Jeff and I are hosting a 4th of July BBQ at our place. It is, unsurprisingly, this Saturday. Important points:

• We will have 2 BBQs (1 charcoal and 1 gas)


• It will start at 2:00pm


• We are going to try a "bring your own thing to BBQ" format this year. We'll provide buns of various shapes. Feel free to use this post to coordinate joint purchasing of things.


• We'll probably purchase some other things that are undefined (drinks? snacks? small children? Partially depends on whether or not we have a car by then.).
  
• Like most of our events, this will be pot luckish


• Kirkland has a parade at noon (children's parade at 11:30). People who want should coordinate to meet up.


• Kirkland has fireworks at 10:15pm.


• Should this replace game day for this month? I know some people might be busy on actual game day
  

RSVP below so we know how many buns to get.

There are conveniences to having political parties. They act as a base class for communicating beliefs, allowing politicians to just specify where they differ from the standard party line.

However, articles like this one re-enforce my belief that modern American political parties have too much power over the members of their party.

Political maneuvering will always be a part of our legislative process, but when people are outraged when anyone goes against the party line, then the party is being valued over the individuals in it, and that is not a healthy trend.

On the upside, in this case it mostly seems to be pundits and other rabblerousers who are causing a ruckus and not the peers of the dissenting politicians.