Arlington.

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God Bless the men and women serving the United States.

In between burgers and beer, try to remember what this day is supposed to be about.

Special thinks to David Castillo, Chris Boyd, David Hedrick and Craig Pridemore who all served us nobly and well in the Defense of the United States.



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Remember.

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HT BLACKFIVE
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Pridemore and the lie.

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Look, I get that the fringe left have put their faith in the neo-communist nutter representing the Soviet Socialist Republic of Vancouver in the senate.

I get that they overlook his history of corruption, his selling out the "poor and the powerless" to vote for a budget he seems to have hated. I get that they don't care that he sold out the 3rd District by crapping on us when he tossed our votes into the garbage by eliminating I-960. I get that they support his gerrymandering to screw us with a loot rail tax. I get all of that.

But to come right out and lie on your website?

The working men and women of Washingon[sic] decided - by a huge nearly 70% vote - that my vision of principled, progressive leadership in Congress is the one to support. I'm honored by their endorsement, and thankful for their recognition that I've always fought for hard-working families and I'm committed to genuine, straightforward leadership in Congress.

How sad is it that you can't even spell "Washington?"

It WASN'T "The working men and women of Washingon[sic]." The vast majority of the "working men and women of Washington" HAVE never heard of you, and WILL never hear of you, as your abortive congressional aspiration dies here directly, either after you report another horrifically abysmal fund raising quarter or after you get destroyed in the primary.

Now, if you're referring to the UNIONS.. well, that's a different matter.

But unions make up such a tiny percentage (thank God) of the people actually working here, that the union endorsements are particularly worthless.

Don't exaggerate, Craig. Your neo-communist political view won't get you elected to dog catcher outside the USSV.

You're a democrat, Craig. Your failure to take a principled stand and vote AGAINST a budget you opposed is the exact kind of thing we DON'T need representing us in Congress.

This isn't Pravda. Stop acting like it is.
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The worthlessness of weather forecasts.

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Four or 5 days ago, we were supposed to have partly cloudy Friday, few clouds Saturday and Sunday was supposed to be awesome.

Was that how it turned out?

We would have had better luck if someone danced around a fire all night, then divined the weather by shoving a stick through the entrails of a goat.

The local news outlets devote a lot of time on weather; time that is generally worthless. I'm all about giving weather 60 seconds in these news stations; they can expand the news... do, say, dueling editorials, or expand sports coverage or something along those lines which actually makes sense.

AccuWeather moronically tells us that today was a good day to cut the grass.

What... in between monsoons?

Can there BE anything more worthless than these idiotic forecasts?

Besides AlGore's global warming lies, I mean.

We can't even predict the weather 96 hours in advance, and a clueless idjit like AlGore tells us the world is going to end due to man-made causes?

Bull.

Rant off.
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(Update 3) Updated anti-Boycott List.

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I'm from Seattle, and once again, Seattle has proven itself a great place to be FROM. As long as they or any other location, group or person on this group maintains their moronic boycott, I will not spend a penny in or any city, group or person on this list.

Here's the most recent list of morons boycotting Arizona because of their courageous stand against the illegals invasion:

Alliance for Community Media		Cancellation of conference
Alpha Phi Alpha		Fraternity. Cancelled convention.
American Anthropological Association		Boycott of AZ
American Civial Liberties Union (ACLU)		Filing a lawsuit against Bill 1070
American College Personnel Association	Washington, D.C.	Cancellation of 2011 convention.
American Educational Research Association		Cancellation of all future conferences.
American Friends Service Committee	San Diego, CA	Boycott of AZ
American Immigration Lawyers Association		Cancelled convention.
Asian American Justice Center		Boycott
Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí		Boycott
Center for Community Change		Boycott
Club América	Mexico	Cancellation of soccer exhibition
Cypress Hill Band		Cancellation of concert.
Denver Public Schools	Denver, CO	Travel ban
Glass Art Society		Cancellation of conference
Great Oak High School	Temecula, CA	Band Director punishes his own band by cancelling trip to the Fiesta Bowl.
International Communications Association		Cancellation of convention.
L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center	Los Angeles, CA	Boycott of AZ
La Prensa Newspaper	San Diego, CA	Boycott of AZ
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights		Boycott
League of United Latin American Citizens		Boycott
Major League Players Association		Michael Weiner will take all actions necessary against Arizona.
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund		Lawsuit against Bill 1070
Music artist Shakira		Advocating for boycott of Arizona.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)		Filing a lawsuit against Bill 1070
National Association of Black Accountants		Cancellation of convention.
National Autonomous University of Mexico		Cancellation of exchange program
National Council of La Raza		Boycott
National Minority Suppliers Development Council Inc.		Conference cancellation
National Puerto Rican Coalition		Boycott.
National Urban League		Cancellation of convention.
San Diego Padres - Adrian Gonzalez		Boycott
San Diego School District	San Diego, CA	Boycott of Arizona
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)		Boycott
Sociologists Without Borders		Cancellation of all activity. Boycott of Arizona businesses.
The city of Highland Park	Highland Park, IL	Cancellation of girls basketball team trip to Arizona tournament.
The whole city	Seattle, WA	Council resolution.
The whole city	West Hollywood, CA	Council resolution.
The whole city	Richmond, CA	Boycott of AZ
The whole city	Berkley, CA	Full boycott of Arizona. Attempting to sever current contracts.
The whole city	Hartford, CT	Ban on travel, discrimination on contracts with Arizona companies
The whole city	El Paso, TX	City ban on travel to Arizona.
The whole city	Boston, MA	Council resolution
The whole city	Los Angeles, CA	Council resolution
The whole city	Gallup, NM	Boycott of AZ
The whole city	Oakland, CA	Council resolution.
The whole city	San Francisco, CA	City reolution, proactive contract terminations
The whole city	Boulder, CO	Council resolution
The whole city	St. Paul, MN	Ban on all city travel to Arizona.
The whole city	Columbus, OH	Mayoral edict to boycott Arizona.
The whole city	Austin, TX	Council resolution
The whole country	Mexico	Mexico's President Felipe Calderon blasts Arizona for immigration law. Apparently he is unaware of his own country's laws which would shock you. They are extremely harsh and vastly more severe than AZ law.
United Food and Commercial Workers		Boycott
World Boxing Council		Boycott

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Another one of our own needs your prayers.

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We have been and are dealing with the loss of Luke. And now, another member of our community is facing this battle.

Clark County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Nolan, a senior law enforcement officer for our community and a member of the LaCenter City Council, is very sick.

I have not agreed with his position on issues important to me and this community. But all of that fades to insignificance in the face of this kind of news.

Mike has served our community for years, putting his life on the line for all of us. And that's important to me, as, I believe, it should be important to us all.

Please add Mike and his family to your prayer list. I have.

Thanks.
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So, in the upcoming elections, who will the Columbian endorse?

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The Columbian has a few problems attempting to gain relevancy.

They're hamstrung by bad financial decisions; bad strategic decisions, terrible editorial decisions and a history of editorial endorsements more like the basis was from state democrat party then this community. Keeping a fringe left nutter as the editorial page editor... these all show a lack of relevance to this moderate community.

It's easy for anyone to the right of Lenin to complain about Columbian editorials... much like it's easy to complain about the multiple lies and exaggerations these people put in their pro-bridge, pro-loot rail articles, bogus polls and complete lack of reporting on the opposition to this horrific waste. They also opposed every tax cutting measure, even though they then proceeded to arrange for their democrat buddies to cut THEIR B&O tax while the rest of us suffered.

Why do I refer to these things as "easy?" Because the record speaks for itself.

In 2008, for example, this newspaper endorsed democrats and democrats only for every open seat from the Presidency down to county commissioner.

While endorsing democrats over GOP incumbents, they failed to endorse a single Republican over any incumbent democrat.

Don't believe it? Here's the list:

President: Obama

State Treasurer: Mcintire

17th District Senate: Carrier (Over GOP incumbent Benton)

17th District House: Probst

49th District House: Jacks

County Commissioner: Brokaw

Mcintire, for example, was absolutely unqualified to be a state treasurer; the Republican's democrat boss along with something like 33 other county treasurers had endorsed him... and the Columbian endorses a candidate who's only claim to fame was to push hard for a state income tax as a leftist Seattle legislator.

Oh... and of course, Mcintire is a democrat.

It was, the rag will tell you, sheer coincidence that their only endorsements in open seats were democrats. But in the 49th, they will never endorse a Republican, even to get rid of a fringe left Moeller, who they protected during their recent rant about the new tax on non-wheat based candies, a tax sponsored by Moeller and condemned by this newspaper... without, of course, mentioning Moeller's name. Moeller? He's a democrat.

In '04 in the 18th, the paper endorsed the pro-gay marriage, pro-partial birth abortion Pam Brokaw for the open seat. In the 17th, they endorsed Deb Wallace, now single-handidly responsible for the waste of $100,000,000 for the study with the pre-ordained outcome of "new replacement bridge only, loot rail only" in Downtown Vancouver, a massive waste of money soundly rejected by the voters 70-30 on the last vote.

So, when it comes to who this cancer on our community will endorse: if the seat is open, it's likely to be the democrat. It will be the fringe-leftist Obama hod carrier Stonier in the 17th, Kampe in the 18th. It will be the absentee Assessor for Clark County. It will be Golik for prosecutor.

If the seat is open and a democrat is running? It will be the democrat.

Sorry. I didn't mean to end the suspense.
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A Pridemore supporter named Tammie swings by.

tammie said...

you are obviously a conservative hack who is against progressive ideas despite their merit. pridemore's[sic] record of voting for women, workers and the environment and working with the opposition when ever possible is what makes him eminently electible[sic]

Regardless of what my political persuasion may be, would this difference of opinion be furthered if I referred to you, tammie, as a fringe-left kool aid drinking idiot?

No?

Then I won't.

But while Pridemore is naturally drawn to the fringe left, the fringe left cannot get him elected.

His other accomplishments notwithstanding, he also has a record of voting for a budget HE declared to be "balanced on the backs of the poor and the powerless;" a record of corruption to get his buddy, Steve "Easy Money" Stuart to be able to keep 10's of thousands in campaign contributions; a record of telling this congressional district, which voted for I-960 only to have him tell us to drop dead with his vote getting rid of it; and, of course, his gerrymandering votes so C-Trans can screw us.

You see, tammie, if you're going to look at the record, you most likely should look at ALL of the record... not just the bits you find attractive. Add that to an election where democrats would have a difficult time getting elected to dog catcher, and well, you know the rest.

It's simple, really. Tah!

A quick question for Brandon Vick: what makes you say this:

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It all starts in the halls of our capitol and in this race I am the only candidate that has the courage, conviction and energy needed to win these battles.

Having been actually blessed (or cursed, depending on the perspective) with having spent 6 years in those very halls, I'm just wondering: how do you figure?

How do you quantify this? What do you base it on?

Are you a combat veteran or something? Do you have any prior elected experience that you haven't told us about?

Or is this just typical electioneering bloviation?

Serving as a legislator really doesn't bear any resemblance to walking point for a dismounted Stryker platoon in Kanduhar. So, how is it that you somehow view your "courage," or "conviction" or "energy" as superior in any way to anyone else?

Can you help me with that? And if you answer this question, I'll certainly post it up... but as a presumptive constituent, I really want to know.

Thanks!
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Chris Christie to a whining, sniveling teacher: "You know what? Then you don't have to do it."

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Teachers play an important role by virtue of their part time job where they are supposed to be educating our youth, although the 30 to 40% drop out rate in this state may belie those efforts.

But here's a clue, clue-getters: WE ARE IN A HORRIFIC RECESSION. AND AS MUCH AS YOU THINK YOU'RE WORTH, YOU'RE NOT WORTH ANY MORE THEN ANYONE ELSE.

Were it in my control, all government employees at any level, elected or no, would take an immediate 25% cut to their pay an benefits.

Government employees generally and teachers specifically have precisely zero right to be upset with their pay. Presumably, those whining the loudest about their compensation DID have the opportunity to review it BEFORE they took the job?

Well, that whiny, sniveling putz of a teacher was babbling about how failing to give her a million dollars a year or so "disrespected" her because of how tough she had it and her education and qualifications, yaddah... yaddah... yaddah.

Chris Christie, who I would want as president if I could wave a magic wand, said this:



At the end of the day, Gov. Christie nailed it: if all of you working for the people, regardless of your position but ESPECIALLY teachers, don't like what we pay you... then quit.

It's simple, really.
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Why I will never give another dime to the Red Cross.

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It was bad enough that the Red Cross was forced to dump 200,000 pints of blood for lack of storage after 9/11 (When they could have, instead, suspended collecting it) but now, I find this:

HT to This Ain't Hell

International Red Cross training Taliban

May 27th, 2010

Jake sent us a link to a Guardian story about the International Committee of the Red Cross giving medical training to Taliban warriors;

The Red Cross in Afghanistan has been teaching the Taliban basic first aid and giving insurgents medical equipment so that fighters wounded during battles with Nato and Afghan government forces can be treated in the field, it was revealed today.

More than 70 members of the “armed opposition” received training in April, the Red Cross said – a move likely to anger the government of Hamid Karzai, which is losing large numbers of police and soldiers in insurgent attacks.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had introduced the classes because pitched battles, landmines and roadblocks stopped people in the most volatile areas from getting to hospital.

Of course, I’m not so callous that I don’t think our enemies don’t deserve decent medical treatment, but, the Taliban should have considered their logistal shortcomings before declaring war on everyone around them. The IRC says that “people” are prevented from getting medical attention, as if the “people” they’re talking about aren’t involved in a war against…well….everyone. The Taliban throw acid on schoolgirls. They behead fathers in front of their families. Does anyone really think they’ll use their medical training on people not involved in the war?

In a Washington Times article, the ICRC is quoted;

Christian Cardon, a Geneva-based spokesman for ICRC, said in a phone interview that a wide range of Taliban fighters, including some senior-level militants, received such training.

Combatants of varying ranks attend these camps, but it is important to have “high-rank people also so they can at least transmit this knowledge to other combatants,” he said.

I think the Red Cross’ time would be better spent reaching out to the people isolated by the war than to hope that they can get trickle down medical attention to noncombatants from the Taliban.

Done. Over. Out.

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Observations of local political power.

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This election cycle, I've been noticing some truly bizarre displays of what the practitioners would like to think equates to political power.

I dunno. I'm just not impressed.

I can't say why, exactly. Maybe it's because of my time in the military. Maybe it's because I make my living out of politics. Maybe it's because I served at the throne of political power in this state and discovered that most people who try and wield it are simpletons who I wouldn't let run an elevator for me.

Some believe themselves powerful for a variety of reasons. The trouble is that the phrase "power" in the political world has only two definitions: "real" and "perceived."

REAL power is the ability to impact me and others directly.

PERCEIVED power is that power where those who practice it believe they actually have it; and those whom are targeted by that power to some extent or another allow some level of control to be vested in that person or group of people.

To that end, I really don't give a damn if someone has 200,000 followers on twitter or 200,000,000. I just don't care if you make up some nonexistent title or position as if you think you really are somebody.

I don't care who you know. I don't care what office you hold, or held, or ran for. I don't need your approval or support to do what I do.

I will speak the truth as I understand it, and thankfully, there is nothing anyone can do about it.

And man, that is liberating.

Some of the most allegedly powerful people in GOP Politics want me dead; if not literally, then politically. They want me that way because I will not go along to get along. They want me that way because no one in GOP politics from the state level on down gets my support or is immune from my critique unless they rate it.

These same people all seem to lack the testicular fortitude to confront me directly; instead they attack my friends in an effort to silence me, or they attempt to apply professional pressure.

All I have are a few blogs. These same people who want to silence me threaten others if I am not silenced. Some Herrera followers a while back were circulating threats against me personally, though not of a physical nature.

No, not physical threats. But threats of the political variety.

Other candidates have contacted people I know claiming that I "lie" or engage in "slander." Others, in some effort to reduce the pressure or the impacts of what I write, lie about me directly.

What none of them do, however, is refute me.

I have a standing offer to ANYONE: if you know me to be wrong, feel free to contact me and provide your evidence. If I see evidence that I am wrong, I WILL post that fact as I did here and here; on one occasion when the evidence was provided, and on another occasion when my position was overcome by events.

To candidates running for any office, being threatened or pressured into any action by any of these self-important, self-acclaimed puppet masters is the first step towards being co-opted. They will continue to pressure you into doing their bidding, and you are likely to continue to acquiesce. It is their habit to get what they want by pressure. It's a habit they want you, candidate, to get into.

While I was going to college, I took a philosophy class. Even though it was 30 years or so ago, I remember it well: Never act because of authority. Authority can, and frequently is, wrong.

Going to someone else's fund raiser, for example; being "ordered" to buy a table and then actually doing that?

Wrong on every level.

Doing that because you WANT to do that... because YOU think it's a good idea?

That's entirely different.

This kind of garbage is precisely why I do this. I see it as a duty to lift the veil and let anyone who cares to glimpse the reality of the political landscape of this state and this local area.

You learn a lot in my position. You hear a lot and you have to be careful to be able to separate fact from fiction; rumor from reality.

Only about a third of what I hear ever makes it to this blog. The rest fails to rise to any credible level of proof, so I don't write about it even though, on many occasions, I "know" it to be true. "Knowing" and "proving" are two dramatically different things.

But the one absolute that I know for a fact: none of you scare me. I will not be silenced.

And if you think you can silence me, then let's get this party started.
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Impressions of a candidate forum. (18th District)

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Went to the candidate forum last night at Battle Ground High School, put on by the Campaign for Liberty.

Around 65 people or so showed up; maybe 30 who were not related to campaigns or the organization putting this forum on.

It was well run and from all appearances, scrupulously fair. The Campaign for Liberty appears to have become or started out as a front for the followers of Ron Paul.

Candidates Ann Rivers, Jon Russell, Richard Carson, Brandon Vick and for the first time I've ever seen him in public, Dennis Kampe, the lone democrat running in the 18th were there.

The only thing I had any real heartburn with was they would ask some really complicated questions requiring thoughtful answers, but then they'd give them 30 seconds on occasion to answer.

Candidates for any elective office must realize both their capabilities... and limitations. My almost 6 years on legislative staff in Olympia taught me nothing if it didn't teach me that no one coming up to that city can snap their fingers an effect change just because they were elected.

Legislation is a collaborative effort. It's not as if any candidate will roll into Caucus on Day One of their first session, twitch their nose like Samantha on Bewitched and then magically, see that candidate's agenda implemented.

Candidates who claim that they, personally, will be able to "fix," or "change" or DO anything other then make a serious, concerted effort are delusional or they're attempting to scam the voter into believing they have super powers.

When, for example, Brandon Vick claims that he will "fix" or "privatize L&I on Day One when you send me to Olympia," this causes me to wonder if he has even a remote clue as to what goes on in Olympia; or more importantly, if he knows HOW it goes on in Olympia.

I'm a supporter of Ann Rivers. I didn't see much of anything to change my mind... and I doubt that many (any?) minds were changed by what they heard or saw at the BGHS Commons.

Dennis Kampe toed the democrat line, mistakenly believing that the government is somehow directly responsible for employing people to the point that he wants to saddle us with this bridge project "to put 17,000 people to work" as if they all came from Clark County when, in fact, very few from this county would be employed; and as if our local economy wouldn't have a $100,000,000 yearly hole blown in it for tolls.

Kampe appears to believe that government does have a direct responsibility to put people to work while taxpayers pick up the bill. He claims to be big on "looking" at privatization, but refuses to support privatizing either the state's liquor monopoly or the state penal system.

So, while making the claim that "privatization" had to be "looked at," he failed to offer up any example of what he would privatize, and said "no" to the two options presented. In short, he does not support privatization... he just SAYS that he does because he's running in the 18th District.

He also supports a state income tax. Did Kampe SAY he supported that tax? Of course not. But while all of the other candidates opposed such a tax outright, Kampe refused to say... code speak for support.

Brandon Vick also supported replacing the bridge, wrongly telling us that the bridge was "unsafe," a conclusion disproven by head bridge bureaucrat Don Wagner, Region 6 DOT Administrator, who is quoted as telling us

Wagner said he has no doubts the existing crossings are safe , so much so that he drives and cycles across the spans without hesitation.

"If we don't have an earthquake of any magnitude, those two bridges are going to stay there until something hits them," he said.

Wagner is getting paid to replace these perfectly serviceable and functional bridges with a price tag of $4 to $8 billion, and even he says they're safe.

That it is, as Vick put it, the only bridge with a light on it for the entire length of it provides no excuse to replace it given the horrific cost and the damage our local economy will suffer if this massive waste is built.

No candidate supporting the replacement of this bridge will be acceptable to me or thousands of others who will have to pay the tolls, estimated at $1300 per year, that will be unavoidably required to get this built. Blowing a $100,000,000 per year hole in our local economy isn't the way to make this county prosperous or to keep our economy humming.

And there is precisely ZERO chance this thing will be built without tolls. That fact is what makes the election of Tim "The Liar" Leavitt so galling to me, since he ran on a platform of fake opposition to bridge tolls.

I believe that the ONLY acceptable alternative would be a 3rd and 4th bridge, with the 3rd being built to the West/North of the current I-5 Bridge to relieve pressure on that span for a great deal LESS money than that projected to replace the I-5 Bridge.

That the I-5 Bridge "has a light" on it is no reason to spend billions on replacing it.

Jon Russell was much more subdued then in past appearances. He apparently read the memo about lying too much.

He did have some bizarre ideas: for example, implementing a sales tax to pay for everything, guaranteeing even more cross-border purchases and even less revenue and in-state economic development as citizens in Spokane, the Tri-Cities, and SW Washington vote with their wallets and increase their shopping trips to Oregon and Idaho... precisely like they will for cigarettes... an idea that also seems to be supported by Brandon Vick.

Amassing an increased tax burden on retail purchases, particularly in these horrific economic times, seems to me to be exactly the wrong thing, at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

Russell also advocated bringing back the direct route idea between Camas and Battle Ground that's been floating around since long before his recent (2004) arrival. What was missing in his assessment was a lack of costs and a way to pay for it.

That doesn't make the idea a "bad" idea. What it makes it is a "not well thought out" idea. Russell also was positively giddy about his efforts to refuse any stimulus funding for Washougal. He made that point at least twice.

Russell relies a great deal on the verbiage of running on his record. He never addresses the most telling parts of his record, which is why I've started Jon Russell Watch.

Richard Carson is running as an independent. He makes it a point to exclaim that no independent has been elected since 1889... our year of statehood. Well, there's a reason for that.

Carson also never misses the opportunity to remind us that he is related to "Kit" Carson. Unfortunately for Carson, that's really not a reason to vote for him, and he lacks little reason otherwise.

I've addressed Carson's run before: He's a former Republican who looked the field over, decided he couldn't compete, either monetarily or politically, and made the decision to run as an independent, using that along with the "short form" pledge to avoid the nasty aspect of politics known as "fundraising."

He tells everyone that he won't "take special interest money." The problem here is that when you've declared that you won't raise over $5000, that's an easy pledge to take. When you deliberately set the bar so low that a blind man could jump over it in their sleep, that's certainly not a difficult goal to attain.

The problem here, again, is like his Kit Carson connection, it doesn't stand as any reason to vote for the man.

There are precisely 98 members of the State House of Representatives. None of them are now independents. And when session starts in Mid-January, 2011, none of them will be independents then, either.

It was a fascinating thing to watch. Slowly but surely, the differences between them are becoming apparent. And with 60 days or so left before ballot drop, it's not a moment too soon.

Cross posted at Jon Russell Watch.
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Chiefs of Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marines Oppose DADT Repeal

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It's got to be tough for these guys to buck the ACORN in Chief who is making a serious effort to screw up the military by allowing open homosexuality to wreak havoc on our force structure in the middle of a war.

Imagine. Gay marriage will be the next stop; quaters for homosexual couples. And lets not forget bisexuals. Have to let the bed room determine social policy in the band of Brothers (and Sisters) who are dying to keep us free.

Chiefs of Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marines Oppose DADT Repeal

BY John McCormack

May 26, 2010 3:45 PM

The heads of the Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy oppose the current amendment to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." Senator John McCain's office just released letters from the chiefs of the armed services, as well as a statement from the senator urging Congress to let the military complete its study before taking legislative action.

“I cannot over emphasize the importance of completing the comprehensive review prior to taking any legislative action," says McCain. "Our military is currently engaged in two wars and we need to have a true assessment of the impact of repealing ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ on battlefield effectiveness prior to taking any legislative action. We must remain focused on what is in the best interest of our service men and women and not simply fulfill a campaign promise.”

McCain has written a letter to Levin opposing repeal. Here are excerpts from the service chiefs' letters:

“I remain convinced that it is critically important to get a better understanding of where our Soldiers and Families are on this issue, and what the impacts on readiness and unit cohesion might be, so that I can provide informed military advice to the President and the Congress,” said General George W. Casey, Jr, U.S. Army. “I also believe that repealing the law before the completion of the review will be seen by the men and women of the Army as a reversal of our commitment to hear their views before moving forward.”

More:

So, once again we have this blithering idiot not acting out of what is right or wrong or best... but instead, out of political expediency.

Sickening.
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Musical Interlude.

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Can someone explain to me why an alleged Republican would endorse a democrat for Clark County Commissioner?

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I've never understood this kind of thing.

What is the point of having a political party or affiliation if you blow it off to endorse someone so corrupt... someone from the party who is supposed to oppose everything you stand for?



That explains a lot, of course.

It explains why Boldt blew off his promise to me to hold an advisory vote on this horrific, unneeded and unwanted bridge/loot rail project, for example.

Marc Boldt is my brother in law. He is also supposed to be a Republican. And I am ashamed of that fact.

Stuart and Boldt deserve each other, but we don't deserve to have either of them wrecking our community.
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(Update 2) San Diego is off the Anti-1070 Boycott list,

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Earlier, San Diego was among the communities, groups and organizations on the Official Anti-1070 Boycott list, a list of those who would injure Arizona for addressing their illegal alien problem.

San Diego took the half way and still unconscionable measure to censure Arizona as opposed to boycotting that state. While still a despicable choice, it does not amount to a boycott and as a result, it has been removed from the list.

Alpha Phi Alpha		Fraternity. Cancelled convention.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)		Filing a lawsuit against Bill 1070
American Educational Research Association		Cancellation of all future conferences.
American Immigration Lawyers Association		Cancelled convention.
Asian American Justice Center		Boycott
Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí		Boycott
Center for Community Change		Boycott
Cypress Hill Band		Cancellation of concert.
Denver Public Schools		Travel ban
International Communications Association		Cancellation of convention.
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights		Boycott
League of United Latin American Citizens		Boycott
Major League Players Association		Michael Weiner will take all actions necessary against Arizona.
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund		Lawsuit against Bill 1070
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)		Filing a lawsuit against Bill 1070
National Association of Black Accountants		Cancellation of convention.
National Autonomous University of Mexico		Cancellation of exchange program
National Council of La Raza		Boycott
National Puerto Rican Coalition		Boycott.
National Urban League		Cancellation of convention.
San Diego Padres - Adrian Gonzalez		Boycott
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)		Boycott
Sociologists Without Borders		Cancellation of all activity. Boycott of Arizona businesses.
The city of Highland Park	Highland Park, IL	Cancellation of girls basketball team trip to Arizona tournament.
The whole city	Seattle, WA	Council resolution.
The whole city	West Hollywood, CA	Council resolution.
The whole city	Berkley, CA	Full boycott of Arizona. Attempting to sever current contracts.
The whole city The whole city	Hartford, CT El Paso, TX	Ban on travel, discrimination on contracts with Arizona companies City ban on travel to Arizona.
The whole city	Boston, MA	Council resolution
The whole city	Los Angeles, CA	Council resolution
The whole city	Oakland, CA	Council resolution.
The whole city	San Francisco, CA	City reolution, proactive contract terminations
The whole city	Boulder, CO	Council resolution
The whole city	St. Paul, MN	Ban on all city travel to Arizona.
The whole city	Columbus, OH	Mayoral edict to boycott Arizona.
The whole city	Austin, TX	Council resolution
The whole country	Mexico	Mexico's President Felipe Calderon blasts Arizona for immigration law. Apparently he is unaware of his own country's laws which would shock you. They are extremely harsh and vastly more severe than AZ law.
United Food and Commercial Workers		Boycott
World Boxing Council		Boycott

removed from the list.

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An admission I was wrong: Dino Rossi is going to announce.

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Earlier, I had indicated that Rossi most likely would not announce; I mistakenly believed he'd put his family first, but taken in totality, an arrogance and ego that would force the rest of the party to wait while he dithered would certainly not be as concerned about that as most of us would.

Now, multiple sources have reported that Dino "Ego" Rossi will finally... finally... deign to let the rest of us in on his secret decision.

I will not be supporting Rossi. His desire to waste $75 million taxpayer dollars to keep the Sonics in town killed the deal for me. Any so-called fiscal conservative who would want to make that huge amount of money vaporize for professional sports in a town that had just months before voted 3 to 1 to STOP that kind of expenditure shows a tone deafness and irresponsibility to conservative principles that just sickens me.

Adding that to a rather cowardly, IMHO, refusal to endorse a friend and fellow former legislator in the primary of the '08 county commissioner race; a race that the candidate in question, Tom Mielke, ultimately won.

Combine that with this "it's all about me" approach to announcing for the senate, and you've produced a level of self-importance and egomania... with just the tiniest bit of intrepredation that would put Benito Mussolini to shame.

Good luck, Dino; you're gonna need it. But I wish for you the same outcome you wished for all those who went before and sacrificed their time, effort and their money.

Cross posted at Dino Rossi Watch.
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Zo: T-Baggers Don't Even Pay Taxes

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On what seems to be video day, kick back and relax for 4 minutes and check out Zo's explanation of how T-baggers "don't pay taxes."

I wondered about that. Now I know.


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A governor with guts: NJ Gov. Chris Christy vetoes new tax increase bill 2 minutes after passage.

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Speaks for itself. It's just a damned shame OUR governor lacks either the common sense or guts to do the same thing.


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Jon Russell: The Richard Blumenthal of the 18th District.

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I just had the dubious pleasure of watching 3 of the 4 declared candidates for the 18th go at it at GOP HQ's as what was originally billed as part of the weaning process. This is, or was, a defensive measure in the event the dems announced a second candidate to take advantage of the "top-two primary" system we have in place.

By now, we've likely all heard of democrat Richard Blumenthall, the multi-term democrat Attorney General of Connecticutt who deserves a great deal of credit for the Carceiri decision that has jammed a stick in the spokes of the Cowlitz Mafia's efforts to ram their economic black whole down our throats.

Seems that Blumenthal has a serious positional awareness problem. He appears to have been confused about whether or not he's ever actually set foot in Vietnam and under what circumstances the trip took place.

Seems that Jon Russell has something of a similar problem; specifically, Russell's claim that his wife is a "physician."

When I sat through the 18th District meeting today, I was struck by a couple of things. First, he felt compelled to lie about his wife, referring to her as a "physician." That's where the Blumenthal thing came in.

She is not a "physician." She is, if anything, a physician's ASSISTANT. It's much the same as calling the guy putting the air in the plane's tires a "pilot." That only works if, in fact, that guy IS a pilot.

I have been hearing for months now that Russell has been lying about that, but this is the first time I've ever heard it from his mouth.

Bulletin: Sarah Russell is a "FNP," or "Family Nurse Practitioner." That does not a physician make, since physicians are, in fact, doctors.

Now, why does Russell have to exaggerate that way? I have no idea, but knowing the character of the man, I'm not surprised.

Because I was sitting in the crowd, Russell mentioned that he's had the "Port" as a client. In lying by omission, however, he neglected to mention that what he had done with the Port of Vancouver was make several thousand dollars off the Port's effort to jack us with the highest local tax increase in our history.

Oddly, he neglected to mention that aspect of his "Port" work.

In short, this "Chameleon conservative" made a LOT of money off of HIS efforts to jack up OUR taxes.

Not very conservative of you, Jon.

And then, it came to the issue of money. The candidates were asked how much money they had raised.

I was startled that Jon, who's PDC's report showed a paltry $5421 in both cash and in kind contributions just 12 days ago, has somehow managed to almost double in 12 short days since he reported. Yes, he indicated that he'd put together around $10,000.

But the oddest thing about his campaign figures wasn't the small amount of money he's collected; after all, given who he is, that was sort of expected.

The oddest thing is that according to his records, he hasn't given his campaign a dime.

REALLY odd considering the "quarter of a million dollar per year" clinic he claims to have.

You don't suppose that he "Blumenthaled" the amount he's actually collected, do you? I mean, as someone of proven, selective exaggeration, is that even possible?

But then, Russell was an abysmal failure as a money raiser during his congressional campaign; why would we expect anything different now?

The problem with a serial exaggerator and fake conservative who made money off a serious effort to jack up our taxes is that you cannot trust them to be anything other than what they need to be to get elected.

And that's what makes Russell the "Chameleon conservative," in other ways that I'll make clear over the upcoming weeks before the primary... ways that make him unfit for any elective office of any kind.

Russell has flat out lied about ME as part of his campaign, I would imagine that lying about himself is, well, easy.

These issues, of course, go beyond the basic competency issues engulfing Russell; his mishandling of the Washougal check book; the hiring of Washougal's unbondable City Finance Director and the like.

Jon never passes on the opportunity to talk about those aspects of his career as a part of the Washougal city council that HE wants you to hear about. He seems strangely reticent about the rest.

But then, I guess that's what people have me around for, isn't it?

Cross posted at Jon Russell Watch.
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No Chris, we won't: The Bellevue Mafia's cluelessness as evidenced by Chris Vance.

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As most sentient beings following Washington State politics are aware, Sarah Palin endorsed Clint Didier yesterday for the US Senate seat currently held by Aunt Patty.

Given the nuances of our top two primary, I detailed the impacts on the race as I see them, including the perennially egomaniacal and undeclared candidacy of Dino Rossi.

That said, please note the utterly clueless, moronic position put out by former WSRP Chair Chris "I took our caucuses from a tie to fitting into a phone booth" Vance:

"If Dino Rossi chooses to run, the Republican world will line up with Dino Rossi," said Vance. "And that will include the conservative base."

"There have always been Republican candidates who split the Republican base one way or the other. Dino was the one guy everybody loved."

Such an utterly false observation goes to the heart of precisely why this state is so deeply and darkly blue that it's almost black.

The biggest impediment to a GOP resurgence in this state rests with the almost genetic inability for the members of the Bellevue Mafia to understand and respond to reality.

Not everyone "loves" Dino. In fact, when Patty Murray is re-elected, both Rossi and the Bellevue Mafia will in large part be responsible for that act, as if they were working for Murray's campaign.

Clearly, the rarefied air within which Vance and the BM operate is too lacking in oxygen to allow them to understand that things aren't the way they believe. Not by a long sight.

We don't "love" Rossi. Many loath him because his arrogance and self-worship have cost us a US Senate seat. I loath him because at base, he is the very definition of a RINO.

The endorsement of Didier by Palin yesterday, clearly not a well thought out act based on the latest information concerning the dichotomy of his simultaneous reliance on, and condemnation of, numerous government subsidies and programs, will hurt Rossi and hurt him badly.

It is the kind of thing that can result in nation-wide money coming in, something that Rossi has little chance of getting.

It will bring attention to Didier, providing him with Rand Paul-like attention that Rossi can only dream of.

Now, Rossi will have to spend time dealing with Didier and the other candidates in ways he would not have had to do had he used his head for something besides a fire hydrant.

The Bellevue Mafia cocoon within which Vance, Rossi and the rest reside is in for a shock. If Rossi actually announces, his failure to get in back in February has made his task geometrically harder. Burying your head in the sand like Chris "Puget Sound Crescent and how's that working out for us" Vance avails us nothing.

The inability of the so-called "Republican political elite" of this state to change, adapt and overcome continues to be sunk in concrete. And as a result, we have the situation we have: complete leftist control of every facet of state government.
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(Redux) In keeping with my policy of correcting errors, I post the following from Richard Carson, Independent Candidate for the 18th.

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On Wednesday, the 19th, I posted the following entry: Bad Form at the We The People vetting last night: You need to actually show up to be vetted.

In that entry, I took Richard Carson to task for failing to show up. In response, Mr. Carson provides the following email:

I would like you to print a correction. Thomas Niewulis with We The People
will be glad to confirm that it was his mistake and not mine that resulted in my
not being at the May 18th meeting. I was at the Church of Proebstel talking to
the Proebstel Neighborhood Association that night. Mr. Niewulis had an email
about this and apparently didn’t read it. He has apologized for his mistake and
has scheduled me for May 25th. His email says “Sorry. I got conflicted. We will
have you on for the 5/25.” I can send you the email if you want to document it.
Or you can email Thomas at tomn@wethepeople-washington.org. - Rich Carson

Tom Niewulis checks in:

This is Tom Niewulis and will concur with Rich that we had a scheduling error on
my part. I missed the communication cycle to our web site, news letter and schedule at the meeting. When I looked back at the email chain, Rich is scheduled for May 25th.

My apologies to all.

We continue to make every effort to make the Vetting Process a positive process for the electorate and the candidates.

Please join us this Tuesday since we have a full Slate.

Unfortunately we will be ending the process as of June 1st.

Thank you

11:46 AM

Clark County Politics (meaning me) regrets the error.
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(update 1) When it comes to the Arizona boycott, here's who I'm boycotting (Hint: It ain't Arizona)

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I will have nothing to do with any group, company or location on this list. I will try and keep it updated, but I urge you to go to the link and check it out for yourself.

HT to, of all people, KING 5 News.

"Man organizes boycott of cities boycotting Arizona, including Seattle: http://bit.ly/9IhdE4 "

Here's the list from http://azfightsback.com/

The official Boycott List

Entity	Location	Description
Sort	Sort	Sort

Alpha Phi Alpha		Fraternity. Cancelled convention.
American Civial Liberties Union (ACLU)		Filing a lawsuit against Bill 1070
American Educational Research Association		Cancellation of all future conferences.
American Immigration Lawyers Association		Cancelled convention.
Asian American Justice Center		Boycott
Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí		Boycott
Center for Community Change		Boycott
Cypress Hill Band		Cancellation of concert.
Denver Public Schools		Travel ban
International Communications Association		Cancellation of convention.
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights		Boycott
League of United Latin American Citizens		Boycott
Major League Players Association		Michael Weiner will take all actions necessary against Arizona.
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund		Lawsuit against Bill 1070
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)		Filing a lawsuit against Bill 1070
National Association of Black Accountants		Cancellation of convention.
National Autonomous University of Mexico		Cancellation of exchange program
National Council of La Raza		Boycott
National Puerto Rican Coalition		Boycott.
National Urban League		Cancellation of convention.
San Diego Padres - Adrian Gonzalez		Boycott
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)		Boycott
Sociologists Without Borders		Cancellation of all activity. Boycott of Arizona businesses.
The city of Highland Park	Highland Park, IL	Cancellation of girls basketball team trip to Arizona tournament.
The whole city	Seattle, WA	Council resolution.
The whole city	West Hollywood, CA	Council resolution.
The whole city	Berkley, CA	Full boycott of Arizona. Attempting to sever current contracts.
The whole city	El Paso, TX	City ban on travel to Arizona.
The whole city	Boston, MA	Council resolution
The whole city	Los Angeles, CA	Council resolution
The whole city	Oakland, CA	Council resolution.
The whole city	San Francisco, CA	City reolution, proactive contract terminations
The whole city	Boulder, CO	Council resolution
The whole city	St. Paul, MN	Ban on all city travel to Arizona.
The whole city	Columbus, OH	Mayoral edict to boycott Arizona.
The whole city	Austin, TX	Council resolution
The whole city	San Diego, CA	Council boycott resolution
The whole country	Mexico	Mexico's President Felipe Calderon blasts Arizona for immigration law. Apparently he is unaware of his own country's laws which would shock you. They are extremely harsh and vastly more severe than AZ law.
United Food and Commercial Workers		Boycott
World Boxing Council		Boycott

How's this for the unusual? College student makes a basket... from an airplane.

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More entertaining then any politics I've seen lately.


Watch CBS News Videos Online
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Palin endorses Didier: ANOTHER Rossi/Cornyn headache.

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As each moment ticks by, Dino Rossi is further confronted with the idiocy of his failure to announce.

As each moment ticks by, Sen. John Cornyn is further confronted with HIS idiocy in failing to ORDER Rossi to make a decision, one way or the other.

And now... it's again too late for Rossi.

Today, Sarah Palin, feeling her oats no doubt from the outcome in Kentucky where Palin-endorsed Rand Paul blew the establishment GOP candidate to pieces at the polls last Tuesday, endorsed the somewhat ethically challenged Clint Didier today.

I have twice heard Didier speak. I admit that I lean right; but Didier is a 7 foot tall version of Ellen Craswell. And, I believe, he will poll just like she did as well.

But that's not the point here.

The point is... what does this do to Rossi?

Rossi is getting hammered from all sides. As I've pointed out, he's waited too long to enter this but he seems incapable of grasping that. Because of his late entry, he'll have to waste assets, time and cash to get past Didier and the others to make it into the general.

Arrogance can be a terrible tenet of the politician's make up.

Had Rossi jumped in when he should have, at least some of the other candidates would not BE candidates, and Rossi's alleged position as the titular front runner would have been sunk in concrete for the most part.

But he didn't. And now, because of the top two scenario, Rossi is in genuine trouble before he even announces... if he announces.

I'm no Rossi fan. His desire to spend $75 million in taxpayer dollars to keep the Sonics here after the people of Seattle voted against such a move was, I believe, instrumental in him getting spanked in the '08 election. But it showed a side to me... a RINO side to me... that means when it comes to a conservative ideology, Rossi is just a skosh too pliable in abandoning fiscal conservatism under the right circumstance.

Didier, on the others hand, has a snowball's chance in hell of winning in the general should he politically survive to reach it.

What we're facing here is a mess. Another botched opportunity to take out a dullard of a US Senator who has managed to pass 5 bills into law during her 18 year tenure... someone who SHOULD have been low hanging fruit... but instead, because of Rossi's petulance, will most like be the Senator for this state for 6 more horrific years.
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The cowardice of the Obama Effect: More ships to be sunk?

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One of the problems resulting from having a gutless empty suit lead us is that we can expect to be continually tested as those who wish us ill will incessantly push the envelope.

The North Koreans (Norks) sank a South Korean Corvette in either South Korean or International Waters.

The history and evidence for that is for another post, perhaps. This post is about the "why" of it.

The rest of the world has a varying view of the United States. But is it rocket science to conclude that the rest of the world is becoming increasingly, and rightly, convinced that this nation is run by a coward?

South Korea should step it up and blow a North Korean ship to Mars.... a much bigger, more expensive ship, if the Norks are possessed of such a thing.

And the United States should inform North Korea that any military response will be met with nuclear weapons.

The Norks and other rogue states keep pushing because they're rightfully convinced that the clueless idiot running the show lacks the testicular fortitude to respond in language that the Norks and the others will understand.

A HUGE part of our problem in foreign policy is that we're the "Gumpian" box of chocolates: these juvenile delinquents of countries never know what they're going to get.

The United States SHOULD have a simple foreign policy in security matters. It should be predictable and easily understood, it should be as certain as sun rise.

When country "A" (In this case, the Norks) openly attacks country "B," and country "B" is an American ally, then country "A" MUST know, in advance, that there will be a price to pay for that.

You want to sink a South Korean warship, an act of war in any one's lexicon?

Swell.

You think you can do that for free.... you think you can get away with that?

Think again.

There MUST be a price to pay.

But in this instance, it's fairly clear that the Norks have made the likely accurate calculation that because of the Presidents marble-sized testicles, they CAN sink South Korean ships for free, AND get away with it.

South Korea is, I understand, going to take their evidence to the UN, the rough equivalent of a momma cow taking the remains of her calf to a Wolf Convention to seek out justice against the other wolf who killed her baby. In short, a total waste of time.

You see, the moron running the show has yet to grasp the concept that if we are to continue to insist on being the only side that plays by the rules; then the other side will continue to insist they will kick our ass... because they know they can do it for free.

As it is, the terrorists are laughing at us over our absurd Rules of Engagement.

The ACORN in Chief seems unaware of what the concept of war really is. Maybe somebody hit him in the head during one of those repeated golf dates he's been getting a pass over while Americans are shedding blood as a result of his insipid running of the war or something, but his inability to let the military do it's job is making this more like Vietnam every day.

There are at least two things that Joe Biden has said that are absolutely accurate:

1. Barack Obama is not ready to be president, an observation becoming increasingly clear to the American voter;

2. We will be tested.

Well, the Norks just tested us. And so far, we've failed.

Again.
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