Rep. Dave Upthegrove - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Welcome! I'm serving in my third term in the Washington State House of Representatives. I'll share the personal side of politics through blog entries, bulletins, and personal discussions. As one of the youngest members of the WA State House, I think more young people need to get engaged in politics and civic affairs in order to create the change we need in this country. So much needs to be done to advance the values of equality, opportunity and individual freedom. We also have huge challenges facing our education & transportation systems. The destruction of our natural environment threatens our economy and quality of life. The cost of higher education presents barriers that limit people's life opportunities. We can meet these challenges and change things only when the younger generation siezes our responsibility to lead. There are many powerful interests and well paid lobbyists in our state capital promoting their narrow financial self interests. The public interest will only triumph and change will occur when people care enough to speak up and participate. I hope to put a human face on politics, try to demystify government and the Legislature, provide a venue to discuss issues and answer questions, and help people get more involved.Official Upthegrove Campaign website: www.upthegrove.com

My Interests

I love politics and public service. I also like playing and watching basketball. I like to swim, kayak, day-hike, and pretty much anything outdoors. I also like movies, PS2, going out to eat, hanging out with friends and family.
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Music:

Favorties include Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, Wu-Tang-Clan, Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, Beck, Black Eyed Peas, Fugees, Violent Femmes, Tribe, Snoop, Blue Scholars, Common Market. College bands from Boulder like The Samples, and Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Some cheesy pop like Justin Timberlake, Savage Garden, James Blunt and Mika: Lately been listening to All-American Rejects, Angels & Airwaves, and My Chemical Romance: I also like hardcore rappers like this: ..

Movies:

I love movies. Some recent favorites: Into the Wild, Atonement, No Country for Old Men. I also like Imaginary Heros, My Life as a House, American Beauty, You Me and Everyone We Know, the Whale and the Squid, Mysterious Skin, Breakfast on Pluto, Thank You For Smoking, Brokeback Mountain, Crash, E Tu Mama Tambien.Some of my favorites are stupid comedies that are timeless like: Mallrats (most under-rated movie ever), Fletch, Say It Isnt So, Road Trip, Dude Where's My Car, Harold & Kumar, Bubble Boy, Office Space.My favorite director is Gus Van Sant (Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Elephant, etc.)

Television:

The Daily Show, West Wing, The Office, CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, South Park, 24, Lost, TVW, CSPAN.

Books:

America the Book: A Citizen's guide to Democracy Inaction by Jon Stewart, Hardball: How Politics is Played Told by One Who Knows the Game, by Chris Matthews.

Heroes:

Martin Luther King Junior, US Senator Barack Obama

My Blog

lots goin on

A few tidbits from the past few days...I spent today up in Ferndale, Washington (way up near the Canadian border) touring the Alcoa aluminum smelterand meeting with Alcoa corporate representatives and...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:55:00 PST

Pre-Release Preview of Milk

I had a fun evening last night. My friend Sonja invited me to go with her to see an early, pre-release screening of a first cut of the film Milk, directed by Gus VanSant...my favorite director.&...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:36:00 PST

Im going to the Democratic National Convention for Obama!

I was elected on Sunday to be an Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August. As a delegate, I will be one of the people from Washington State who will actually...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:00:00 PST

home from Morocco, leg stuff, retreat, relay and more

I'm safely home from Morocco where I was attending the World Congress on Civic Education. A highlight of the final day was attending lunch at the residence of Robert Jackson, Deputy Chief of Mis...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:12:00 PST

more from Morocco

The plenary session (big presentation to the whole group) today at the conference was on the topic of forming collaborative civics education networks. We heard from someone from Senegal about th...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Wed, 28 May 2008 06:58:00 PST

update from Morocco

Hmmmm....I only have a little time and lots I could write from here in Morocco. First, the weather is crappy. Yesterday was cold and rainy. I dont have an umbrella or coat with...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Wed, 28 May 2008 03:38:00 PST

in Morocco

I am currently in Morocco attending the World Congress on Civic Education. After an evening in Casablanca and a day trip to Fes, I am now in the city of Ifrane at the Al Akhawayn University wher...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Mon, 26 May 2008 06:55:00 PST

lunch speaker, steel mill tour, vet hospital groundbreaking

Today I spoke at the annual fundraising luncheon for the Pediatric Interim Care Center in Kent. About 500 people packed into the Southcenter Doubletree ballroom to support this wonderful clinic that ...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Sat, 17 May 2008 11:20:00 PST

busy few days

Last few days have been busy. I spent all day Tuesday at a meeting of the Governor's Climate Action Team(CAT) at the convention center in Seattle. This is a group of prominent business and ...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Fri, 16 May 2008 12:54:00 PST

McCain on Climate Change

There is no way I am voting for Senator John McCain for President, and his proposed solutions to global warming fall short of the proposals put forward by Senator Barack Obama, but you gotta give him ...
Posted by Rep. Dave Upthegrove on Tue, 13 May 2008 07:24:00 PST