NPI releases complete list of endorsements for 2008 general election

The Northwest Progressive Institute is pleased today to release our complete set of endorsements for the 2008 general election. At our endorsements page you'll find our statement on each endorsement as well as a link to the website of each endorsed candidate or ballot measure. The special preface to the endorsements for federal office is worth reprinting here, and is as follows:

Two years ago we wrote:

These are troubled times for the United States of America. As much of the rest of the world scorns or despises us for our poor decision making abroad (including the disastrous invasion of Iraq) and aversion to diplomacy, our own population is suffering at home. Families are struggling because Republicans in Washington D.C. are more interesting in rewarding their wealthy friends then giving every American an equal opportunity to succeed and do well.

Those words still ring true today.

Not only are American troops still occupying Iraq, but there is a resurgent Taliban presence in Afghanistan, placing more troops at risk.

Corporate greed and lax regulation of the financial services industry at the hands of the Republican administration and past Republican Congresses have led to the worst economic downturn since 1929.

Two years ago we called for change, and change came, though not as much as we would like. Now it’s time to continue what was started two years ago, by increasing our Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate and by electing a Democratic President.

And now, here's a summary of our endorsements.

Federal Offices

• President and Vice President: Barack Obama and Joe Biden
• U.S. Senate in Oregon: Jeff Merkley
• U.S. Senate in Idaho: Larry LaRocco
• U.S. Senate in Alaska: Mark Begich
• U.S. House, WA-08: Darcy Burner
• U.S. House, WA-04: George Fearing
• U.S. House, WA-05: Mark Mays
• U.S. House, WA-01: Jay Inslee
• U.S. House, WA-02: Rick Larsen
• U.S. House, WA-03: Brian Baird
• U.S. House, WA-06: Norm Dicks
• U.S. House, WA-07: Jim McDermott
• U.S. House, WA-09: Adam Smith
• U.S. House, OR-01: David Wu
• U.S. House, OR-02: Noah Lemas
• U.S. House, OR-03: Earl Blumenauer
• U.S. House, OR-04: Peter DeFazio
• U.S. House, OR-05: Kurt Schrader
• U.S. House, ID-01: Walt Minnick
• U.S. House, ID-02: Debbie Holmes
• U.S. House, AK: Ethan Berkowitz

Statewide Executive Offices in Washington

• Governor: Chris Gregoire
• Lt. Governor: Brad Owen
• Commissioner of Public Lands: Peter Goldmark
• Attorney General: John Ladenburg
• Treasurer: Jim McIntire
• Secretary of State: Jason Osgood
• Insurance Commissioner: Mike Kreidler
• Auditor: No recommendation
• Superintendent of Public Schools: Randy Dorn

Statewide and Regional Ballot Measures in Washington

• Initiative 985 (More Traffic Measure): A resounding NO
• Initiative 1000 (Death with Dignity): Yes
• Initiative 1029 (Safe, Quality Care for Seniors): Yes
• Sound Transit Proposition 1 (Mass Transit Now): A resounding YES

Visit the Local Ballot Measures page to see our positions on the eight King County Charter Amendments and Seattle citywide measures).

Statewide Ballot Measures in Oregon

• Measure 54 (Referred by Legislature, standardizes voting eligibility for school board elections with other state and local elections): Yes
• Measure 55 (Referred by Legislature, changes operative date of redistricting plans; allows affected legislators to finish term in original district): Yes
• Measure 56 (Referred by Legislature, provides that May and November property tax elections are decided by majority of voters voting): Yes
• Measure 57 (Referred by Legislature, increases sentences for drug trafficking, theft against elderly and specified repeat property and identity theft crimes; requires addiction treatment for certain offenders): Yes
• Measure 58 (Bill Sizemore measure that tries to forbid the teaching of other languages to public school students for more than two years): NO
• Measure 59 (Bill Sizemore measure to give wealthy Oregonians a big tax break, guts funding for public services): A resounding NO
• Measure 60 (Bill Sizemore scheme to hurt teachers): NO
• Measure 61 (Counterproductive mandatory minimum sentencing rules): NO
• Measure 62 (Takes nearly $100 million a year away from Oregon schools): NO
• Measure 63 (Would exempt farm owners and homeowners from some building permit requirements for improvements valued at 35,000 dollars or less): NO
• Measure 64 (Bill Siezmore scheme to prohibit workers from making voluntary payroll deducations to charity): A resounding NO
• Measure 65 (Would try to impose an unfair, undemocratic "Top Two" primary scheme onto Oregon): A resounding NO

Justices Debra Stephens, Mary Fairhurst, and Charles Johnson were also previously endorsed in the primary, but they are unopposed in the general election, as their races were decided in the August primary. We urge a strong vote for each of them.

We also urge you to support the Democratic nominee in state legislative races across the Pacific Northwest. In races where there is no clear Democratic nominee, we make no recommendation - but we urge you to do your homework.

In our home district here in Washington, we are proud to support the reelection of Roger Goodman and Larry Springer.