Soundings (10/30/12)

Posted by G. Stowe Talbot 
on Oct 30, 2012
 
 

Flag Salute & Invocation by Stan Dyer 

Visiting Rotarians: Laurie Lloyd, Alina Coonc, Ray George & Julie Johansen, all from Rotary Club of Whatcom North 

Guests: three guests (Ted Van Dyke and friends) 

Announcements 

  • Grape & Gourmet - Sunday night Nov. 4th. Please buy tickets from Mike Werner, or available at Eddie Hansen's office. Also see our Facebook site. Tonja Myers still needs auction items.
  • Membership Committee, Bill Geyer, we still looking for perspective members. Send out Emails TODAY to solicit some ticket sales! 

Bucks in the Bay 

  • Christine great time at fellowship last week at the Table and concert at MBT; 
  • Phil X Hagenman 56th birthday!
  • Brad Cornwell $ for Husky victory;
  • Steve Kimberly $ from friend for Foundation; 
  • Patti $ for three weeks in Paris recently, will miss G&G; 
  • Dick Stark three weeks on East Coast - Virginia Boston, WA DC, North Carolina, and made it out ahead of storm; 
  • Donna will miss G&G, thanks all who went to fellowship event last week, advice where to hide jewelry in your house when you're on vacation; 
  • Tonja $ thanks to Lesa and Henry for auction items, her facility won a gold award for safety; 
  • Mimi $ for Husky victory, happy not to be in NYC right now (but she had a great time there two weeks ago), Brooks Mnfg already sending 15 trucks to East coast with crossing arms for the repair work; 
  • Dr. Curt Smith $ to fellow members of class of '52 who are our guest speakers today; 
  • Eddie Hansen thanks Donna for fellowship event, went to the Wiggles concert with kids and they sucked; 
  • Debbie Kiene missed meetings went to Cairo (very rough) and then Istanbul (very hospitable); 
  • Stan Dyer $100 for Foundation; 
  • Bob Becker with Husky bucks. 
 

Sergeant at Arms by Orphalee 
Fines for everyone, Eddie, Susie for running out of gas, WA and Ohians. 

Program
Dick Stark introduced Ted Van Dyk, born and raised in Bellingham, wrote for Sports Illustrated, then got into politics, worked for Hubert Humphry's administration, spent eight years in White House, has a book ("Heroes, Hacks and Fools" available here). He knew presidents Kennedy , LBJ, Clintons. 
Ted said people in high office are just regular people.
He worries about a possible repeat of 2000 presidential election (a disparity between the results of the electoral college vs popular vote).
Although economy is still number one issue, social and lifestyle issues have become more important - take WA for example (ballot measures for marijuana, gay marriage, etc.).
Great polarization occurring in the nation.
Unfortunately Obama ran a very bipartisan administration. Predictions: Republican retain control of House probably. The Senate outcome is more murky.
Romney would probably be more pragmatic (he's a businessman), and probably would take more bipartisan approach.
Tendency after 2010 election, both houses got more polarized because moderate Democrats got replaced by more extreme Republicans, so now there are fewer and fewer moderates of either party.
Ten battleground states currently just getting bombarded with campaigning literature and ads.
Ted would advocate for elimination of electoral college, although there would be some negative trade-offs. Initiatives (ballot measures) at national level (or local level) he doesn't like: They give too much power to moneyed interests, they circumvent careful legislative process, and they encourage timidity on the part of legislators.
Ted thinks Romney would be reluctant to tackle any divisive social issues during his term.
He thinks Paul Ryan is actually very qualified candidate and more knowledgeable about economy than the other three.
Term limits? Against them.
What would it take to get Americans less polarized in a short time? Unfortunately, probably only a catastrophic event or war.

Eddie wins the raffle! 

Respectfully submitted, 
Stowe Talbot