Supreme Court Decision Threatens Democracy

You didn't miss this did you?

The “little guy” just got a whole lot smaller due to the Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission decision of the U.S. Supreme Court last Thursday. This 5 to 4 decision overturns a century of election and campaign finance law. It opens the flood gates, allowing unlimited corporate campaign donations and campaign manipulation. A corporation can “swift boat” a candidate right up to election day, without having to tell the truth, without having to disclose their involvement, without having to disclose how much money was spent. Does that sound like the American way to you?

Just when you thought our government couldn’t be more dysfunctional and removed from the concerns of the average citizen, guess what? They literally don’t need us anymore. Your $25 donation to the candidate of your choice is now laughable compared to a million dollars from Exxon, the Chamber of Commerce, Microsoft, the “Clean Coal” group, a timber industry lobbying group, or a health insurance consortium. Got to buy more TV ads and smear my opponent. And when key votes for health care, the environment, education, tax policy, war, telecommunications, banking regulations, etc. come before our representative’s committee, what will they be thinking about? What politician will be willing to stick his/her neck out in our interest during an election year? Politicians from both parties know these corporations have given a million to them and not their opponent in the upcoming election, and they know to listen carefully to those corporate interests. Keep in mind, there are no restrictions on multinational and foreign corporations either.

It is only the people who have rights independent of law, independent of status and birthright, rights that are inherent. It means the little guy has the same rights as the CEO. Our rights are not bestowed upon us by government, or by the constitution. That’s what inalienable means. Nowhere in the constitution are corporations acknowledged to have the same inalienable rights as people. Corporations are wholly and artificially created by laws and government. Any rights they may have are only those given to them by the people. Therefore corporations should exist to serve people. What a revolutionary thought. How different than today’s reality!

This is the final corruption of our political system. It comes from a Court infected with corporate lawyers, who jumped on this case to make law. Yes, supposedly conservative judges who have become “activists.” It is corporate domination of the individual. It is tyranny. If Congress allows it to go forward unchecked, it will be the end of our little 234 year experiment with Democracy.

Corporations are not people. Congress must act to limit their involvement with elections and government. This is not a conservative or liberal issue. It’s not a Democrat or Republican issue, although it appears the Republicans are pretty happy about this. It is an affront to Democracy itself. If this rising power is not curbed quickly, all those labels will become meaningless. Our “Representatives” won’t be representing us anymore. It may be our last chance so please contact Brian Baird, Patty Murray, and Maria Cantwell know that you still count. Contact President Obama. Call on them to act with courage and conviction like the founding fathers and mothers of this great country. Call on them to support campaign finance reform and end dictatorship from the boardroom.

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24 States Laws Likely Open to Attack

Jim Ebacher, 1-23-10

Christmas 2009


Wow, what a year it has been in the west-coast Ebacher household! Let’s see if we can sum it up in a positive and exciting way…. Follow the links to pictures and information about our lives.

Dom and Kelsie are doing great! They continue to make improvements and modifications around their home outside of Belfair, WA, including the completion of a storage shed, the creation of an area for raising chickens (and eggs), improving their garden area and soon to get a wood stove installed to keep their home toasty warm! Kelsie works for the City of Bremerton doing many things including web design, and Dom is working for a Bremerton company that makes portable planetariums, Digitalis Education Solutions. They only live about 3 hours away, so we try to see each other regularly. That part is nice!



Mara and Patrick had a momentous year! In May, she graduated from medical school, and is now a full fledged doctor! We attended her graduation in Kirksville, Mo and were just so very proud of this major life accomplishment. She is now at the Naval Medical Center at Portsmouth, Virginia. She has a three year commitment for her residency at which time she will be board certified as a pediatrician. Mara and Patrick have the BEST Christmas present….their son, Elliot Andrew, was born on Dec. 3rd at 5:38 AM. He weighed 7lbs 7 ozs, and was 20 inches long! We flew out to Virginia on the 5th and stayed until the 19th, and just had a wonderful time meeting our first grandson and helping the new parents get comfortable in their new roles. We got to see the hospital where Mara works, the naval base in general, Virginia beach and some of the surrounding area. Also, since we were “in the area” we rented a car and drove up to Marlboro and Newburyport, MA and visited with Jim’s Aunts and Cousin Jeanine. Yes, it was a 12 hour drive each way, but for us, THAT was “in the area”—at least we were on the same coast! And the lobster and fried clams were definitely worth it too. (Ha!)



Maddie has had a good year, though she is still living at home with us in Camas and would like to change that aspect of her life! What she needs to make that happen is a job with more stability and income, and she is working on making that happen. She enjoys her job as a photographer with LifeTouch and Sears, but taking school pictures is seasonal, and she needs steady income to make rent each month! On the other hand, she has been a great help around the house, watching the dogs when we take vacations, helping out when I was sick, etc... and just having her around for company and companionship has been great! We enjoy having her home, so there is no pressure from us to leave. After all, we have a 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom house—we’re not exactly pressed for space!



Our youngest, Miesha Jo, graduated from Western Washington University this past June with a degree in speech and communication disorders (speech pathology), but before going on to a 2-3 year graduate program to complete the speech pathology degree, she decided she wanted to join the “Teach for America” program. She was accepted into this program and was assigned to an inner city school in Chicago, Illinois, The Village Leadership Academy. She is having a great time. We are wickedly awaiting her impressions of winter in Chicago—her first ever experience of Midwest winter—hee,hee,hee. She is turning into a wonderful teacher in an exciting experimental curriculum which is quite Montessori in its orientation. She also organized a Facebook Book Drive for penpals in her classroom, which has caught on to other classrooms at her school. She misses her honey, Chris, who is finishing up his degree at Western, but they are enduring the long term relationship. She will be home for Christmas and we are looking forward to spending some time with her and Chris.



New Grammy Pat’s year has been WAY too exciting, starting with a diagnosis of breast cancer in her left breast in Jan. A quick, uneventful mastectomy, three sessions of chemotherapy (four was recommended, but I had an ulcer that “blew” and ended up in intensive care with half my blood volume replaced—so no more chemo!)and I am now “good to go”! The cancer was found way early during my annual mammogram, so yay for that! I have already had two follow-up appointments with my oncologist (one every three months), and all looks good! Thanks to all for your prayers and support. I have been back to work full time (12 hour shifts) since May. Sometime this next year I will go and have the reconstructive surgery done and be “balanced” again, but I’m in no rush… It is another 10 weeks off work…that gets tough on the old checkbook! Anyway, I am just so excited to be a grandma, and so grateful to be alive and around to enjoy it all! And, my hair came back curly.



New Granpa Jim’s life has also had its challenges. He continues to work for Kaiser Permanente, as a manager in Continuing Care Services (Home Health, Hospice, Home Infusion and Geriatrics and Long Term Care). It’s rewarding work and God willing, he will be able to retire from KP in 10 years or so. This year marked some good hikes, namely the Hoh River Trail with Maddie, Dom and Kelsie, and Mt. Adams and Spirit Lake with Pat. We had a great opportunity to “rent” (free) a neighborhood garden, and it turned out great, especially the pumpkins, beans, beets, peas, squash, corn and potatoes. All organic, of course. We bought and split 3cords of firewood, and put some of it on the back porch, now covered with a new deck roof. His 54th birthday was marked with a diagnosis of Type II Diabetes, and this has changed his diet and lifestyle somewhat, but we are coping with this and have been successful with a dietary/exercise approach so far. Pat got Jim to remodel the master bedroom and closet this year, and it turned out very well with a new laminate floor, green and brown walls and our new California Closet.



Also this year we had guests from AFS (welcome family home), and had two college friends of Chris’ over for Thanksgiving. We have joined a new church, literally a brand new parish near us, Holy Redeemer. Other events were travels to Missouri for Mara’s graduation, travel to Bellingham for Miesha’s graduation and then travel to Chicago to move her there. Also, in July we hopped in the VW and did a whirlwind round trip to Alexandria, MN for a Minnesota Ebacher family reunion at Tom’s place, goodbye party for Jerry and Dorothy, and 87th birthday party for Jim’s mother Gloria. We had a visit from Jim’s sister Corinne and #3 daughter Elizabeth in November, and visits from Pat’s bother Brian and family in the Spring and Summer.

Of course, the inauguration of our new president was a remarkable highlight of 2009.

We thank you all for your friendship and prayers. We hope 2010 is full of blessings and meaning, gives you peace and renewal, and finds you with opportunities to bring people together in community.


Jim and Pat Ebacher

pjebacher@comcast.net
3010 NW Kent St.
Camas, WA 98607

Mara Ebacher

dr.mara@gmail.com
1201 Basswood Ct.
Chesapeake, VA 23320

Maddie Ebacher

madeleine.ebacher@gmail.com
3010 NW Kent St.
Camas, WA 98607

Miesha Ebacher

mieshajo@gmail.com
808 E. 54th St. Apt. 3
Chicago, IL 60615

Pictures of Daddy at SJU, 1973-4

A Sunday in New England

We had a great whirlwind trip and visit to Aunt Terry, Aunt Bea and Aunt Margaret in Marlboro, Mass. Aunt Terry, now 79, plans to travel to France next summer to attend the general chapter of the order of St. Chritienne, representing the US houses. She showed us the Holy Bible she translated into Solami, a life's work. Aunt Bea, who is now 95, is feeling better, just getting over a touch of bronchitis. She is well cared for by the nurses at the convent. We surprised her after Mass and that was fun. Aunt Margaret is in a convent that cares for higher needs, and although she is quite compromised compared to years ago, she seems mostly happy and recognized us and shared many memories with humor and sincerity. We talked about in Florida when she was working with immigrants from Honduras and Haiti, and the importance of learning to speak their language. Why? Wisdom from Aunt Margaret... "Because it brings people together." Sounded like the secret of life to me. What do you say to this, and to Aunt Terry about her bible? It was an honor and we are humbled. That's about it.

Afterwards we travelled with Cousin Jeanine to Amesbury. At their home we showed Jeanine and Alan our pictures we had brought on the computer. Then we went out to eat to Newburyport for lobster and fried clams, and a picture with the Captain. Sorry, the pictures are in reverse order to the day and evening. Afterwards we drove back to Marlboro, got some quick shut-eye, and took off back to Virginia on icy roads at 3:00 AM, arriving there 12 hours later without incident.

Mara and Patrick's son Elliot Andrew Hegel. What a baby!

Washington Final Statewide results:
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Referendum 71, referring to the people to approve or reject "Everything Except Marriage" for Same-sex and Senior partners. Passed: 51.1%

Initiative 1033, limiting state and country taxes. No. 55.4%

Good thoughtful results, in my opinion.

Other races of interest... Vancouver mayor upset, Leavitt wins by large majority. Washougal mayor defeated in landslide by Sean Guard. Incumbants lost in CW Port Commisioners races.

Clark County results for the statewide referendum and initiative were strongly more conservative than the statewide results: R71 = Rejected 53.3% I1033 = Yes 54.8.

Halloween and Bedroom Makeover