Apparently, Herrera doesn't understand that we have a top two primary system here in WA.

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Sources tell me that Jamie Herrera's people have managed to make the deal Zarelli was after, and he is now actually endorsing the 18th District's own version of the empty suit.

Why anyone would want the anchor of such an endorsement around their campaign neck is certainly a mystery, but then, Herrera has never shown herself to be the brightest bulb on the tree.

The question is this: does such an endorsement help Herrera... or hurt her?

I believe it will hurt her, but then, she has no chance anyway, so a better question will be "How Much?"

Zarelli's days of, well, accepting thousands of dollars he shouldn't have taken will never leave him. It's unlikely that he could win anywhere else except the 18th, Where the GOP could run a barn-headed ape and it would win if it had an "R" after it's name.

So, District and Party wide, what does that type of integrity-challenged endorsement do for Herrera?

Well, it's been shown that she's no slouch at wasting taxpayer dollars. Her ability to exaggerate is beyond that of most politicians, and her record of being a mile wide and an inch deep isn't changed by any of this.

Combine these together and you come up with a net-minus.

So, congrats. Whatever the pay off was, I sincerely hope it was worth it.
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Memo to Melanie Kenoyer: State employees should get a pay CUT... not a pay raise.

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I rarely respond to LTE's in the Columbian. This nonsense from Clark County Sheriff's Sergeant Melanie Kenoyer, however, takes the cake.

Rep. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, proposes to deny custodians who earn $25,000 a year and other state employees a 5 percent contractual raise in 2010. (Dec. 16 story, “Many state workers in line for raises.”)

It's, uh, SENATOR, Sergeant. Not "Rep."

That said, ALL government employees, INCLUDING YOU, should not only NOT get pay raises... you all should take pay CUTS.

I have no problem with people taking shots at Zarelli. I've taken a few, and will continue to take some here on this very blog. But his issues with his unemployment have nothing to do with taking the RIGHT position on government employee pay raises.

And government employees, INCLUDING democrat police officers/deputies, need to understand that you serve US; not the other way around.

We are in the midst of a horrific recession. Massive unemployment and cutbacks are the order of the day... small business is getting hammered... and all people like Kenoyer can do is whine about not getting a horrific 5% pay INCREASE?

Clearly, Kenoyer is as clueless about the economy and the role of government workers as she is about Zarelli's office.

Tell you what, Kenoyer. You don't think you're getting paid enough? ANY government employee think they're not getting paid enough?

Then quit.

We'll be well rid of your bizarre positions, which are SUPPOSED to be in service to US, and any one of the hundreds of people applying to fill your positions would be thrilled to get your job not only at your current level of pay, but at ANY level of pay.

"Pay raise?" Stop sniveling like a little punk and thank God you even HAVE a job... that pays ANYTHING.

Because millions in this country can't say they do.
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I couldn't say it better than Lew: Pack it in Jon; It's not going to work.

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Great early morning reading.
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Ideological purity in elections: How conservative is conservative enough?

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How Republican do you have to be to run for office?

When does basic, conservative underpinnings have to give way to ideological purity?

As I have written many times, I am no longer Republican.

Being something besides a Republican or a democrat tends to lend itself to independence.

I freely admit I typically lean towards candidates who claim Republican ideas. I do that primarily not because of what Republicans are, but because of what they're SUPPOSED to be.

Those who claim to want to reign in government are likely to get my attention. Those who have a plan to reduce government interference in my life? I give them a second look. Those who run on a platform of reducing taxes and the power of government employee unions? I'll work for them. Those who understand that when society suffers, government employees can, in fact, not only live without pay increases, they can live with pay reductions... like most of us do. And those I support get precisely one shot to keep their word.

But I don't always vote Republican. Because sometimes, the Republican doesn't have a clue.

I voted for Brian Sonntag (Democrat State Auditor) last cycle. He wasn't the only democrat I voted for by far, because there were some democrats I voted for locally and statewide that were decent people when the Republicans they were running against were clueless, corrupt, morons. And, no doubt, I will vote for some democrats in the future, because no matter the relatively lofty heights I achieved in the GOP, the blinders of party loyalty and allegiance when the candidate is not competent or honorable have long since been ripped off and torn to shreds.

And too many candidates are neither.

So, tonight, I get a phone call from a friend, someone I have known for at least 10 years. And this friend is wanting to know why they should support candidate X.

Well, I am not candidate X, first and foremost, so candidate X should speak for themselves.

That said, this friend wanted to know what Republican issues candidate X had been out front on.

I indicated that candidate X had been largely responsible for getting Candidate Y elected recently, and that most likely wouldn't have happened without their assistance.

It was like my friend hadn't even heard me. My friend repeated the question as if I had remained mute.

I asked my friend if they believed that Candidate Y was a Republican. Absolutely came the reply, with conviction.

I asked for a recitation of Candidate Y's pre-election political activities.

There was none... because there wasn't any. Candidate Y had not been involved in Republican politics or issues at all.

I pointed out that Candidate X had worked on many Republican campaigns. But, I was informed, in the primary, Candidate X had supported Candidate Z. Nevertheless, I pointed out, again, without the involvement of Candidate X, Candidate Y would not be an office holder today.

It made no difference to my friend. I told them, then, if they could not support Candidate X, then by all means, support someone else. I also said that I, personally, was supporting Candidate X and that my friend had 2 choices: either support candidate X because of my personal recommendation.... or don't. That, I said, is the nature of democracy in America today.

I support Candidate X because of their age, education, experience, knowledge of the issues and personal philosophies. I have known Candidate X for 5 years, and in all of that time, I have never heard them utter a word that could be described as "leftist."

But how pure is pure enough?

Shades of Adolph Eichmann.

Where does pragmatism trump purity? What's the percentage required to gain support? If you agree with someone 80% of the time, is that enough? Or are we just electing someone who will only represent you while ignoring the other 130,000 or so people in the district?

Frequently, I wished I was building hot rods for a living.

After I hung up tonight, this was one of those times.
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Still feeling safer? So, leftists: where's your rage about Obama blowing our security?

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You remember all that garbage about Bush and 9/11, right? Hell, it resulted in steller fellows like Charlie Sheen becoming a truther... kind of like following the footsteps of that amazing Van Jones character.

Well, guess what. We very nearly lost an aircraft and crew and God knows what else (where the wreckage may have fallen) when the Crotchbomber blew his genitalia off (Or fried them... or par-boiled them, or whatever) trying to take out a few hundred innocent Americans.

And guess what?

We knew.

Obama's intelligence people knew. The State Department knew. That hobbit that runs Homeland Security and who knows as much about the Homeland and Security as she does brain surgery had people who knew. She stupidly told us the "System worked." But she passed the Obama PC filter, so he hired political purity instead of security expertise.

It is a matter time until many, many Americans die under this moron's watch.

And you leftists sit silently by because Obama is your guy. Amazing how angry you clowns got when it was Bush. So why the silence now? Shouldn't the number one criteria be basic competency?

HHhhmmmmm?
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Janet Napolitano likened to Barneys Fife, Frank

Janet Napolitano likened to Barneys Fife, Frank

A good, solid B+
The system worked before it didn't work

Total HT to NW Republican

Bridgers/Looters: here's our future on tolls. Increases every year.

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As we all know, most of the Downtown Mafia is foaming at the mouth to waste $4 Billion or more to build a bridge with loot rail that the people of this area neither need.... or want.

We all also know that the scum pushing this bridge and loot rail do so knowing that THEY won't have to pay for it: we will.

So, here's a glimpse into our future... a future of ever-increasing tolls... and tolls where the money won't even be used to pay for the bridge.

What's that, you say? Why, that's not possible!

Really? Someone ought to tell that moron of a state treasurer, dutifully endorsed by the embarrassment of a paper in the last election (They only endorsed democrats in open seats, you see... hard left rags are like that.) because this is his plan: he thinks it would be just swell to jack up the tolls on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge... and do that to pay for OTHER transportation projects!

Yup, that's right. Former State Representative Jim McIntyre (Communist-Seattle) a rabid income tax proponent during the nightmare of his tenure in the House and completely unqualified, save for his party affiliation, to be elected to state treasurer, wants to nail the folks who use the Tacoma Narrows Bridge with ANOTHER in the series of MANY increases in the tolls they pay.

Which is, of course, PRECISELY what lowlifes like Steve "Cold Hard Cash" Stuart and Tim "The Liar" Leavitt want as well.

Here's the dish:

State Treasurer Suggests Higher Narrows Bridge Tolls — Just After Standing Pat Was Recommended

• By Ed Friedrich
• Posted December 26, 2009 at 7:38 p.m.

OLYMPIA —

The state needs bigger toll increases on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge if it wants to get the best bond rates for the new Highway 520 floating bridge and other megaprojects, according to state Treasurer Jim McIntire.

The bridge’s citizens advisory committee recently recommended to the state Transportation Commission that the electronic toll be kept at $2.75 and the manual rate raised from $4 to $5, beginning July 1. That would leave $4.7 million in reserves at the end of the fiscal year, or about a 9.3 percent more than expenses.

McIntire followed the recommendation with new principles his office is developing for toll projects.

“The Treasurer’s Office said if you take what we’re suggesting for 520 but looked at the Tacoma Narrows bridge instead, then our rates would be raised from $4 to $5 (for manual) and ETC (electronic) from $2.75 to $3.75,” said Alan Weaver, the citizens group chairman.

Weaver called it an “11th-hour” development because the citizens committee had already held three public meetings and made its recommendation to the Transportation Commission before hearing from McIntire. Dan O’Neal, a transportation commissioner from Belfair who sits with the citizens group, had warned them that the Treasurer’s Office was looking at a 10 percent requirement, however. That knowledge helped spur the committee to recommend the toll increase. Without one, there would still be $2.3 million in reserves, but it would only be 4.8 percent more than bridge costs.

State law doesn’t stipulate how much must be kept in reserve, only that it be “sufficient” to pay the bond debt and to operate and maintain the bridge. McIntire said the citizens group and Transportation Commission have struggled with what “sufficient” means, and his office was offering its interpretation.

The treasurer says when investors consider buying bonds for future toll projects, the first thing they’ll ask is how the Tacoma Narrows bridge was handled.

“If we can demonstrate that we understand “sufficient” coverage means having some coverage ratio greater than 1 — which wasn’t what we were seeing with the proposal coming from the citizens group — that helps us as we try to go to the bond market,” McIntire said.

Toll-project bonds around the country typically require 75 percent to 100 percent of annual costs be kept in reserve. Those are revenue bonds, however, and backed solely by tolls. The Tacoma Narrows bridge bonds are guaranteed by tolls, gas taxes and the state’s credit.

“So it’s not risky. There’s no reason to have a big reserve account,” said bridge watchdog Randy Boss.

“Sufficient,” Boss said, is “not more than, not less than, just enough to be able to cover costs.” Anything more would just be taking extra dollars out of the community.

“If they think they’re going to increase the rate of reserves on the Tacoma Narrows bridge over and above what the law requires, they’re inviting a lawsuit,” Boss said.

Several Transportation Commission members also believe that the citizens group’s recommendation is unfair, that the gap is too wide between the $2.75 for electronic tolls and the $5 for manual.

The commission must decide in January whether to accept or change the citizens committee’s recommendation. If it changes it, the citizens group can hold another public hearing, though it’s not required. Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, says he’s pushing for public meetings to explain the Treasury Office’s new guidelines.

Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/dec/26/state-treasurer-suggests-higher-narrows-bridge/#ixzz0b2buv7X9

This is the kind of thing the despicable scum behind this massive, multi-billion dollar scam of replacing a perfectly serviceable bridge so they can ram loot rail down our throats without asking us... while forcing us to pay for it... do NOT want you to know.

The trouble is that the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, while only being in operation a short time, has already undergone several toll increases in violation of the promises made to commuters stuck with getting hammered by fees that, you guessed it, none of the rabid bridge proponents will have to pay.

The New Tacoma Narrows Bridge span opened up in 2007, Since then the toll has gone up from $1.75 for electronic payment and $3.00 for cash/credit card to the current $2.75 and $4.00 tolls... only to be jacked up even higher if that communist treasurer gets his way... to $3.75 and $5.00.

Imagine. These poor people were lied to in order to get this bridge built... just like we're being lied to. Also, imagine that their future is precisely the same as ours.

Because it is.

I'm posting this because there's damned little chance our local waste of wood pulp ever would. After all, if they were telling the truth and giving us all the information, they'd be coming out completely opposed to it like most everyone with common sense.
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So... are you all feeling any safer?

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Time's up, Mr. President.

I've got to ask you: What's your self-delusion brought us?

Half of the folks you've released from Gitmo are now engaged in terrorist operations against us.

The scumbag who tried to blow up the plane? Clearly an enemy combatant... and yet you treat him like an American who tried to steal some luggage.

YOU continue to operate in a mental vacuum while you stupidly try to get us to actually believe that these actions are just the efforts of a misguided few instead of an extension of millions that want to kill us.

Well, Mr. President... here we are. Your fellow fringe left whack jobs used to snivel that Bush policies didn't make us feel any safer.

You sent your Secretary of Homeland Security out to lie yesterday when that moron told us that "the system worked," when you know damned well it didn't.

For God's sake... will you tell us the truth about SOMETHING.... ANYTHING? Just for the sheer thrill of hearing it?

I don't "feel" safer now, Mr. President. In fact, I don't go anywhere without my .45, thanks in part to your moronic efforts.

Here's a brief reminder, written back in September. Time is up, Mr. President. Iran is some Bad Boys. What you gonna do when they come for us?

Leftists and other Iran supporters are all about a "measured response." They want "sanctions" and other garbage like that to get Iran to behave on the nuclear issue... and, perhaps, others as well.

Can someone.... anyone... tell me when "sanctions" have EVER worked.... ANYWHERE?

What did "sanctions" do to Saddam and his policies? What did "sanctions" do against Japan? What have "sanctions" done against the NorK's?

The reason that Iran is ignoring the rest of the world, particularly now, is because they rightfully believe that the rest of the world lacks the will to DO anything to stop them.

Iran believes that they hold their foot on the oil hose in the middle east. They believe that the rest of the world is powerless and terrified because of the threat of cutting off our oil.

The simple idiot in the White House plays into that perfectly by refusing to open up every possible area in the United States for exploration and drilling. As a result, we've done NOTHING to gain energy independence... and ARE doing nothing to gain that independence... precisely as the Iranians and the rest of the oil producers KNOW we won't.

So... why should Iran behave? Why should they end their military nuclear program, when they know we lack the will, if not the capacity, to FORCE them to do end it?

We have a gutless leader in the White House, incapable of taking the tough stand and equally incapable of making the case to the American people that we ALL need to sacrifice in the name of our security.

He doesn't want to be the bearer of bad news. He doesn't want to be the next George Bush.

And many of us are going to die as a result.

"Sanctions?" Iran treats such threats with the contempt they deserve. The Russians will say anything, but do nothing. The Chinese will foster Iranian intransigence under the "confusion to our enemies" rule... and Americans will continue to die.

Yeah.... sanctions. Sanction the hell out of these people, and watch them laugh out loud at our rank stupidity... while they continue to build their nukes.

And here's another one for your viewing pleasure:

A small poster has been making the rounds on the net over the last few days. It shows George Bush in a rather humorous pose and the title under the picture is "Miss me yet?"

I'm not exactly sure. But if the question were asked a different way, something like: Given the latest news concerning Iran's drive to get a nuke, would you rather have George Bush or Barack Obama at the helm? that answer is easy.

And it ain't the empty-suited, anti-American racist bigot, either.

We have an unpleasant task in front of us. The question here is this: does the ball- less moron that's president get it? Does he have what it takes to do what needs to be done?

No.

I'm not 100% sure that Bush would have what it takes, either. But I think he would be much more LIKELY to have it.

First, Obama and the Russians are too stupid to figure out that WE are number one of their target list... not Israel.

I'm pretty sure that Obama's lack of depth and his built-in anti-semtism, as repeatedly illustrated by his nazi preacher, would oh-so-secretly thrill the empty suit if Israel were the target... and if Iran's chief nutberger actually would blow Israel away.

The trouble with that, however, is Whackjob isn't all that keen on creating 2 to 4 million martyrs at one time.... martyrs that would be laid at his feet. His strategic problem is that he, Whackjob, cannot pop a nuke in Israel without killing hundreds of thousands of Arabs.

But killing millions of Americans? Killing millions of Russians? Why, that's a whole different kettle of fish.

What to do.... what to do.

The scumbag running Iran is fully capable of killing millions.... of us. He's shown his nazi-like tendencies when it came to murdering his own people in cold blood while they were protesting... mostly to the amazingly deafening silence of that idiot in the White House. A dictator capable of slaughtering his own would feel no compunction in slaughtering anyone else.

One wonders: has the thought occurred to the fringe-leftists infesting the White House that all of Whackjob's bluster about Israel is a feint? Is this scumbag's hatred, aimed at Israel, designed in it's entirety, to make his actions "acceptable" to the empty suited idiot running the show in DC?

Question One: Will that idiot we call "President" do anything that will make any difference?

Question Two: Does he fully understand the threat?

Question Three: Does he know what needs to be done?

Question Four: Will he do it?

No.

No.

No and,

no.

The ACORN in chief has spent all of his time paying those who got him elected off, and wasted considerable time on health care reform that is going no where.

During the entirety of the campaign, and years before, the left whined and sniveled about how tough our military was having it. They cried, and bitched about how long and how many tours our ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE had to spend in Iraq.

OK... the leftist scum took power in 06. Their moron became president 9 months ago.

What have they done to fix this?

Nothing.

So now, we're faced with an inability to immediately respond with the force we need for our own security.

Yeah, the leftists ALL knew how to do it SO much better.

Except they didn't.

Unfortunately, we have little ability to put boots on the ground. Further, at this point, we lack the guts/will on the part of the simple-minded idiot running the show. Because of leftist game playing, where NOTHING was done to address this scenario, we only have one choice: Does this country become fully committed to end the threat of Iranian nukes?

Or do we, as I suspect the Coward-in-Chief ultimately will, just accept it as a fate-accompli?

That is the temporary, short-lived solution. That is, putting off the ultimate problem will keep us comfortable for a little while longer.

But then what?

If we fail to act... THEN what?

The now-acknowledged presence of this SECOND (the first was bad enough) nuclear facility DEMANDS action.

FAILURE to act sends a message... just like making the tough decision sends a message.

We must mobilize the entirety of the Armed Forces of the United States.

We must immediately re-implement the draft, to include women.

We must NOT count on our "allies" to help us; we must be prepared to go it alone.

We must NOT allow Russia or China to threaten us out of doing what must be done.

Yes, I know. It will take away some of the comfort that we've experienced for the past 8 years; when we SHOULD have mobilized as a society and a country to defeat the threat; had we done so back then, we wouldn't be facing an Iranian nuclear threat NOW.

But the time to act is NOW.

And our failure to act NOW will cause rivers of American blood to flow later. Not much later... but later.

So the leftist idiots can bury their heads farther and deeper into the sand... so that when these scum get around to hurting us.... they will hurt us really, really, bad.

So, if the Bridger/Looters get their way, what's the impact of sucking $100,000,000 per year out of the local economy?

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That's one of the more interesting questions of the second biggest issue confronting us today, locally... what happens to business here in Clark County if those who demand this massive waste actually make it happen?

The commissioners who recently screwed us here in Clark County, by jacking up our taxes, mid-recession and mid 13% unemployment rate; have yet to weigh in on what happens when $100,000,000 a year vaporizes. Steve "Cash Only" Stuart has yet to address this massive, giant sucking sound that he and the downtown mafia thinks so highly of; secret meetings with Sam "Draft it if it's under 18" Adams and Tim "The Liar" Leavitt notwithstanding.

So... $100,000,000 or so a year, most of it in Clark County, disappears. One wonders. Does any of the $100,00,000 plus already wasted for studies with pre-ordained outcomes by Rep. Deb "No amount of your money I won't spend" Wallace, congressional wannabe, address any of that?

Are those so eager to pay off the unions that will get all the cheese for building this monstrosity unaware of the unending economic agony the tolls will cause? Have they given it any thought? What are the impacts on the 65,000 commuters?

Or is it that they're so in the pocket of the special interests that they just don't care?

How many jobs will the loss of this money cost us?

How many items typically bought with $100,000,000 in formally disposable income here locally will now sit and gather dust on local shelves? How deep and wide will all of the massive negative impacts be?

And out of all of those so eager to get this thing built, how many of them will feel ANY of these massive impacts?

None.

I would include our despicable rag of a paper, but they'll be out of business by the time this steaming pile is built.

What are the impacts? Do any of these great strategists give a damn... or are they only concerned about providing union jobs? How many services provided by the now non-existent revenue be cut or eliminated... because of the black hole of the bridge/loot rail?

I wanna know. Odd, isn't it, that none of the talking heads telling us all how great this crock of horse puckey is never seem to talk about that.

Don't they think it's about time?
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Continuing to hear that Pridemore will withdraw...

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... seems that Sen. Craig Pridemore is running into difficulties raising money for his campaign, which is kinda ironic, considering how he amended his own campaign finance bill so that Steve "Cold Hard Cash" Stuart could keep his multiple $10,000 developer donations.

Considering the fact that no Clark County democrat can win this, it would probably be best for him to avoid the effort.

Tick tock, Craig... tick tock.
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More of the usual Columbian idiocy

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In the bizarro world of our local stain on the science of journalism, the Columbian apparently believes that they and they alone hold the corner on what is and is not the practice of democracy in this country.

When or how people choose to "jump" into congressional races is really none of the editorial page's business.

That decision is made by the people and the people alone... not the morons writing these editorials.

While there is certainly something to be said about the courage and perseverance of those who announced months ago as opposed to the political opportunism that marks the cowardice of those jumping on Baird's still warm corpse (Herrera) that lack of character on her part will be addressed at the polls.

In this instance, we have something on the order of 10 candidates for the job. Almost sadly in an election where democrats need not apply, and the most pretentious with delusions of grandeur line up to get whacked, my study of the Constitution of the United States seems to indicate that as long as they meet the requirements of citizenship and age, what a local left wing organ thinks is, well, pretty much irrelevant.

So, we get nonsensical pap like this:

Jeers: To Democratic and Republican apparatchiks for jumping too quickly into the burgeoning campaign to succeed Congressman Brian Baird. When Baird, D-Vancouver, announced he wouldn’t run for re-election in November 2010, it rapidly drew even more candidates into what was already becoming a good-sized field. That, in turn, immediately attracted some political hit pieces from the political parties.

The Democrats attacked state Rep. Jaime Herrera, R-Camas, with state party Chairman Dwight Pelz calling her “Palinesque” and “long on style, short on substance,” conveniently ignoring her legislative service and congressional staff work with Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Colville.

The National Republican Congressional Committee attacked state Rep. Deb Wallace, D-Vancouver, as a “just another tax-hiking, job-killing Democrat” apparently without researching her pro-business voting record and background working for business and economic development organizations.

The carelessly thrown mud will make very little impression on the local voters who sent both women to Olympia.

Now, self-delusion plays an important part of the Columbian's persona.

For example, Herrera's experience as a career intern and a go-fer for McMorris no more qualifies her for Congress then it would the moron who wrote this particular "Jeer."

Except for one other empty suit, Jon Russell, Herrera has the least substance and experience of any announced candidate. In fact, I characterized the "much ado about nothing" aspect of this brouhaha thusly:

Herrera has neither style nor substance. And she's not fit to carry Palin's luggage.

Pelz played the GOP like a fish. And he reeled them in that way as well.

In short, she'd be as worthless a member of congress has she has been a worthless member of the legislature. Pelz was more right than wrong.. although giving her so much credit made him wrong as well.

And, after she loses in 2010, we'll all be better off without her, and she can go back to picking up Starbucks orders for McMorris back in DC or something.

Now, Wallace, on the other hand, has never done anything to create a private sector job in her life. She IS personally responsible for wasting over $100,000,000 taxpayer dollars on a pile of paper for a bridge replacement that nobody wants while she and her fellow leftists are working REAL hard to force an additional $1300 a year fee on those who commute to the Portland area every day... a fee she and the other bridge cheerleaders won't have to pay... a $100,000,000 sucked out of our community every year... a $100,000,000 that COULD have gone to businesses and jobs over HERE.

So, that makes the RNC's response directly on target as well.

What's it all mean? The usual.

Whoever wrote that pig feces on the editorial page, as usual, had no idea what the hell they were talking about; and were, in fact, merely filling up space on the page because, well, they HAD to print SOMETHING.
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Secret meetings... Tim "The Liar" Leavitt, Steve "Cash up front" Stuart, Sam "If you're under 18, you can have an" Adams... on the toll bridge

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Look, I get that Tim "The Liar" Leavitt scammed everyone into actually believing that he opposes tolls (which he did doesn't) and that Steve "I was bought for 100G" Stuart is terrified that I'm gonna hammer him like a nail based on both his corruption (He's entirely owned by Barnett and the Cowlitz Mafia) and the fact that he's responsible for ramming a $1300 a year toll down the throats of 65,000 commuters who are going to vote his ass out... but recent secret meetings with Sam "I didn't have sex with that teenager" Adams? So you can the peoplem of Clark County out?

Clearly, transparency isn't only an issue with the empty suited liar running this country. The three have met and decided that THEIR plan is to reduce the bridge to 8 lanes with 2 of those lanes dedicated to loot rail.

Man... won't that be a HUGE improvement?
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Steve, Steve, Steve, STEVE.

Do yourself a favor. Announce you won't be running for re-election now. Free up the seat for folks that won't be quite so eager to screw us.

That way you can spare yourself the horrific embarrassment of getting clobbered at the polls as your legacy of corruption and ignoring the people of this county who neither need or want a new bridge or loot rail send you that message the hard way... and end your political career the way it should have and would have been done back in 05 if Barnett hadn't laundered $100,000 through your favorite leftist front group, Progressive Majority.
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Major Egan... why'd you do it? (Originally posted 24 Dec 08)

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I originally posted this a year ago today (24 Dec). And it bears repeating.

This story was in the paper... although, unfortunately, not on the Columbian web.

It is the story of a retired Army Major, one Thomas Egan; a veteran of 2 years on the Korean DMZ, a Master's graduate of the University of Oregon; a retired Oregon Army National Guard officer.

He was found dead, apparently frozen to death, next to a bottle of booze, in Eugene, Oregon within the past few days.

Unfortunately, the story speaks for itself. Sometimes, the desire to destroy one's self can overwhelm all other instincts.

I never knew you, Major, but we served together at the same time. I have no idea what happened to you, but I wish I did... and I wish it could have been fixed.

Tomorrow is Christmas. If you know someone who needs help, take the time and the effort to try and get that help to them. Major Egan had help available, but made a bad choice when it came to using it.

As I look outside at the foot of snow, I ask myself: "how many Major Egans are there?" Is there more that could have been done?

Probably not.

But I wish there had been.


Good bye, Major. From all accounts, you served us honorably and well. I never met you, but I won't forget you.


I could have been you.

Soldier’s death resonates
Homeless veteran froze to death though services were available

By JACK MO
(Eugene) Register-Guard

EUGENE, Ore — Thomas Egan was a scholar and a decorated soldier. He was also a homeless alcoholic whose life ended last week when he froze to death in Eugene during an unusually long and harsh cold snap.

His body was found covered in snow near the corner of West First Avenue and Blair Boulevard, a bottle of liquor by his side.

News of the demise of the longtime Eugene resident troubled many local veterans — especially those who knew that with some effort and some help, the man they called Major Egan could have had a roof over his head.

“The whole National Guard community is taking this very hard,” said Bud Dickey, a vocational rehabilitation coordinator with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ community reintegration service center in Eugene.

“It’s very disturbing for all of us, because Major Egan was retired and could have been drawing his (veterans’) benefits,” Dickey said. “He had options that he did not access.”

Egan collected monthly Social Security checks, but the amount was a pittance compared with the payments he was entitled to as a retired military veteran. When he turned 60 in July, Egan became eligible to receive $909 each month in National Guard retirement income, Dickey said.

Egan also could have applied for a separate pension check based on unemployability. “That would have gotten him an apartment if he wanted one,” said Jay Rea, a Springfield resident who served under Egan in the National Guard in the late 1980s. “I shed a tear when I heard he died,” Rea said. “It breaks my heart because he was the friendliest guy, and so smart.” A New York native, Egan joined the Army in 1971 after graduating from Quinnipiac College in Hamden, Conn., with a bachelor’s degree in history.

He was stationed at the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea for two years, and was reassigned to the Oregon Army National Guard in 1977.

Earned master’s degree
Egan earned his master’s degree from the University of Oregon in 1983, and ultimately attained the rank of major with the National Guard.

He retired honorably in 1991, following a 20-year military career during which he was awarded several service medals and ribbons.

Dickey said Egan’s desire to drink made him ineligible for VA housing programs that require sober living.

Egan had declined to enroll in substance abuse treatment programs offered through the veterans agency, Dickey said.

According to those who knew him, Egan worked sporadically. He did some landscaping, and most years helped deliver telephone books.

Sometimes, he found an apartment to stay in for a while. At other times, he lived on the streets. In August, Egan spent two weeks at the Eugene Mission — which is less than one block from the spot where a passer-by discovered his body last week.

Mission officials said Egan never caused any trouble there, and could have stayed any time. Dickey said Egan has no relatives in Oregon, and tracking down members of his extended family on the East Coast has been challenging.

Dickey, who served five years with Egan in the National Guard, is helping to direct an effort to have Egan interred at the Roseburg National Cemetery.

“He will be buried as a veteran in a veterans’ cemetery,” Dickey said. “He was a good soldier, and we’re going to get him the burial he’s due.”
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What do Stacy Sellers and Jaime Herrera have in common?

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Who here isn't familiar with the Sellers debacle?

Sellers, who, at the time was mayor of Washougal, felt compelled to go to Vegas on "official business." While she was there, she decided that the taxpayers of the city of Washougal should pay for her alcohol, and some high priced meals.

Stacy Sellers is having a tough week. Perhaps she deserves one, since, according to the local version of Pravda, Sellars charged, among other things, a "...$57 'surf and turf' dinner. An $88 bottle of wine. A $72 bill at the Eye Candy Lounge & Bar." while on some sort of "official trip" to Vegas.... although why a trip to Vegas for the mayor of Washougal would be official is, perhaps, a subject for another post. (Take some time and run a google search on the "Eye Candy Lounge & Bar" for pictures of others engaging in some distinctly "non-mayor" like activities. I guess what happens in Vegas is reported in the Columbian.)

Just yesterday, KOIN 6 reported on Brian Baird's abuse of the travel system where he decided he needed to spend a fortune to go on vacations masquerading as a "fact finding trip," a trip that a local travel agent booked for roughly one half the cost charged by Baird.

Erstwhile political opportunist Jamie Herrera seems to share the traits of both Baird and Sellers.

In August of 05, Herrera went on one of these "fact finding trips" to Spokane, where Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA05) maintains a district office.

Instead of sending one of her own staffers already in Spokane for this "fact finding," McMorris-Rogers instead seems to have sent Herrera. That sending Herrera was apparently a complete waste of money is a subject for another post. That issue aside, here is the rather disturbing travel voucher, filled out by Herrera and signed off on by her boss and mentor, Congresswoman McMorris-Rogers.



Now, the questionable aspect of this trip aside, where the main issue of concern for me comes to the fore is here:

Somehow, Herrera managed to spend $475.48 for meals on a 3 day trip to Spokane... and her boss, McMorris-Rogers, approved that cost!

Are you kidding me?

I used to LIVE in Spokane. That much money would feed a family of four for three weeks, and Herrera went through that BY HERSELF, in THREE DAYS?

Shades of Stacy Sellers.

And, just like Jon Russell, who approved Seller's charges since he was in overwatch of the credit cards for Washougal, McMorris Rogers approved this outrageous charge paid for by the taxpayers of the United States.

It seems to me that Sellers and Baird and Herrera are all the same... and Russell and McMorris-Rogers blow off this kind of stuff all the time.

As for me, I don't want any of them either in my government... or in elective office.

Because if any of them gave a damn about us... we wouldn't have heard about any of this.

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Here's a quiz: guess which 3rd congressional candidate has run on this platform.

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First, the lie:

"There is not a job in the world I would rather have."

Second, the positions:

Would oppose a public vote on a gas tax increase.

Third:

"Would be a friend to organized labor."

Fourth:

opposes tough enforcement of meth laws over treatment.

Fifth:

Ignorance of the Growth Mnagement Act's impacts at the county level.

Guess which one, congressional guessers.

I'll let you know next week.
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Zarelli closer to finally announcing. What's a Herrera to do?

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Looks like Zarelli is getting closer to announcing.

I look forward to it. He's got precisely zero chance of winning, of course, but hanging him and Herrera over a clothesline like two cats tied together by their tails could be politically entertaining.

As a constituent in the 18th, I'm betting that those district updates and town halls will be JUST the tiniest bit testy... and, therefore, finally interesting. I also know that without either of these two "representing" us in the legislature, we'd be much better off at the state level.

I just don't want either of them to be my congressional rep, either.

You have to wonder what happened. The 18th was just one big coffee-klatch. No doubt Orcutt actually sees himself as Senator for life in the unlikely event that Zarelli wins the lottery, (I mean, wins this election... but based on his chances, I'd be investing in lottery tickets if I were him... he'd have a better chance of winning if he did) and, they certainly were busy little bees in the Commodus bent (Nee the "Gladiator" movie.) concerning who'd run for the now open seat.

Then, all of a sudden, Herrera got this weird idea that the RNCC had actually been recruiting her (a lie... they hadn't) for 6 months, so, she just expected Zarelli to bow down to that.

See, Zarelli actually thought he'd been calling the shots for Herrera all this time, when it was McMorris Rogers from the beginning until now and into the future. Zarelli had been getting played by an expert player... a user of people.

So, Zarelli, "unemployment Joe," who has more qualifications to run for Congress in his suit coat then Herrera has in the entirety of that orthodontic body of hers, began to resent that.

Herrera, who is quite the political clown, couldn't show enough discipline to run a girl scout troop, let alone run for Congress; announced before Baird's political corpse was cold. After all, this is why she parachuted in here for in the first place. It never had anything to do with actually representing us... she had to get SOMETHING on her resume' besides resident intern and political coffee pourer.

So, she announced... then unannounced after her masters, McMorris Rogers and Vander Stoep freaked out that she'd screwed up huge. Of course, Herrera has the political instincts and knowledge of my goldfish, so what else would those two think she would do?

So now, those awkward moments will become a little more awkward.

Of course, we can't discount the idea that Zarelli, who, even after he loses, will still be a State Senator; is just going to come on board to run as Herrera's wing man.

Who better? Zarelli has to know he's got no chance. That lack of integrity thing would kill him... again... district wide. It's not like it's disappeared. And Herrera's moronic efforts to get people to "co-endorse..." I guess she still hasn't figured out this isn't a race for middle school class president.

So, in that regard, they're well matched. Sort of a tweedle dumb... and tweedle dumber. But having a state senator in search and destroy mode could be useful to Herrera... or whoever else Zarelli might lend that particular talent to.

2010. Political soap opera at its finest.
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Will Stupak derail the horrific so-called health care reform bill?

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Events swirl around s even as I write this. Honor and truth are all too rare in the well of commodities that make up the political world.

Those who claim to stand on principle are manipulated like junkies. The Louisiana Purchase? Out of the trillions this mess is going to cost future generations, Sen. Mary Landreau (D - La) sold out her honor much like, I'm sure, she sold out her virtue... $300 million got it done. Ben Nelson of Nebraska signed his political death warrant by ignoring his outraged constituency as he committed political hari-kiri by getting his state superficially exempted from putting money into that particular pot.... while they, like us, get screwed in so many other ways that will hurt our economy and delay any recovery, thereby increasing dependence on the government and redistributing more and more of our wealth.

All of it is likely for naught.

Even if, ultimately, Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Mich) is either overwhelmed or undercut and this heaping pile of feces is actually signed by that empty suited, anti-American racist bigot running the show, there is little doubt that when he GOP takes control of Congress back in the next election, this stinking pile of garbage will be tossed... as will that nonsensical section that tries to tie the hands of future Senates...

At issue is Section 3403 of Senator Harry Reid's manager's amendment that the Senate adopted Tuesday morning and is now part of the pro-abortion, government-run health care bill.

The section, on page 1020, says "it shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to consider any bill, resolution, amendment, or conference report that would repeal or otherwise change this subsection."

That would be a problem for any section of any bill but the language in contention concerns pro-life advocates because it is the so-called death panels section whereby regulations are imposed on doctors and patients by the Independent Medicare Advisory Boards.

Yup... The democrats have made a weak attempt to implement a section in a bill that is unconstitutional on its face.

But then, it's pretty clear that the leftist leadership of Congress and the White House just views the Constitution as so much toilet paper anyway, so is that kind of manipulation of law and constitutional abrogation of their oath any particular surprise?

Meanwhile, the empty suit and the Belle of Botox tried to lean on Stupak who, in his own far-too-polite way, politely declines to be leaned on.

He will not be silenced, as the hypocritical left, who would be rioting in the streets if a GOP Administration tried such a stunt, remains silent.

You get the feeling that Dr. Griffith's defection from the forces of the Dark Side may not be the last.

Here's Stupak's take on the so-called compromise language of the horror care wrecking bill:

The current version of the Senate bill contains so-called “compromise” language crafted by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.). This language does not bar taxpayer funding of health plans that cover abortion, but does create a firewall to supposedly keep federal money from being used to pay for abortions. Over the weekend, Stupak issued a statement calling the proposed Senate language "unacceptable."

"A review of the Senate language indicates a dramatic shift in federal policy that would allow the federal government to subsidize insurance policies with abortion coverage," said the statement.

If Stupak is successful and sticks to his guns, this thing winds up on the ash heap of history it so rightly deserves. If the 64 in his caucus remain men and women of integrity, unlike the democrats in the Senate, then this thing is done.

If he falters or fails... if he's hung out to dry and deserted... then this heaping pile of garbage becomes law... at least for a day or two until it's thrown out by a federal court.

This kind of government arrogance is what causes people to lose faith in their country.

Sigh
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Alabama democrat congressman Parker Griffith switches to the GOP in Congress.

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More info here.

What's it all mean? Is this the writing on the wall? Is he the first of many?

The whole world's watching.
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Additional sources tell me that Sen. Craig Pridemore will withdraw from the 3rd Congressional.

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Details to follow when I get them.
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Worthy of its own post: The Heat is off in Hockinson

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Rich Carson, the newly announced independent candidate in the 18th for Herrera's seat stopped by with this yesterday:

Good news. The BPA just announced that is abandoning the transmission line through Hockinson. This was acheived[sic] by citizen activists. Remember that it was the Republican elected officials who stood up up at the BPA meetings and told the folks they were powerless to deal with the feds. Well, that left it up to us and we succeeded.

(richcarson)

And he's right, as far as it goes.

Good news for Hockinson... bad news, most likely, for many other property owners elsewhere in the 18th District that he would seek to represent.

And what about them?

That said, there is a realistic limit to the power of anyone at the state or local level to take action beyond writing a letter that says "we don't want this here" when it comes to dealing with the Fed.

"Eminent domain," rightly or wrongly, is one of the enumerated powers in the Constitution. That people in government told Mr. Carson "they were powerless to deal with the feds" is, essentially, the truth. There was no step or steps local elected officials could have taken to stave off this effort in Hockinson, like there will be no steps they could take to stave them off anywhere else in the county. Would he have been happier if he'd been shined on, placated, or given, in the lexicon, a sincere non-response that confused motion with action?

This would rightly be a bone of contention if such a power existed at the local level, and the officials in question were choosing not to use it. But just for one example, the entire town of Bonneville was sunk when the Fed put in a dam. And there was nothing the town, the county commissioners or anyone at that level could do about it... even in court.

So, that these particular members of government happened to be one party or another has no place at this table. Nor does political opportunism or ignorance of the process.

The people HERE were victorious. And what that means is that the people somewhere else will be the victims.

Will you go fight their battles as well, Mr. Carson? Or, having achieved your goal here, does the NIMBY party representative intend to wiz on the fire and call in the dogs?

That we need additional capacity is undeniable. But unless I miss my guess, issues of costs and the impacts on others played little to no role in your actions here. And as a prospective state representative, I would venture to say that issues of cost and impacts on others should be your FIRST concern, because if they're not... if your actions were only driven by your enlightened self-interests, then you have no business being elected to anything.

I eagerly await your response to this, which I will certainly post up for all to see. You cannot simply go around and say "no" without a better plan to put into place. And by "better," I mean cheaper, more efficient and without negative impacts on anyone else.

Otherwise, your lack of faith in either party will be the least of your political problems.
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Say it ain't so, Joe: Sources tell me that State Senator Joe "Unemployment Check" Zarelli will announce for the 3rd Congressional District.`

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Let the games begin... especially the rather awkward moments between Zarelli and Herrera.
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Can any of you Obama Voters point out the senate negotiation videos for me? You know, the negotiation with CPAN cameras in it?

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I remember it well, don't you?




It's hard to believe that any one person could lie so much in a minute, 11 seconds, but the empty suit pulled it off brilliantly.

Weren't there supposed to be CSPAN cameras in the room so we could see for ourselves?

How's that "Hopey, Changey thingy" working out for you now?
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How much is enough?

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I've been noticing an increasingly disturbing trend among the far right. The "R" word is being heard more and more, with greater frequency.

While I understand that many are disappointed, disillusioned and disgusted by a moronic, clueless government that seems to view the Constitution of the United States as just so much toilet paper, I would ask that those kinds of thoughts relating to the armed overthrow of our government be put away.

There is no question that this effort to socialize the United States is both unconstitutional and short-lived. The people are becoming increasingly angry at the fringe left government's decision making processes where the will of the people, along with democrat promises, are ignored (as, come to think of it, I've said they would be ignored, or "kicked to the curb," as it were) but all we must do is hang on for 11 more months.

Hang on, and we can put a stop to this utter nonsense the way The Founders intended.

When I enlisted, and 4 times after that, when I re-enlisted; as well as when I was commissioned as a Regular Army officer, I swore an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

For me, at least, the tenets of that oath remain in full force and effect.

While some might argue that the actions of the administration and of Congress qualify them as a "domestic enemy," I cannot, in good conscience, agree with the application of that definition here as yet.

We have a system of government that is based in large part on the concepts of democracy.

An unfortunate side-effect is that "stupidity" is not a disqualifier for participation in this system.

While researching communism in college, I concluded that the concept of communism's biggest failure was the failure to take into account human nature. For example, it goes against human nature to receive "X," whatever "X" may be, while those also working in, say, your factory producing tractor widgets who don't work as hard ALSO receive "X," for doing less of the same thing you are, even though they don't build as many tractor widgets as you do.

The fundamental problem with that is the message sent is the message that neither effort nor personal accountability are requirements to receive "X," So, why bother?

Human nature says that the harder you work, the more you should earn. Interfere with that equation... and you get the Soviet Union.

The communists recognized that to some extent: that's why they were very big on the "Five Year Plan." Their lie to the people was to tell them that they, effectively, only had to put human nature aside for 5 years to labor for the state. After that, things would change.

The problem was that there always seemed to be another 5 year plan. "Dialecticians" would come along and provide the reasons for these additional plans, but they never seemed to go away.

In agriculture, huge farm collectives were the order of the day, collectives that would sometimes see production targets met only to watch their produce rot because the government lacked the means to transport the produce grown and harvested.

But when human nature was allowed in... when small groups of people were allowed to keep what they earned from tiny plots of land, amazing things in both production and transportation took place, and huge amounts of produce came from very small areas of land, amounts sometimes exceeding that of the huge collectives.

In America today, we frequently seem to be heading back into the other direction. We seem to have become a society where personal accountability and responsibility are concepts to be laughed at. We grant special privileges to groups of people through the accidents of their genetics in race and color. We provide special classifications for people engaging in lifestyles. We institutionalize discrimination when the ends are just (Recently, R 71's passage institutionalized discrimination against anyone 61 or younger... but that discrimination is perfectly OK, because it helped, quite hypocritically it would seem, to reduce "discrimination" against those practicing a lifestyle.) and we increase dependence on government programs such as unemployment (which can now go on for 2 years) and welfare (where the socialist government of this country is looking at eliminating the limits of how long one can be on welfare) as the concept of meritocracy becomes something from a dark, distant and now quite dusty past. For the recipients of this largess, what do you suppose their voting emphasis might be?

We, as a society, put the value of packaging over the value of contents in everything from who we elect to the office of president, where assuredly, we elected an empty package, to a 5 oz can of tuna... oddly, the same size as the 6 oz can of tuna used to be, but an indicator of how we're played for suckers because even though the producers are providing less and charging more, we still think in many cases we're getting the same 6 ounces... not unlike our local paper, come to think of it.

So, people elected a president who built his campaign on lies. We've elected an entire government that's done the same. While that government seems to be out of any control, having forgotten their servant-master relationship, who really bears the blame?

Isn't it those of us who put them there?

Isn't it up to us to remove them at the polls?

Just because we've been stupid in the past doesn't mean we must continue in that regard in the future.

Next November will be our time. After the election, the changes we've made will enable us to restore this Nation, to right the ship of state and to undo the damage of the misguided, tyrannical few.

But not through violence. Not through misguided and extra-Constitutional measures.

The people were repeatedly warned. Unfortunately, the choices they had were a scam, a con and hopelessness. But as a people, we disdain the truth and frequently, particularly when it's difficult, don't want to hear it. As a result, frequently the telling of the truth will not get you elected. Obama, for example, talked down the economy so much that he seemed surprised his efforts succeeded so well. What was it the VP said (The same VP who, during the campaign, flatly stated that Obama wasn't qualified to be president?) wasn't it something like "we didn't know how bad it was?"

That's what led to a rank liar getting elected to the highest office in the land; a man who had achieved nothing but the rank of master manipulator prior to his ascension to the presidency.

We elected him essentially without knowing anything about him. And hopefully, we, as a nation have learned our lesson from that, and will be a little more picky... a little more demanding as a part of the job interview in the future, for we have HAD to learn SOMETHING from this debacle.

Meanwhile, no violence. No overthrows. Keep the focus on what they are doing; do not concern yourself with the "why" they are doing it, because, for example, burying this nation in debt has no justification.

As we gear up for the 2010's, implement critical thinking skills. Look through the filter of lies and broken promises. Make a decision based not on the way you wish things were, but on the way things are.

We have the opportunity to become the "change" the liar-in-chief promised to get the job. And if we blow it, then really, who do we have to blame?
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I can't wait to be arrested because I refuse to buy socialist health care.

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In a scam that will effectively end democrat party participation in government starting in 2010, the next step in the temporary socialization of the United States will take place shortly in the US Senate.

I say "temporary" because all of this will go away in January 2011, when the new GOP majorities in Congress disassemble it... piece by piece and brick by brick.

In a tin-eared performance guaranteed to drive congressional disgruntlement levels to new lows, Harry "The Stiff" Reid and Nancy "The Belle of Botox" Pelosi will jam this garbage heap down our throats in ways that will assist every GOP'er running for anything anywhere to get elected.

For my part, I will not comply with any of it. I will not pay; I will not buy, I will not allow one dime of my money to be dumped into this massive redistribution plan that scumbag in the White House is forcing us to accept in the face of massive and overwhelming public opposition when there are so many other options available.

Here I am. Come and get me.
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It beyond time to defund the State Auditor's Office and get rid of it.

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For years now, I've advocated getting rid of the position of State Auditor. Sadly, I must continue to support that position.

It's not that I believe Brian Sonntag doesn't do a spectacular job.... because he most certainly does. In fact, in my life, there are only two absolute certainties: first, at some point I will, in fact, die. Second, as long as he is in elective office, I will vote for Brian Sonntag.

Sonntag is, in my opinion, the finest, most fearless public servant that's ever served in Washington State. Fearless, aggressive in his pursuit of the overwhelming numbers of ways, locations, offices and people wasting out money, Sonntag and his staff should be a force to be feared by the hundreds of state agencies and offices draining our economic life's blood as if we somehow owe it to them.

So, why defund them and get rid of the office?

Because no one in government cares.

We have this man and his staff looking into the expenditure of our money. It's what he's been doing for years. For years, he and his people come up with lists of agencies and individuals and pots of dollars illegally spent, fraudulently spent, just plain lost.... and for all of those years, it's made little to no difference.

If those in government allowing these rip offs are going to continue to ignore Sonntag as they have for the past 17 years... then what's the point?

This blog has more impact than Sonntag, and it's free. Sonntag costs millions.

If the damned government would implement his suggestions/observations and findings, he would be worth every penny. But year after year, they ignore him. Democrats (of which he is one) who now are in complete control of government ignore him, and when the GOP called the shots up there, they ignored him as well.

We're facing yet another multi-billion deficit. Sonntag has once again shown the way to eliminating a great deal, if not all, of the looming deficit.

Just like they ignored him in 2008 when he came up with many other findings that would have helped with the deficit, the legislature will ignore him again.

He has GOT to be the most frustrated state employee in government.... well, save for WSU's head football coach.

But he's had his run... and it's time for him and his office to go.

Or is it, instead, time for those morons in government who insist on ignoring him to go, instead?
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"Hockinson man?" Running for the 18th?

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Back in the days of old... back in late 2007, we had an appointment process to fill the open seat. As corrupt as the process was (and it was) one person ran for the appointment. That person received precisely zero votes from the PCOs.

That person was named Richard Carson.

I, personally, don't know him. I know that when he needed to be in the GOP, he was. And now that he thinks he doesn't need to be, he isn't.

Sigh.

And the positions?

Standard shlock... until you get to this:

He also said he opposes charging a toll on the new bridge planned for Interstate 5 between Vancouver and Portland.

That the people of Vancouver were idiotic enough to elect Tim "The Liar" Leavitt on this lie doesn't mean it's going to happen here.

What Mr. Carson needs to be is opposed to replacing the bridge and ramming loot rail down our throats, period. To run on the hypocrite's platform... that is, a position where we should have a bridge, we just shouldn't pay for it; explains perfectly why, while Carson feels that he's "... lost faith in the Republican and Democrat parties," it's fairly clear why at least one of those parties had no faith in him, either.
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In my view Dec 19: new web site doesn't change the fact: the paper still sucks.

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The now immortalized phrase of Sarah Palin, used to such massive impact in her VP acceptance speech concerning lipstick on a pig not changing the fact that it's still a pig certainly applies with the moronic web site change the Columbian is so giddy about (Read Brancaccio's tripe for a quick snapshot... but warning: don't eat first, because you won't be able to keep it down.)

What these idiots don't understand is that without a substantial change in content, this paper has no chance. None. The best they could hope for would be a Seattle PI kind of operation.

Continuing on as a leftist propaganda rag isn't going to increase the numbers of people putting their money down on the counter. In fact, it will continue to have the opposite effect.

The paint job ultimately won't matter. Bragging about the "depth" of this despicable rag's efforts without addressing the hard left bent and selective reporting means there wasn't any substantive change, even if the jumble of a web site is different.

For example, this idiocy:

Jeers: To Portland Mayor Sam Adams and others who complain that the Columbia River Crossing project will only shift congestion into the Rose Quarter area of Portland. For one thing, a careful analysis of traffic patterns shows that two-thirds to three-fourths of motorists using the Interstate 5 Bridge enter and exit the freeway between Hazel Dell and North Portland, considerably north of the Rose Quarter bottleneck.

The opposition also fails the logic test. Even if every driver was headed to Adams’ comfortable downtown office, why would the mayor give up so easily on fixing Portland’s problems? In the 100 years a new crossing will last, isn’t it ridiculous to think that Portland won’t address traffic in its own city center? Or, maybe bridge opponents will convince everyone in the city to just ride bicycles and take the train.

This represents an out and out lie.

That this despicable waste of paper has an editorial policy of lies is why it's the laughing stock here locally, and among the reasons no one buys this POS.

This disgusting stain on journalism accuses the opposition of that with which they are the MOST guilty, the "logic test."

There is no reason of any kind to replace the current bridge. None.

The current bridge is safe. The current bridge has the same number of through lanes as the proposed bridge replacement. A new bridge will do absolutely nothing to improve freight mobility or decrease congestion. In fact, the ONLY thing a new bridge will do is bring the massively expensive and unwanted loot rail into Clark County. And, of course, a new bridge won't be paid for by the feces demanding it the loudest.

And these morons accuse the opposition of "failing the logic test?"

What hypocritical scum they are. And what a sickening rag, lipstick or no, they work for.
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Another sign of leftist rejection in the 3rd Congressional District.

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With 2010 shapping up as a 1994 redux, things were already looking bleak for the leftists in the WA03. But these figures ought to cause even the most delusional diehard leftist to shudder.

In the 3rd District, here are the numbers on the 2 votes held last November. These votes were on Initiative 1033, the vote to reign in tax and spending by the morons running our state and local governments and R-71, the special rights for gays and the elderly Referendum that, while passing statewide, was soundly trounced in the 3rd.

Initiative 1033: Yes: 97,851 No 96,782 +1069

R 71 Yes: 92,835 No: 104413 +11,622

See, the problem for the fringe leftists the dems and faux-independents (who are and always have been leftist democrats) will run is that, when asked, they will HAVE to have opposed 1033 and they will have HAD to SUPPORT R71, one referendum rejected (and properly so) and one supported by the people they would now want to serve... positions anathema to the leftists who want to represent us.

Add that to the damage the leftist brand has suffered and will suffer on moronic issues like socialized medicine; the support of the massive, unneeded and unwanted waste of billions for a bridge we don't want and don't need, along with loot rail... and, well, this all spells impending doom for the leftists of the 3rd.

They all supported this garbage.... and now they own it.
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The sickening politics surrounding Herrera: "Long on style, short of substance.”

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The fake outrage over the inaccurate remarks about Republican Opportunist Jaime Herrera is just another of the reasons why I've left the party.

It's not that I agree with Pelz's remarks. When he said "'Herrera is “'Palinesque'" and called her “'long on style, short of substance,'” even THAT was an exaggeration.

Herrera has neither style nor substance. And she's not fit to carry Palin's luggage.

I'm surprised that Pelz gave her so much credit.

And this nonsensical garbage that these remarks are somehow "sexist" just goes to show how utterly clueless Herrera supporters actually are.

There was NOTHING "sexist" about that description. Inaccurate? Yes, because it gave Herrera far too much credit.

Sexist?

No way.

While Pelz's description on the style and substance front DOES accurately describe that empty suited, anti-American racist bigot running the White House, there was nothing sexist about it. The GOP'ers know this; Fredi Simpson SHOULD know it, but the fact she doesn't is just one of the reasons why I worked so hard to keep her out of the party chairmanship.

But I have referred to and described our president in far worse, more accurate terms; and none of them could be labeled "sexist."

We have a long road ahead of us. Far more and far worse will be said about Herrera before this is over, a great deal of it from this blog. And when I back my positions with facts, to call them "sexist" is to call those making the allegations "moronic."

Herrera is frighteningly shallow, a person shoved in here for the greater glory of Cathy McMorris-Rogers; a person who, for example, when appointed, refused to keep the legislative assistant, Loreen Pier on the job because she was "too old."

Giving credit where it's due, I completely agree with Pelz here:

In an interview Thursday, Pelz said, “I stand by my comparison. Jaime Herrera is a political novice and a right-wing Republican, and I think she has a lot in common with Sarah Palin.”

Pelz also said: “I compared her to Sarah Palin, and the Republican Party apparently thinks that’s an insult, so they must not think much of Sarah Palin.”

The moronic, scatter-brained response to this observation is precisely what Pelz was hoping for. He played Simpson and Herrera like fish, hooked through the nose, and this was the best they could do?

Is it any wonder the democrats own this state?
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The Columbian goes schitzo because a waste of money they supported got some sort of award.

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So, the bridge to no where, that no one uses; the waste of millions over Hiway 14 got some sort of award from an outfit no one has ever heard of and that no one here locally cares about.

So what does our local paper do?

Lose its collective mind.


This ribbon of concrete over another ribbon of concrete. It's rarely used by anyone. That one dime of taxpayer money was wasted on this is but a symptom of the criminal excess our government engages in on a regular basis, and that the paper cheerleads for on an equally regular basis.

It was a shame to waste those millions on something we neither needed or wanted. But it's a mere pre-curser to the obscene waste of billions this same paper wants to jam down our throats in the form of loot rail and an uneeded, unwanted bridge replacement.

But this paper supports both wastes of money, so any time anyone says something nice about it, we can expect to see this kind of self-flatulation as a result.

The only award this carbuncle deserves is the "total waste of money" award. But if Joe's Garage were to give it an award, you could bet that would be front page news as well.
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Brian Baird: Cowardman (XXXVII) Maybe it's because he was a little too "expensive."

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Haven't heard a heck of a lot since our Cowardman made up an excuse to avoid running for re-election.

Baird spent a lot of our money to take trips. On many of them, he decided that it would, apparently, help his "research" if his wife accompanied him.

I'm not exactly sure how that works. But KOIN 6 news has been bull-dogging Baird's travel proclivities in a way that actually reminds me of something approaching journalism, a characteristic long since missing from our local paper, which essentially has acted as Baird's PR arm for a decade.

Here's part of the story... the rest is on their web site.

But first, I just fricking hate it when elected officials and or their staff take advantage of the tax payer for their little vacations, eating expensive food that most of us can't afford, playing us for suckers while they "research."

Sickening.

Congrats to the KOIN 6 news team who has been on this for a long time.

WHY QUIT NOW?

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Congressman Brian Baird announced that he would not seek re-election on Dec. 9. It was a surprising move considering most political pundits figured he would be re-elected fairly easily.

A common question raised by his announcement was, "Why quit now?"

At the time of his announcement, Baird said he wanted to spend more time with his wife and twin sons.

KOIN Local 6 repeatedly tried to get a statement from the Democratic representative of Southwest Washington, but Baird denied all requests.

Baird had been under fire recently for traveling to South America and Antarctica to study climate change. A Wall Street Journal article estimates Baird was one of the most expensive travelers, racking up $500,000 visiting 10 countries during five trips in 2008.

The trips led to the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act in March, which will allocate $96 million over the next four years to study decreasing pH levels in the oceans. The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 also came about from the trips. Learn more about the Act by reading the specifics about the bill here and here.

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Gotta wonder. Why is he refusing interviews? Did he get a death threat from a member of the media?