Early impression: RINO's are rounding up candidates to run against Conservatives here locally.

Ann "Gas Tax" Rivers and her "work-in-progress" Shane "Tab Fee" Bowman

It started, of course, with "Gas Tax" Rivers' recruitment of former Battle Ground Mayor and current city councilman Shane Bowman.

As it turns out, Rivers was a bit pissed that Rep. Liz Pike not only voted "no" on her gas tax/tab fee scam that Rivers had lied about to get elected... but had the guts to PUBLICLY oppose that rip off that Rivers hung around our individual necks to the tune of $1600 for every man, woman and child in Clark County... all so we could get King County off the hook for their loot rail/Tunnel scam/floating bridge embarrassment.

The other State Representative in the 18th, Brandon Vick, ALSO voted "no" on that same bill, but he did so quietly.  Further, after a couple of years of despising Vick, or "Lumpy" as she used to refer to him, now, all of a sudden, they're best buddies.

So, for that matter, did both of the state representatives and the senator from the 17th District as far as that goes.

But because Rivers is increasingly coming across like she's God's Own Gift to politics, instead of putting her big girl panties on and sucking it up, she doubles down on her lies in the Battle Ground Town Hall meeting we had a few weeks ago, falsely claiming that had she... and she alone... voted "no" on the gas tax bill, our tax would not have been $700 million.... oh, no.

According to "Gas Tax," it would have been $7 BILLION.

That's a lie, of course: they didn't need her vote to pass the gas tax.  She could have voted "no" and our cut of the gas tax money would have remained exactly the same.  Maybe Battle Ground might not have realized the benefit of Rivers' "theft" by deception, but our gas tax would have been EXACTLY the same and her integrity would have remained intact.

Fat chance.

Why she had to lie about it is anyone's guess.  But I can speculate: that kind of lie is what guilty people do when they know they're busted.

The irony is that I emailed Rivers in advance to ask her about the gas tax issue, telling her I would be asking her about it at the town hall meeting.

But what is it the Bible says?

The guilty flee when no one pursues.

Or something.

Meanwhile, because Rivers is throwing a snit over Pike publicly opposing her insanity, Pike is being punished by the local RINO caucus... ran by her and Brent Boger among others.

So, to protect Rivers political flank (I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one upset that we've elected a liar to the State Senate) she found another RINO, Bowman, who not only SUPPORTS the fact that Rivers lied... but ENDORSES the lie as a part of HIS campaign!

Bowman proved himself to not be particularly the brightest political bulb on the tree when he babbled this as a result of the GOP endorsing the county chair write-in campaign:

Many opponents of the proposal, meanwhile, said investing in a write-in campaign for Pike would split the Republican vote and hand Dalesandro the win.

 “You guys can take the Democrat,” Battle Ground Mayor Shane Bowman said. “This is going to happen.”

Take him where?

Well, as much as the RINO's squealed this, that's not exactly how it worked out... is it? Not that the eventual winner, Boldt, has ever voted differently than that "the democrat" would have.

On many policy issues, Bowman said he wouldn’t be surprised if he aligned with Pike. He’s a conservative, he’s in favor of smaller government, more local control and not raising taxes.

But he did blast the incumbent for her stance against the statewide transportation package. The $16 billion package carved out about $600 million for Southwest Washington and included money for Battle Ground, including funds to widen Main Street/state Highway 502.

The package also raises the gas tax 11.9 cents per gallon in two steps. The package was needed in Battle Ground, he said.

“She could take a ‘no’ vote on it and throw everyone under the bus,” he said.

As expected, the democratian continues to lie: Clark County gets $200 million, and of that amount, Battle Ground will benefit... to the tune of about $100 million, more or less. Expect local contractors (and campaign contributors) to make bank.

Notice the "Ann 'Gas Tax" Rivers" influence here?  Notice how Bowman has the same history of jamming taxes down the throat of his constituents in Battle Ground... all without asking them?  Well, if nothing else, Bowman's made clear what HIS price... HIS integrity... HIS honor is worth.

Looks like about $100 million to screw the people sideways and for years.

OK.  I admit to some confusion here.

Rivers gave her word as a part of her platform used to get her the job of reelected senator.

Bowman, like the classic stereotype of an old time, corrupt pol would rather that a Representative of the People serve us best by lying to get elected... an example that he would no doubt emulate because, after all, he sees no problem with Rivers' lack of integrity as long as his city benefits... just like he had no problem ramming that $20 car tab fee down the throats of the people of Battle Ground without asking THEM... because, well, hell: Bowman and Rivers are from that class of political type where they simply do not give a damn what the people they would govern want.

Here, Mr. Bowman: let me help you with that:

"She (Rivers) could have kept her word and been a shining example of honor and integrity.  But if she had done that, she'd have nothing to whine about and no one would have recruited me to run against Pike."

And the irony is, that had she kept her word and her integrity, the gas tax she wanted to screw us with so badly would have passed anyway: they had the votes.

Would Battle Ground have gotten all the goodies?

Of course.  Rivers will naturally claim they wouldn't have done so... but how can she explain the two "no" votes in the House on her Gas Tax scam and Battle Ground getting the goodies anyway?

It's bad enough to lie.  But to lie so badly?

This ain't my first rodeo.

Instead, she throws a playground tantrum because a House member DARES to question why she would vote "yes" when the VAST majority of this district voted "no" on the advisory vote (as she knew they would) and YOU, Mr. Bowman, SUPPORT THAT?

RINO indeed.

Of course, Rivers COULD have avoided the liar label by keeping her word.  But that was just too much to ask for the deal that had been cut.

Bowman, however, was just the start.  Now, we have some guy I never heard of, announcing as a Republican against David Madore, at the behest of the local CCRINO caucus.  The idea is to cull the herd of all conservatives because these scum aren't getting their way... their CCRINO way.

I expect more of that group will run against conservatives at the urging of this same CCRINO caucus.  I expect they're running a full court press to replace anyone to the right of MAO as either a candidate or a PCO... while none of them give a damn that Boldt has never once shown up as a PCO the entire time he's had the job... 3+ years, now.  But then, that's part of his "petulant jerk" shtick.

Like I said: I've heard from different sources that Noelck is a CCRINO project.   Time will tell.

Meanwhile, if the CCRINOs take over the party again, then they can expect to be treated the same way they treated the current administration of the party.  They'll whine and bitch and moan, and demand that we put "hard feelings" behind us and all that.  And I'll pay precisely as much attention as they did.

And they will deserve it.