil. A number of officers and members quit. However, Genee’ Haws Kay accepted responsibility to hold the organization together and prevailed. Now, with the title of executive director, she counts 145 members, a record number. Leadership of the current president, Cynthia De Jong Colinares, indicates potential for greater responsibility in the community.

The Chamber’s organizational strength was on display at the start of this year. The New Years Eve ‘Ring of Fire and Hope’, conceived and nourished by Mike Kent, is becoming a tradition that brings folks from throughout the county to light flares. Ditto the ‘Polar Bear Plunge’, which, despite a cold, gray day, attracted a record number of 280 registrants. Included in the successes was a flyer offering food and other deals from merchants. (A negative was that several cafes near the event did not participate.)

The Plunge committee was headed by Lisa Guthrie, the face and voice of Homestead Northwest, whose tremendous energy in organizing the event demonstrated abilities to serve the entire community as well as her employer.

Special applause goes to Jeb Warsinske, manager of the Sand Castle Resort, who invited chilled plungers to use warm rooms in his building. Few accepted the unexpected offer – most are accustomed to changing clothes on the fly in cars, etc. But it’s the spirit of the offer than counts. Jeb, who purchased a home here and is on the board of the Chamber, is a valuable addition to the community.