Has The Center Left? Seattle City Council seat #8, up this year and open (Tim Burgess is retiring from this seat), will provide a good anatomy of Seattle political alignments. You can sense how much the socialist wing of Seattle politics has grown since the election of Kshama Sawant. Opposing that w[...]
Posts Tagged ‘Commentary by David Brewster’
April 19th, 2017 - 7:51 am § in Donald Trump, The Ave Scene
Trump’s Spoils System
David Brewster How former WA lawmaker Don Benton proved too much even for the Trump administration. He’s been sent to a Siberia job. Don Benton: the Trump ‘shadow’ adviser taking over the US draft system Former lawmaker, a member of the president’s ‘shadow cabinet’ spread acr[...]
March 18th, 2017 - 1:02 pm § in Donald Trump
TRUMPS’s Deep Pockets
An eye-opening story on the big money family, the Mercers, behind the Bannon approach to disruptive politics. Move over, Koch Brothers, in the pantheon of big-money conservative backers. It’s a cautionary tale of what happens when technology and finance are unleashed for political ends and the[...]
When Trump Bans the Real Media
David Brewster A case just decided in New York underscores that barring media from briefings, based on “viewpoint discrimination,” is likely unconstitutional. This obviously bears on Trump’s press secretary’s recent action barring certain media from a briefing. An expert expl[...]
February 16th, 2017 - 8:14 am § in Misc.
Is the (political) grass greener in BC?
Those packing bags to emigrate to British Columbia might ponder this article about how easily political cash flows to politicians up there. For instance, Christy Clark, premier of BC, gets an extra $40,000 a year from her Liberal Party, financed by political donors. B.C. has no limits on political d[...]
February 6th, 2017 - 10:09 am § in Donald Trump, Misc.
Recognize that you’re the enemy Trump requires.
David Brewster This article, about the lessons learned in fighting populism in Venezuela, has some important lessons. In sum, “Recognize that you’re the enemy Trump requires. Show concern, not contempt, for the wounds of those who brought him to power. By all means, be patient with democracy[...]
January 26th, 2017 - 1:11 am § in Misc.
David Brewster: Arts Coverage Dies
David Brewster Ominous, but unconfirmed, rumors about cuts in arts coverage at NYTimes and WSJournal. Not long ago, Times folks said that non-New York readers particularly liked paper for foreign coverage and arts stories. But still, both papers need to make staff cuts. Another factor: a lot of arts[...]
January 24th, 2017 - 11:23 am § in Donald Trump, Misc.
Trump will attempt to lead
“Here’s a data-based analysis of the kind of country Trump will attempt to lead, most of whom do not buy his solutions.” David Brewster Despite the election of Trump, the country has been moving leftward. The election doesn’t overturn these developments, though it does point [...]
January 9th, 2017 - 8:53 am § in The Ave Scene
David Brewster: Feeding Art in Seattle
Harbinger story out of Denver, which is booming in so many ways and also pushing out artists. The parallels with Seattle: Denver arts funding scheme is about to be imported here (if voters approve in August) under a local Cultural Access Fund. But in Denver it’s been more about new public fund[...]
POLITICO RATES AMERICA’S MAYORS: Mayor Murry Did Not Make List
David Brewster An intriguing survey of America’s 11 most interesting mayors, and how they are positioning their cities as the cities of the future. Seattle doesn’t make the list. I suspect one reason is the way mayors in this city spend most of their time tending powerful constituent gro[...]