On the Bridge/loot rail project: Clark County's Clueless Commissioners.

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Long time readers of this blog are well aware of my brother-in-law, County Commissioner Marc Boldt's decision to lie to me, directly to my face, about holding a county-wide advisory vote on the bridge/loot rail project that he assured me would take place this past November.

Fellow democrat County Commissioner Steve Stuart has leapt out of my corruption frying pan into a fire of arrogance.

For years, I had portrayed Stuart as the most corrupt local official in government by virtue of the largess he had received from David Barnett, megacasino developer, which had enabled him to get elected back in 2005 the first time. From the "what have you done for me lately" file, when push came to shove, Stuart voted to sue... which earned him a return trip back from the particular purgatory.

Yet now, Stuart is unapologetically setting up legal government extortion in the form of his rabid support for a bridge to replace the paid for one we have now so he can pay off his union buds and bring loot rail into Clark County... two transportation events we do not need or want or can afford.

Stuart nearly lost his last election because of his position on the bridge/loot rail issue; a position that ignores the will of the people he would govern... a position that saddles 65,000 Clark County families with a thousand dollar plus per year fee, in addition to the Oregon State Income Tax they already pay, but he lucked out by facing a wholly unprepared candidate who, while having substantial political backing, had no professional guidance or clue when the backing he was receiving insisted on taking the advice of people who have no clue, no history of success and who, frankly, don't know what the hell they're doing.

The man providing that backing, David Madore, is getting a seat at the table at Princess Ridgefield Barbie's table when the Camas Manikin brings a transportation dog and pony show to town on Monday.

Madore, who will, one day, come to figure out that while it's OK to kill the King, you'd better make sure he's dead; managed to get a seat at the table to express the position of the majority of the people of Clark County: that we do not need, cannot afford and do not want this project; that we have wasted in excess of $100,000,000 and have precisely zip to show for it, that neither the people nor our local economy can afford the billions in tolls Stuart and his ilk, and by extension through his inaction, Boldt, want to extort for the people of Clark County.

Instead of having the maturity to respect the opinions of his constituents, Stuart has done nothing to seek those opinions out, since he's well aware his actions are in direct opposition to those he would govern.

Madore nearly took Stuart out. Had he known what he was doing, he would have. But because he missed when he pulled his political trigger, we get this kind of crap from a punk who happened to be re-elected to the county commission, to our lasting regret:

Commissioner Steve Stuart, who beat a Madorista last fall, questioned why Madore was on a list of "local transportation experts and stakeholders" that includes Clark County Public Works Director Pete Capell, Larry Paulson, executive director of the Port of Vancouver and Paula Hammond, secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation.

"He doesn't know anything," Stuart said of Madore. "He didn't even know the I-205 bridge had federal funding until I told him last summer."

"Madore is a crackpot," said Stuart, who was admittedly cranky because he'd just had a root canal and hadn't taken any painkillers.

Well, the answer is two-fold: First, getting a toady like Stuart up there to just agree with everyone else sitting up there to orally stimulate their bridger/looter position is a waste of time, effort and energy. Everyone knows Stuart would run over his own relatives to get this built.... why give him yet another in the unending series of platforms to spout the same lies, over and over? Madore, who provides jobs for the private sector, is arguably the head of the only organized opposition to the steaming pile Stuart is attempting to jam down our throats with the assistance of Boldt. Clearly, Stuart doesn't want anyone outside of his little circle of fascists to know how despised, hated and unwanted this project actually is. Madore will provide a glimpse of that opposition. And those who despise their constituency... like Stuart... don't want the massive opposition to become known to those who can, hopefully soon, kill this deal.

Second, Madore has contributed more in value to this county in one year than Stuart has in the entirety of his life. That said, Babs is as fixated on Madore's checkbook as anyone else. Perhaps in that dimbulb brain of hers, she realizes that if she crosses Madore, he won't hesitate to hit her over the head with it.

Meanwhile, Steve, get a grip. What you have to say on the subject isn't any more important then what my cocker spaniel... or Madore... has to say. So, if you want to testify, submit it in writing... you know, like the rest of us?

And then Boldt's take on all of this:

Commissioner Marc Boldt said the hearing is going to be more than Herrera Buetler bargained for when she arranged a "listening session."

"I told the congresswoman today, 'This won't be the last time you screw up,'" Boldt said.

Kinda like you, eh, Marc?

The thing is that as clueless as Herrera is... and that's a pretty big subject... the idea that any elected official would call a "listening session" a MISTAKE is, well, just sickening.

I have no problems with Madore's effort to turn out the anti side: after all, the clowns we've elected... who won't have to pay this fee they're imposing on the rest of us... don't listen to us and even, as in the case of Boldt, lie to people to their faces about this issue.

Because Babs refuses to take a position on this... or much of anything else, for that matter, it's fairly obvious that nothing good will come out of this hearing.... only because what the PEOPLE want doesn't seem to make any difference to the clowns running the show.

Right, Steve?
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