I’ve run for public office five times since 1999—thrice for Seattle School Board and twice for SPI—and the media and candidates almost always portray the WASL as the biggest issue. Indeed, many candidates can be described as one-issue (e.g. anti-WASL) candidates.
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No one hates the WASL more than I do. I would like to see parents and teachers boycott it, and the people who are responsible for it should be punished. I regard it as a form of child abuse.
But the WASL is far from the only issue. Rather, it’s a symptom of a much bigger problem—which might be described as the corporatization of education.
Education Issues
Everyone knows the health care industry has been privatized, and the military is now largely privatized. So why can’t people understand that corporations are taking over education as well? Or do they simply not care?
At any rate, I consider my number one issue Corporate Corruption. And let’s not even get started on rhetoric: I’m on the warpath against Billysoft (Bill Gates + Microsoft), Boeing, the Alliance for Education and other corporate jackals that exploit children.
A related issue I’ve long championed is Accountability. This, too, might sound like rhetoric until we start naming names...like Terry Bergeson, the famously corrupt Washington Education Association, Gary Locke, Christine Gregoire, every member of the Seattle School Board and on and on. On another level, there are far too many schools administrators and even teachers who are guilty of embezzling school funds, tyrannizing their colleagues and other crimes. I spent sixteen years in the classroom and witnessed it firsthand.
If there’s an issue that irritates me as much as the WASL, it’s the liberal mantra that schools are under funded. Don’t these clowns have a clue about the extraordinary waste and corruption in the education bureaucracy? What’s the use of pouring more water in a bucket when you haven’t plugged the holes? And are you aware of the link between the education bureaucracy and our constantly rising Property Taxes?
In this spirit, my issues include Sound Fiscal Stewardship.
Last year, the Seattle Mafia introduced legislation that would abolish school board elections, at least in Seattle. Fortunately, it failed, but they vowed they’d be back. Such a stunt would be an unspeakable crime. Therefore, my issues include Elected School Boards (not appointed).
Rampant school closures and reconstruction games appear to be a current fad, probably manipulated by the corrupt developers that are such a powerful element of the Seattle Mafia. I believe in Smaller Schools, not real estate games designed to enrich corporate pedophiles.
Food is another important issue. When I worked at Seattle’s Rainier View Elementary School, I was shocked at the pig slop the kids were fed in their newly privatized kitchen. Every day, I watched children line up in front of a trash can, awaiting their turn to dump the food they couldn’t stomach.
I was told that all of the Seattle School District’s food services would soon be privatized. I’m not sure what stage this food privatization campaign is at, but I don’t want children in any school in the state being fed that crap. I would love to see a group of vigilantes pilfer some of those vile school meals and cram them down Terry Bergeson’ throat. Ram them down Bill Gates’ lying throat, too.
Any society that’s content to feed its own children pig slop isn’t fit to call itself a civilized society. So add Quality Food to my issues.
In other news, George Bush can take his No Child Left Alive campaign and shove it. What has that asshole done to help anyone in this nation, from workers to teachers to children?
New Political Party
I’m even working to establish a new political party, the Fifth Republic Party. It isn’t yet a viable party; not even in the ballpark.
Rather, it’s just an inspiration that I acted on recently. We are in dire need of a “third party,” and none of the current fringe parties (including the Green, Libertarian and Socialist parties) really have what it takes, so who knows?
In the meantime, you can learn more about my position on various political issues via the link above.
Socialism
I’ve long used my campaigns to support socialism, which is kind of awkward because socialism has so many meanings. To be perfectly honest, I don’t even know the precise definition of the “21st Century Socialism” Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez likes to talk about. However, I generally like what he’s doing.
Anyway, let me explain my stance on socialism. I wouldn’t want to live in a purely socialistic country, where everything was run by the government. On the other hand, I’m not a big fan of free-market-whore capitalism, either. After all, the U.S. is going to Hell.
Rather, I believe in a mixed economy, combining elements of capitalism and socialism both. More precisely, I would prefer an economy that’s primarily capitalistic but with a system of checks and balances, in the form of regulation, for example. I think certain key industries should be nationalized, beginning with the energy corporations.
I think the health care industry should be un-privatized, and corporations should be booted out of public schools without ceremony. (I’d love to kick Bill Gates’ pathetic ass through a school door myself.)
I also don’t care for the double standards inherent in our society. It isn’t fair that politicians and corporate executives are allowed to break laws that would land ordinary people behind bars. And why do CEO salaries keep skyrocketing?
In this spirit, I believe in accountability for all.
Even many liberals have warned me not to use the word socialism in campaign literature, fearing it might sound too radical. I understand and appreciate their advice. But liberals need to grow some vertebrae, and the voters need to grow up.
The economy I described above is very similar to the economy we had after World War II, one which was shaped largely by socialists. Sadly, most history texts don’t tell us these things. That’s something I’ll work to fix if elected.
Global Issues
As you’ve probably noticed, I use my election campagins to discuss more than local school issues. Why?
Well, there are several reasons. First, I’m sick of insipid, one-issue candidates. I choose not to be clueless about the society and world I live in.
Second, the world we live in is increasingly complex, with many issues indirectly affecting education. For example, the war in Iraq becomes a very real issue to students who come face to face with military recruiters in their schools.
Finally, after nearly two terms of George Dumbya Bush, this county still hasn’t gotten it together. The fact that John McCain and Billary Clinton could even be considered candidates makes me want to vomit, and I really don’t think Obama is much better.
Children need and deserve leaders, and if there are no leaders in Washington, D.C., then we must fill the leadershp vacuum ourselves. Moreover, getting elected to office doesn’t nullify one’s First Amendment rights.
In this spirit, I would speak out as boldy as Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez if I was elected to office.
So what are the national and international issues I care about?
For starters, George W. Bush deserves the maximum punishment for his treason and war crimes, either execution or life in prison. In fact, virtually every member of his misadministration and Congress—including the Vichy Democrats—should be punished as well.
We need to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan. How we can ever repay those people for all the murder, rape and torture they’ve endured at our hands is beyond me. But, as a children’s advocate, I cannot and will not support the troops. Fuck them.
Our little torture camp at Guantanamo is an international outrage and embarrassment. If I had the power, I’d release the prisoners and give Guantanamo back to Cuba, lifting our economic embargo in the process.
And if I was President, I’d eagerly shake hands with Hugo Chávez, who ranks as one of the few global heroes today. As a matter of fact, I just created a new website to support Chávez. I’m even asking him to endorse me as a candidate for SPI or otherwise help publicize my campaign.
I’ve written about many more issues. You can learn about my opinions and ideas by exploring my political websites.
The WASL
The corporate media like to call activists who never stop trying to get elected perennial candidates. Well, the WASL has become a perennial issue.
During the 2000 SPI campaign, a candidate named Arthur Hu all but changed his name to WASL. In 2004, three candidates (Judith Billings, Juanita Doyon and KumRoon Maksirisombat) mentioned the WASL in their statements in the Voters Pamphlet in the Primary Election. The high priestess of Mothers Against WASL, Doyon sometimes seemed almost as goofy as Hu.
The media and candidates promoted the WASL as the #1 issue in both those campaigns. The WASL has similarly been the dominant issue during school board campaigns I’ve participated in.
This time around, Arthur Hu and Juanita Doyon are throwing their weight behind yet another one-issue (e.g. anti-WASL) candidate, Rich Semler.
In the meantime, the Washington Education Association and various affiliates (including the Seattle Education Association) have also taken an official stance against the WASL. In fact, I was present at a SEA meeting where an anti-resolution passed. That was more than five years ago.
Notice anything strange? All these powerful organizations and candidates have been allied against the WASL for the better part of a decade, yet they haven’t accomplished a thing—except divert attention from even more important issues.
A conspiracy theorist might begin to wonder if these folks are really serious about fighting the WASL in the first place. Well, neither the Washington Education Association (WEA) nor the Seattle Education Association (SEA) has done anything substantial to fight the WASL in the past, that I’m aware of. Now that we’re in the middle of a political campaign, they suddenly care about the WASL—sort of.
If you look at the home pages of the WEA and SEA websites, you won’t find any mention of the WASL (as of May 10, 2008). However, both pages feature links to pages that denounce SPI Terry Bergeson, largely because of her stubborn support of the WASL.
In other words, after a decade of destruction, our fearless teachers unions are now recommending that voters support one of Bergeson’s opponents, with virtually no discussion of any issues save the WASL. Can you spell B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T?
This is just another dog and pony show, another election charade. Yes, the same teachers unions and other organizations that claimed to oppose the WASL more than five years still are still insisting that they oppose it, but their passion is a mile wide and an inch deep. They certainly won’t have much to say about the WASL after the election.
So, to make sure there’s a no misunderstanding, let me end by saying I’ve always condemned the WASL, but I also condemn the phony anti-WASL activists who exploit the WASL for their own selfish ends. The WEA, SEA. Arthur Hu, Juanita Doyon and Rich Semler can all go to Hell.
E pluribus unum,
David Blomstrom—May 15, 2008
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