Grays River Grange #124

Term Limits for the Supreme Court: Life Tenure Reconsidered

By Steven G. Calabresi & James Lindgren

In June 2005, at the end of its October 2004 Term, the U.S. Supreme Court's nine members had served together for almost eleven years, longer than any other group of nine Justices in the nation's history. Although the average tenure of a Supreme Court Justice from 1789 through 1970 was 14.9 years, for those Justices who have retired since 1970, the average tenure has jumped to 26.1 years. Because of the long tenure of recent members of the Court, there were no vacancies on the high Court from 1994 to the middle of 2005. We believe the American constitutional rule granting life tenure to Supreme Court Justices is fundamentally flawed, resulting now in Justices remaining on the Court for longer periods and to a later age than ever before in American history. 

The Rise of the Republican Party

Master's Station #5

By Krist Novoselic

The Republican Party was founded in 1854 at a time when the issue of slavery was becoming ever more contentious. The party shared many policy goals with the Whigs. As Whigs were falling into disarray over slavery, Republicans, who clearly opposed it, spoke to Northern abolitionists. This led to the South’s secession and Civil War. Republican policy regarding a strong federal government dovetailed into the war effort.

Sallal Grange's #995 Fantastic Emblem

Sallal Grange has a great emblem for their organization. I admit it, I'm an enthusiastic guitar picker! - Krist Novoselic

Krist Novoselic On Party Elections

Krist Novoselic writes in the Longview Daily News about Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) elections. A federal judge recently invalidated Washington's system for electing these party officials. Novoselic takes a look at the system and suggests that public ballots no longer feature these elections.

David Brooks: Tree Of Failure

David Brooks writes in the New York Times about how to restore civility in our public discourse. We know that Grangers try to practice this at meetings and in dealings with our fellow men/women. Even though, it's a good read - Krist Novoselic

Brooks says,

"The truth is fragmentary and it’s impossible to capture all of it. There are competing goods that can never be fully reconciled. The world is more complicated than any human intelligence can comprehend."

Shrinking State Government - A Local's Report

Jeff Gee is Master of the Willapa Valley Grange. He recently attended an event where local policy makers discussed Pacific County, State of Washington and the economic downturn. Brother Gee's opinions are his own. - Krist Novoselic

Intro:
On Monday, January 3rd 2011, the Willlapa Harbor Chamber of Commerce hosted a Legislative Luncheon with State Reps Brian Blake, Dean Takko and Brian Hatfield as well as Pacific County Commissioners Jon Kaino, Bud Cuffel and Lisa Ayers.  I asked the Chamber organizer, Laurie Hatfield, why the PUD Commissioners were not present.  She said there were not invited.  She’ll invite them next year. 
 
There were about 50 people present in the Willapa Community Center.  The format was open questions by anyone in the audience. 
 
Summary:
Overall message from the politicians:  no money, don’t come to Olympia looking for money, voters want small government, we cannot provide specific services and we don’t have an answer on where to go.  Effectively, don’t come to us. 

William Morely Bouck's Tumultuous Term As Washington Grange Master

Master's Station #4

By Krist Novoselic

Image Right: William Morley Bouck

The Progressive movement of early 20th century produced many lasting reforms. There were Roosevelt’s anti-trust laws, direct election of US Senators, many states achieved Direct Legislation (the initiative process), women’s suffrage and public primaries / nominations. (The era also experienced a growth with the mostly forgotten Single Transferable Vote election reform.)

Many people and organizations in Washington State embraced progressivism with fervor. The Washington State Grange had an important role in this movement.

Grange, Partisanship & Elections for Public Office

Master's Station No. 3 

By Krist Novoselic

There was a good discussion at the last meeting regarding how the Grange should proceed with voting in the GRHED election. Members in attendance will recall that I left the Master’s Station to share my thoughts on how we needed to proceed carefully in participating in this election. Speaking from the floor, among my concerns, I briefly mentioned unfortunate incidents in Grange history where our order collided with partisanship and elections for public office. With the GRHED election, our group had arrived at this intersection. I’m happy members chose to avoid causing any wreckage by keeping the results of how the Grange will vote a secret. Let me now elaborate on some of the history I mentioned and why it’s important to remember Grange rules about steering clear of elections for public office.

Weighted Ballots for Habitat Enhancement District Election

Master's Station No. 2 - By Krist Novoselic

The election for the Grays River Habitat Enhancement District board will be on Tuesday, April 27th. There has not been an election for quite some time and I’m finding that many are unaware of the way the district conducts the voting.

It appears the rules for the election are set up with landowners and taxpayers in mind. School funding levies used to have a sixty percent threshold to pass – the intention was to provide a balance for citizens who pay the property taxes. Instead of a supermajority threshold, voters in the district will have weighted ballots. Ballots are distributed according to how much land the taxpayer owns. It resembles corporate elections where shareholders cast a ballot that’s weighted according to how much stock they own.

Book Review: "Knights of the Plow" by Thomas A. Woods (1991)

 

Master's Station No. 1

 Review By Krist Novoselic 

 

Knights of the Plow is an academic tome by Thomas Woods about Oliver Hudson Kelley and the founding of the Grange – Patrons of Husbandry. The book is about the first chapter of Grange history, from Kelley’s formative years, to the genesis of the Grange, to its meteoric rise and precipitous decline in the mid 1870s.

The Kelley story is well known among Grangers; especially his travels on behalf of President Andrew Johnson to survey the condition of farmers and rural life in the post civil-war South. While that’s briefly recounted, Woods’ study is more about the uneasy relationship between the republican virtues as expressed by the founders of the United States and liberal capitalist ideas that emerged in the period of Andrew Jackson’s presidency. These principles eventually clashed as a result of monopoly capitalism creating inequities. Woods also tells of how the same tension manifested in the Grange among leadership in disputes over the direction of the organization.