Tuesday, January 03, 2017

When does truth matter in politics?

I've actually got to ask the question because for so many, it would seem that it doesn't.

Here's an example: The Tacoma News Tribune did an article about Inslee's tax scam, where he said essentially nothing about jacking our taxes during the campaign, but then dropped the hammer to the tune of $5.5 billion in increases:

(BTW, those increases are DOA: nothing gets trashed faster in the legislature than the Governor's Budget Proposals.)

 Politics & Government

December 31, 2016 9:17 AM

Gov. Inslee downplayed talk of taxes on the campaign trail. Then he proposed raising them by $5.5 billion.

Gov. Jay Inslee speaks at a press conference about his plan to fully fund public schools on Dec. 13 at Lincoln High School in Tacoma.
Gov. Jay Inslee told voters in 2016 that fixing Washington schools would require lawmakers “to actually put meat on the bone.”
And so forth...

Underneath that article, where ten or so commenters lit Inslee up for his typical subterfuge, I asked this:
Kj Hinton · Sitting at Twilight Zone, Inc. 
OK... please explain why it was OK for Ann Rivers to lie to get elected in 2012 about opposing gas tax/tab fee increases... only to vote for that massive increase caused by the GOP state senate.
Her lies... made in writing... are costing Clark County $700 million.
So... before you bust Inslee's chops for lying about tax increases... please explain to me why it's so OK for Rivers to lie about that same thing.
After all, you people wouldn't want to be hypocrites, now, would you?
No answer.

Meanwhile, efforts are underway to bring Rivers and the others of her ilk back into the fold, so to speak, no matter how much damage they've done to the party generally and individuals within it particularly... not to mention, in Rivers' case, the massive tax increase that jacked up the cost of fuel for my Bronco almost $4.00 per tank while increasing my tab fees by 50% or so, in spite of her promises to the contrary as a part of her 2012 campaign to get into the Senate in the first place:

A screen capture from her campaign web page.



As I pointed out previously, Rivers was instrumental in hanging a $700 million tax increase around the necks of each man, woman and child living in Clark County... and if you do the math, it comes out to around $1500 or so...

Each.

Or $6,000 for a family of 4.

She also went out and recruited Shane Bowman, former Battle Ground Mayor and current city councilman, to run against her incumbent seat mate, Rep. Liz Pike this past cycle, who had voted against Rivers' gas tax/tab fee scam, as punishment both for her vote AND the fact that she, Pike, loudly proclaimed her opposition to that rip off.

Now we are told by the local chair of the Clark County GOP that we, her victims, must forget all about her lies and her betrayal.

Of course, it's difficult to forget about something that is rammed down our collective throats each and every time we buy fuel for our vehicles.

As a mere mortal and untermensch (Unlike the party chair), we are not allowed to remember that kind of trespass.  We must put it behind us, like we must put the lies of every other politician with an "R" after their name behind us; otherwise, well, when we demand accountability, we wind up getting personally attacked by the guy least interested in achieving it:  The County GOP Chair.

Rivers, of course, is but one example of the GOP types infesting elected office around here.

Not all lack honor or integrity.  Not all lied to get elected or to stay elected.  But many did and many do.  There are, of course, other items of dishonesty and a lack of integrity as well.  The examples I've used are but the tip of a political iceberg where elected officials and their enablers engage in frighteningly dishonest political behavior and I... I.... am just supposed to keep my mouth shut and my keyboard off when it comes to that and just go along with the program.

And how dare I point these facts out.

How dare I remind anyone of it.

How dare I suggest that these actions on the part of those most lacking in any remote resemblance to true GOP stalwarts should pay the price for their actions.

How dare *I*.

It's not that my allegations aren't true.  Oh, no.... on the contrary: they ARE true.

But that they are true and factual is meaningless to the grand high poobah who cannot address these facts... but instead has been reduced to attacking me.

Because that will certainly revise the actual, factual political history that I cite and change everything into the delusion he wants.

And that brings me to the matter at hand:

When does the truth matter in politics?

We rightfully castigate the governor for this slight of hand.  Those claiming to have some allegiance to the GOP express their collective outrage at his conduct.

But when someone with an "R" after their name DOES THE EXACT, SAME, THING?

Silence.

Cricket chirps.

Acquiescence to the liar.  All is forgiven.  Hail the prodigal politician... it's OK to return home.

No penalty to pay; no price for your betrayal... no negative reinforcement of any kind... so that you are perfectly free to do it again... and again... and again.

As long, of course, as you keep that "R" after your name.

Because if you ever switched to a "D?"

All hell would break loose and suddenly, those same GOP stalwarts going after Inslee would shift fire on their targets and go after you.

The only difference, of course, is the letter after your name.

So, dear readers... tell me: I really want to know:

When does truth matter in politics?

To our elected and political leaders, I believe it should matter ALL of the time.

And when it doesn't matter, and when a politician or a political wannabe like the local Party Chair engage in that sort of thing, there should be a price to pay for that.

Instead of attacking the dishonest politician... I find that the messenger.... namely me... is the one under attack.

And I cannot help but wonder who is orchestrating it... because many of the phrases are the same tripe that Brent Boger used in the past when I started busting caps in his RINO butt.

And if Brent didn't write it, then whoever did was certainly channeling him.

Or words to that effect.

And on inauguration night, here's what I won't be doing: I won't be attending this party function.

I also won't set up an organization of RINOs like the variety of political cowards who refused to... or withdrew their... endorsements of Trump... and who set about to directly damaging the GOP brand here locally, working so hard to elect a leftist like Marc Boldt to a position of responsibility over a GOP candidate of proven conservative credentials... with the subsequent responsibility for higher taxes and fees and bigger, more expensive government.

You know, the classic leftist/RINO themes?

I won't disavow my support of Trump like so many of the RINO cowards at all levels in this state actually did... when they had the guts to take a position at all.  Nor will I suddenly discover that I am a Trump supporter because he won when, back when it mattered, I was a staunch opponent like every other leftist.

I won't do it because it won't apply to me... since I told everyone all along that Trump was going to win.

No... there's no place for me in an organization that will now exist entirely on revisionist history if the new party chair gets his way.

Attack away, gang.  I've got a cell phone and a pen... and a blog that's been around longer than many of you have.

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