In Brief - December 31st, 2007

There's less than twenty four hours left until the New Year arrives - and Darcy Burner is working the phones all day today to raise money for her 2008 rematch with Dave Reichert. Why? Because early money is key to the success of a strong, aggressive campaign. Darcy's goal is to raise $25,000 in the final seventy two hours before the new year arrives. If you have change to spare, please donate.

AFTERNOON UPDATE: Darcy's told us that she is just $10,000 short of having an astonishing $600,000 cash on hand. Help her reach this big milestone!

EVENING UPDATE: With less than six hours to go, Darcy is almost there...only $3,000 left to raise. Please chip in!

Now, here is today's quick news digest, New Year's Eve edition:

In the Pacific Northwest

• Alcohol-related tragedies have inspired the funeral director of the LaGrande, Oregon, Loveland Funeral Chapel to offer free rides on New Year's Eve (and not in a hearse, either!). Have a safe holiday, everyone.
• A minimum wage increase on Tuesday keeps Washington State first in the nation with the highest minimum wage. The Times has a report on the benefit of the increase to restaurant workers as well as the mixed feelings of their employers, some of whom never cease to complain about the costs of running a business. We released a white paper almost a year ago concluding that raising the minimum wage benefits our economy.
  
• A recent op-ed by an Oregon senator advocating adoption of a sales tax in the Beaver State sparked a discussion of Oregon's tax system and a sharp rebuttal at Blue Oregon by the OCPP's Chuck Sheketoff.

Across the Nation

• Paul Krugman exhorts progressives to "forget about Bush and the [nonexistent] middle ground" and "to forcefully make the case that progressive goals are right and conservatives are wrong".
• Atlanta was saved from setting a rainfall record low this year thanks to ten recent days of rain. Unfortunately, the Southeast is still in an "exceptional drought", the worst category. Our drippy Northwest skies look more appealing in comparison.
• Although violence in Iraq has subsided dramatically in the last few months, 2007 was the deadliest year for U.S. troops in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. Future stability is uncertain as many challenges remain for the new year.
  

Around the World

• North Korea has failed to comply with its 2007 disarmament deal with the U.S. In exchange for large amounts of aid, it had agreed to disable its nuclear facilities and produce a written declaration of its nuclear activities.
• France is suspending diplomatic ties with Syria in an attempt to lessen Syria's influence on Lebanese politics. Syria opposes the installation of a consensus president in Lebanon.
• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to urge Hamas today to agree to early elections and to engage in dialogue with his Fatah faction. Hamas is open to talks but resistant to demands to release its control over the Gaza Strip.

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