1. Last night at the U.W., Rep. Jim McDermott (D-7, WA) faced one of those terrifying townhalls we’ve been hearing about .

Although someone scrambled the cue cards for this one. Instead of trying to talk down beet-faced teabaggers raving about plots to sell grandma’s carcass to Red China, lefty McDermott had to explain (to his  leftier constituents) why single-payer wasn’t on the agenda.



McDermott told the audience that if he had his “druthers” we’d already have a single-payer system, a sentiment that no doubt influenced the standing ovation that greeted his arrival. By contrast, President Obama’s name met with only scattered applause.





Photos by Dan Miller

We'll post a longer report on Rep. McDermott's forum later today.

PubliCola's earlier coverage of U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers' (R-5, WA) and Rep. Adam Smith's (D-WA, 9) recess health care forums are here and here .

2. PSA: If you support gay rights you should vote 'Yes' on R-71 and if you don't support gay rights you should vote 'No' on R-71. The measure that made the ballot this week (court challenge pending) is asking voters to say whether or not they support legislation passed in Olympia this year that expanded domestic partner rights, putting domestic partners on an equal footing with married couples. R-71 is a referendum on that legislation. If you support it, you should vote 'Yes'.

That election day equation is confusing because the conservative activists who got it on the ballot—"supporters" of R-71 (this image is from their website ):



are actually in the 'No' camp.

3. And while we're at it, let's clear up some more confusion about R-71. The referendum only deals with the bill that passed the legislature this year .

Thanks to the incremental strategy adopted by co-sponsors state Sen. Ed Murray (D-43) and Rep. Jamie Pedersen (D-43), domestic partners' rights bills also passed in 2007 and 2008 . Those bills, which: Legally recognized gay and lesbian families by creating the domestic partnership registry; granted medical rights to partners like hospital visitation and the right to informed consent to make medical decisions; and granted the right to formal divorces—added up to about 200 rights for gay and lesbian couples.

This year's bill completed the list by adding another 250 rights and responsibilities married couples had that domestic partners didn't. Key ones include pension and family medical leave rights.

If R-71 loses (meaning the anti-gay rights activists win), domestic partnerships will still be legal in Washington and gay and lesbian couples will have about half the rights of legally married couples.

4. Hey infrastructure nerds, here's a hip art exhibit for you . Check out Gallery 110's latest show "Steel and Concrete" by local painters Molly Magai and Alec Huxley. The show—which focuses on "the unseen infrastructure that makes the rest of the city possible"—includes a painting of the viaduct!, Magai's "Viaduct Sunset," oil and linen, 20" x 22", 2008.

Gallery 110 is located in Pioneer Square at 110 S. Washington St. just off 1st Ave, one block North of Elliott Bay Bookstore. Preview reception is tonight at 6 and the show proper starts tomorrow on First Thursday. It runs through September 26.

This morning's Morning Fizz brought to you by Re-Elect Richard Conlin.