Steve Novick endorses Barack Obama

A reforming Edwards guy, Steve Novick has come out in support of Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton today.

As you may know, I’m running for the United States Senate in Oregon because I’m really worried about the direction of the country. We face an awe-inspiring quintuple challenge of ending the war, stopping global warming, combating runaway economic inequality, reforming the health care system, and preventing the national debt from soaring out of control. We need to get moving on all of those issues – and we needed to do so yesterday. To meet those challenges, we need political leaders who will be willing to take risks, willing to call for sacrifice, and be able to persuade the American people that their sacrifices will not be in vain.

That’s why I’m voting for Barack Obama.

Before any Clintonistas out there get rabbit, I suggest you read the full statement as Steve has very carefully thought out his choice and in fact has a lot of good stuff to say about Hillary Clinton and some of her policies. Sounds like Steve, like everyone else, has been highly conflicted with the seemingly generous crop of Democratic candidates this election and had a genuine challenge in figuring out who to endorse since Edwards dropped out of the race.

Still no justice in Exxon Valdez oil spill

Some five years after an alcohol-impaired captain ran the Exxon Valdez into the Bligh Reef, "officially" spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound, a federal jury awarded $5 billion in punitive damages be paid by Exxon to thousands of claimants from the still devastated Alaskan area. At the time, that $5 billion amounted to 1 years profits for Exxon. In the fourteen years since that jury's decision, Exxon has appealed the decision repeatedly and in 2006 and jury decreased the $5 billion to $2.5 billion. The case is now heading to the U.S. Supreme Court. It's been almost two decades after the oil spill and that $5 billion represents less than two months worth of profits for Exxon now and a study published last year found that over 26,000 gallons of oil still contaminates the shorelines of Prince William Sound and it's not leaving any time soon.

Happy Birthday, George... I guess

In honor of the 276th Birthday of the 1st President of the United Snakes, er, States, I would like to share some George Washington history we didn't learn about in school, you know, instead of making the same wooden teeth and cherry tree jokes that are 200-years tired. And so, some George Washington tidbits:

George Washington was the richest man in America.
George Washington grew hemp for fiber productions (among other things) on his Mt. Vernon slave plantation.
George Washington did in fact own 317 slaves that resided at Mt. Vernon at the time of his death.
George Washington brought nine slaves with him to the Executive Mansion as President. Under Pennsylvania law (the Executive Mansion resided in Philadelphia) slaves became legally free after six months. In order to keep his slaves from earning their freedom, he would rotate them between Mt. Vernon and the Mansion, a scheme he hid from the public and which was in fact against the law (looks like Presidents didn't have much regard for the law back then either!).
When Congress passed the the first tax on domestically produced goods at the urging of Washington's Secretary of the Treasury, known as the Whiskey Act, protest began almost immediately. The tax on distilled spirits favored large distilleries (who could take advantage of a flat fee) over smaller ones as well as Western farmers who would often use whiskey as a barter good. In response to protests throughout the country, Washington ordered protesters to appear in U.S. District Court. Protests turned into full-scale riots and Washington invoked Martial Law in several states as well as the Militia Act of 1792 to silence "Whiskey Insurrection" in western Pennsylvania. This would be the first time the federal government would use military forces to exert authority over citizens as well as states.
Interestingly, after he retired to Mt. Vernon from the Office of the President, he opened a 2,250 sq. ft. distillery, one of the largest in the nation.

OMG ANOTHER RACE IN OREGON

It appears as that there will be a competitive race in Oregon's 5th Congressional District. Democrat Darlene Hooley is retiring. Not that a Democratic majority really seems to be making any difference, but this is one of the best opportunities for Republicans to keep Democrats from gaining a bigger majority in the House.

A birthday present for Steve

Steve Novick's birthday is on Friday! Happy early birthday, Steve!

Send Steve a gift of $45 for his 45th, it will help make November feel like it's a birthday for us all.