NPI's Cascadia Advocate

Offering commentary and analysis from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's uplifting perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Category Archives: Open Government

Slimy Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton gets impeached by his fellow Republicans

Excerpt: The saga of Paxton, now suspended from office pending a Senate trial, carries national lessons in the lengths to which the political right shows loyalty, and meet out punishment to those who dare to question even conduct that is outrageous.
Written by:Joel Connelly
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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2022 Republican electoral losses and Trump legal defeats spur ultra MAGA infighting

Excerpt: The hard right has taken a hard drubbing of late. Its election deniers were denied wins from seats in legislatures, to secretary of state races, to contests for the Senate. That's led to unexpected recriminations.
Written by:Joel Connelly
Other Categories:Elections, Policy Topics
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House Select Committee lays out definitive case that Trump incited January 6th attack

Excerpt: As summed up by Republican Liz Cheney of Wyoming: “President Trump summoned the mob. President Trump assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack.”
Written by:Joel Connelly
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Right wing media unloads on Liz Cheney for insisting on accountability for January 6th

Excerpt: Liz Cheney is a fierce partisan: Unlike her Republican House colleagues, however, she has no truck or trade with public fabrication of falsehoods.
Written by:Joel Connelly
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Despite publicly fantasizing about killing a colleague, Arizona’s Paul Gosar is unlikely to face discipline from House Republicans

Excerpt: The House Republican Caucus in Washington, D.C., which once enforced behavioral standards, is increasingly a place where shows of violent fantasy and the fomenting of real-life violence are condoned, excused and even endorsed.
Written by:Joel Connelly
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Read the guest essay defending City Attorney Pete Holmes that The Seattle Times refused to publish before the August Top Two election

Excerpt: With self-absorption and self-praise, The Seattle Times has made a big deal of its dogged pursuit of public records and commitment to open government. The newspaper should display an equal commitment to public comment.
Written by:Joel Connelly
Other Categories:Legislative Advocacy, Media & Culture, Policy Topics
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Tim Eyman pleads poverty in latest appeal for cash, says legal fees have “drained me dry”

Excerpt: The failed gubernatorial candidate and dishonest initiative promoter claims to be out of money and wants his friends to bail him out. Again.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Litigation, Policy Topics
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Dan Newhouse’s political future was imperiled by his January 2021 impeachment vote. Can he appease the Trump cult?

Excerpt: He may not like grizzly bears, but Dan has become a serious pander bear, trying to get back into the good graces of the Republican base after breaking with Trump.
Written by:Joel Connelly
Other Categories:Elections, Party Politics, Policy Topics, Public Service
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Andrew Grant Houston talks with NPI about his 2021 candidacy for Mayor of Seattle

Excerpt: Read a transcript of the conversation between NPI's Ruairi Vaughan and mayoral candidate Andrew Grant Houston, one of fifteen candidates vying to become Seattle's next elected executive in the 2021 cycle.
Written by:Ruairi Vaughan
Other Categories:Elections, Policy Topics, Public Service
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Accountability! Oregon Legislature expels extremist, militant Republican Mike Nearman

Excerpt: Video footage from December 21st depicts Nearman opening the door to the closed, locked Capitol to allow an armed band of militant right wing extremists into the building. It was something that Nearman had planned on doing in advance.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Understanding Joe Manchin, the Democratic senator imperiling U.S. democracy’s future

Excerpt: Manchin clearly doesn't like what is happening to the country, but bewilderingly, it appears he only wants to take corrective action if the very people who are busy enabling the destruction of America's political norms are on board.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Elections, Policy Topics
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Most Washingtonians approve of President Joe Biden’s job performance, NPI poll finds

Excerpt: 54% of respondents surveyed in May of 2021 told NPI's pollster that they approved of Biden's job performance, while 41% disapproved. 5% said they were not sure.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics, Public Service
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“Consequential” 2021 legislative session is what voters across Washington State wanted

Excerpt: Recent elections have produced a responsive state government attuned to the needs and wishes of the people: a state government that is more policy-oriented than politics-oriented. We're getting action instead of theater.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Legislative Advocacy, Party Politics, Policy Topics, Public Service
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Power-obsessed Mitch McConnell wants to decide what does not get done in America

Excerpt: The Kentucky Republican cares not for governing. He evinces no interest in taking the hand dealt by America’s voters and trying to solve or get a jump on the nation’s problems.  He is instead about power, hanging onto his position as a top Republican.
Written by:Joel Connelly
Other Categories:Legislative Advocacy, Party Politics, Policy Topics
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