Greetings Conservatives! Ballots Due Tuesday 11/7! These types of elections are always a challenge for us. Although they are “non-partisan,” just saying it doesn’t make it so. Many of the most partisan, vicious people I have met claim to have no party affiliation.   On the other hand, some of the most temperamentally cheerful and welcoming people I have met embrace their party. They recognize the value of a coalition of like-minded (not same-minded) people, and see a party not as an oppressive system of same-ness, but as a coalition of allied people with diverse beliefs and intents. We stick together to allow each person the right to speak their conscience, rather than to be targeted by those who oppose us all.   So here is our solution: we do not have official positions as a party. But just as with the last special elections last spring, if you wish I can put you in touch with a conservative in your area to give you their thoughts. Or, you can use our list of PCOs on our website here.   Lastly, the voter’s guide is here. Most of the candidates are pretty upfront about where they stand if you pay attention. The papers have published many letters and candidate Q & As, which we have tried our best to post over the last few weeks.     This week we have a special from Kelley Unger, who works for the Discovery Institute as the Director of Development Operations. We asked her to tell us a little bit about it for our membership:     In an age of fake media, polarizing social media posts, and left-leaning academic institutions, where do conservatives turn for positive news and programming? Believe it or not, there are many reliable and trustworthy organizations who are promoting conservative values.   In fact, Seattle, Washington is home to one such organization. Discovery Institute is a nonpartisan, secular think that that promotes thoughtful analysis and effective action on local, regional, national and international issues. The Institute is home to an inter-disciplinary community of scholars and policy advocates dedicated to the reinvigoration of traditional Western principles and institutions and the worldview from which they issued.   Discovery Institute has a special concern for the role that science and technology play in our culture and how they can advance free markets, illuminate public policy and support the theistic foundations of the West. The Institute was founded by Bruce Chapman and George Gilder in 1991. Their board was at one time chaired by Congressman John R. Miller (RIP) and Michael Medved is one of their Senior Fellows.   Many may have heard about their largest program, the Center for Science & Culture (CSC), because since 2004 the intelligent design movement has gotten a lot of press (whether fair or unfair). The CSC is the institutional hub for scientists, educators, and inquiring minds who think that nature supplies compelling evidence of intelligent design. It supports research, sponsor educational programs, defend free speech, and produce articles, books, and multimedia content.   Discovery Institute also has a number of other programs that have made a significant impact both regionally and nationally, including: [read the rest on our website here.]     This is the first of several articles from Kelley Unger, introducing us to the world of conservative think tanks.    Thank you Kelley!!   LOCAL NEWS DIGEST   Voter’s Guide here.   The Journal’s endorsements for 2017 here. They are usually pretty candid, so even if you disagree on every race it’s still a useful springboard for those on SJI.   There are a LOT of letters. I’d encourage you to read them on each paper’s website under “letters to the editor.” Letters for each candidate are often posted on the same web link, so that one link may include 4 letters. Also, the editorials are not published on the front page of the website, you have to click “opinion.”   Recycling and waste processing has been in the local news quite a bit. After a brief stop, “San Juan Transfer Station to recycle mixed paper starting Nov. 3.” On SJI, Community Treasures is changing its policies on items it can’t use. We appreciate Frank Penwell and others who work so hard to make CT a fixture in our community. “San Juan Island EMS faces budget concerns as chief resigns.”   If you live in F.H., there was a Q&A with mayoral candidates, published here. Four steps to lower your monthly energy bill | Guest Column   Housing and land use remains in the local news: “San Juan County staff to assess how much land is undeveloped” regarding the Comprehensive Plan update. “Almost half of the population cannot afford to live in most island homes“ And the last news article, “Department of Ecology approves Shoreline Master Program“ You can comment on the Comprehensive plan here: http://sanjuanco.com/1079/Comprehensive-Plan-Update — and I strongly advise that you do so!! It’s actually a really neat tool.   “OPALCO Board Member Jim Lett to retire”   WSDOT seeking input on 20-year plan, ends on Nov 7th.   Our community faces numerous challenges, and SJC Dems have hit on a solution: Spend their effort sending a resolution to their state leaders stating that a single payer health care system is the way to go. Yeah for politically realistic goals and constructive solutions! It makes me wince, though I guess I shouldn’t mind that they are busy wasting their time.   The Islands Weekly and the Sounder have had few if any op-ed or editorial since mid October. If anybody wants to write something, it’s a good time. There have been lots of letters though, and that may be why.     STATE NEWS DIGEST “Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has now filed or joined 17 lawsuits against the Trump administration. Ferguson this week outlined the lawsuits in response to a request from some GOP state senators.” (Seattle Times)   Last week the Seattle Times reported that “Washington’s Supreme Court justices on Tuesday weighed whether lawmakers have done enough to fulfill the court’s landmark school-funding ruling, known as the McCleary decision.” Somewhat predicatably, the Seattle TImes ran an editorial arguing that the state should raise more taxes to increase funding: “The “mission accomplished” banner was hung prematurely in the state Legislature. The Supreme Court should retain jurisdiction on the McCleary case and tell lawmakers to keep working.” There’s a pretty good summary as part of a series of live updates from the State Supreme Court hearing here. (Seattle Times) This activist State Supreme Court has made a highly subjective decision about how well schools are funded, and it may yet mean substantial tax increases for state residents For those still in the workforce, Washinton State passed a new parental leave law, though it doesn’t take effect until 2020. Fox News (local channel 13) has spends a little more time discussing the nuts and bolts of it here.