The Erinistas Weekly | January 12

AID TO NORTH
KOREA POSSIBLE
MSNBC
National/World News

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State James Kelly, in Seoul for talks on the North Korean nuclear standoff, said Monday that the United States is willing to consider energy aid to the North if it ends nuclear weapons development. "Once we get beyond nuclear weapons, there may be opportunities with the U.S., with private investors, with other countries to help North Korea in the energy area," Kelly said at a news conference.

Kelly reiterated the U.S. position that Washington is willing to talk to North Korea, which pulled out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty last week and hinted over the weekend that it might drop a moratorium on missile tests. "We are willing to talk to North Korea about their response to the international community," on the nuclear issue, Kelly said. "I think we�re just going to wait to see." Kelly, who arrived in Seoul late Sunday and met President-elect Roh Moo-hyun on Monday morning, said the comments by North Korean envoys meeting with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson over the weekend were "disappointing."

(C) Copyright MSNBC, 2003

MSNBC uses the newsgathering resources of NBC News and NBC�s more than 200 affiliated stations to produce the best news reports anywhere.

Every Election over the last 20 years has shown big shifts in how voters think, what motivates them and most of all what it takes to win. The reality is that currently the parties themselves are at parity, slim majorities with voters unwilling to let either party gain too much power. The Vital Center, as the centrist group of voters who side neither with the left of right have been termed, are critical to any party or candidate hoping to win office in the 21st Century.

So what is different about elections today, than those of just a few decades ago? What is causing these political shifts of ideal logy? A part of the reason is how our economy is structured. As the Agricultural age of the early 1900's changed to the Industrial age we saw distinct changes in politics. As the 40's and 50' helped build a strong middle class in the US, The New Economy is driving a New Electorate. Who best reaches these new voters is who will hold the power for the next few decades.

Also our society itself is changing. As the Industrial era gives way to the Information age, voters are becoming more educated, have more access to information and less dominated by partisan politics. As the electorate continues to change, the political parties need to change to fit better today's realities. Those who refuse to change are doomed to face dramatic losses.

Democrats are at a crossroads. We can return to the more liberal politics of the 70's. We can continue to fight among ourselves as the far left battles the more centrist members. Or we can look to the future and work to build a New Coalition for the 21st Century. A coalition that expands beyond the traditional Democratic base and reaches out to disenfranchised voters. Our new coalition must include men and women, be multi racial, multi ethnic, represent urban interest as well as suburban. Include moderate values as well as liberal passion. Our new coalition must appeal to and include working class as well as the new rising learning class.

This shift in philosophy is what scares some on the left. They see this as abandoning what they fought for and believe in. This New Democratic Coalition still respects the Traditional Values of the Democratic Party. We believe in Strong Public Education, taking care of our elderly, protection of the environment. We believe that a woman's body is not governments business. Our Core beliefs are Opportunity for Everyone, Mutual Responsibility, and Empowering Community.

We stand at a crossroads. I hope that the Democrats will move beyond the petty attacks on the center from the left. The Vital Center is required for anyone to win office. I believe together, we can be the dominant party of the 21st Century.

For more information on the New Democratic Coalition and New Democratic Philosophy go to www.ndol.org.

Rich is a long time Political and Labor Activist, and currently is a City Council member in a small town in South King County.

Danae is off this week. Check back next week for more political insight!

Danae has worked with several world relief organizations, and was a Navy Ombudsman for over 15 years. She enjoys debate and conversation, and currently writes for the Erinistas Weekly.

It was a happy New Years night for the Smoak family. James, Pamela, and their son Brandon were driving home January 1st from a vacation-- when something went horribly wrong. James Smoak, after stopping at a local gas station, had left his wallet on top of the family's green station wagon and continued driving down the interstate. A passing motorist reportedly saw money "flying out of the car," and called police. The Tennessee Highway Patrol pulled over the vehicle, suspecting that the Smoaks might be involved in a robbery. Troopers approached the vehicle with shotguns drawn, and ordered the family out of the car. That's when the Smoaks' dog Patton jumped out of the car. Officer Eric Hall fired several rounds from his shotgun, instantly killing the animal. Patton, a bulldog-boxer mix appeared to be wagging his tail as he bounded towards the officer. As it turns out, the Smoak family had done nothing wrong, and were released from custody. Department spokesmen, after reviewing the case, said the incident was "regretable" but appeared to be consistent with Highway Patrol policy.

I read this story, and I was sickened. I watched this story and I was horrified. Authorities released a tape to the media, shot from the dash of Hall's squad car. I've played it over and over, and I still see the same thing:

The officer was approaching the car
Excited, the dog jumped out
Patton was wagging his tail and running towards Officer Hall
Hall shot the dog
James Smoak, kneeling in front of the car, was crying out for his dog

This dog didn't have to die. First of all, what prompted police to suspect the Smoaks of robbery? There was money coming out of the car-- that could mean any number of things! Secondly, was it necessary for the officers to approach the station wagon with SHOT GUNS? Was the dog growling at him? Was Officer Hall attacked by this dog? NO! If you watch the tape, you can see that it was a fairly small dog. He was wagging his tail, panting. Not barking, not growling, not biting... not the least bit threatening. The lesson here, is that police CAN act prematurely

Up until I saw this story, I've almost always sided with the police. Because I thought they were capable of making logical decisions. This proves to me that they aren't-- at least not always. Officer Hall could have waited, and observed the dog. If Patton was indeed running towards him, he should have waited to see what the dog did. Had he been bitten, or attacked, that would have been a different story. But to shoot the dog at that point was dead wrong. Literally. If you're a police officer, when you make mistakes, people -- or animals in this case-- die! That is why we need to have the highest standards for our law enforcement personnel-- to prevent things like this from happening. But what upset me even more, was for a department spokesman to come out and basically say that this incident was "acceptable." If we are training police officers to take actions like this, then we need to stop and think. We need to have a new program, and it needs to start TODAY. Situations like this one in Tennesee, are UNACCEPTABLE. Period, no question marks, bottom line.

If the police can do this to a dog, nothing is there to stop them from doing it to a human being. Where's the integrity in law enforcement? I'll tell you where-- it's gone. There are no excuses. This has to stop.

Brian owns and operates ErinHartShow.com. He considers himself a young Democrat with an attitude. Brian is a fierce debater who doesn't think age is relevant in political discussion. He believes the root of the world's problems can somehow be traced back to AOL.

SUSAN HUTCHISON
FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Seattle P-I
Local News

News anchor Susan Hutchison's employment situation at KIRO/7 remains uncertain. She recently said a session with a professional mediator before Christmas accomplished little in the way of determining what, if any, future she has at KIRO. Hutchison has been on medical leave since September, but she acknowledges her absence is the result of an "ongoing employment dispute" with station executives who reduced her anchoring duties dramatically during the past year. KIRO general manager John Woodin confirmed Thursday that attempts to redefine Hutchison's role with the station "haven't struck a chord yet."

"Having her back has always been our wish," Woodin said. "We're still talking."Until a year ago, Hutchison co-anchored with Steve Raible the 5, 6:30 and 11 p.m. newscasts for KIRO, the region's CBS affiliate. Her screen time dropped sharply with the arrival of Kristy Lee, who has become Raible's anchoring partner on all the evening newscasts. Before going on leave, Hutchison had been reassigned to the noon news and half the 5 p.m. newscast.

Hutchison Thursday had no new comment on the impasse with KIRO, but her attention was understandably diverted. Her husband, Andy, a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, will go on active duty Sunday with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., as part of the U.S. military buildup in preparation for a possible war with Iraq. In civilian life, Andy Hutchison is a Boeing Co. executive. Hutchison said she will focus on "keeping my family strong and supporting in whatever way I can the many military families in the Puget Sound area whose loved ones are serving in the Middle East."

Hutchison did not say if her husband is being deployed overseas.

(C) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2003

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is the oldest morning newspaper in the state of Washington and has a following throughout the Northwest. It has been "The Voice of the Northwest" since 1863.