The recent poll on the need for an investigation of the origins of the Iraq fiasco really misses the point. The PNAC (Project for the New American Century) published in 1998 its' clear demand for a war with Iraq to remove Saddam from power and establish American control over Iraq in order to establish our power in the Middle East and counter OPEC's control over petroleum resources. The PNAC was the organizing force for the Neocon takeover of the Republican party. The PNAC leadership included Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfield, Paul Wolfowitz, John Bolton, William Bennett, Jeb Bush, Richard Perle, Richard Armitage, and Zalmey Khalizad. The group sent a letter to then president, Bill Clinton, in 1998 demanding that he take action to remove Saddam and occupy Iraq. Clinton ignored their demands. When they engineered the Bush (Neocon) takeover of the Executive branch of the US government in 2000, these same men took over the prominent positions of authority which allowed them to implement their plan. This material is a matter of record and indis(edited)ble. This is old news, not opinion. The reasons for the Iraq war don't need to be investigated, they just need to be recognized and admitted.

Hey all, Does the media really cover all the news we want? Or even all the news we need? I have been digging around the internet this last week, trying to find out about "the news", and how it is covered. What you find is that there is lots of important stuff that is NOT covered. And there is too much "junk" news that is there to just make money.

The main problem is that the media is a captive of "commerce". When the stories about Britney get better ratings that stories about things that affect your life, like the economy, the media will run Britney stories. They are giving us what we want. At least the "us" in a broad sense. So to make more money, they run more junk news. Maybe there needs to be a way to take the money side of TV out of the news division. PUBLIC EYE is actually a good site by CBS that tries to explore how the media does its job.

PROJECT CENSORED is a great site that tries to spotlight the biggest stories that the main stream media misses, This year their main story is about Big Business trying to take over the internet. If the big corporations succeed, people like you and I won't be able to have these discussions.

INFORMATION CLEARING HOUSE is a more liberal, anti war leaning view. But they do a great job in providing news that we seem to be missing. There is lots of number and data articles. One of their main stories right now is how the British governement lied to its people to promote the war in Iraq. It will be interesting to see if the American public wants this kind of news.

Finally, I found out that any of you can add stories to the main page of our web site. You need to click on the "SUBMIT NEWS" link on the middle left side of the www.makegovwork.org site. I would love to see what you guys have to say.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and appreciate all the good things in your life while you have them.

John Waite - gorbob@aol.com -

WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE

Well goes to show that if it has a D or an R they are all lying pigs by my estimation. The above story is about the "Dems openess in government"......SO THE FIRST THING THEY DO IS HAVE A CLOSED MEETING!!!!! Harry "free crap" Reid says that the closed meeting is to "establish a dialogue"..........You need a closed meeting to "establish a dialogue"? No you need a closed meeting to talk about how to save your corrupt ass so you can keep bilking the public out of more money. Remember William "the freezer" Jefferson? You know the guy who had 90,000 DOLLARS OF BRIBE MONEY IN HIS FREEZER! Let us also remember that when he was caught that Nanny Pelosi and Denny Hastert joined together to say what the FBI did was illegal. Being a corrupt son of (edited) sure makes interesting bed fellows. Well he just got re-elected. So that is what the people of Louisana want....fools. We need to quit playing this stupid party game and truly demand that we crush corruption. Just because the Dems got voted in should not mean that we can sit back with a laissez faire attitude. In fact we should be more vigilant, especially after all the huff and puff from the Dems. Corruption is corruption is corruption no matter if it be D or R.
ShanusMaximus

So the elections are done and the political landscape has changed. But what will really happen? I think the Democrats got elected to make changes and "fix" the problems of America. Will they try to do it? Will they actually do it? Will the Republicans help or hinder? Do any of them want to help us, or do they want to increase party power?

What are our expectations? Here is what I hope for and expect -

Raising Minimum wage
True discourse on the war in iraq
Ethics probes for both parties
Earmark reform/transparency
Desire for balanced budget
Fight tax cuts for rich
Remove tax breaks and subsities for oil/gas/drug manufactures
going after corporate greed
health care costs/fixing drug costs for plan b

Am I wrong to say that these things are good for most Americans? If you disagree (or agree), drop me a note.

And a bigger question is - how does all this affect us locally? I think anything that takes money from the Federal and state governments and puts it back in the hands of the local counties and cities is a good thing. BUT will the Democrats do that, or will they also increase the size and complexity of the government?

So what are the problems that we locally face? Of course there isn't enough money to keep up with inflation on core city costs. And the money recieved from the state and fed are being reduced. For those of you that have LOTS of free time, here are the web pages for the 2005 and 2006 city budgets and the web page for the coming 2007 budget. I think that local governments around the country have to demand more from the feds and the states. If I run for city council, this would be the first item on my list.

In other news, I was happy to see Jim Webb, the recent winner of the Virginia Senate race, is tackling and addressing the growing class war America seems heading for. I think this is THE BIG battle of the 21st century. Do governments and corporations have the right to "control" us because they have all the money and power? Or do people have the right to life, liberty and the persuit of happyness? And what can you or I do to take back control of our lives.

Also, here is a great article about having your own "home based" power plant. I think anything that reduces our energy independence locally or nationally is a GREAT thing. Someday we should all have personal solar and wind based power in our houses. The government should spend their "energy" subsidies on thinga that help us achive energy independence.

Finally, I have a new poll. Check it out and vote! And the results of the old poll were the "War in Iraq" got the most votes and the "National Debt" got 2nd.

Now that America has voted and asked for National change, Please keep these politicans honest and demand they affect great change.

See Y'all later - John Waite

Hey All, Amy and I are going to the Red Lion Tavern, Tuesday, Nov 7th at 6pm to eat, drink and watch the election results. We would love to have you all join us. I cannot guarentee the results, but it should be interesting viewing and I would love to hear what everyone thinks. The Red Lion Tavern is on the corner of Main and Division. Join us.

And speaking of the elections, here are three interesting events that have shaken things up this week. All these are central to my belief that the system and the parties are COMPLETELY BROKEN.

1) The Neo-con's are like rats fleeing a sinking ship. The very same people that pushed for the "moral" war in Iraq are now casting blame everywhere but at themselves. No one ever wants to take the blame for their actions or say they are sorry. Just remember, these are the people that got us into the mess we are in now.

2) The news that Ted Haggard, a leading Evangelist with a personal connection to The president, has been accused of using Meth and hanging around with a male, gay escort. What bothers me the most is the hypocrisy of these leading "moral" leaders bashing others for their behavior, and then doing anything they like. We need our leaders, pastors and politicans to be held to not just an equal level of behavior, but a greater level with GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABLILITY. They work for us and we deserve their best.

3) And then their is big mouth, big hair John Kerry's stupid and insensitive comments about military members in Iraq. Now the democrats are trying to fix his mess and recover some of the momentum they had going into this week. Regardless of what Kerry meant, he should be held accountable for what he said, and be held accountable for being too stupid to "tell his joke". Why are we surrounded by stupid, corrupt leaders? Because we don't have real choices with the two parties. And they are not accountable for their actions. That's why we are here fighting for more political independence. YEAH!!!

Finally, there is the verdict for Saddam Hussein coming this sunday. OH BOY!! That's sure to bring crazy times...

See you Tuesday.

John Waite

Hey All, The elections are coming up and most of you have your ballots by now. And hopefully you have read the voter's pamphlet. And hopefully you are voting. I read and hear about people who don't vote. Mostly they have given up and don't think things will change. I actually understand their frustration, but refuse to believe things cannot get better. I do think the idea of a real third party, or some other independent system will catch on. Most people can see that the system of battle between the two major parties CANNOT be good for America. Spread the word that Political independence can work and is coming.

Light Rail - I want to point out a Light Rail alternative plan that can work for Spokane. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a system of dedicated lines and systems that can be turned into Light Rail at a later time when the economy in Spokane and the region can support the costs. I LOVE light rail, but cannot imagine how we can pay for it without fixing our regressive Washington tax system with something more progressive. And we don't have the federal funds helping to pay like Portland and the MAX had. I personally think that the land owners and developers along the line should pay a greater share. They gain the most from the project.

Voting Machines - I've read lots of articles about voting machines and how the new computerized, touch screen can be manipulated and don't have paper trails. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! How in the world can our politicians think this is acceptable. I am tired of them saying "trust us" and time after time, doing the wrong thing and doing things that are OPPOSITE of what they say. I guess it begs the question, who do they really serve, and why would they want voting machines that can be manipulated??? HHHMM...

STUPID HYPOCRITES!!! - I found the funniest and saddest story of the month. It's an article about the "very rich" of New York complaining about the "ultra rich" and how it's so unfair. Do these people understand how sad, pathetic and hypocritical their complaints are. WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE BELOW THEM??

BUT HAPPILY, there are some great things happening that do provide information, clarity, accountability and transparency to our society. Spokane Community Indicators is an excellent EWU site with TONS of Spokane county financial data, so you can really see what is going on. Take a look, it's kind of fun (if your a geeky econ guy).

VOTE BY NOV 7TH!!

Here is a great timeline on how Bush got to the 2003 war in iraq. There is tons of info and you can take it and figure things out for yourself.

My latest heartache is actually brought by Harry Reid, Minority leader of the Democrats. It's bad enough that the Republicans are rotten to the core, but then to have the Democrats doing the same things leaves us with NO REAL CHOICE when voting. Both sides are corrupt and have obvious disregard for the USA. Look -

Harry Reid - Reid made a gain of $1.1 million on a real estate deal on property that he didn't own for three years. More importantly, he hid the gain on his ethics reports. But the problem is that THESE GUYS DON'T THINK THIS STUFF IS UNETHICAL. So they don't really think they are doing anything wrong. And they don't think they are required to obey the same laws that you and I obey.

Duke Cunningham - Made $2 million from bribery scandel for military contracts. This really bothers me because it means that he was willing to weaken our military for financial gain. Happily he is rotting in prison.

Mark Foley - Latest sex scandel in DC. But the big difference is that he was after underage pages, and the republican leaders hid it for political gains. And then the kicker is that Foley was co-chair of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus . WHAT A BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES!!!

Ted Kennedy - What can you say about this drunkard and his son, Patrick Kennedy, riding the wave of popularity from John F Kennedy for 40 years. What annoys me is that this blowhard is even elected by his district after the Chapaquitic accident and death of Mary Jo Kopechne.

Robert Byrd - Legendary Pork barrel spending king who is a former KKK member. I guess the people of West Virginia don't mind a little lynching here or there.

Bob Ney - Ohio congressmen pleaded guilty of influence peddling and the expects to keep his seat. Happily Republican leaders cleared out this slime before the election. But he thought he should remain the seat holder. What planet is he on?

These people do not deserve to serve us. And more importantly, they think we should "serve them". Why do we elect criminals and scum to our leadership positions. Because we don't have real choices with the Democrats and Republicans. And they control our election system. This must change. I guess my point is that there have to be good, honest people we can elect.
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Some of you have been reading about the local propositions. I am trying to figure out what I think about them, and more importantly, why I think it.

Prop 920 (VOTE NO), Repeal of the estate tax - Oh sorry, I guess I meant the DEATH TAX!! It send shudders through my body. So the estate tax affects 250 of the richest families in Washington and will deprive the state of $100 million in revenue. I am not a fan of taxes, but in this age where the rich get richer, can we afford tax breaks for millionaires.

Prop 933 (VOTE NO), property rights - This will allow land owners and developers to force gobernments to let them use their land as they see fit or be paid to NOT develop. I own property and am not real excited to have some government tell me what to do with it. But there are already processes to help developers challenge the system. And the rules about development are there for a reason - to protect the public good. Sometimes it's necessary to have land plans to keep that "wal-mart" from opening next door to your house. And the cost to government could be 100's of millions of dollars out of your taxes and into the developers pockets.

Prop 937 (VOTE NO), Alternative energy - Sadly, this is the right plan AT THE WRONG TIME. Someday we need to force more "green", renewable energy. But right now is not the time. I think the people of Washington are educated on energy and will make the appropriate ADVISORY statement, but a mandatory plan right now is not what we can afford.

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Also, some people have asked what I would do, or do differently, if I was on the city council. Broadly, I want accountability and transparency so that silly and costly decisions are found out and those responsible pay for their poor decisions. Specifically, I want to work to have our city and area work more efficiently with better fiscal balance based on our area and economy, not other cities.

I want to work to have the city and county reconcile and work together regionally. We are one and the same and should have the same goals for our region. When things are difficult, there is no room for egotistical or hostile battles.

I want to work with State and Federal leaders to get money back into the Spokane economy that are being sucked away by poor state and federal spending decisions.

I want the wage structure of Spokane based on the economy of Spokane, not Portland and Seattle. We are overpaying for services in this area and need to bring balance back to our wage structure. This will allow us to hire more people and actually perform the services necessary to make Spokane Great. Right now the city is overpaid and understaffed. We are not the kind of city and economy that can be generous with wages and benefits. We need people that want to give to out community to work for our government. If they want to make big wages, they need to work in the private sector.

Finally, I want everything in the open and the public to have access to decisions and why those decisions were made. And if there are business dealing, everything has to be in the open so we know things are working properly. There is no reason for secrecy at the city, county and state level.
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Lastly, I have so many things flowing and raging through my brain these days that I am going to start posting updates every day or two on the web page. I won't send them out and if you like my ramblings, you'll have to come and check them out. Thanks to all of you that care.

Pass this e-mail on!!

John Waite, gorbob@aol.com

There are so many interesting, challenging and frightening things going on right now that I don't know where to start. Hopefully I won't go on too long, but life is like a epic historical drama playing out right in front of our lives. Sadly, our political leaders are not smart enough to see the lessons of history. They create their reality and truth based on what they need that day to get elected again.

In regards to the idea of independence and politics, we have two REAL independent thinkers running for important positions in the Spokane area. Happily, BONNIE MAGER won her Democratic race to challenge Phil "bought and paid for" Harris for Spokane county commissioner. Check out her web site and see what she stands for. Also, we have PETER GOLDMARK running for the federal 5th district house seat of Washington. We could not be luckier to have a chance to vote for accountability, responsibility, independence and most importantly, someone who comes from outside the current political process. I think it's vital to get more "normal" people involved in politics. And to further the cause of independence, I am going to run next year for Spokane city council. But now is the time to spread the word to people that want to work for change. Please forward this e-mail to anyone that might care. And sign up on the web site for more information. It's my goal to have a solid group ready for the fight next year.

Other points - #1) Why is the cost of gas so high in our area. While the cost of gas is dropping nation wide, Spokane seems to be missing out on this "boon". It's kind of like the report that showed Health care costs in Spokane were leading the nation. WHAT THE HELL!!! It seems to me that instead of things being cheaper here, because our economy is struggling, things cost more than they should. Well, lets ask questions, and find out why.

#2) - Why do the parties control the election process in Washington state. Lately, they foisted a crappy primary plan where you could not cross parties and vote for who you want to. I understand their first amendment right of association, but they don't have any right to tell us who to vote for. I know, WHY DON'T THE PARTIES PAY FOR THEIR PRIMARYS INSTEAD OF US PAYING FOR IT. Then they can "associate" with whoever they like. Someone should sue the parties to have them pay for their own process. The parties being in charge of elections, is like the fox being in charge of the hen house.

#3) - I have sen the stupidest statement yet by a government official - Asked point-blank whether the United States is winning in Iraq, Abizaid replied: "Given unlimited time and unlimited support, we're winning the war." REALLY!! With unlimited resources and time, your winning? So in the real world, does that mean your losing?? Read the whole article and have something to ready to hit when you really lose it.

BUT there are good things in life that one must still enjoy. Amy and I went to maybe the one of the best MEXICAN RESTAURANTS I have ever eaten at. We went to the Dry Falls and Grand Coulee Dam this last weekend and tried LA PRESA in Grand Coulee, 509-633-3173, 515 e grand coulee ave. If you are ever going through the area, stop by and try them out. They had THE BEST chicken Quasadia I have ever eaten. So there is still hope for the world.

DON'T FORGET, VOTE NOVEMBER 5TH!!!

John Waite, gorbob@aol.com

I think this time, I have two points, maybe three... Ok maybe more, but I will try to be quick and too the point. There is still some sun to be enjoyed still this Summer.

Point #1 - Peter Goldmark. I really like Peter Goldmark's agenda. Even if I didn't dispise McMorris and her Neo-con rulers, I would still like Goldmark. He is for limiting Lobbyists. He is for Energy Independence. He is for secure borders. He is for controlled spending. Finally, he is a supporter of Veterans, believing we owe them a debt. One has to wonder about the Chickenhawks that currently run the country. They seem to use the Vets, them forget their duty and debt to them.

Point #2 - Bonnie Mager. Bonnie is another candidate I like for Spokane County commissioner. She is running to take back the spot currently occupied by Phil Harris. Phil is best known for getting his three sons hired by the county. This is known as nepotism in some parts. And Phil is in the pockets of Big Developers. Bonnie is not bought and paid for. She is for controlled growth with accountability, openness and fairness. Mostly, she is there for the people of Spokane, not the special interests of big business and developers.

Point #3 - Money, Wages and where they go. Wages, fairness and equality of pay is one of the biggest problems in America right now. We have a system that needs balance, or it creates havoc and hardship for everyone. Right now, we have the least balanced wage distribution in the last 60 years. Read the article and you will see the growth of efficiency, creating great wealth. But that wealth is only going to the top, management and executives. The lower and middle class is actually losing buying power. This desparity creates inflation that hurts those on the bottom and helps those on the top actually get richer. This is not my idea of a "healthy" America. I remember an America where everyone gets rewarded for hard work, not just being rich.

So send me your comments, read up as best you can on the candidates, and make something happen. We are heading towards a world where "they" prefer we be dumb and quiet. I don't want that for myself, you, or more importantly, the future of America.

John Waite, www.makegovwork.org,
gorbob@aol.com

While we didn't get an Independent on the ballot this fall, I want to continue to work towards better government and more access for Independents. We have what will be a close race for the 5th district spot currently occupied by Cathy McMorris. I do not think Cathy or the rest of her Neo-con Republicans represent our area, independents, or even their own classic conservative values.

Happily, we have a great alternative in our area that we can vote for. Peter Goldmark is running as a Democrat this fall against McMorris. Goldmark is a Rancher from Okanogan with a PHD in molecular biology. He stands for fixing Health care costs, Energy independence for America via Biofuel, Ethics accountability and Limiting lobbyists. Most importantly, Peter IS NOT a career politician.

The world is not a perfect place. And we are not going to find a candidate that represents all our desires. But I think that finding a candidate that really represents the real American values of Hardwork, Honesty and Generosity is great. Help get real people back into government. Check out - www.votepetergoldmark.org. I hope to have yard signs available soon for those that want to help support Peter.

To help support Peter, sign up for more info, or if you have questions, send us a note - gorbob@aol.com - John Waite

Also, I have added a poll on what you really think is important and I would love to see what everyone thinks.

So thanks to all of you that have supported us and please pass this site on to anyone that might want to help or support open government. This political season sets the stage for us to get on the ballot in 2008.

Ok, I admit it. Sometimes I feel crazy. But when I see and read what is happening RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES and others just don't think it's important, I guess I wonder if it's really me. Does anyone care about all the silly corruption, waste, graft and greed? And I guess I have to ask, Is it important?

So here is a great article about the federal deficit, the REAL DEBT and what it all means. I was listening to Jerry Doyle, a fairly centrist radio guy that tries to keep things balanced. He and his guest think that AMERICA IS ALREADY HEADING TOWARDS BANKRUPTCY. If you include Social security and Medicare, our debt is HORRIFYING! It's a long article, but please read it. PLEASE!!

As I continue to fight this fight, I can see a rift developing (or should be developing) between your local, city, county and state governments and the ALMIGHTY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT! And while I think that the two party system is a major contributor to the problems of America, it might help for people in the two parties to call their national parties to the carpet. And maybe they will open their eyes to the need for more independence politically. At least localities can fight for the own and create some seperation from the federal criminals ruining the American Dream.

John Waite gorbob@aol.com

So now the political season slowly starts and peoples interest grows. A little late for our signature drive this year, kind of showing one of many problems with the process for a independent candidate. But to make this thing work in the long term, this next three months is important to get the word out and get people to see the web site. So here is the plan -

CLARIFY THE GOAL - My central ideas are that the two main parties are corrupt and unable to fix problems, and the federal government is sold out to the parties and more importantly, big business. Corporations do not care about people, they are only built to make money and maximize profits. Government should be about righting wrongs and working for the people, with state and local governments doing the work, not a big, bloated federal government. So this site is an attempt to have a clearing house for different ideas and helping independents get access to the election system. I want to get a group of open minded citizens that will support independents.

RE-FOCUS ON THE REAL ISSUES - Politics lately seems about mis-directing people to cultural issues like Abortion, Flag burning and Gay Marriage, while avoiding real issues like CORRUPTION, GRAFT, OVER-SPENDING, EARMARKS, ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY and much, much more. Lets get people focused and keep them focused.

GET PEOPLES ATTENTION - This next three months, people are going to pay attention to politics. If you have any friends that might be interested in the web site, forward this e-mail and we will see if we can get peoples e-mails. I had 50 people on the list and we got 300 signatures. I figure if we can get 500 people, we should be able to muster the 1000 necessary. Happily, Linnea Noreen, in Seattle got her 1000 signatures and is on the ballot. I am going to keep an eye on her exploits.

Thanks again for all your support. I promise not to waste your time. Lastly, here is an interesting site called OPENSECRETS with lots of "political money" info.

John Waite gorbob@aol.com

Hey all, I am finally done with this years part of the Grand political experiment. I had a ton of interest, and lots of help and signatures from all of you. But I didn't get the 1000 signatures. I only got a couple hundred, far short of the total needed. But I did learn some valuable lessons on how this needs to work. I needed to do a better job of Signage, with a few basic ideas in a really big sign. And we needed 10 groups of 2 spread out all over hoopfest. If it wasn't for hoopfest, I cannot imagine how any independent could get the 1000 in Spokane (which is really 1300 or more with "problem" signatures. But I am confident it can be done. I am going to continue working over the next two years to explore the idea of choice and independence on this site.

So the big plan is to focus on getting more people involved in the e-mail list and what we are doing. And this political season should help in regards to interest. I am going to work on every avenue on "free" advertising and marketing. This will only happen if people agree that the current political parties are completely broken. And with that, our government system is going to drain all our financial futures. And I know I don't want a bankrupt future for America.

So thanks to all of you that helped and pass this site on to anyone that wants to join or help. And a special thanks to Mom, Dave and Amy for everything.

PS - And here is the latest "secret" new world order plan. It's a joined economy of Canda, US and Mexico. The latest Bush idea. You read, you decide.

JW

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to never stop questioning." - Albert Einstein

Hey All, Things are going great. I have got a great response and some press. I am going to be set up by Boo Radley's Saturday and Sunday this weekend at Hoopfest. Again, if you can come by, great. Otherwise I have two more events coming up. For all the info, see below.

My name is John Waite, and I am running for The Federal 5th district spot in Eastern Washington. I am doing this to provide people like you and I an opportunity to participate in our Federal Government. I am dissatisfied with the two main parties and their battles for power, with disregard for the needs of America. But to do this I need your signature to get on the ballot. If you are a registered Eastern Washington voter, you have four chances to help me effect real change. Help be one of the 1000 needed at one of these Spokane locations and times.

June 24th/25th, Hoopfest, at the corner of Howard and Spokane falls Blvd.
June 30th, Friday at Merlyn's, Downtown Spokane, 19 W main.
July 1st, Saturday at Corbin Park, 604 W Park Place.

Why do I want your help? I want my government to have -
1. A balanced budget and fiscal responsibility.
2. Acountability, Transparency and ethics in government.
3. Energy Independence, with Washington leading on Biofuel.

Take a chance. Support an Independent. Have faith in Government again. And pass this web site on to anyone that might care or want to participate.