Offering frequent news and analysis from the majestic Evergreen State and beyond, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's unconventional perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Friday, January 4, 2008

In Brief - January 4th, 2008

The first weekend of the new year has arrived, and it's an important one for regional sports fans. Tomorrow is the Seattle Seahawks' first 2007 season playoff game (against the Washington Redskins at Qwest Field)...and that means it's betting time! Governor Christine Gregoire has placed a friendly wager on the game with Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley.

If the Redskins win, Gregoire will send O'Malley a box of Washington apples. If the Seahawks win, O'Malley will send Gregoire Phillips crab cakes.

It's hard to predict what what will happen tomorrow, except that we'll know the outcome of both contests. And now, on to today's quick news digest:

In the Pacific Northwest
  • Batten down the hatches this weekend. High wind warnings are in effect for most of Western Washington and Western Oregon until late tonight. Some storms have already caused damage in Oregon and Idaho.
  • In a rather bold statement, Governor Gregoire said she'd have the Alaskan Way Viaduct replaced by 2012, or she'd have it torn down.
  • And finally, some good news: Bank robberies—in spite of the exciting videos on local newscasts—were actually down in 2007 in Washington.
Across the Nation
  • As if you haven't heard, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee drew first blood in the caucus/primary races that began in Iowa last night. Each took Iowa for their respective parties handily, leaving pundits and guessers to wonder about New Hampshire next week. Still, there's lots of time left between now and November 4th.
  • Attorney General Michael Mukasey has ordered an investigation into the destruction of CIA video files that recorded an interrogation of an al Qaeda suspect. It's subtle; on trial is the destruction of the tape—not whether the suspect was tortured. By doing this, Mukasey virtually ensures we will never have conclusive proof of torture. This is a much more elegant obstruction of justice than say, Scooter Libby or Alberto Gonzales,so it's no wonder the traditional news outlets aren't really doing this story justice.
  • In case you've been wondering about the prosperity that wealthy conservatives keep crowing about, so are economists. They're concerned about a recession. Really? After so many years of poor fiscal policy...deficit spending, tax cuts for the wealthy, the dumping of our nation's treasury into a disastrous occupation in Iraq...it's no wonder experts are feeling nervous about the future. You won't be surprised to learn that the Dow was down 250 points today, either.
Around the World
  • After the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, the tattered veil that is the Bush administration's Middle East policy (and road map for peace) has finally blown off, exposing how badly this situation is being handled.
  • Oh, and speaking of the right wing's failed approach to foreign policy, let's not forget that Dubya's neoconservative henchmen are still trying hard to bungle things with North Korea.
  • In Kenya, recent elections have been violently disputed, causing over 300 deaths and upwards of 100,000 people to flee their homes, spurring fears of famine. There may be some hope today that the election could be repeated and a clearer outcome will result.
If you have something to add, please leave a comment.

Comments:

Blogger Dubai Dude said...

I totally agree with you specially this comment "After the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, the tattered veil that is the Bush administration's Middle East policy (and road map for peace) has finally blown off, exposing how badly this situation is being handled."

May peace prevail...Amen!
Max,
Dubai

January 5, 2008 1:59 PM  

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