"Support Our Constitution" vs. "Eat the Rich"

Some 30 Republican sign-wavers, mostly from the Dick Muri for Congress campaign, faced off against some 20 Democrat protesters Saturday afternoon at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center.  The Republicans, with the advantage in numbers, occupied three of the four corners at the intersection of 15th and Commerce.

The Democrats were on hand to protest the appearance of Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele at a "Republican Resurgence" rally being held at the convention center Saturday evening. The Republicans were there to show that Washington doesn't "belong to the Democrats" as claimed in a e-mail sent by the Chair of the Pierce County Democrats.

The Republican message was clear: "Support our Constitution."

As was the Democratic message:  "Feed the poor.  Eat the rich."

Air Force veteran Fred Ahrens was among the yellow-and-blue clad throng, carrying an extra-large Dick Muri for Congress sign .  He told me he is backing Muri because of Muri's strong pro-life beliefs, his support of veterans, his efforts to reduce spending and taxes, and his tough stance in illegal immigration, such as working to implement E-Verify in Pierce County.  Fred asked me to remind readers that the Dick Muri campaign is looking for donations and volunteers for such things as phone banking to help defeat Adam Smith.  Go to http://www.dickmuri.com/ if you can help.

Rising Republican star Hans Zeiger, who is running for the state house in the 25th Legislative District, dropped by briefly:

Meanwhile, the Democrats were a little reticent to speak, just as at their protest at the John Boehner-Dave Reichert fundraiser in Bellevue last week.  I was directed to talk with Lynda Foster, who told me she was just a "volunteer" and was there to show solidarity with Democratic candidates, especially Patty Murray.  When I asked her if they had a message for Michael Steele, she said it was simply for Democrats to make a presence to show support for their candidates too.  I did speak with one Democrat protester wearing a union shirt and holding an American flag that said he had heard about the protest on the radio and came down to participate.

There wasn't any chanting (the Republicans had a drum,) but the Democrats did cheer "Light Rail!!" every time the Tacoma Link went by.  But despite the Democrats' silence, their signs did have some specific messages:

You can see above that the Ron Paul/Campaign for Liberty folks set up next to the Democrats.  After the Democrats walked up the street, the Didier supporters moved over by the Ron Paul supporters, naturally, as Paul just endorsed Didier for the U.S. Senate in Washington.

The back of the Ron Paul sign had a hand-printed message that read "Honk in Support 9/11 Truth."  This picture to me demonstrated the strangeness of the Washington Senate race this year and the far-right fringe nature of some of those backing Didier:

Up in Smoke

Bummer, man.  There's no hope for dope.  Jerry (Garcia)'s kids will have to wait until at least 2012 to celebrate 420 legally:

Initiative 1068 organizers say they won't have enough signatures to qualify their measure for the ballot.

The proposal would have removed state civil and criminal penalties for persons 18 years or older who cultivate, possess, transport, sell, or use marijuana.

Ballot measures need at least 241,153 valid signatures of registered Washington voters to make the ballot and the Secretary of State recommends at least 300,000 as a buffer.

Philip Dawdy, campaign director for the initiative, blamed the cold and rainy spring. "We ran into a lot of problems with the mechanics just because of the weather," he said.

The weather??  Anyways, Dwight Pelz and the leadership of the Washington State Democratic Party must be breathing a sigh of relief.  I-1068 was endorsed from the floor by Democrats at last weekend's state convention in Vancouver.  Pelz had previously stated that maijuana legalization was not a "high priority issue"  (no pun intended I'm sure) for Democrats.  No doubt.  Regardless of research concerning increased voter turnout for progressive candidates with both an income tax and pot legalization initiatives on the ballot this November, I wouldn't want to be an incumbent Democrat running in this year with that kind of baggage.

"Oppose a political view, but don't try to suppress it"

Rossi sign vandalism in West Olympia, from Thurston Opinions


Rossi sign vandalism in Winthrop, from HorsesAss.Org
After years in the national political wilderness, Democrats are out for revenge and to make sure that they maintain a "permanent majority." The method they seem to have chosen to accomplish these goals is to destroy free speech, at least the free speech of those who disagree with them.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supports the revival of the "Fairness Doctrine," which would silence conservative talk radio and blogs. Presidential candidate Barack Obama has stated that he wants to "change the political climate" that allows people to criticize his wife. Obama supporters even managed to shut down blogs unfriendly to the Obamesssiah.

We've seen in it Washington as well, where Democrats have enjoyed a majority for years. In 2005, two Seattle radio hosts were successfully sued and muzzled by environmentalist wackos opposed to the initiative to repeal the 9 1/2 cent gas tax hike. Last year, the Washintgon Public Disclosure Commission considered putting regulations on political blogs.

Now, as Cav reported last week, the Democrats are going after the Building Industry Association of Washington, the only business group in Washington with the stones to stand up to Queen Christine.

I have never met BIAW Executive Vice President Tom McCabe, but we have mutual friends. It sounds like we believe in the same things and employ the same "tell it like it is" style. Richard Davis, writing in the Everett Daily Herald says:

BIAW executive vice president Tom McCabe has remained something of an Olympia outsider, rarely engaging directly in the city's collegial coalitions and compromises. In addition to battling with labor unions, state agencies and environmental activists, he has been known to throw sharp elbows at other business groups who pursue less combative strategies.

BIAW doesn't always play nice.

And why should they, when the opposition engages in lies, exaggerations, slander, fear-mongering, and vandalism? You can't play nice when you are dealing with ideological extremists.
As Davis states:

Now comes this lawsuit, another attempt to curtail BIAW's political speech. However you feel about the group, you should not want them silenced this way.

My God, is that we have come to in this country? "Liberal fascism" is not just the title of a book.

In any case, the Daily Herald resport that McCabe says the lawsuit "isn't going to slow us down." And reast assured, attacks on this blog aren't going to slow us down or shut us up either.

The Moral Imperative of Blowing a Billion Bucks

Back in 2005, the Queen stated that repealing the 9 1/2 cent tax increase would have been the rejection of a moral imperative. $2 billion of the new gas tax was slated to fix or replace the ageing Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle. Lives and the state's economic vitality were at stake. The Queen and the Democrats asked us to remember the Nimitz Freeway in Oakland and Hurricane Katrina.

So what about that "moral imperative?"

The Seattle Times reported today:

The state Legislature budgeted $2.8 billion last year to replace Seattle's deteriorating Alaskan Way Viaduct with another elevated roadway.

But a large chunk of that money already has been spent. About $1.1 billion has been either spent on or committed to several viaduct projects, with still no decision about how to replace the viaduct in downtown Seattle. And it's not clear that the remaining $1.7 billion will be enough to finish the viaduct replacement.

Yes, that's a one followed by nine zeros. $18 million alone was spent on an environmental impact study which is "on ice." Just think of what else that $18 million could have been spent on: affordable housing projects, fixing unsafe roads in Eastern Washington, etc.. And it was just pissed away. And we thought the Seattle monorail project was a giant money hole.

How stupid are the people in this state to keep voting for Democrats? They cannot lead. They certainly cannot address pressing transportation, crime, health care, housing, and education issues. They can only follow what labor and environmental interests tell them to do. One thing they can do, however, and well, is spend money like drunken sailors and stick taxpayers with the bill.

The new broom of Dino Rossi is going to have sweep Olympia clean.

State Democrats Cover Up Queen's Sleaze

Here's a shocker. The Democratic-controlled Washington Legislature has refused to conduct an investigation into Wampumgate, the payoffs that the Queen received from Indian casinos for axing a proposal to force the tribes share revenue with the state.

House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-CYA City) said:

These kinds of tactics, designed to divide the people of Washington state rather than unite us, are not what the legislative process should be focused on.

Really?? As Chris Cargill at the KXLY blog points out:

While there may not be a beneficial reason to open such an inquiry, to say this isn’t what the legislative process is all about is laughable. What is the Washington legislative process about?

Is it about opening a legislative debate on impeaching the President, which the legislature has NO say in whatsoever?

Is the legislative process about trying to force a national change in the Electoral College system?

Is it about trying to secure a new Arena for the Seattle Supersonics?

Is it about trying to ban plastic bags?

Is it about banning the kind of dishwashing detergent people in Washington can use?

Is it about naming a frog the official state amphibian?

The legislature tackled all of these issues in its last session. So its pretty laughable when the Speaker of the House, in essence, claims the legislature has better things to do.

No, the true business of the Democratic dictatorship in Olympia is simply to stay in power, no matter what it takes.

The Queen of Tax and Spend

The Seattle Times today damningly skewered Queen Christine's continual claims of being "fiscally responsible:"

As much as anything, Gov. Christine Gregoire's first term in office is notable for one number: $8 billion.

That's how much state spending has increased since Gregoire, a Democrat, was elected in 2004.

Another way of looking at it: The two-year general-fund budget has jumped 31 percent, to $33.6 billion. That's the largest percentage increase in the past 16 years.

Can the state of Washington afford such increases in what the Democrats so mockingly refter to as the "Bush Economy?" According to the Times, no:

Indeed, unless the economy quickly turns around, the state likely will face a multibillion-dollar shortfall next year.

What has the money been spent on? Political payoffs to her allies, the teachers and state employees unions. Again from the Times:

Half of the $8 billion increase in state spending during Gov. Christine Gregoire's term has gone to pay and benefits.

Some of it is from her own excess. The governor's office budget has more than doubled under Christine Gregoire, to about $73 million for the 2007-09 biennium.

Oh yeah, and about that promise the Queen made in 2004 not to raise taxes, the Times reports:

Gregoire and the state Legislature have approved tax increases that total about $150 million a year and reinstated an estate tax that brings in another $100 million annually.

That estate tax threatens to drive Schweitzer Engineering expansion out of Pullman. That figure does not include the 9 1/2 cent gas tax that was approved in 2005.

Queen Christine has dutifully paid off everyone who helped her win a 129-vote victory over Dino Rossi in 2004. But does Washington deserve a governor whose policies are dictated by those special interests which have the cash to keep the Queen in public office, the only job she has ever known?

It's time for a change.

"Rossi Political Insult Reveals Character Flaws in Gregoire’s Long-Held State Power"

Outside the latte liberal set in Seattle, people get it about the tyranny of Queen Christine and her lust for power.

The Centralia Chronicle had a damning editorial yesterday about her latest faux-pas, the racist attack on Dino Rossi.

Some excerpts:

In politics it doesn’t matter which party is in control -- power does indeed corrupt. Washington state’s Democrats have now been in control for 24 years. That is a whole generation of the same politicians and their hacks; at this point they have become overconfident, condescending and arrogant. What follows are bad taste, rule bending and the shunning of ethics. Such is the case in Chris Gregoire’s campaign to hold on to her governorship -- or more precisely, a misguided attempt to be cute by the anti-Rossi attack machine.

[snip]

Perhaps the Democrats, confident of their death-grip on the state of Washington, do not feel subject to fairness, decency or good manners. They can do what they want -- Soprano style -- with little fear of voter retribution. Our hope is that Washington’s voters can see through the smoke and mirrors and locate the problem of too much power in one place for too long.

Well said. Read the whole thing.

Time to end the one-party dictatorship in Olympia.

Quote of the Day

The empty quarter that is Eastern Washington's wheat and sage country suggests that the GOP continues to control large swaths of land, if not people. This was demonstrated by the [State Democratic] convention seating chart. Nearly three quarters of the seats were reserved for delegates from west of the Cascades. A section equivalent to 1/16 of the total was reserved for the delegations from Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties east of the mountains. When the roll call of counties was taken, the podium called out for each delegation to raise a cheer and be recognized. The first was Adams County, which responded with a deafening silence. Maybe their delegate was still having his morning coffee, but the point was made: In some parts of Washington, Democrats are as lonely as the Maytag repair man.

Knute Berger, "Fired up and ready to go — home," Crosscut.com

Let's keep it that way.

Wampumgate

Queen Christine's sleazy payoffs from Indian casinos have state Republicans calling for an investigation.

This certainly is bad enough news for the Dems when the most competitive governors race in years is at stake. Even Gregoire's own party is apparently appalled. According to Seattle Times political reporter David Postman, the day after the story of the deal broke, the Queen's supporters had to stage a "spontaneous" floor demonstration at the state Democratic convention in Spokane. But as Mrs. Gregoire is Obama's most visible supporter in Washington State, it has national repercussions as well.

As we all know, the Obamessiah has promised a change from "politics as usual." However, James Johnson, the former Fannie Mae CEO, who is leading Obama's Veep search has come under fire for some shady deals of his own. The Wall Street Journal reported recently that Johnson received some quid pro quo mortgages worth more than $7 million from a lender, including at least two loans below market average. Combined with the Queen's troubles, the stench could be overwhelming come November.

HT: Patrick Bell, WSRP

The Queen of Quid Pro Quo

A story in today's Seattle-PI titled "Tribes give big to Gregoire, avoid sharing casino cash," blows the lid off the connection between some $700,000 in "contributions" to the Democrats and Queen Christine's reelection campaign from Washington Indian tribes and Gregoire's killing of a 2005 compact on sharing tribal casino revenue that cost the state more than $140 million a year. "It's a payoff," one gambling expert calls it.

Ted Van Dyk has a great post about the scandal on the Crosscut blog. He makes some of the connections Ed Schweitzer did the other day about Washington Democrats being in the pockets of big-monied fat cats and doing nothing for the little guy:

Since my return to Seattle more than seven years ago, I have noted many changes in the state and local political cultures. The most disappointing has been the degree to which supposedly "liberal" governors, legislators, mayors and others accept as business-as-usual policies and practices which are shockingly self-interested and against the interests of a majority of their constituents.

At state level, there are the "tax expenditures" — loopholes and subsidies — extended to individual companies and entire sectors which have cut a huge hole in the state revenue base, which then is replenished with largely regressive taxes on those least able to pay. There are the almost automatic grantings of pay increases and other benefits sought by powerful public-employee and teachers' unions. And, of course, the allocation of massive public funds to cost-ineffective public works boondoggles such as the Allentown trolley and Sound Transit light rail.

It's a must-read.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It's time for change we can believe in in Olympia.

Feeling Gouged at the Gas Pump?

Well, you shouldn't. It's not the fat cats at ExxonMobil, price-fixing collusion among gas station owners, or a Bush conspiracy to help out his Texas oil buddies.

It's simple economics, says a new study on gas prices released by the state Attorney General's office. Crude-oil costs increased by more than 76.5 percent from December 2003 to May 2007. Gasoline providers are simply passing that cost along to us.

If you're looking to blame someone, try the Democratic administration in Olympia. The AG study found that Washington has the highest gas tax in the nation. Efforts to repeal the latest 9.5 cent gas tax hike via I-933 failed as the Democrats engaged in scare tactics using the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle. Now Queen Christine's "solution" is to just tear the Viaduct down without replacement in 2012. But they're still collecting the 9.5 cents for its replacement/repair.

Blame the environmentalist wackos as well. According to the AG study, Washington only has five refineries, and even at full capacity, they do not produce enough gas to meet the state's needs. The state therefore has to import more expensive gas. The last refinery built in the U.S. was back in 1976. It is not likely there will ever be another refinery built in this country. The last one proposed (in Portsmouth, VA) was fought for 9 years by environmental groups and local residents before the company cancelled the project in 1984.

Dino Rossi Announces Transportation Plan

I lived in the Washington, DC area from 1985-1997. I experienced some of the worst commutes to work you can imagine.

I lived in the Seattle area from 1997-1999 and experienced equally bad, if not worse commutes (second worst congestion in the country in 1999.)

Here's the difference. When I went back to the DC area in 2005, I-95 and I-395 in Virginia had been dramatically expanded. New lanes, bridges, interchanges, overpasses, etc., had been added. I hardly recognized the roads I used to drive every day. Traffic is still horrible (fourth worst in the U.S. in 2005 according to the Texas Transportation Institute), but how bad would it be had they done nothing?

Meanwhile, virtually nothing has been done to improve SR 167 and I-405 in King County in the 12 years I have lived in Washington, despite rapid population growth.

As I said on the radio yesterday, like Ronald Reagan, I did not leave the Democratic Party, it left me. The Democrats used to be the party of the working man. The Democrats used to be the party of job- and business-creating public works projects, such as dams and bridges, that increased our quality of life and invested in the future. That is no longer the case, particularly in Washington. The Washington Democratic Party may as well be the Green Party. The interests of fish, trees, and snooty latte liberals have come before the interests of the working class.

What could be more important to working people than affordable housing? Yet the Growth Management Act, foisted on us by the Democrats, has made housing unaffordable statewide, particularly in the Puget Sound area. So if you can't afford to live close to work, then you have to commute. Again, the Democratic intransigence to do anything with the road system in the Puget Sound area has forced working people to spend more hours every day in their cars instead of with their families.

Why? Because the attitude is that if we build more roads, then more people will move to Washington. The Greens Democrats want to pull up the drawbridge and seal Washington off from the rest of the world to stop that evil "urban sprawl" (a myth, by the way) and force people into more environmentally-correct public transportation (even though cars stuck in traffic burn more gas and emit more pollution,) which is not practical for most working families. And that's okay with the elitist NIMBYists who want to keep their view of the Olympics uncluttered by tract housing.

The theory didn't pan out, however. Washington has continued to grow rapidly, despite the poor transportation infrastructure, and now the chickens have come home to roost. It's been nearly 20 years since the Nimitz Freeway collapse in Oakland and the Alaskan Way Viaduct still poses a serious risk of killing thousands. The 520 floating bridge likewise could sink in a strong windstorm, possibly killing hundreds. Needed replacement ferries are still on the drawing board. Boeing moved it's headquarters to Chicago. How many more businesses will move out of Washington because of long commmute times and a do-nothing government? We are in gridlock, literally and figuratively. And it affects us in Eastern Washington, because when the Puget Sound catches a cold, we get the flu. Tax dollars that should be going to our transportation needs end up on the west side instead. Remember the 9.5 cent gas tax hike that was supposed to fix all these problems? Yeah....

Rossi's ambitious plan, among other things, calls for the state to spend $15 billion (without raising gas taxes) on a tunnel to replace the Viaduct, widening I-405 from Renton to Bellevue (the road I used to drive every day), and replacing the 520 floating bridge with an eight-lane bridge. This is bold leadership. This is what government is supposed to be about. Come November, Washington voters are going to see the clear differences between Dino Rossi and Chris "Status Quo" Gregoire.

"Dem Goes From ‘Sleazy’ to ‘Seattle’ and Back Again in One Short Weekend"

Remember Washington Democratic Party staffer Kelly Steele, the one reponsible for the ad calling Dino Rossi "sleazy?" It gets worse. Much worse. According to the Centralia Chronicle:

The day after the video was released, on a Friday, a Chronicle reporter interviewed Steele on his motivation, and asked him if he understood how blatant and hurtful this video is to journalists when their unbiased reporting is so misused. Steele was unconcerned. He did tell our reporter, Rossi was guilty of “a shameless attack by a sleazy politician.”

Steele must have realized he made a mistake over the weekend. By Monday he was telling both the reporter and a member of the Editorial Board that he didn’t say “by a sleazy politician,” but had been misunderstood and had uttered “by a Seattle politician.” Steele was told his revision was unbelievable.

So it came as no surprise, but with some satisfaction, when Steele changed his story when he was interviewed by The Olympian as published this past Tuesday.

Steele told their political reporter “he was calling Rossi’s politics sleazy, not him,” as reported in that newspaper.

It appears quite clear that Steele is less than honorable with his word. Steele was adamant with us he never used the word “sleazy,” but “Seattle.” He then changed his story and admitted he used “sleazy,” but in a different context. We are astounded the state Democratic Party continues to use such operatives that exhibit such low ethics. We believe in our word. We wish we could believe in the words coming out of a Washington State Democratic Party spokesman.

What unbelievable hubris. It's time to sweep the liars out of Olympia.

BREAKING NEWS: SCOTUS Upholds Washington's Top-Two Primary System

The U.S. Supreme Court by a 7-2 vote has upheld the Washington "top-two primary" system approved by voters with Initiative 872 in 2004, but never implemented because of legal challenges. The "top-two" primary system will now be used in our August 2008 primary.

The Washington Grange has fought long and hard for this, and the latest presidential primary showed many Washingtonians are angry with the current "pick-a-party" primary. But I feel this has opened Pandora's Box. In heavily Democratic areas on the west side of the state, Republicans will never get on the November ballot, only enhancing their one-party rule. And in Republican Eastern Washington, Democrats will masquerade as Republicans without obtaining the party's approval, thus confusing voters and sneaking into office. Conversely, Democrats in the very conservative 9th Legislative District that includes Whitman County may face a situation where their candidate may not appear on the ballot for statewide office if two Republicans gather the most primary votes. Over a third of the statewide and congressional candidates who appeared on the general election ballot in 2000 would have been eliminated in the primary if the "top two" primary system had been in place then. We could be faced with "good ol' boy" popularity elections contests or faceoffs between the two wealthiest candidates versus honest discussions of the issues.