Clark County Politics

Take a moment and check this. There are no words.

2012-01-27T11:28:00.000-08:00

I don't know who they are.

But I wish I did.

When Romney supporters in the establishment have to lie to attack Newt.

2012-01-27T10:32:00.000-08:00

Look, I'm not sold on Newt. What I am is what you might call an "anti-establishment" Republican, unimpressed by edicts from on-high, since that's the sort of thing that led to the total waste of skin representing us in Congress today... if you can call it that.

As a result, I have no faith in the GOP hierarchy to do anything right for anyone but themselves.

So, when I see crap like this...

Lying about Reagan to get Romney elected
Posted by William A. Jacobson Friday, January 27, 2012 at 12:45pm

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I have been pounding the keyboard all week about the lies and distortions of the Romney campaign and supporters about Newt’s record of support for Ronald Reagan.

These allegations were played out by the Romney campaign and on Drudge, and did serious damage to Newt, both substantively and by forcing Newt to get off message.

I was highly suspicious of several accounts, including that by Elliot Abrams, regarding a speech by Newt in 1986. That article in National Review gave rise to this notorious Drudge headline:

I noted in my prior post that Abrams never provided the entire speech or a link to the speech, which made me even more suspicious.

I was in class most of this morning, and came back to hear Rush reading this post by Jeffrey Lord, Elliott Abrams Caught Misleading on Newt:
In fact, I’m sorry to say, what appears to be going on here is that Elliott Abrams, a considerably admirable public servant and a very smart guy, has been swept up in the GOP Establishment’s Romney frothings over the rise of Newt Gingrich in the Republican primaries. He is even being accused of trolling for a job in a Romney administration. No way!!!!
Really????
What else can possibly explain a piece like the one Abrams penned on a day when Gingrich was being of a mysterious sudden targeted in one hit piece after another for his ties to Reagan? The pieces invariably following the Romney line that Newt had some version of nothing to do with Reagan.
A piece like the one Abrams wrote depends for its success in garnering headlines — which it did — by assuming no one will bother to get into the weeds and do the homework. Usually a safe assumption when dealing with the mainstream media, particularly a mainstream media that, as one with Establishment Republicans, hates Newt Gingrich.
Not so fast.
Due to the diligence of one Chris Scheve of a group called Aqua Terra Strategies in Washington, Mr. Abrams has been caught red-handed in lending himself to this attempted Romney hit job….

More:

I've never been impressed by slimy politicians of the Romney ilk.... and now, even less so.

When it comes to the presidency, I would vote for anyone besides a Ron Paul... or a Mitt Romney.

Lying to win is what our local mayor scumbag, Tim "The Liar" Leave-it pulled off . I don't want a copy of that to be president.

Thanks to Professor Jacobson.

The fringe left continue to lionize their RINO buddies for their gay marriage sell out: Reagan Dunn leads the list.

2012-01-27T10:05:00.000-08:00

Readers here know that I despise corrupt politicians. Reagan Dunn, who sold out principle for election, leads that list.

Others, who've done the same in their quest for elective office include, typically, the usual King County RINO suspects:

Litzow and Pflug in the Senate (Pflug badly wants Dunn's King County Council seat) Anderson and "former" democrat Maureen Walsh, and 2 King County Council members, PvR (Another "former" democrat if memory serves) and a drunk by the name of Jane Hague. ( I was on staff with Walsh, who was LA to Rep. Dave Mastin, who came up as a democrat and switched parties, along with his LA, former democrat activist Maureen Walsh)

Of course, hundreds of Republicans don't share the view that the joke known as gay marriage is even remotely worthy of our time and attention (It isn't) aren't worthy of mention and this placing of these scum onto some sort of pedestal as a result of their election year conversions and political treason is just the thing you'd expect fringe left nutters like Joni Balter TO do.

To the seven of you slime balls who think so little of the tenets of your party: feel free to go all the way.

Just quit screwing around and become the democrats you obviously so much admire. No half measures here, kids. Because we don't need to vote for fake democrats when we've got the real thing. And I'm sure that in any area to the right of Mao, your political careers may be in jeopardy.

One can only hope.

Democratian proves its ignorance, does some list's press release, stupidly babbling about how great business has it here.

2012-01-27T09:30:00.000-08:00

I suppose when you've gone bankrupt and when you're addicted to telling everyone else that increasing their taxes is a good idea while you work quietly to get your own lowered, it's not surprising that the clowns running the democratian believe the nonsense hat someone published in some list or another.

At the end of the day, when some outfit publishes a list that makes the government of this state look good, or some project or another that the rag wants (Just yesterday, for example, some punk 11 year old was busted for bringing a .22 onto a "train." Of course, it WASN'T a "train," it was the loot rail system in Portland that the democratian is so in love with, but hey, can't use an accurate headline when it blows up your favorite multi-billion dollar rip off, can you?) you can expect them to both swallow it whole and babble about it in another "see, I told you so!" editorial.

Today's idiocy?

This state ranks 7th in "business friendliness."

If that's even remotely true... then God Help this country.

The business climate in this state is horror wrapped around idiocy, The unbelievable amount of money it takes to even start a business, let alone run it, in fees and taxes and regulations is enough to choke a rather large horse.

No business of any size would even THINK about locating here, was it that long ago that Boeing got out of Dodge and set up shop in corruption central, aka Chicago? And what about that airplane plant in South Carolina that our neo-communist, empty suited moron in the White House's minions threw an embolism over?

Yeah. Washington is a business Utopia, with the highest or second highest minimum wage in the entire world and a set of regulations that would cause a blind man to go cross-eyed.

As I sit here, working on my quarterly B&O tax that certainly takes the place of other state's income taxes as a reason to set up shop elsewhere, I look at the babble of this editorial and shake my head at the thought that not only are the clowns who run the rag frightfully stupid, they're incompetence in the business realm is now on display for all to see.

Pridemore and the other Reagan Dunn-style democrats screw the people on the gay rip off vote: deny Benton's effort at a referendum amendment.

2012-01-26T15:58:00.000-08:00

Obeying his masters, Craig Pridemore (Communist-49) today rammed the gay marriage scam through committee, denying all amendments to allow the people to have any say on this issue because the fringe-left whack jobs wanting this scam definitely don't want the people to have any say... although the subsequent initiative will certainly provide that say anyway.

Pridemore, as we all know, is ditching the legislature in an effort to get a better-paying gig. He's got his retirement to worry about, after all. But like his buddy Reagan Dunn, RINO Republican and King County Councilman, he believes that getting this notch on his crank is what he needs to do get elected.

With Dunn, it's clear his abandonment of principle is politically motivated. But unlike Dunn, the question remains: does Pridemore HAVE Any character?

From his first session in the Senate:

Legislature: Pridemore reluctantly casts key tax vote

Sunday, April 24, 2005

By DON JENKINS, Columbian staff writer

OLYMPIA -- State lawmakers appear ready to end the 2005 session today, though for about one minute a Vancouver Democrat had the session derailed.

To protest higher taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, Sen. Craig Pridemore on Friday night originally voted against a $263 million revenue package that supports a two-year spending plan agreed to by House and Senate leaders.

Without Pridemore's vote, the package was one vote short of passing.

Pridemore, however, changed his vote to yes at the end of the roll call and immediately left the floor of the Senate, unhappy with what he helped approve.

"I think the Senate has balanced the budget on the backs of the poor and powerless," he said

So, after bitching about the budget and who is tasked with balancing it, what does the little slimeball do?

Votes "yes," anyway. Character? WHAT character?

There are other little episodes, of course, that show he can be bought. But his gay marriage jihad and that of his fellow fringe-left nutters like Dunn and Moeller are the result of political deals where the main concern isn't integrity, character, or the will of the people:

It's getting elected... start to finish.

Good luck with that to the both of you.

As for me, I am opposed to gay-rights nonsense; the idea that anyone should be accorded any special treatment or status because of their sexual practices, one way or the other, is absurd.

But it would at least be palatable if the fringe-leftists so rabidly pursuing this idiocy would at least have the decency to allow the people to have a say.

Because if this was, ultimately, the will of the people of this state, I could more easily live with it... except the fear-driven left has shown in everything from the CRC to this nonsense that what the people they would govern want is totally unimportant.

And frankly, I don't recall any of this clowns outside the gay caballeros ever running on a pro-gay marriage ticket. But that's just me.

So.. yet another campaign where the candidates don't even talk about the coming fiscal tsunami.

2012-01-25T01:45:00.000-08:00

I've railed about this stuff before: following the Greek economic model is a recipe for disaster; following the Canadian model, where their economy seems to be in a hell of a lot better shape than ours, seems to make more sense since we seem incapable of figuring it out for ourselves.

Regardless, the only guy talking about it is Ron Paul. And that's a shame.

Paul makes some good points, but his frightening naivete' in the foreign arena makes him an ideal applicant for a nut farm and destroys any credibility he has as a candidate for, well, anything... even his congressional seat, where the only people crazier than he is are those who vote for him at home.

Tonight, we were subjected to an hour long series of lies and delusions from the POTUS; false claims both about what's happened and what will happen.

How many times have we been lied to about jobs being the empty suit's "top priority?"

Well, we know better.

But that begs the question: instead of the three serious presidential candidates beating the hell out of each other, I want to know what they're going to do to put private-sector America back to work.

No, we can't raise taxes... anywhere. Or fees either.

Government must do more with less. At the federal level, we now have an unbelievably higher number of federal employees... a paltry 142,000... then we did in January of 09. And the per-person payroll cost has skyrocketed.

At a minimum, they've got to go. Those remaining, save for active duty military and intelligence, must face across the board pay and benefit cuts.

Social programs of all stripes have got to be cut... and sharply. None of this moronic 3% crap, unless it's followed by a zero: as in, 30%.

Education must be cut: staff wage and benefits have to be gutted by serious amounts. Retirement must be a stand-alone proposition like it is in the private sector.

Unemployment must be slashed back to 26 weeks.

Welfare roles must be obliterated; the nonsensical idea that welfare entitles you to pizza or burgers or tolls is insane. Welfare recipients receiving cable, or internet or cell phones or alcohol or tobacco or illegal drugs... all have to be removed from the rolls... because if you have money for that crap, then you don't need welfare.

Every federal program must be cut. And yes, that means medicare and social security.

Everyone knows it... but no one is talking about it.

Our own local waste of skin congresswoman won't even bring the CRC scammers to heel... let alone take the tough votes or make the tough demands needed for our nation's survival. After all, what's national survival compared to Ridgefield Barbie's re-election?

But it doesn't end with her... she's but a symptom of the diseases infesting our government at most every level, a government that has brought us to this through their politics, their corruption and their incompetence... of all stripes and in both parties.

We are cursed with a system where the bizarre idea of putting one's country ahead of one's self is as rare as finding a fist-sized diamond in your back yard.

Our country is dying. And no one talks about it. No one does anything about it, except to bury us under an ever-increasing mountain of debt.

Everyone involved is afraid. The idea of an America made great through sacrifice and self-reliance, vision and dealing with reality, the tenets of greatness which are but a shadow of a far distant past, are out of the realm of existence.

We eat our young, divide and conquer each other, become increasingly weaker while the world waits like a starving predator, pacing back and forth like a pack of hyena's waiting for the old bull elephant to finally tire and fall so they can swarm in for the kill.

The irony is that we all know it. We KNOW it. In our more sober moments, we see it happening with a frightening clarity. But no one will step up.

No one will volunteer to take the hit. No one talks about what must be done, acting, instead, as if nothing must be done... deluding ourselves much like the Jews in the concentrations camps really believed that what was going to come out of those shower heads really was going to be water, instead of poison gas.

That's us.

My God, we see it so clearly a blind dog could describe it understandable detail.

But we're assaulted by democrat front groups like the AARP, who act as if our economic future is secure and if there's going to be any sacrifices, it won't be on the part of our senior citizenry.

Hell, any effort to even try and require identification as an American to vote results in bigoted charges of racism.

Accountability? Self-reliance? Those concepts are as foreign in America today as Sanskrit.

And what are those who are. or would, trying to lead us going to do about it?

Why, act like it isn't even there.

Until it's too late.

Then what?

This isn't the first time I've ranted about this, and it won't be the last. But I do get sick of the cowardice permeating our government at every level because it's far easier to turn a blind eye to this particular inconvenient truth then it is to confront it, address it, solve and conquer it... because, after all, if we don't look...

.... it'll just go away, all on its own.

Two different sources - Russell continuing his disgraceful conduct: continued failures to attend city council meetings.

2012-01-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

As reported here, Jon Russell is blowing off his responsibilities by failing to even bother to show up for his city council meetings. Yesterday was no exception.

Clearly, he's set his sights on bigger and better things. But his new job is no excuse for his ongoing failures to even bother to show up.

Elected officials who only meet a few times a month in particular have a responsibility to resign from their office if they've decided they can't be bothered to ever show up.

Russell is a case in point.

Between identity theft, campaign lies, character assassination and now, not bothering to show up for any of the meetings, the people of Washougal no longer have any representation from this clown, and it's time for him to go... or be expelled.

The question?

How much longer will those people paying his salary put up with his nonsense?

Cross posted at Jon Russell Watch.

Blowing off the SOTU.

2012-01-24T07:11:00.000-08:00

First, he's an empty suit in full campaign mode.

Second, he's lied so much in these things, they're worthless.

Third, I've got to shampoo my hair.

Or something.

Fred Thompson: Newt

2012-01-24T06:51:00.000-08:00

Romney's tax returns: they don't bother me.

2012-01-24T06:45:00.000-08:00

Look, I don't support Romney for anything but governor of Massachusetts. They deserve him.

But this nonsense about his tax returns, which leftists are likely to beat him to death over?

That's a crock.

There's all this nonsense about "millionaires paying their fair share."

Well, here's what I know: I'm not and likely will never be a millionaire. I also know that 50% plus of the people of this country, which includes those most needy when it comes to government services/checks pay absolutely nothing.

Where's the "fair share" THEY are supposed to pay?

It's easy for the fringe left to talk about "fair share" when they do all they can to make sure THEIR constituencies don't pay a dime.

I believe that EVERYONE should pay SOMETHING.

Even if it's a dollar.

Because when you've got no skin in the game?

Well, it's easy to belly up to the trough provided by the labors of others.

So, this fair share issue is made up of whole cloth since Romney, by himself, has paid more money in taxes then tens of millions of people in the United States, who pay no federal tax at all.

But then, so do I. And so do you.

They never seem to talk about "fair share" when it comes to that, do they?

Rough start: Liz Pike announces for the 18.

2012-01-24T06:37:00.000-08:00

Liz Pike has become the first announced candidate in the 18th to run for Ed Orcutt's soon-to-be vacant seat.

Other names I've heard are Dale Smith, Brandon Vick and Doug Quinn.

This is going to be a difficult race for any of these names; each has issues they have to deal with to be successful in their quest. Each needs to surround themselves with people who have actually won before. Each, save Quinn, have to overcome poor political outcomes in the past.

Each will have to raise a bundle. Each should understand this isn't a Prada district. Each needs to know that Mainstreamer support in the 18th is political suicide. Each need to understand that less verbiage is, in fact, more.

The person who understands all that, works themselves into a state of exhaustion every day, and who can explain how they are somehow the preferred political choice for a district when they've been rejected... overwhelmingly... in the recent past, has a serious shot at winning.

But the baggage is a problem:

Pike will run in the 18th District
Redistricting likely to make incumbent Orcutt ineligible

By Stevie Mathieu
Columbian staff writer

Monday, January 23, 2012

Former Camas city councilwoman Liz Pike announced Monday that she will run for state representative in the 18th District.

Pike was motivated to run as a Republican because “our state government needs to reform and we need to start being more efficient,” she said by phone Monday. “What I’m willing to do is dig in and make tough choices to prioritize how Washington does business.”

Pike, who has owned Pike Advertising Agency since 1995, is the political affairs director for the Building Industry Association of Clark County. She unsuccessfully ran against incumbent Camas Mayor Paul Dennis in 2007. Dennis won re-election with three times as many votes as Pike received.

...

During her race for mayor of Camas, Pike said the city was run by entrenched bureaucrats who skirted the law in the solicitation of bids, handling of animal control and housing issues. She asserted that Dennis got an unfair break on a traffic ticket, and that Dennis and the police chief ran a police department that was lax on enforcement.

Dennis delivered information to rebut her charges. He drew the support of the police, firefighters, city workers, members of the city council and even the Camas school board, among others.

More:

In the past, I have hammered Pike. But to her credit, she has contacted me directly to discuss my concerns and past political issues.

She is the only candidate in 6 years to directly address the concerns I have expressed in this blog.

Wasn't easy for her to do, and she did it.

Time will tell how this all plays out. But this is no place for a King County Republican. Anyone campaigning like one is likely to become road kill.

City of Vancouver Park "no smoking signs."

2012-01-23T17:31:00.000-08:00

The Klingon Princess: official portrait.

2012-01-23T17:03:00.001-08:00

SHOCKING NEWS: Some Chevy deals are refusing to carry the estimated $250,000 taxpayer subsidized per unit Volt.

2012-01-23T11:33:00.000-08:00

I besides being butt-ugly, I guess they don't want their dealerships to burn down.

Some Chevy dealers spurn Volt allocation
GM cites concern over fire investigation
GM had hoped to sell about 10,000 Chevy Volts last year. The actual figure: 7,671.
Mike Colias
Automotive News -- January 23, 2012 - 12:01 am ET
14 comments
Recommend (14)
DETROIT -- Some Chevrolet dealers are turning down Volts that General Motors wants to ship to them, a potential stumbling block as GM looks to accelerate sales of the plug-in hybrid.
For example, consider the New York City market. Last month, GM allocated 104 Volts to 14 dealerships in the area, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Dealers took just 31 of them, the lowest take rate for any Chevy model in that market last month. That group of dealers ordered more than 90 percent of the other vehicles they were eligible to take, the source said.

In Clovis, Calif., meanwhile, Brett Hedrick, dealer principal at Hedrick's Chevrolet, sold 10 Volts last year. But in December and January he turned down all six Volts allocated to him under GM's "turn-and-earn" system, which distributes vehicles based on past sales volumes and inventory levels.

GM's "thinking we need six more Volts is just crazy," Hedrick says. "We've never sold more than two in a month." Hedrick says he usually takes just about every vehicle that GM allocates to him.

GM spokesman Rob Peterson confirmed that "dealer ordering is down" for the Volt. He said many dealers have been waiting for resolution of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's investigation into the risk of fires in the car's battery pack. Last year three packs caught fire in the days or weeks following government test crashes.

This month GM announced a voluntary repair aimed at protecting the battery pack. And last week NHTSA said it has closed its investigation, concluding that the battery pack poses no significant fire risk.

"There's a lot of misinformation that has swirled over the past month," Peterson said. "Dealers are kind of waiting for things to settle down."

Hedrick and other dealers say that their GM zone reps aren't pressuring them to take more Volts. "They haven't jammed us," he says. "I think they'll just give them to somebody else."

More:

Gee. Talk about people saying a car sucks.

And with a government subsidy of up to a quarter million dollars for each one of these turds... you've got a snapshot of the entirety of the Obama Administration in action: a waste of money... huge money... on a product we don't want and won't buy.

In terms of the election, how do I define "leadership," why do I think Romney doesn't have it?

2012-01-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

What I mean by a leader crosses professional lines.

Corporate leaders who don't inspire, who don't innovate, who don't show a basic understanding, awareness and ability to manipulate their markets aren't called "leaders," they're called "unemployed."

Military leaders who do not inspire, who do not breed confidence through their competence, vision and ability to communicate and take advantage of a rapidly changing tactical environment are called "relieved of their command."

Dictators who do not retain the support of their people at some point, are typically called "dead."

To me, a leader is competent. A leader inspires. A leader motivates. A leader provides you with the ability and desire to do more then you believed yourself capable of doing.

A leader understands. A leader is never indecisive. A leader makes you, personally, feel you have value.

A leader does not use "dear in the headlights" as a leadership philosophy.

Our current president does none of those things... shows none of those tenets unless he's trying to buy you off.

And Romney seems to be the same, additionally saddled with a situational ethics that runs neck and neck with Gingrich's every day and twice on Sunday.

We were asked generically on a Facebook page why those of us on the right may be opposed to Romney. Here was part of my reply:

1. He’s like Reagan Dunn.

2. He’s a political chameleon

3. Because when he had a chance to govern, it was more like Gregoire then Reagan

4. He’s politically inept and laughingly indecisive. Not even *I* could have screwed up South Carolina as much as he did.

5. Because Obama will cave his ass in, in the debates.

6. Romneycare.

7. Assault weapons ban at the state level, and a 400% increase in license costs to even own a handgun.

8. Pro-abortion until he needed to get the GOP presidential nomination. Election year conversions, like Dunn, sicken me.

9. The only reason this guy is even competitive is because he’s bought his political presence.

10. Because he’s a manager, and not a leader. And that’s what we’ve got now.

There are other reasons, but these will do for now.

But as I said: we've been told us that he WILL be the nominee and we need to get used to it. And I have never been one to subscribe to that “when rape is inevitable” crap.

Any leader in America must always lead legally and Constitutionally. Our current president views that document as a series of suggestions he can pretty much ignore whenever he seems to feel like it.

Within that framework, the question is this: in South Carolina, who led? Who inspired? Who saw the strategic terrain for what it was? Who took advantage of the changing situation the fastest, with the most competence?

Who failed to see it coming, failed to change rapidly enough, failed to use their MASSIVE advantages in money and organization?

This SHOULD have been a slam dunk for Romney. The cause for that failure can begin and end with ever shrinking concentric circles that stop in the middle of Romney's chest.

So, for those fronting for Romney, my question in return is this:

If he couldn't squash Gingrich like a bug with every strategic and logistical advantage he had... to include the South Carolina governor working for him...

... what makes anyone think he can take out Obama?

When The Obama Administration gets really stupid: TSA "detains" sitting US Senator.

2012-01-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

So, I whip open my browser, and what do I see?

Standoff in Nashville... Rand Paul refused patdown... 'Police state growing out of control'... On way to Senate, March For Life... Constitution: 'Privileged From Arrest'...

TSA DETAINS U.S. SENATOR

No, it's not the individual in question that makes this idiocy: the program itself is idiocy.

But a sitting, in-office, US Senator?

Would they do that to the Klingon Princess? Would they do that to the moron running Homeland Security?

How about a Cabinet secretary? Or Hillary? Or Bill?

I think we all know the answer... which is, those people are exempt from the process. So, the answer is "no."

Now, I get why Ted Kennedy was on the "no fly" list; he was typically so pickled his body was an incendiary device.

But this kind of stupidity and lack of common sense is the hallmark of a tin-eared, out of control Administration that has, in fact, lost touch with reality.

Putting a United States Senator through this, even a true danger to this country like Harry Reid?

That's insane. And the blame for this public relations nightmare?

No, it doesn't rest, IMHO, with Rand, who can be an excitable fellow.

It rest with an agency and an individual that lacks the common sense of a rock pile.

More of Laird's drivel: a moronic shot at "Gov. Goodhair."

2012-01-22T12:53:00.000-08:00

That John Laird is a genuine asshole cannot be disputed. But this morning, he went way over the top:

Onward, Christian governor — Rick Perry said of New Gingrich’s wavering fidelity: “Newt is not perfect, but who among us is? There is forgiveness for those who seek God, and I believe in the power of redemption, for it is a central tenet of my own Christian faith.” Couldn’t agree more, Gov. Goodhair, but I wonder how comforting your words are to families of the 234 people you’ve executed as governor of Texas.

Leave it to a fringe-left dickhead to be so much more concerned about the "families of the 234" murderers executed by the justice system of Texas... without a scintilla of concern over the many victims... victims in the hundreds... of the murderers in question.

Scum. Pure scum. Maybe if he ever became a victim, he could do more then pontificate about this subject, or that of LTC West's accurate observation that fringe left hand-wringing scum like Laird should STFU.

ANOTHER Facebook casualty: Jon Russell takes down his fake Jessica Bowen page.

2012-01-22T11:35:00.000-08:00

Busting Jon Russell for his pathological fake identity fetish isn't a full time gig. It doesn't have to be, given that it's so easy.

But the fact is this: I outed Russell when he was using the fake "teacher Judy Banks" identity, and I outed him for using the Jessica Bowen identity.

And now when you look for the fake Jessica Bowen, what do you get?

Whatever happened to our fair Jessica?

Russell deleted her.

He is, or will be, using other fake identities. And sooner or later, I'm going to get them all.

By now, the democratian knows about this "fake" issue. Why aren't they reporting on it? Identity theft is serious business, isn't it? Particularly when it's an elected official engaging in that peculiar past time?

Cross posted on Jon Russell Watch.

Odd, isn't it? Those who've never won an election telling those of us who have that Gingrich is "unelectable."

2012-01-22T08:19:00.000-08:00

I've been reading the babble of many, and let me tell you what the "Gingrich is unelectable" scam really means:

It means they support someone else.

One fringe-left whack job called Gingrich a "serial adulterer." Well, based on leftist support of the, "I'll bed anything in sight" president, Bill Clinton, that seems more a qualification for the job then a DISqualification for the job.

For those chanting the "unelectable" meme, I need an explanation as to how it is that Gingrich won every segment voting in South Carolina.

Independents? Gingrich.

Married women? Gingrich

Evangelicals? Gingrich.

Men? Gingrich.

Women? Gingrich.

Late deciders? Gingrich.

Politics is a numbers business. That Gingrich won isn't necessarily the thing: it's that he not only won, but he seems to have won in every category that they keep track of.

So, tell me again: how is it that he's "unelectable?" Or are these numbers a mirage?

So, be careful of the "unelectable" label. Because if anyone is "unelectable" right now, it's increasingly Mitt Romney... because being the timid financier is rarely the path to the presidency.

Showing once again it fails to understand the economy, the democratian supports every tax and increase in sight... while a bill is being run to reduce it's own taxes.

2012-01-22T07:39:00.000-08:00

As is their usual habit, the democratian, which won't have to pay most of these taxes, urges those of us who have been forced, in part through their efforts, to open our wallets, to punish opurselves even further by voluntarily doing that which they won't do: pay more or even the same level of taxes.

Meanwhile, the democratian says nothing about a bill that's been introduced in the senate to reduce THEIR taxes.

In the past, the democratian has been RABIDLY willing to spend other's money. They still don't understand their duty in this situation:

If the democratian thinks spending our money on an issue is such a great idea.... well, shouldn't they be spending their money on those same issues as well?

The problem?

Many of us are in a recession. Many of us find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. Many of us are paying more for everything.

I will be voting "no" on the Hockinson levy because they received this years ration of dollars for our kid even though our child went to Clark in Running Start... and wasn't setting foot in the school.

ALL of our costs go up. But not our incomes. And our local rag is standing there yelling at us to give more, and more and more and more.

So... no. I'm done. And I apologize to the school district in advance, but I just can't afford it or any other tax increase.... or to continue to pay any tax I can legally avoid as the value of my home plummets but not the amount of money we're required to pay... that seems to constantly be going up... with our local rag, benefiting from it's own tax DEcrease, cheerleading our ongoing or increasing costs every step of the way.

Sorry.

UPDATE: Newt CRUSHES Romney; lead now at 41 / 26 - Romney: The biggest collapse in South Carolina since the Civil War.

2012-01-21T07:17:00.000-08:00

As I've detailed on this blog, I'm not a Romney fan.

I view myself as a conservative. My political experience has taught me that generally, you cannot defeat democrats in elections by "out-democrating" them.

Politics is my business. I usually win, even when I'm not supposed to, if the candidate does what THEY are supposed to... even when they're supposed to lose. "Out democrating" has never been a successful political strategy because voters will typically ask themselves why they should vote for the fake democrat when they can get the real thing.

That, to me, is the history of Romney's governance.

I was never thrilled with Dan Evans as Governor of our state or our one-term US Senator; lionized by "Mainstream" Republicans, viewed, with suspicion, by conservatives; to my mind, legislation like the fascist Columbia River Gorge Scenic Act lives on as his legacy of government abuse and arrogance.

Romney is of the far-left Evans mold. As Republican as my Cocker Spaniel, to see our future with his governance is to recall his past as Governor of Massachusetts, a record little distinguished from his democrat predecessors and marked by Romney-care and a state level violation of the 2nd Amendment, their assault weapons ban.

In an era where transparency is GOP watchword, Romney apparently believed the people were speaking Sanskrit when demands for him to release his tax returns began to surface; in a frighteningly inept and inexcusable lapse, he was entirely unprepared to deal with the issue and his response to the demand has been hesitant, half-hearted and altogether unsatisfactory.

Romney has it all: self-financing, establishment backing (Of course, locally, "the establishment" candidates, like at the congressional level, have been the foreseen consequence of worthless representation... hardly the stuff to build faith in their judgment, I believe) 6 years or so of constant campaigning, an envious organization, contacts through out the country and what should have been an envious record of accomplishment in the business world... a record that now seems to be the "Bain" of his existence.

And Newt Gingrich is beating him to a pulp.

Locally, we're told that "Romney will be he nominee and we'd better get used to it."

Then there's a great chance we'd better get used to losing again.

The problem is that the very qualities we need in a leader today repel many.

I'm not all that concerned about Newt's personal history; Bill Clinton lowered that particular bar to doormat level and dope-smoking Obama hasn't been much better... yet they still had the job, Clinton even after we knew he'd bed anything with female reproductive organs.

What I want is a leader. What Mitt Romney is, to me, is a "manager." And we've already got one of those... the only thing to my mind worse than a poor leader in the penultimate position of leadership is for that "leader" to be a "manager..." which is precisely what we have now at every level of government....And how's that working out for us?

I've been led. I've been managed. And I'll take "leadership" every time. And I believe Newt is a leader.

Not a perfect leader. But of those available... he is the leader. He takes charge. He's decisive. He shows no fear.

Save for his morality, Newt is, I believe, the most like me of the candidates out there.

He is confrontational in an era when the US is viewed as a country of cowards thanks to Obama; I compare what I believe to be an Obama foreign policy with that of a Romney and ask myself, "what's the difference?"

With Newt, you know damned well what the difference would be.

His focus would not be the expansion of government and the bureaucracy.

And there's a really good chance that today, he's going to beat Romney to a pulp... underfunded, understaffed, under-prepared... but a political mind that Romney seems unable to even begin to keep up with.

Will, as the "expert" told us, Romney get the nomination?

Maybe. He's got enough money that he can pretty much buy anything.

But the similarities between Obama and Romney far outweigh the differences. And is that what we really want in a president?

Not me.

More info on the CRC scam coming out in the Columbian...

2012-01-20T13:14:00.000-08:00

So, I've been calling this scam a, well, scam, for years now. I've been vilified by Lou Brancaccio, in part because of how I express my concerns over that project that the newspaper has gone through thousands of gallons of ink cheerleading for on the way to this point.

It's been worth it.

The newspaper finally seems to be getting it. And now the fit is beginning to hit the shan.

Here's the money quote from the article:

Lou Brancaccio · Top Commenter · University of Florida "It was noted that David Evans and Associates’ billing rate schedule allowed for each billable labor hour to be marked up by a 172.82% Overhead Rate and a 31.0% Fee (Profit). The total markup on each billable labor hour was negotiated to be a factor of 204.32% (for example, a state rate for a Bridge Engineer of $40 per hour would actually cost the CRC $121.73 per hour)."

Reply · 1 · Like · Follow Post · 2 hours ago

This is the kind of apparent theft that those of us opposed to this rip off have been yelling about for years.

There's no excuse for this kind of thing... whoever approved this... new about it... allowed it should be tried and sent to prison for allowing this horrific waste of money, the same kind of waste made famous in in Bell, California.

There should be both criminal investigation and sanctions against the conspirators.

And now.

So yeah, I write with fury. I am so incredibly angry at those who would screw us or allow others to screw us when it's THEIR JOB TO PROTECT US.

And that means you, Leavitt.

And you, Stuart.

And you, Boldt.

And you, Smith.

And you, Hansen.

This has all been happening on YOUR watch and with YOUR approval.

YOU are more at fault then Evans, who has no doubt concluded that you can't rape the willing.

But you can rape the taxpayers.

What are you going to say about "David Madore's hired gun" now, Mr. Smith?

Contrary to the local spin of some, Reagan Dunn continues to defend his pro-gay marriage conversion.

2012-01-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

Reagan Dunn wants to be our AG, after McKenna likely becomes our governor. Sigh.

I have already made my position on the issue clear; election year conversions are a cynical political ploy, in this case, designed to get the massive earned media he otherwise would not be getting had he remained silent on the issue or had he been smart enough to at least loudly and publicly demand that this be put to a vote.

My position on the issue as related on facebook:

I, for one, will never sell out principle to win. And I DO win. Dunn, for one, clearly will. To each his or her own. "Attainability" should never be the basis for the assassination of a bedrock principle.

Sorry, Brent, but while that may be your definition, it isn't mine. And right now, while it seems democrats want us to sprint off the cliff, Republicans, all in the name of "attainability" and "electability" want us to go off the same cliff... just at a more sedate pace. And Ronald Reagan, author of the illegal alien amnesty that was supposed to fix that peculiar problem was neither God, not perfect. My guess is that Reagan would not support anyone, regardless of party, who supports gay marriage. And this kind of "perfection" rhetorical nonsense is camouflage for yet another weakening of conservative and moral principles, all in the name of winning elections so we can, once again, turn our backs on principle. Others may take that course, but I will not work for, nor support, candidates who would sell their own mothers to get elected... and Dunn seems to fit into that all-too-typical King County Republican meme, where if the KingCo GOP's world view was so great, then that region wouldn't be such a deep, dark blue location. And Brent, your efforts to spin for Dunn on my blog and here go to the heart of the matter. If his position on this needed clarification, HE should be providing it... not you. And that you're excusing him on this goes to the heart of the matter. Good luck. You're gonna need it.

I believe ANY model that ignores principle in the name of success is unacceptable. But then, that's just me.

Dunn's supporters are busily trying to spin his pro-gay marriage stance. My position on all of that is that it's HIS stance; if he needs to clarify it, then HE needs to clarify it, and, though given yet ANOTHER opportunity to do so, he has has refused.

The Seattle Rag, of course, is wearing out another pair of knee pads in front of him as a result... but then Dunn isn't stupid, and he anticipated this response.

So, no... Dunn isn't stupid... but ethically challenged?

No Question.

And others are seeing it my way as the backlash against yet another King County RINO political opportunist mounts.

Originally published January 20, 2012 at 8:10 AM
Page modified January 20, 2012 at 8:12 AM

Dunn riles GOP circles by backing gay marriage
Republican Attorney General candidate Reagan Dunn's support of gay marriage has created a backlash from some GOP leaders.

By Jim Brunner
Seattle Times political reporter

Republican attorney-general candidate Reagan Dunn is facing a backlash from some GOP leaders and activists over his decision to come out in support of gay marriage.

In the last week, Dunn has been disinvited to big Republican dinners in Whatcom and Franklin counties, and faces a new conservative rival in the attorney-general's race.

"That's the name of the game. There has been some blow back," said Dunn, a Metropolitan King County Council member.

Dunn roiled GOP circles last week when he voted for a county measure supportive of the gay-marriage legalization efforts now before the Legislature — a position at odds with the official GOP platform.

The Whatcom and Franklin County GOP organizations responded by rescinding Dunn's invitation to speak at their Lincoln Day fundraising dinners next month.

"We just thought it probably would be best if he did not come," said Luanne Van Werven, chairwoman of the Whatcom County Republican Party. She said the dinner was meant to emphasize party unity and that Dunn would be a distraction.

Curtis Mohr, chairman of the Franklin County Republicans, said the GOP platform is clear in defining marriage as between a man and a woman. "We wish to send a strong message to those that oppose our political philosophy," he said.

More:

Although plenty of opportunity has been provided, Dunn remains silent on the positions fronted by his apologists, saying nothing to indicate that his spinners accurately reflect his position... going even further to cement this as just another throw principle under the bus ploy to get elected.

And that, frankly, is despicable.

I'm moving closer to Newt on this, and here's why:

2012-01-19T22:37:00.000-08:00

It's about time somebody smacked back.

In case you're wondering....

2012-01-19T22:11:00.000-08:00

Imagine my surprise when I found out: Stationed in Germany 80-96? You can't give blood!

2012-01-19T18:02:00.000-08:00

I hate needles. Hate 'em.

BUUUT, I've been thinking about donating blood since I got signed up with Be The Match... if they'd take coffee-based blood, that is.

So, I started to look into it. And, like hundreds of thousands of others who served over there from 1980 to 1996, I cannot give blood, either to the Red Cross or the Armed Services Blood Program. (How's that for irony?)

We were, apparently, running the risk of exposure to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the ubiquitous "Mad Cow" disease.

I've seen pictures of autopsied brains with this stuff... they look like an old sponge.

I'm just mentioning this stuff as a public service. heads up, Cold War vets.

So.... Jon Russell stops by... again? Seems he's upset over the Bowen Facebook outing getting traction.

2012-01-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

So, on more than one occasion, I've busted our resident slimeball south, Jon Russell, for utilizing various fake identities around the net so he can attack or support those in his political sights he's of a mind to engage.

Most recently, I caused questions with proof that there seems to be more than one "Jessica Bowen," Russell's latest alter-ego. He has used identities of made up people in the past.

All so he can keep his public skirts clean, of course.

And, in the interests of full disclosure, so have I; I am, for example, the ubiquitous Kage McClued, an identity I made up to protect Marc Boldt from attack based on MY letters to the editor in the local democratian.

So, what's the difference?

The difference now is that I'm not running for anything. And save my effort to be a PCO, designed entirely to keep Jon Russell or any of his sock puppets from getting any appointment to anything concerning the 18th District, I have no intention of running for anything, with the possible exception of county commissioner, and I'll deal with all of this when that time comes... if it comes.

But if I were ever to speak as either a candidate or an elected official, anyone reading those words would know they came from me.

Unfortunately for the people, that's not a tenet of character that Russell is burdened with,

Russell, on the other hand, has been trying to ditch Washougal and climb the political ladder for years. He won't be successful at it until I'm dead, of course, because my meager efforts have become the clearing house for all things political concerning Russell and those efforts will stand the test of time, remaining on the internet for all eternity as a reminder of what Russell is, and the kind of people he surrounds himself with.
said...

Anonymous said...

Kelly, your posts are equal to political TMZ for teenage girls in World Comp studies. You suck; I will send an organized volunteer force of Ron Paulers into your precinct, and you will never introduce another retarded bi-law resolution again, because you will not be PCO. 5:54 AM

Kelly Charles said...

Kelly, your posts are equal to political TMZ for teenage girls in World Comp studies. You suck; I will send an organized volunteer force of Ron Paulers into your precinct, and you will never introduce another retarded bi-law resolution again, because you will not be PCO. 5:59 AM

It's up there twice, I suppose, because he got such a kick out of the first effort.

Exclusive of the fact that no one makes you read my stuff, Jon, Kelly Charles doesn't seem to exist, either, but then, that IS Russell's meme: shoot off his mouth without standing behind his words. Even now, no discussion of the merits of the Bowen post or remarks on the bizarre behavior of a person who would engage in these multiple personas... no, just a personal attack against me.

What's problematic for Jon is those darn IP address issues. Easy to trace. And I have it, of course.

In the meantime, let me say this about that.

Even if it were possible for a slimeball like you to organize a healthy goat rope, all I can say is this: bring it.

It's your kind of boastful stupidity, fake names and lies that gives politics a bad name: what was the point of making up yet another fake name and leaving your crap pile here? As you well know, talk is cheap. You'd have been far better off to just trying it while keeping your pie hole shut.

Here's a bulletin, stud: unlike you, I don't need this to make my life complete. If I am not a PCO next time around? Guess what: I'll live.

But it really won't matter, because anything YOU do politically is going to have to go through me.

And I won't be letting that happen.

Because the difference between us is that I'm not running... for anything. You on the other hand, are such a glutton for punishment, you're going to keep coming back... over and over and over...

and over and over again, those voting where you are will continue to know your pathological inability to tell the truth before they mark the ballot.

Cross posted at Jon Russell Watch.

A nice summary of why I don't support Romney.

2012-01-19T05:54:00.000-08:00

I really only know who I'm not voting for... and that's Romney, Paul and Perry.

I am heartily sick of people who will say anything to get elected, such as Tim "The Liar" Leave-it.

Romney has had a chance to govern, and his governance does not instill either confidence, or faith, in me.

But then, none of them do, so I suppose it's all a matter of degree.

Is it any wonder the world laughs at us with a blithering idiot as president?

2012-01-19T01:07:00.000-08:00

Says it all:

Keystone Pipeline Set to Be Rejected by Obama.

CNBC confirmed Wednesday the Obama administration will reject the TransCanada oil sands crude project.

After delaying the project past the November 2012 election, President Obama was compelled by Congress to decide by Feb. 21 on whether to approve the pipeline that would sharply boost the flow of oil from Canada's oil sands.

Should Obama reject the project, Senate Republicans have said they would look at a bill that would force the go-ahead so work could begin on the $7 billion pipeline, save for a portion going through Nebraska, where the state government continues work on an alternate route, said Ryan Bernstein, an energy adviser to Sen. John Hoeven, a North Dakota Republican.

TransCanada's [TRP 41.19 -0.55 (-1.32%) ] oil sands pipeline has put Obama in a political bind at the start of what is expected to be a difficult re-election campaign, and has become a useful tool for Republicans seeking to portray Obama as dithering on a project that they say would create 20,000 jobs.

If the pipeline is rejected, there are some companies that will profit, according to Andrew Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston.

And this moron claims he's concerned about jobs? Clearly, he's more concerned about taking his next vacation.

But the calculus is that Obama is looking at the equally moronic unions and asking himself, "where else are they going to go?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX SOPA CENSORSHIP XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

2012-01-18T00:45:00.000-08:00

So, the newspapers are at it again: effort under way to lower THEIR B&O tax.

2012-01-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

Here's the scam:

2012 Senate Bill 6201: Concerning the business and occupation taxation of newspapers and local interest web sites

[Comments on this legislation] [Post new comment] [Text and Analysis] [Add to Watch List]

[Previous] [Next]

•Introduced by Sen. Sharon Nelson, (D-Vashon) (D) on January 12, 2012, changes the rate of business and occupation taxes for newspapers and local interest web sites from 0.403 percent to 0.383 percent beginning July 1, 2013. The bill also defines "local interest web site" as an internet web site that is normally updated more than once a day and which is substantially dedicated to local interests tailored to a general circulation area of a county or smaller.

◦Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on January 12, 2012.

There's an irony here.

How many times have we seen the words printed in newspapers across this country generally, but certainly the democratian where they tell us that WE should raise OUR taxes.

So.... what's up with this?

Why do THEY rate a tax CUT, while our taxes keep going UP?

I'm sure tomorrow's editorial locally will condemn such an obviously unfair and unconscionable revenue cut since the state is in such a huge deficit situation.

(Remember: repeat after me - a reduction in an increase is NOT a deficit.)

Jessica Bowen, meet Tracy Hernandez. Tracy Hernandez, meet Jessica Bowen

2012-01-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

For several months now, an entity that doesn't exist has been posting on the democratian. It's name?

Jessica Bowen.

I've been postulating that this entity is, in fact, Jon Russell, Washougal city councilman; failed congressional and state representative candidate who has this thing about posting under fake names.

I've addressed this fake identity before, and provided the tie-in with Russell and his original alter-ego, Teacher Judy Banks and then this Bowen identity.

The fake Judy Banks was a foil he could play political games with, until he got too cute by half and I busted him.

He had, sources tell me, as many as 20 different identities on the democratian. The local rag tossed a stick in his spokes, however, when they began to require facebook logins... an, voila'! Jessica Bowen was "born."

This is the fake identity "Jessica Bowen" who, among other things, claims to live in Seattle... and ONLY posts on the democratian web site... and no where else... classic Jon Russell.

But what, to my wandering eyes appear?

Why, the EQUALLY lovely "Traci Hernandez" of Orlando, Florida.

And when I say "equally," I MEAN "equally," since the pictures are of the same person.

Note that the main identity picture for "Tracy Hernandez" is the same as one of the other pictures utilized by "Jessica Bowen."

The links for these two identities are here and here.

One or the other or, likely both, are fake identities.

The question is this: why is one of these fakes an apparent mouthpiece for Jon Russell?

The whole world is watching.

Cross posted at Jon Russell Watch.

Memo to the democratian: The CRC ripoff to date is only the beginning: hundreds of millions more to waste.

2012-01-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

For years now, the local rag has deliberately been turning a blind eye to the waste, fraud and abuse of the CRC while many out here, like me, have been jumping up and down, TRYING to get the message out that this entire project is one, massive, rip off.

As a blueprint, the CRC scammers merely look north 150 miles or so to the SR 520/Bellevue floating bridge scam, where CRC types misappropriated a paltry $400 million... without turning a shovel full of dirt.

To those of us paying attention, nothing the rag wrote today is new, or news. And nothing they wrote today couldn't have been written yesterday... or last month... or last year.... or three years ago.

This is the kind of taxpayer abuse that results from politicians lying, and direct efforts to silence/marginalize and ignore the critics... shades of the Toyota Town Center scam in Wenatchee, where the CRC pattern was followed to a "T," including, you guessed it, silencing/marginalizing and ignoring the critics, leading to a massive default and an editorial almost unbelievably entitled Somebody should have stopped us.

Both the pattern... and the result... will be the same with THIS rip off. Tens of millions of dollars have been wasted. Wheel barrels full of cash, dumped on a scam by, among others, former Rep. Deb Wallace and current Rep. Jim Moeller... single-handily responsible for scamming the legislature into dumping tens of millions into the waste of the CRC.

This rip off is a DIRECT result of incompetence, lies, deceit and theft. The Vancouver City Council; Leave-it, Stuart and Marc Boldt, faux Republican and my brother-in-law, are DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for this scam, the ongoing theft, and their remarkable failure to notice or, apparently, to even care... in large part because they have done nothing to ask the people of this county what WE want and that effort has been done deliberately because THEY DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE WANT.

This newspaper viewed all those who question or conclude that this project has been a massive waste of money. They attack those who question, they abuse those who demand answers, they belittle those who demand a vote...and they have done so literally both as an editorial policy and for a number of years.

Frankly, they should be ashamed, and both Lou Brancaccio and John Laird should resign due to their ongoing failure to bring these scams and theft to the public's attention tens of millions of dollars ago.

Bloggers such as myself and Lew Waters and Larry Patella... particularly Pattela... have been blasted, both directly and indirectly by the democratian's Bobbsy Twins.

Instead of joining with us to speak truth to power, Brancaccio and Laird joined WITH power in a violation of every journalistic tenet to act as their enforcement arm and to seek out and destroy those who, through default, have ultimately wound up doing this very paper's job.

The editorial in question is nothing to be proud of. Many have gone on before while this very newspaper attacked the enemies of corruption and did everything we could to hold those responsible, primarily Leave-it, Stuart, Boldt, Moeller and Wallace accountable.

Now, finally, they point out what has been so obvious for so long that a blind dog could see it.

The corruption of this process; the ongoing marginalization of those who would pay the bills; the arrogance and lack of concern of the interests directly benefiting from the government teat, all with the acquiescence and support of this very newspaper... has gone on for so long and involves so many that it is literally too late to do anything but throw the entire plan out while those involved are investigated, arrested, tried, convicted and imprisoned for what they have done to us.

This paper remained silent in the face of the waste of $400 million on the floating bridge in Seattle, a clear indicator that those scamming the plan down here were doing precisely the same thing. This newspaper never said or wrote anything that I ever heard or saw about this massive waste, because to do so would be a direct reflection on the scam of the process they've been supporting so strongly here, in our own community. And it's not like they didn't know: I first wrote about it months ago... last March, to be precise.Where was the democratian article on that?

No where.

Why?

If they didn't know, it's because they didn't WANT to know.

So, a loooooooooong belated welcome to the party. But don't EVEN believe that it ends here.

While you can never restore your credibility, you can at least ameliorate the damage you both allowed, and that you caused with aiding and abetting this rip off.

Jamie Herrera: Coward.

2012-01-16T22:03:00.000-08:00

here it is, from the article:

Herrera Beutler said her last large town hall meeting got out of hand. People booed and hissed, and it began to resemble the “Jerry Springer Show,” she said.

At that town hall meeting in Vancouver last year, Herrera Beutler fielded angry questions about her support for restructuring Medicare and endured catcalls over her vote for the controversial Republican 10-year budget blueprint that included the Medicare language.

A woman in attendance told Herrera Beutler after the meeting that she was planning to ask a question but changed her mind because of the unruly environment.

“I’m not going to put everyone through that,” Herrera Beutler said.

The congresswoman said she will continue her coffees, which tend to be less publicized. Visitors to her website, http://herrerabeutler.house.gov, are invited to send her their telephone numbers so they can be alerted when a coffee is scheduled nearby.

A WOMAN? ONE fictional woman?

And as a result, the gutless worm we have representing us in Congress will only see "the people" if they bring a checkbook or if they make it through her careful, not-publicized "coffees."

Even Cowardman Brian Baird was better than that.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

Could Herrera BE a bigger idiot?

2012-01-16T21:05:00.000-08:00

No.

It's simply not possible.

They must have to stick a key into the middle of her back every morning and wind her up to get her moving.

Her reliance on the voices of a PITTANCE of voters as to what the vast majority believe or want shows this woman is so stupid, she is literally dangerous.

Here's a memo, Barbie: the CTran district vote that you're so hot and bothered about will be a tiny, tiny percentage of the electorate, and it will in o way represent anything CLOSE to what your "constitiuents" think about this rip ff, save for the few thousand who will be allowed to vote to assign these taxes/fees/tolls to the rest of us.

Are you really that moronic that you don't KNOW that?

In the article, she babbled:

A new bill would make a difference in securing the $450 million-plus of federal highway funding that the controversial project needs to get off the ground. Yet at the same time, the freshman Republican told The Columbian’s editorial board a vote on light rail would give her a better idea of local support for the $3.5 billion highway, light rail and bridge project.

Fine... IF it's a county-wide vote instead of that gerrymandered, all-the-no-votes-silenced vote that she seems to favor.

But it won't be. And when she mumbles THIS:

While she said she’d like to see an overall up-or-down vote on the entire project, she said that legally and practically, a C-Tran vote on the operations and maintenance of light rail is the best route. Should the measure pass, then she said she knows her constituents support the plans as they stand. If it fails, then Herrera Beutler said the need for a new bridge does not go away, but “it does mean we’re going to have to redraw things.”

She's flat, fricking lying.

"Should the measure pass...." are you fricking KIDDING me?

65,000 commuters will be kept from voting if they live out of the tiny CTran district, cut to force us to pay the tax while simultaneously keeping us from having any say on the issue.

She will have no idea "what her constituents" think about this, because hundreds of thousands of us WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO VOTE.

This vote, to have ANY goal of showing her "what her constituency thinks," MUST BE COUNTY WIDE< IF NOT REGION WIDE. And if there ARE legal reasons why that can't happen (and, of course, there aren't) then SHE should set about to fix them legislatively... instead of sticking her finger up her nose and saying, "... oh, gee, well, I guess I'll just keep pushing this sham vote..."

My God, that woman is stupid.

She is an embarrassment. I would almost vote for another Obama before I would ever, EVER, vote for her.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

Obama and the democrats on recess appointments: Constitution? WHAT Constitution?

2012-01-16T15:46:00.000-08:00

In a bit of rank hypocrisy reminiscent of then Senator Empty Suit railing against increasing the debt ceiling, Slimeball Senator Reid used rolling sessions to make sure that then President Bush could not utilize recess appointments to get around his thuggary.

So, now that rolling sessions or the same variety were in use to keep the Senate in session for the exact same purpose; specifically, to keep the Moron-in-Chief from making recess appointments, what does that socialist do?

Make recess appointments.

Much like the whining and sniveling of our local fringe-leftist nutburger about the issue of cloiture, on the left, where situational ethics rules the day, when THEY can use these parlamentary tools, it's all well and good. It's only bad when the Republicans do it, you see.

Can you even begin to imagine the outrage of these same fringers if Bush II had done the same during his tenure?

So, where's the leftist anger at this abuse? That there isn't any is the thing.

This goes to the heart of why, more and more, people hate their government... but also speaks to the fact that indeed, we do have the government we deserve.

Putting principle aside to win elections; the bizarre concept of "attainability"

2012-01-16T10:15:00.000-08:00

It seems that Republicans have been losing in Washington state so much and for so long that they've ginned up "attainability" as the next excuse meme for compromising or shattering principles in the name of getting elected.

One thing I admire about democrats generally on the political scene is that they rarely rely on such nonsensical verbal gymnastics to succeed. They typically put a political philosophy out there and stick to it, even if they lose.

The result? Up until recently, democrats have become increasingly successful on the political scene. Of course, gross incompetence like that displayed at most political levels since the election of the empty suit in the White House doesn't serve to further their aims; but on principle, any retreat is temporary, a mere speed bump in their agenda as they rightly know that Republicans increasingly lack the courage needed to effectively oppose their aims... because, after all, we are completely wrapped around the axles of "attainability" and "pragmatism," which are, of course, descriptive terms for cowardice wrapped in compromise, selling out merely to get a body with an "R" after it's name into elective office.

Many Republicans excuse this kind of cowardice, this moral prevarication. They point out that "attainability" is the thing. They cling to the bizarre idea that the ONLY thing that matters is the letter after the candidate's name.

I disagree.

I do this sort of thing for a living. Some might find that odd, because in holding those accountable who would trade their principles, like say, Reagan Dunn would trade his to attain elective office, they might think that it's costing me money.

And it does, I admit it. But I could not live with myself professionally or personally if I were to sell out my principles.

In the most recent election, for example, I was supporting an effort, and getting paid for it, that involved people who ultimately turned out to be rather unsavory. When I discovered that fact, I quit. Immediately... walking away from thousands of dollars... because I would not compromise in the name of "attainability."

If "attainability" was successful, for example, at the local level, Tom Mielke would not have been elected county commissioner against a much better funded, all the media-supported democrat candidate.

He had no right to win. No one believed he would win. But he fought a battle on principle (The nonsensical CRC scam) instead of the political expediency apparently coming into favor for so many recently, and HE won.

And that he won in the midst of the Obama tsunami... that he won on a shoe string... that he stuck to principle... shows that it CAN be done.... IF you know what you're doing.... and IF you stick to principle.... you CAN win... "attainability" be damned.

Running on some sort of platform of getting elected at any price is not the answer. Lying to win is not the answer.

For some, the success of those two philosophies is the thing. Getting elected, no matter how, no matter what is said is the thing, you see. But when the first casualty of politics is the truth, it ain't gonna happen with my support.

Remember: "mainstreaming" is just another term for becoming more democrat, and less Republican. And if you don't think so, then feel free to check the Mainstream Republicans out: you'll come to find out that they have many more similarities to the democrat political positions then you will find differences.

And if doing it the situationally ethical way that King County does it was all that, it wouldn't be the democrat bastion that it has been for decades now.

Marc Boldt is a stellar example of the kind of "attainability" those only interested in outcomes achieve. He's sold us out repeatedly in a variety of ways, but, by God, he has an "R" after his name, and that's all that matters.

Well, not to me it ain't.

Much more to come.

How the GOP can blow this election.

2012-01-15T15:25:00.000-08:00

So, at the national level, we see the presidential candidates beating the hell out of each other. That troubles some, but is this where I point out that at this time in '08, the dems are pretty much doing the same?

At the state level, the dems pinned their hopes to a relative moron, Jay Inslee, who has never been considered the brightest bulb on the tree, while the GOP anointed their establishment candidate who has been your basic, typical KingCo RINO, our state attorney general, Rob McKenna.

For the senate, no credible candidate has announced, and, of course, anyone with an "R" after their names starts off 140,000 behind because of the kool aid drinkers in king County.

Locally, Ridgefield Barbie has drawn some democrat opposition; unfortunately, no one from the right side of the spectrum has deigned to take on this waste of skin.

In Legislative races, the dems, apparently, will have 19 open seats to defend while the GOP has 2. Also, democrat mishandling of our budget in the face of years-long GOP warnings will cause them some amount of difficulty.

In the county commissioner races, non-Republican Marc Boldt will be crippled due to his utter failure to adhere to GOP principles for several years that has resulted in local agencies treating us like chattel instead of their bosses. His lies about "service" are ringing hollow. Mielke should have no trouble with re-election.

On the surface, given rampant democrat incompetence, it looks like the table is set for a massacre of democrats this November.

Don't count on it.

The GOP has a history of incompetence in campaign matters at all levels. And I see little to reassure me that the issues have been favorably addressed.

For example, here locally, we have a web site that looks like it was slammed together by an 8th grader. We lack even a rudimentary newsletter, and if more then 6 people show up at party headquarters, parking is a nightmare.

These things go to the basic issues of competence. They have been this way for years; it doesn't seem to matter who is running the show, they appear to have achieved a comfort level of mediocrity that advantages us nothing and we sit while the democrats use every conceivable method to advance their cause, organize, finance and implement their ground game, and win elections that they, well, shouldn't win.

I make my living off of politics. I'm also a PCO. I observe it at all levels, but with a local focus.

As I was discussing the issues yesterday, I mentioned that we have no plan. We have no vision. We have no clue.

The brilliance that was 1994 was based in large part on the Contract With America. Everyone voting GOP signed it. Everyone knew, or could have known, what they were getting with a GOP vote.

So, when people ask me now, why specifically, they should vote GOP, what do I tell them?

Beats me. If there's a plan, a vision, a strategy.... *I* haven't seen it.

As a party, we let events dictate instead of dictating events. We react. We rarely ACT.

If we do well, it's rarely because WE did well, it's almost always because things were so bad that there wasn't any choice.

The terrain favors us. But a commander with EVERY advantage can still lose a battle... lose a war.

And I'm not particularly convinced that we will run the table this time, either.

Strange goin's ons at the democratian: a sudden onslaught of negative bridge articles.

2012-01-14T21:29:00.000-08:00

Literally for years, the Lazy C never mentioned the huge but unorganized opposition to their horrific, unneeded, unwanted and unnecessary life-long bridge indebtedness/loot rail/toll scam.

Now, the negative side seems to be all they write about.

Not that I'm complaining, you understand. Lightning Lou Brancaccio used to make me blow chunks with his columns where it seemed he could never find anyone who was opposed to his scam... which is why we had been deluged with pro-bridge/loot rail propaganda that would have made Goebbels blush, for months on end.

Bogus, nonsensical polling that resulted in numbers the rag wanted by asking moronic questions that failed to address the issues... things like that.

Well, folks are paying attention now. I'M paying attention, and if the board of county commissioners ever responds to my FOIA, I might have some news that will really nail this crock pot shut.

But that said, the point of this post is to mention that, in fact, I HAVE noticed a sudden increase in less then complimentary articles concerning the biggest rip off in the history of the NW United States.

CRC foes of all stripes share concerns.

Criticism of bridge design hasn't let up.

CRC bridge plan exceeds budget, schedule.

Now, this represents a small level of progress on this issue. What's missing from the democratian are demands for accountability, transparency, audits and an explanation as to why, in the face of proof to the contrary, CTran lied to the voters concerning their financial condition.

But this is a start. And I have noticed.

You can call it "credit where credit is due."

ANOTHER reason to vote against McKenna? "Why are you still a PCO?"

2012-01-14T13:27:00.000-08:00

So, I went to the GOP Central Committee Meeting today... The usual gathering of party stalwarts, many of years-long association.

That, of course, is neither here nor there.

One woman came up to me and asked, seriously, "Why are you still a PCO? You write such horrible things about Rob McKenna... you can't do that and still be a PCO!"

Well, since she's apparently a regular reader of this blog, I'm going to a provide a more lengthy answer then the "yes, I actually can. Being a PCO doesn't require either that I remain silent when I disagree or that I suspend my disbelief because a candidate has a particular letter after their name."

"I've known Rob for 30 years," she went on, "and he's a wonderful man! You can't be a PCO and say bad things about Republicans!"

Of course I can. Holding politicians accountable is part and parcel of what I do. And when Republicans do stupid, or illegal, or liberal things, I damned well WILL come after them. While that "turn the other cheek" stuff might apply to many, it has no application in the political world when lives will be impacted at the ballot box.

In the past, I've shown when many are lying to the public. Jon Russell, Jaime Herrera, Tim "The Liar" Leave-it, Brian Baird... I'm equal opportunity and not at all put off when it comes to demanding the truth.

Can't handle it?

Then feel free to ignore my meager efforts.

As for McKenna, well, I don't care if he's a saint.

First of all, he's NOT "the" GOP candidate. There is at least one other announced GOP candidate.

Second, I prepaid my First Amendment rights by serving this country in uniform for 14 years and change. As an elected PCO, I don't owe anything to anyone except those in my precinct.

"I'm going to fight you on this!"

Feel free. But also feel free to answer this questions... the questions you ignored when I asked them of you, twice:

Have I written anything inaccurate? Did I write anything untrue?

To those who see McKenna as all that, such is your privilege. I don't. I have stated my reasons clearly and succinctly. If I am wrong because my facts are wrong, that is certainly one thing.

If I am wrong because I'm not a Republican member of the herd or because you happen to support a candidate I don't support, well, that is too bad.

In all likelihood, McKenna will win the primary and become governor. That doesn't matter a wit to me, and when I say that he'll do it without my support, that is equally true.

But that anyone out there is moronic enough to believe that because they disagree with my positions they somehow have the right to control what I write, when I write, or how I write... well, they've got a screw lose.

Right, Lou?
.

Congressman and Warrior Allen West on the "Taliban Whizzers" (The Marines who pissed on the insurgents.)

2012-01-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

All this crap about those Marines. A true warrior and Congressman, unlike our own cardboard cutout of a chair-warmer says this:

The Blog
Allen West on the Marines Incident: 'Shut Your Mouth, War Is Hell'
1:37 PM, Jan 13, 2012 • By DANIEL HALPER
Single Page Print Larger Text Smaller Text Alerts

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), a former Army lieutenant colonel, sends THE WEEKLY STANDARD an email commenting on the Marines' video, and has given us permission to publish it.

“I have sat back and assessed the incident with the video of our Marines urinating on Taliban corpses. I do not recall any self-righteous indignation when our Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon had their bodies dragged through Mogadishu. Neither do I recall media outrage and condemnation of our Blackwater security contractors being killed, their bodies burned, and hung from a bridge in Fallujah.

“All these over-emotional pundits and armchair quarterbacks need to chill. Does anyone remember the two Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division who were beheaded and gutted in Iraq?

“The Marines were wrong. Give them a maximum punishment under field grade level Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), place a General Officer level letter of reprimand in their personnel file, and have them in full dress uniform stand before their Battalion, each personally apologize to God, Country, and Corps videotaped and conclude by singing the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter.

“As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell.”

God, if only we had West as president instead of that simple idiot we've got now.

So, wondering about the next trillion Ridgefield Barbie and the GOP are over to forking Obama?

2012-01-13T11:41:00.000-08:00

I had a few things to say at the time:

Monday, August 01, 2011

Congressman Hinton would be a "no."

With the GOP's betrayal of the people of the United States with this con job that fixes NOTHING in our budget, I've got to say this in words even Ridgefield Barbie can understand:

Congressman Hinton would be a "no."

I get that she's all a flitter about avoiding "default." But this is where I remind Babs that when it comes to cowardice, a hero only dies once.

Barbie's political cowardice?

In viewing all of this, Congressman Hinton has only one question: does this legislation SOLVE THE PROBLEM?

Of course not.

It's so far from "solving" anything that I am... again... ashamed of the party I have worked so hard and sacrificed so much for over the years.

NOW is the time to address the issue. People like Barbie lack the courage to confront the issues NOW, either not knowing or caring that as time goes on, this problem will get worse... and worse. Ultimately, the trouble surrounding our impending bankruptcy, which is still confronting this Nation, will make this controversy look like a fender-bender.

This scam has no cuts. This scam changes nothing. This scam makes no changes while forking over ANOTHER $2.4 trillion for Obama to waste, making the GOP WILLING participants in our fiscal rape... just as guilty as the fringe leftists that have put us in this position in the first place.

And Babs doesn't have the guts to fight for what's right.

More:

And before that, this:

Sunday, July 31, 2011

More stupidity: How Obama screwed the GOP and us all on the debt ceiling scam.

So, the news is out: The deal is cut and we're screwed.

The claim?

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Ending a perilous stalemate, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders announced agreement Sunday night on an emergency deal to avoid to avert the nation's first-ever financial default. The arrangement would cut more than $2 trillion from federal spending over a decade.
This is an out and out lie.

The "deal," "cuts" nothing.

That's right, I said it: There will be NO cuts.

What the "deal" does for a short time is reduce the increases scheduled for upcoming budgets.

NO budget will be ANY SMALLER then the budget we have now.

Only in DC and Olympia does a "cut" somehow equate to spending hundreds of billions more then we are spending now.

And the GOP, including that clueless moron representing us in Congress now, will go along with this... this.... abortion.

And now, as we hurtle over the cliff both parties are shoving us over, we have to wonder: what was all the fuss about? After all, we now all know that Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain are the models we're following. Who in their right minds believes for one second that under these conditions, our outcomes will be any different?

This columnist sums it up far better then I ever could:
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them...

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

More:

So, thanks to Boehner (Who already came out here for one of her infamous checkbook-only town hall meetings) and the rest of the morons in the House, we caved and blew through the bogus "debt ceiling" like it's not even there. Because, after all, with clowns like this running the show, it ISN'T there.

And now, these same idiots are reminding people of their stupidity, much like the Camas Manikin and her colleagues screwed up handling Reid's scam plan and the payroll tax cut extortion, instead of sticking it out and seeing it through.

And now? Now we get to fork over ANOTHER trillion-plus so Barbie's democrat buddies and Obama can vaporize it and bury us under an even bigger mountain of debt... $16.4 trillion or so.

Thanks for all you've done to screw us, Babs. I'm sure we appreciate it.

(I'll be gone for a couple of hours. Need to get a refill of my Congressional GOP Brand of KY jelly)

Crossposted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

Interesting response to my Dunn post.

2012-01-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I skewered Reagan Dunn, King County Councilman and erstwhile Attorney General candidate for bailing on the usual GOP position on his bizarre concept of so-called gay marriage... the result of my read of a Danny Westneat back seat-type column.

As a result, an anonymous source swung by and left this:

Danny Westneat's reporting was incomplete. Dunn said he would support the King County Legislative Agenda with the line of "supporting marriage equality" if and only if it included a religious exemption. This was Joe McDermott's concession, and it mirrors Gregoire's position at the state level.

Further, Dunn went on to offer an amendment that would add the line, in effect, we believe marriage equality should go to a vote of the people. The amendment failed 5-4 across party lines. For some reason, this was not mentioned in Westneat's article, and it should not be left out of this blog.

However you stand on the marriage equality issue, I think more Republicans are seeing the nation's attitude shift on it. If they want to preserve their popularity and, thus, their jobs, they are going to try and get ahead of this movement. Yes, it's political. No, it's not personal.

Bottom line, Dunn said he would support the agenda further offering an amendment that would send this issue to the people of our state.

How true is any of this? I don't know. Unfortunately, with most anonymous sources, it's difficult to show any particular level of accuracy or verification.

Because of that and the fact that I don't know the source or the particulars of this information, I can't comment on it's veracity.

But what I did not see today, that would have went a long way to address both my concerns and this anonymous post, is any kind of clarification from Reagan that would have clarified his position as expressed by Westneat, among others.

Given that lack of change in the public perception... and lack of effort by Dunn to address the disconnect in any way that has been publicized between what Westneat printed and what this comment says, I have to go with both my original take and my conclusion: I will not support Dunn's election.

Not content with screwing up school lunches, ending school bake sales and developing her food Gestapo... The Klingon Princess to screw up vet care.

2012-01-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

Regular readers know the rank hypocrisy of the Klingon Princess... her "do what I say, not what I do" BS.... all rather hypocritically, considering what she eats and feeds her kids... and her husband's trial balloon to have veterans pay for their own wounds and injuries once they're out...

And now, as an election year gambit, this micreant is going to try and prove how much she cares about us... but that's going to be a damned hard sell, considering the loathing the empty suit in the White House displays for the military on such a regular basis.

So, from this veteran, do us a favor: stay the hell out of this. We aren't going to be a campaign prop for either you, or that miserable sot you're married to.

The Washington Times Online Edition

Top 5 ‘let them eat cake’ moments of the Obama White House

First lady Michelle Obama tackling medical treatment for vets
By Julie Pace - Associated Press

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama has gotten a new commitment from medical schools to boost training and research for the treatment of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health injuries.

The initiative is part of the first lady’s Joining Forces campaign, which focuses on issues affecting veterans and their families.

Mrs. Obama was to announce the commitment from more than 100 medical schools during an appearance Wednesday at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. The schools are agreeing to step up training for medical students in how to treat PTSD and traumatic brain injury, increase research into the conditions and share new information and best practices.

Aides said Mrs. Obama will emphasize that while most troops come home from combat with few or no mental health issues, those who do should not see it as a source of shame or weakness.

The Defense Department estimates that nearly 213,000 military personnel have suffered traumatic brain injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2000.

More:

Another idiotic vote by Boldt (And, of course, Steve "Slimeball" Stuart, but that goes without saying.)

2012-01-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

Earlier, I took dead aim at the moron behind a grant that would have provided $66,000 for the expressed purpose of polishing brass and tearing up carpet... in the court house.

The stupidity and waste of such an expenditure, particularly in times like these, is obvious to a blind man.

No republican would ever consider voting for such a waste.

Which, of course, must be why Boldt voted for it, since he stopped being a real Republican back in 05, when he voted to allow CTran to gerrymander there tax district.

Here's the article:

Courthouse restoration money approved.
By The Columbian

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Board of Clark County Commissioners on Tuesday voted to accept a $33,000 grant from the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.

The money, combined with matching county funds, will pay for a professional restoration of the brass-trimmed doors, brass elevator doors and brass railings, lights and mullions in the large window above the front entrance, 1200 Franklin St.

Mark McCauley, the county director of general services, applied for the grant knowing he had the matching money in his facilities budget.

The brass has to be stripped, shined and covered with a sealant to prevent the brass from oxidizing and darkening.

Work could include tearing up the carpet in the hallway on the south side of the first floor and restoring the original terrazzo floors to match the central lobby.

Commissioners Steve Stuart and Marc Boldt approved the grant as part of the meeting’s consent agenda. They did so without additional comment.

More:

Commissioner Hinton would have been a "no." And, I would have been seeking termination of MacCauley.

Boldt's already under hack with the local GOP. Does he think this kind of stupidity is going to FIX that?

Memo to Sam Reed: just in case you think your voting system doesn't have fraud in it.

2012-01-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

So, Reed's lack of action to tighten up vote security... is exactly the system in this video of the laughably defrauded New Hampshire primary.

Not the chips, of course... but the lack of any requirement for ID.

Yeah... the state of Washington uses a variation of this exact system, called Motor Voter/ All Mail Ballots.

Well done, Sam.

And have I mentioned you won't be missed?

Yet another reason to oppose RINO Reagan Dunn for AG: he wants gay marriage... without a vote.

2012-01-11T11:19:00.000-08:00

As a columnist for the fringe left Seattle Times, it's understood that supporting gay marriage and most every other fringe-left political position is a job requirement. After all, you don't see any columnist working for the Times that could remotely be called "conservative," so that perspective is ridiculed and belittled by default.

Danny Westneat is typical of the meme. Although, perhaps, not the neo-communist that Joni Balter is, his nonsensical campaign puff-piece for RINO Reagan Dunn is a bit much.

This garbage from Alex Hayes, for example:

"In the reality of the Republican Party, being pro-gay rights is in no way a winning stance," says Alex Hays, director of Mainstream Republicans of Washington, himself a rare GOP backer of gay rights.

"You get attacked by the right. At the same time you get no credit from the gay community, because you're still a Republican.

"The only reason to do it is if you feel something strong in your heart."

Is just that: garbage. (You ever notice that the only difference between a mainstreamer and a democrat is... well... there is no difference.)

First, if it's what he felt "strong in his heart," he would have done it years ago.

Second, to have even a chance at AG statewide, he has to, at minimum, neutralize King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

That this is anything BUT a calculating political move, just like Pflug's sudden favor for gay marriage as she sells out her caucus is a political move as she shoves her district off the deck in favor of Dunn's county council seat is a politically opportunist move, is absurd.

No courage. Just a reading of the tea leaves and a wager that the base will vote for the Republican anyway, because hatred of democrats will drive that vote.

Well, Dunn just shot to the top of the list of people I will not vote for in this or any other election.

That Westneat sees this as a "courage" issue is just another example of the left wearing out sets of kneepads as they engage in oral copulation with those who agree with their agenda.

They've lionized fake Republican senators Litzow and Pflug; and now Dunn. That they know it's a political scam done entirely for political reasons hasn't stopped them from lying, exaggerating and misrepresenting the "why" of it. And the "why" of it is that these people would sell their own mothers in a Kabul whorehouse to get elected to the next higher office.

And with the Times and their lockstep democrat agenda, clearly, nothing else in a candidate will matter to them except getting gays the "right" to marry (a crock, of course.... gays have the same rights to marry as non-gays.... just not to each other.) and a gay marriage litmus test.

We have the government we deserve. And if a slimeball like Dunn gets elected on cheap theatrics, well, we'll deserve that as well.

But it ain't happening with my vote.

Sources: Russell blows off another city council meeting.

2012-01-10T21:34:00.000-08:00

I'm told that once again, Russell has blown off another city council meeting.

Can his resignation be far behind?

Soon, I hope.

Crossposted on Jon Russell Watch.

So, Romney won in NH. Why does that bother me?

2012-01-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

Romney reminds me of McKenna. In fact, they're cut from the same cloth, I believe.

Neither are anything approaching conservative. Romney's expertise is in his skills at appearing chameleon like. To get elected, he'll be whatever you want him to be: leftist in Massachusetts, conservative in the presidential campaign, or anything else you need.. McKenna doesn't even pretend to be conservative; he's a King County Republican and my experience with most of that ilk is that they're RINO. In that regard, McKenna doesn't disappoint.

But my fear is that Romney will be a president much like McKenna will be a governor: thru that stilted, foggy "Mainstream" (demcrat) Republican meme.

In short, I believe that as governor, we will notice little to no difference between McKenna and say, Locke.

And as president, we would not notice nearly enough of a difference between Romney and Obama.

I'm reminded of the oft-quoted parable of the snake.

And when it comes to the question of how Romney would govern, the answer I give is this: how did he govern in Massachusetts?

Like his name was Gregoire.

The problem we have, however, is this: who else is there?

I don't know.

But I know the following: no Republican will win Washington State for the presidency. Hell, if the dems weren't running a total moron, we'd likely be losing the governor's race here, again, just like we have for the past 28 years or so.

As far as that goes, I know I would dive into a pool of boiling battery acid before I become a Paulistinian. Gingrich is likely the most like me in temperment... but he can't seem to keep his pants zipped. Santorum was once described as the dumbest member of Congress, "he needs to have a key inserted into his back every morning to wind him up and get him going by a magazine who, quite accurately, described our own state cow as the 4th dumbest member... not showing any real favorites. Huntsman is, well, Huntsman... and that seems to me to be somewhere to the left of Lenin.

As it is, I'm sitting this one out. As it is for governor, I will not vote democrat or McKenna, because those two choices have damned little to differentiate them.

I know what I want. And in the presidential race, it just ain't there.

Just when you thought the Obama Administration couldn't GET any more moronic: A Fine for Not Using a Biofuel That Doesn’t Exist

2012-01-10T14:42:00.000-08:00

Could the Idiot-in-Chief GET any more stupid?

Is it even POSSIBLE for this waste of skin to prove with any greater assurance how worthless he is?

A Fine for Not Using a Biofuel That Doesn’t Exist

David Eggen for The New York Times
Refiners are required to blend motor fuel with cellulosic biofuel made from wood chips or the inedible parts of plants like corn cobs.
By MATTHEW L. WALD
Published: January 9, 2012
WASHINGTON — When the companies that supply motor fuel close the books on 2011, they will pay about $6.8 million in penalties to the Treasury because they failed to mix a special type of biofuel into their gasoline and diesel as required by law.

A blog about energy and the environment.
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David Eggen for The New York Times
Fermentation tanks at a demonstration-scale cellulosic plant in Scotland, S.D., built by Poet, an ethanol producer that is planning a commercial-scale plant in Iowa.

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David Eggen for The New York Times
At the South Dakota plant, Poet is testing its technology and the economics of producing ethanol from plant waste.

But there was none to be had. Outside a handful of laboratories and workshops, the ingredient, cellulosic biofuel, does not exist.

In 2012, the oil companies expect to pay even higher penalties for failing to blend in the fuel, which is made from wood chips or the inedible parts of plants like corncobs. Refiners were required to blend 6.6 million gallons into gasoline and diesel in 2011 and face a quota of 8.65 million gallons this year.

“It belies logic,” Charles T. Drevna, the president of the National Petrochemicals and Refiners Association, said of the 2011 quota. And raising the quota for 2012 when there is no production makes even less sense, he said.

Penalizing the fuel suppliers demonstrates what happens when the federal government really, really wants something that technology is not ready to provide. In fact, while it may seem harsh that the Environmental Protection Agency is penalizing them for failing to do the impossible, the agency is being lenient by the standards of the law, the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act.

The law, aimed at reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, its reliance on oil imported from hostile places and the export of dollars to pay for it, includes provisions to increase the efficiency of vehicles as well as incorporate renewable energy sources into gasoline and diesel.
It requires the use of three alternative fuels: car and truck fuel made from cellulose, diesel fuel made from biomass and fuel made from biological materials but with a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gases. Only the cellulosic fuel is commercially unavailable. As for meeting the quotas in the other categories, the refiners will not close their books until February and are not sure what will happen.

The goal set by the law for vehicle fuel from cellulose was 250 million gallons for 2011 and 500 million gallons for 2012. (These are small numbers relative to the American fuel market; the E.P.A. estimates that gasoline sales in 2012 will amount to about 135 billion gallons, and highway diesel, about 51 billion gallons.)

Even advocates of renewable fuel acknowledge that the refiners are at least partly correct in complaining about the penalties.

“From a taxpayer/consumer standpoint, it doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense that we would require blenders to pay fines or fees or whatever for stuff that literally isn’t available,” said Dennis V. McGinn, a retired vice admiral who serves on the American Council on Renewable Energy.

The standards for cellulosic fuel are part of an overall goal of having 36 billion gallons of biofuels incorporated annually by 2022. But substantial technical progress would be needed to meet that — and lately it has been hard to come by.

More:

Obama couldn't be this stupid.

Could he?

The Viral Connell basketball mugging video.

2012-01-10T12:47:00.000-08:00

Connell, as he was want to tell us, is the home of the single A state champion football team, Connell High School, coached by a fellow named Didier. (Yes, THAT Didier.)

During the campaign, I questioned his politics... now I question his coaching.

For a refresher, here's the video of the multiple muggings by thugs who wouldn't be out of place in a University of Oregon Duck jail.

There is, of course, "viral" and VIRAL.

This bad boy is VIRAL.

When I first watched it a week or so ago, it had around 34,000 or so views.

Since then, that number has gone up to 6.5 million.

That these two should be arrested is not even a question. They should both be expelled, arrested and sued by the families of the kids they assaulted. Connell should be required to forfeit this game and kick these thugs out of athletics.

School administrators and others flip out over "hazing." In this case, the line was not only crossed... it was obliterated. And while this wasn't "hazing," it was a hell of a lot worse then hazing I've seen and heard about..

And the sports apologists for Connell, their coach and AD should be fired to make sure they have no further influence on children anywhere. The refs should turn in their zebra stripes, because they were, essentially, worthless.

This was NOT "edited." I don't CARE what the other team, miniature in comparison, did or said. There is, for example, a game film or two so for those idiots pointing out that this tape was posted by a Highland parent, feel free o post your OWN excerpts showing where Highland players were doing anything CLOSE to the Connell thugs.

To discredit this video because of it's sources is much like discounting a victims video of a drive-by shooting: what was said and done before DOES NOT MATTER. THIS video shows beyond any doubt that these two thugs should be inmates at the prison most people in Connell work in.

The WIAA has a chance to, finally, do the right thing here.

For once.

Will they?

I doubt it.

The Klingon Princess: where do we go on the taxpayer's dime next?

2012-01-09T20:46:00.001-08:00

The rank hypocrisy of the Taliban Vancouver City Council: throw a fit if Stewart doesn't vote the way the council wants, but do everything they can to keep us from voting so they can ignore what the people want.

2012-01-09T20:39:00.000-08:00

Odd, isn't it? The Bridgers/looters both throw a fit if a Jeannie Stewart doesn't act as their sock puppet while doing everything they can to silence the voters on this very issue. Ahhh, that leftist, situational ethics.

Tim "The Liar" Leave-it continues to ooze his peculiar brand of scummy hypocrisy by condemning Stewart for not doing his bidding on the CTran Board. Others have pointed out that if there was a need for a trained monkey to represent the city council, then they should have asked for a trained monkey instead of a human. In short, sending anyone over there is idiocy if all they need is an automaton.

Stewart's "failing" is that she is concerned about representing the people. The Liar and his fellow shills could care less what the people want when what we want interferes with their arrogant view that reminds me so much of a Mussolini-type fascism that would not have been out of place in a pre-US invasion Kabul mayorship.

For a blow-by-blow of the fact that Leave-it is such a scummy worm, check out the email traffic here:

Clearly, The Swami is scummy.

Syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts: every effort to instill accountability in to our voting system is racist.

2012-01-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

More properly titled: The ongoing effort to make sure the democrats get the illegal and illegal alien vote, the very idea of holding ALL people to the SAME standard is beyond the comprehension of the inculcated, "I'm a victim" class of minorities in this country.

Hold them accountable like non-minorities (meaning white men, because every other class IS a "minority") and these clowns whip out the ...racist card EVERY FRICKING TIME.

The result? You get people like Pitts, who's one moment of glory was his column the day after 9/11, lying through their collective teeth, claiming that those who have no license, no bank accounts, no welfare checks are being "disenfranchised" by laws like South Carolina's ID law. You get monumental whining, bitching, sniveling and the like.

What you don't get are solutions to the problem because people like Pitts don't believe their IS a problem.

Pitt's leads with:

The ongoing effort to disenfranchise poor, black voters

So here's how it is:

You have no driver's license because you have nothing to drive. You have no passport because you've never been out of the country. You have no other photo ID because you have no bank account. You work and get paid under the table, a wad of cash sliding from hand to hand.

It is a life lived in the margins. And if South Carolina and a number of other GOP-controlled states have their way, it will be a life to which a significant new impediment will be added: You will not be able to vote.

Well, never mind that the paragraph above describes ILLEGAL ALIENS to a "t." Pitt's pathetic claim is that it is being done entirely to "disenfranchise" "poor, black voters."

Really?

And how many blacks who have no license, no state or federal ID, no real job (Yeah, there's a HUGE underground economy, and every single person in it is.... BLACK) and who ONLY get paid "under the table" VOTE? Even if Pitt's rant WAS true... these rules don't stop anyone from voting. What they do is make you get ID, period.

And Pitts would risk the security and integrity of our entire voting system, because those who care so much about this franchise won't bother to get the ID necessary to participate in it?

What sickening pap.

Ladies and gentlemen, I offer Exhibit A of what our entitlement/victimhood culture has wrought.

Congratulations. Aren't you proud?

More sniveling from The Liar Leave-it: those weren't MY predictions, so why blame me for being an idiot?

2012-01-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

So, I went back over to Dammwood's pig trough to check out the latest comments on Tim "The Liar" Leave-it's low life "Swami" pronouncements, and what do I stumble upon?

Timothy D Leavitt · Top Commenter · Vancouver, Washington
Well...Carolyn/Lew/Linda, et al., you may bang on me all you'd like, but the truth is these "predictions" were contrived mostly by OTHERS in our community that are paying attention to what's going on...and have a sense of humor. Re-read the article. The one prediction that is ENTIRELY my own...as noted by Andrea, is the last statement. So....keep criticising me...it's no skin off my back!
Reply · 3 · Like· Thursday at 2:59pm

Apparently too damned dense to recognize that calling anyone else a hypocrite, regardless of the alleged source of the words and too stupid to understand that it doesn't matter WHERE that crap came form, HE SAID IT.... makes him out to be a simple moron, instead of acknowledging that he crossed the line and apologizing, this is his playground, bullshit response.

In a brief review of the bidding, The Liar Leave-it is the biggest con in elected office today, save that waste of space in the White House, a moron that, as I recall, The Liar ALSO endorsed.

His campaign, based on a fake position where he lied... repeatedly... about being opposed to tolls and used that lie to get elected, ranks as the most hypocritical political act ever known in SW Washington.

His cowardly refusal to either take responsibility for his campaign lies and do the honorable thing: namely, resign, combined with his cowardly sniveling here shows, yet again, that he's unfit for any elective office.

And hopefully, this WILL be "skin of your back." A great DEAL of political skin "off your back."

Need even more proof that Ridgefield Barbie sucks? Read this:

2012-01-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

Speaks for itself. I actually would rather have a democrat elected that actually at least went through the motions of giving a crap about ALL of her constituents then a thoughtless coward like Herrera.

County owes gratitude to Redistricting Commission

THE OLYMPIAN • Published January 08, 2012 Modified January 07, 2012

The Olympian

3 Comments

For South Sound residents, there’s a whole lot to like about the new congressional district boundaries drawn by the Washington State Redistricting Commission.

Going into this highly partisan battle – which will go a long way in determining the makeup of Washington’s next congressional delegation – we pleaded with the four redistricting commissioners to make Olympia the heart of the new 10th congressional district. That’s precisely what the commissioners did, and we owe them a big thank you for the favor.

The state was awarded a new district based on population growth as counted in the 2000 census. The four commissioners – two Democrats and two Republicans – have spent the better part of the year dividing the state into 10 congressional districts with almost equal population in each.

For the last 10 years, Thurston County residents have not been well served with a large portion of the county in the 3rd Congressional District and much of the Lacey and east county area in the 9th Congressional District.

Rep. Adam Smith, the eight-term congressman from the 9th District, is a north Tacoma resident. He has paid attention to Thurston County residents and their issues, and as a Democrat fits well with the progressive majority that dominates the political scene in the capital city area.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler, the congresswoman from the 3rd Congressional District. The Vancouver-area resident has all but ignored this end of her district since her election a year ago. She declined to open a permanent office at the northern end of the sprawling district, despite the concentration of constituents here.

Even Thurston County Republican Party Chairman John O’Callaghan admits that Herrera Beutler is not a frequent visitor. O’Callaghan said the congresswoman made a few visits early in her term and held a small-group meetings over coffee with Tenino-area residents. Republicans also held a barbecue fundraiser for Herrera Beutler last summer but O’Callaghan said, “I haven’t seen her since.”

More:

Well, when you're a narcissistic, self-centered political waste of skin, and someone who won't meet with you unless you bring a check book, I suppose this sort of thing is inevitable.

But then, I've been writing about the Camas Manikin for years. Maybe, someday, someone will listen... and vote for someone else.

Cross posted on Jaime Herrera Watch.

Dammwood critiques my review of her scummy political blog post.

2012-01-08T12:57:00.000-08:00

Earlier, I lit up both Tim "The Liar" Leave-it for being a complete asshole for the things he said in public concerning some of those wise enough to think he's a complete scumbag and lying moron... And, of course, Andrea Dammwood for spreading Leave-it's tripe around through the political blog in the democratian.

Her response was an utterly worthless tweet:

For those of the despicable and genuine asshole sort, maybe it IS "... better than Wheaties."

As for the rest of us, who have to suffer from their bias and lack of integrity, perhaps not so much.

And failing to provide a link to the post in question?

That makes her tweet as worthless as the rest of her biased, inaccurate and slanted garbage.

Is this where I point out that my tracking software indicates that the Columbian is among my highest readership?

Stuff that in your Wheaties.

When it's important to Vancouverites, you'll read about it... in the Olympian?

2012-01-08T10:16:00.000-08:00

The following legislators from Clark County are cutting their own pay voluntarily:

Senate:

Don Benton (R)

House:

Ann Rivers (R), who was the first Republican and 4th legislator over all to cut their pay, and SHE did it without a press release, unlike Moeller.

Sharon Wylie (D)

Paul Harris (R)

And that's it.

The Candy Man Moeller is not cutting his pay; he's claimed he's giving 3% to Share house... and, of course, taking the tax write off for it.

That said: what's the deal with the others? Why hasn't Zarelli, Pridemore, and Probst taken the plunge?

Just askin'

The democratian takes another step towards oblivion.

2012-01-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

So, Lou "Broke my shoulder while patting myself on the back" Brancaccio announces another step on their road to a final bankruptcy.

A 20 percent reduction in the number of sections, from 5 to 4.

Using less paper for the birdcage liner (birds everywhere locally among the few remaining subscribers will be outraged!)

The rest of it, of course, is moving the deck chairs around the deck of the Titanic.

It doesn't necessarily have to be this way, of course.

Fire Brancaccio and his pit Yorkie, John Laird, because, frankly, the definition of insanity is to allow these two morons to keep doing what they've been doing while expecting a different outcome.

Actually implement true, unbiased journalism.

Reflect the values of your community.

Make a concerted effort to reach out to the more conservative... or even moderate, in this community. Stop providing us all with reasons to avoid buying this rag like we avoid buying heroin.

Stop using the paper as a bully pulpit to beat the hell out of the defenseless because they're wise enough to loudly oppose your your locally self-destructive bent.

Start demanding of government the same things you demand of us. Start holding ALL parties and their politicians EQUALLY accountable. Start treating BOTH sides the same.

Stop giving leftists a pass. Start giving endorsements based on the same criteria, EVERY time. (For example, experience matters. Ignoring it to suit you, like you have when Pam Brokaw, with her complete lack of elective experience has been overlooked as much as her opponents years OF experience has been ignored... while in many other instances, you routinely trot out experience as a reason to re-elect)

These things won't happen, of course. Losing the palace that now houses Tim "The Liar" Leave-it made no difference or in-roads into what could loosely be called the "thinking" of the democratian.

So, sooner, rather than latter, the "pay a dollar for a 25 cent newspaper" will go under... one would hope.

The democratian blows the call again: concerned over a few hundred thousand while screwing us for billions, and babbling over healthcare issues with no suggestions to fix it.

2012-01-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

Leave it to the local rag: complaining about a small hole in the boat while they work to rip out the entire hull:

Jeers: To a decision by the Vancouver Fire Department to withdraw from a training group it had jointly formed with two other local fire agencies just last May. City Fire Chief Joe Molina told The Columbian’s Paul Suarez that integrating the city’s way of doing things with the way fire districts do things was just too difficult. In other words, the bureaucracies don’t align.

That’s too bad, because the training group had the possibility of saving $300,000 in taxpayer money annually. Now the city will hire another training fire chief at a minimum salary exceeding $90,000 per year, plus benefits. That’s a lot of money. We wish Molina would reconsider, and try to find a way to make it work.

"That's a lot of money."

And, it's a mountain of hypocrisy.

These self-same slime at the rag have championed multi-billion dollar wastes of money... and most recently, multi-million dollar rip offs involving an unwanted and unneeded ballpark scam.

So, these clowns are going to complain about this?

Where's their demands concerning everything from saving a million per year by getting rid of all the public information and deputy assistant types infesting local government? Where's their editorial condemning the idiocy of the court house brass polishing project? this moron is focusing on saving an end-table while our house is being consumed in a local conflagration that THEY routinely pour gasoline on to by the gallon.

And THIS idiocy:

Jeers: To this kind of health care system in the world’s richest country: The uninsured are now turning to Groupon and Daily Deals type of discount websites to find affordable care. Two problems: What happens when that angioplasty Uncle Charlie needs isn’t on sale today? And what kind of additional pricing pressure does that put on those of us suckers with health insurance, who pay the list price?

Bitching is easy. I do it, a lot. These people bitch incessantly... and rarely, if ever provide any solutions to their whining. And here's but another case in point.
'
IF this is a problem (and I don't believe it is) then where's their fix?

Look, I get this pimple on the butt of the science of journalism is fringe left. But even leftists sometimes make the attempt to provide solutions, no matter how bizarre.

But these slimeballs don't even bother to do THAT.

When I was on legislative staff, we were bombarded by people with complaints, concerns, demands and the like.

Pay ME. Fund MY program. Don't cut ME.

What I CAN'T recall was a single instance in six years of someone walking through the door with a single solution.

"Look, we need you to fund program X. And here's where I think you can find the money so that no one else gets hurt."

Nope. It was ALWAYS "ME, ME, ME!"

Bitching is, of course, an American past time. Problems going unsolved and unrealistic demands, unfortunately, are also an American past time.

As is, unfortunately, the stilted, biased and blindered-view of this waste of wood pulp.

The value of this nation in large part is our ability to think, to innovate, to SOLVE problems. And that is a characteristic almost entirely from the disgrace on 8th Street.

God rid is of this cancer. And soon.

For those of you still wondering, yeah, Tim "The Liar" Leave-it s a scum-sucking slimeball... and so is Andre Damewood for publishing this slime.

2012-01-04T20:02:00.000-08:00

We all know Mayor McFly, Tim "The Liar" Leave-it is a lying scumbag.

Now, we can add genuine asshole to the list, and the same goes to Andrea Damewood for publishing this scumbag's despicable pronouncement.

Here it is, in it's entirety:

Swami Says
Blog: All politics is local
Subscribe
By Andrea Damewood (Columbian Staff)
January 4, 2012

You may recall last year that Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt and former Mayor Royce Pollard (not the world's tightest duo) hosted dueling New Years Eve galas.

Not this year.

Instead, Leavitt folded himself into the Rotary event at the Hilton, where they asked him to play the role of “Swami” for part of the evening.

As part of their fundraising, participants purchased a ticket in order to address the “Swami” and receive their fortune.

(Obviously the lady to his right thought some of his predictions were off the mark.)

"If you can’t laugh at yourself and have some fun, then you’re in a world of hurt!" Leavitt said of his get up.

He also said that since our editor, Lou Brancaccio, is into giving predictions, Leavitt would give a few of his calls for the new year, offered by his friends. (We have a feeling that one Albert Angelo III had a hand in these).

1) Lebron James will still not win an NBA title, proving that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, unless of course you’re an Oregonian moving to Washington to avoid income tax.

2) Leavitt and Pollard will become best friends and travel to south American Mayan ruins where they will save the World from its bitter end (12/21/12). Super Friends!

3) Lou Brancaccio will join the cast of the Jersey Shore television show and finally get all the attention he deserves.

4) NBC picks up the fledgling production of Vancouvria. Leavitt resigns from Vancouver mayor job to take star role as super-smart County Commissioner Tom Mielke.

5) Steve Herman (who comes to nearly every meeting to speak against light rail and tolling) shows at a council meeting, and forgets what he wanted to testify about.

6) David Madore and Larry Patella wage a war against each other. Patella doesn’t want to pass the torch to Madore for the title of “Vancouver’s Biggest Hypocrite.” Representative Jaime Herrera Buetler asks for a public vote on who should be crowned.

7) A Mayor and Councilmember Swimsuit Calendar is produced. The only buyers are your girlfriends and family members of the Council. Proceeds go to save the Slocum House Theatre!

And, one prediction that's a bit more serious -- and a lot more politically phrased, from the mayor:

More:

There are precisely two requirements for Vancouver to ever BECOME a "great place to live" instead of the total camel's arm pit it is now: one, for this despicable rag to go bankrupt and two, for The Liar to be recalled.

There's no hope, otherwise.

For THE rankest political hypocrite to ever live here locally to say anything like that about anyone else shows that he's not only unfit for elective office, but he's likely unfit to be out without a keeper.

And for Dammwood and this rag to print this garbage?

Well, there's neither excuse or explanation.

But I'm glad they did, in a way, because McFly?

Expect to see it... a lot.

God, what a despicable pair of human beings, Leave-it and Dammwood.

More completely rank hypocrisy from the local birdcage liner: "Not on Public's Dime."

2012-01-04T11:23:00.000-08:00

This morning's rant from the rag:

In our view: Not on Public’s Dime
Political parties are private groups; let them conduct and pay for their own elections

Imagine a private organization — a classic-car club or the rose pruners’ auxiliary — demanding that the public pay for the election of its officers. That proposal would be met with laughter, derision and rejection. And rightly so. If unofficial groups want to elect officers, fine. Have at it. Just not on the public dime.

Clearly, political parties are private organizations; their employees and volunteers are not public officials. So it makes perfect sense for the parties to conduct — and pay for — the election of precinct committee officers. That’s the current system, although for many years precinct committee officers were chosen in public elections.

What un-fricking believable hypocrisy.

Here's an editorial they could have run a few months back:

Imagine a private organization — a baseball team — demanding that the public pay for it's facility while THEY own it, make all the money off of it, and ram the tax down our throats without asking. That proposal would be met with laughter, derision and rejection. And rightly so. If private organizations want to build facilities, fine. Have at it. Just not on the public dime.

Clearly, baseball teams are private organizations; their employees and volunteers are not public officials. So it makes perfect sense for a team to build — and pay for — any ballpark facility they use. That’s the current system around here, although for many years, sports teams have been screwing their respective communities with outrageous demands and taxpayer subsidized rip offs, usually without any election.

And yet, in their own enlightened self-interest, the slimeballs at the democratian certainly took the contrary view. They had no problem whatsoever doing everything they could to shill this manure-pile to us with everything from bogus financial reports to tugging at our heart-strings ("It's America's game!")

They did all that, of course, because they stood to make Bank off this scam while not having to pay a penny to get it built. No, that was all on us... and on us without anyone asking.

One of the many problems with our very own carbuncle on the butt of SW Washington is the rag's constantly situational brand of ethics.

Like everything else these sculls push, if they like it, they like it. If they hate it, they hate it. The problem is that they make up reasons to support or oppose something.... literally, on the spot.

Roughly a year before these clowns became so enamored of building a ballpark over here, they came out with an editorial condemning the very idea of a ballpark to be built on public dollars. But this ripoff comes along, and they fall down and strip in anticipation of the orgy of public money that would be wasted to THEIR benefit.

This is all-too-typical of the rag, a rag which has managed to bankrupt itself while doing their very best to bankrupt the rest of us.

"Just not on the public dime" indeed.

Tweet of the night.

2012-01-03T21:17:00.000-08:00

The only local pol more cowardly than Ridgefield Barbie? Tim "The Liar" Leave-it.

2012-01-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

Few can read this blog much without coming away with a sense of the disgust and disdain within which I hold our erstwhile congresscritter, Jaime Herrera the Camas Manikin.

She's a coward, plain and simple. Any elected official who doesn't maximize their opportunities for no-holds bared discussions with their constituency qualifies for that sobriquet. unfortunately for us, we're stuck with a clown that will only hold open meetings when you bring a checkbook.

So, who's more despicable then that?

Why, our very own Mayor McFly, Tim "The Liar" Leave-it.

Leave-it is best known as local lying scum, a slimeball who defrauded the voters with his lies about opposing tolls, my best efforts notwithstanding (Yes, I warned you all he was lying) so he could use the more gullible to his advantage.

Because he got sick of so many reminding him that he was a lying, one-term scumbag, he ended town hall meetings, yet another broken campaign promise, and then strived to censor those outraged at his despicable conduct at city council meetings as well.

Well, here's a moronic article about an idiotic plan to stifle the ongoing opposition to his continued, rotten presence in the City Hall Palace, while still, technically, holding what he calls "town hall meetings" but which, of course, are nothing of the sort..

After more than a year, Vancouver town halls to return
Format tweaked to allow one-on-one sessions

Photo by Steven Lane
Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt answers questions at a town hall meeting at Hudson's Bay High School on April 21, 2010.

By Andrea Damewood
Columbian Staff Reporter
Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Think of it as speed dating with the Vancouver City Council.

The city’s elected officials are bringing back their traveling town halls with the public, idle since November 2010, but with a tweaked format.

Instead of having all seven members at the front answering questions from one person at a time, each councilor will sit at his or her own table and speak with a small group, Mayor Tim Leavitt said.

“It’s a much more inviting atmosphere for everybody to come and speak with council, versus just those few who would grab the microphone and use it as a soapbox,” he said.

Leavitt said last year that he suspended town hall meetings — a 2009 campaign promise — “due to the rancor and disrespect of others demonstrated by a handful of individuals.”

Since then, the city council has held citizen forums at its bimonthly consent agenda meetings, where residents and nonresidents alike can speak to the city council on any topic, but the city has held no town hall gatherings at locations outside City Hall.

Because the holidays mean no citizen forums are planned for January, Leavitt said it’s time for a town hall. The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at Clark College at Columbia Tech Center, 18700 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd.

More, if you can stomach it.

I get that a lying weasel like Leave-it doesn't ever want to face the music, but the fact is that opposition to this clown crosses all ages, parties, races and both genders.

He can run... but he can't hide.

Need a "feel good" story? Here's one: Decorated, wounded COP Keating vet likely to get a shot at Virginia Tech football.

2012-01-03T12:07:00.000-08:00

And if they don't get him, the Huskies certainly should.

.
UPDATE: Hokies’ Beamer Contacts Washingtonian’s Haber After Piece on Rodriguez

The legendary Virginia Tech coach, moved by the story of the Iraq/Afghanistan war hero who wants to play for him, may give the Bronze Star recipient a shot.

By Brett Haber

I know the world moves fast in the Internet age, but I had no idea it moved this fast. Yesterday, Washingtonian.com published a column of mine chronicling the story of 23-year-old army veteran Daniel Rodriguez. If you haven’t read it, my desire for you to do so now goes far beyond self-interest.

To summarize: Daniel was a captain and three-year starter at Brooke Pointe High School in Stafford, Virginia, and led his team to a district championship in his senior season. Because of a series of personal hardships, including the death of his father, Daniel did not go directly to college. Instead, he enlisted in the army, serving two 12-month combat tours—one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. On October 3, 2009, Rodriguez and his unit were at the center of one of the bloodiest showdowns of the entire war. The Battle of Kamdesh unfolded in the eastern mountains of Afghanistan and saw a force of roughly 300 Taliban soldiers ambush an American force one-fifth its size. The American force suffered eight deaths; the Taliban lost 150. Daniel was wounded. He caught shrapnel in his legs and neck and took a bullet fragment through his shoulder. He received the Bronze Star for valor for his acts during that battle, which, according to accounts, include him running 300 meters under heavy fire to take the place of a fallen soldier. Daniel was treated for his wounds in-country and completed his 12-month tour. He is home now, and is taking advantage of the GI Bill by attending school at Germanna Community College in Fredericksburg. He wants to transfer to a four-year institution and resume his football career—and his dream is to do it at Virginia Tech.

With this dream in mind, a friend of Daniel’s produced a video for him. The video contains a combination of highlights from his high school career interspersed with photos and clips from his service in the two wars, plus current-day video of Daniel going through mind-numbing workouts to get himself ready for football. The video is beyond inspirational, and I urge you to watch it on YouTube. I promise it's worth seven minutes of your time.

On Tuesday, after I finished writing the story about Daniel and submitted it to the Washingtonian editors, I also sent a copy to the sports information staff at Virginia Tech. I asked them to forward it to Coach Frank Beamer, knowing full well they wouldn’t. I knew they wouldn’t do it—not because they’re jerks, but because Beamer is getting ready to play Michigan in the Sugar Bowl next week and they wouldn’t dare distract him with some random story from a magazine in DC. But to their abiding credit, they actually did.

Apparently, the staffers at Virginia Tech felt as I do: that Daniel is a remarkable individual, who deserves at the very least to have his story heard by the man who has the power to make his dream come true. So they gave the article and a link to the video to Beamer. Whether he would actually read the former and watch the latter was still a matter of significant doubt. He did both. And then he sent me an e-mail.

“Brett, I watched the video on Daniel—very impressive! I plan to contact Daniel after our bowl game in January. I hope this story can work out for everyone. Best Wishes! Frank Beamer.”

I honestly didn’t see that coming.

I received a second e-mail from Virginia Tech assistant athletic director Dave Smith. This one added some context and even further hope that Daniel was going to get a serious look from the Hokies.

More:

This young man would be an amazing asset to any program.

And if VT doesn't take him, then the UW certainly should.

When state and county government get REALLY stupid: $33,000 each.... to polish brass. Are you KIDDING me?

2012-01-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

Just when you think it couldn't get any dumber... Along comes the state and an idiot working for Clark County... to prove me wrong. It can.

If ever anyone needed proof that government at the state and county level are completely out of touch with the people of this state, then they need go no farther:

Grant would bring polish back to Clark County’s courthouse
Commissioners must approve matching funds to clean building’s brass fixtures

Photo by Steven Lane

The brass-trimmed front doors at the 1940 Clark County Courthouse could be restored, along with other brass fixtures, with help from a state historic rehabilitation grant.

By Stephanie Rice
Columbian Staff Reporter

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

The 1940 Clark County Courthouse has retained its brass-trimmed entry doors and fixtures, but they’ve long since lost their luster.

A $33,000 grant from the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation will pay for a professional restoration of the brass-trimmed doors, brass elevator doors and brass railings, lights and mullions in the large window above the front entrance.

The grant requires the county to provide matching funds, so commissioners are expected to vote this month whether to accept the grant, said Mark McCauley, the county director of general services.

McCauley applied for the grant knowing he has the $33,000 matching dollars in his facilities budget.

“The appearance of all that brass has really gone south over the years,” McCauley said. “We are trying to return it to its former glory.”

Work could include tearing up the carpet in the hallway on the south side of the first floor — where the jury assembly room, snack bar and law library are located — and restoring the original terrazzo floors to match the central lobby, McCauley said.

The courthouse, which has five floors and a basement, was designed by architect Day W. Hilborn (1897-1971), whose work includes Kiggins Bowl (described by the Department of Archeology & Historic Preservation as “an engineering masterpiece at the time”), Kiggins Theater and projects not named for the late Vancouver Mayor John P. Kiggins, such as smaller theaters in Oregon and the Klickitat County Courthouse.

When the courthouse opened at 1200 Franklin Street, there was one courtroom, and the top floor housed the jail. The Clark County Prosecutor’s Office was once in the courthouse, as were non-court-related county offices such as the auditor, treasurer and the assessor.

More:

Commissioner Hinton would, of course, fire the moron who applied for the grant and zero out any budget that just happened to have 10's of thousands of dollars laying around to waste on garbage like this.

As other commenters have pointed out, we have both prisoners and Brasso. Use them

The rag, of course, will likely enthusiastically support this nonsense, because they have yet to figure out that ALL government money originates from the taxpayers.

Dumb idea. And the source of it should have their employment terminated, both at the state... and the county level.

When American government gets stupid, episode 10,382: requiring a high school diploma for a job may violate applicant's civil rights.

2012-01-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

In an era of undeniable and rampant government stupidity, this item has moved to the top of the list with a bullet.

I have some graduate level work.... about half way to an MBA. But I was not a high school graduate until 2009.... some 27 years after I got my BA.... and some 37 years after I received my GED in the Army, so this perspective isn't based on any educational snobbery or elitism.

I get that the nature of a bureaucracy is to self-justify and self-perpetuate. But this? This is ridiculous.

Let's take this a step further: If you can't require a high school diploma... how can you require any diploma?

Are we now to become a "T-ball" society, where achievement is meaningless and ability secondary to avoiding the concept of offending anyone? Though some may argue that, with the ongoing application of affirmative action, we've long since achieved that status, I believe that most know the cancer of affirmative action, inculcating victimhood because of race or gender, has not accomplished anything positive but has, instead, served to reinforce the concept that nothing bad that happens to a woman or a person of color EVER happens because of their choices in life... including the choice by many to drop out of school.

With a typically 30% student drop out rate, teaching is a miserable business, made even more so by the fringe-left unions most teachers are forced to join.

But the fact is that given the ease of achieving a diploma in this day and age of victimhood and a de-emphasis of personal responsibility, the vast majority of those who bail out on school and don't get a diploma do so because they feel like it, and not because they're incapable of meeting those increasingly lower qualifications.

In short, if you have the lack of ability to achieve a high school diploma, then it's likely that you lack the ability to do a job that requires the imprimatur of a high school diploma.

That said, however, we all know that at base, the vast majority of those who do not have a diploma or it's equivalent don't have one not because they lacked capability, but because they lacked the desire.

They didn't feel like it.

So, along comes yet another of Obama's infected government agencies to tell us that the requirement of a diploma as a condition of employment may violate some one's civil rights.

I submit that those who lack a diploma, gratefully paid for by the hard-working taxpayers of this country, are violating their own rights and have no one to blame but themselves.

And for a federal agency to even SUGGEST that THIS application of self-responsibility isn't needed is a criminal concept that sends the wrong message in spades.

But it's typical.... isn't it?

EEOC: High school diploma requirement might violate Americans with Disabilities Act

By Dave Boyer

The Washington Times
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Employers are facing more uncertainty in the wake of a letter from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission warning them that requiring a high school diploma from a job applicant might violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The development also has some wondering whether the agency’s advice will result in an educational backlash by creating less of an incentive for some high school students to graduate.

The “informal discussion letter” from the EEOC said an employer’s requirement of a high school diploma, long a standard criterion for screening potential employees, must be “job-related for the position in question and consistent with business necessity.” The letter was posted on the commission’s website on Dec. 2.

Employers could run afoul of the ADA if their requirement of a high school diploma “‘screens out’ an individual who is unable to graduate because of a learning disability that meets the ADA’s definition of ‘disability,’” the EEOC explained.

The commission’s advice, which does not carry the force of law, is raising alarms among employment-law professionals, who say it could carry far-reaching implications for businesses.

Maria Greco Danaher, a lawyer with the labor and employment law firm Ogletree Deakins, said the EEOC letter means that employers must determine whether job applicants whose learning disabilities kept them from obtaining diplomas can perform the essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodation. She said the development is “worthy of notice” for employers.

“While an employer is not required to ‘prefer’ a learning-disabled applicant over other applicants with more extensive qualifications, it is clear that the EEOC is informing employers that disabled individuals cannot be excluded from consideration for employment based upon artificial barriers in the form of inflexible qualification standards,” she wrote in a blog post.

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The idiocy of such a conclusion, along with the additional impact of government interference in the employment decision is obvious; this additional pandering to Obama's illiterate base, clear.

But the fact is that if I chose to require a Master's Degree for you to flip burgers at my drive in, that's nobody's business but mine.

And imagine: the military requires a high school diploma; are these clowns going to apply this utterly absurd conclusion to them, so we're met with another moronic "McNamara's 100,000" disaster?

There is no end to the idiocy emanating from the Empty Suit's White House.

So it starts in the Straights of Hormuz: Iran has already closed them, and we didn't do a thing.

2012-01-01T07:31:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago, I indicated that because our president has the backbone of a slug, Iran was likely to actually take action, both directly and indirectly, to close the Straights.

And, according to the usually reliable Debka, that has already happened... at least for 5 hours. And what did we do about it?

What do you think?

Nothing.

Iranian missile spin closes Hormuz for five hours

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report December 31, 2011, 12:16 PM (GMT+02:00) Tags: Iranian missiles Iranian naval exercise Strait of Hormuz US warships Persian Gulf GCC USS Stennis cruises Persian Gulf watersBy a media trick, Tehran proved its claim that closing the Strait of Hormuz is as "easy as drinking water," debkafile reports. First thing Saturday morning, Saturday, Dec. 31, Iran's state agencies "reported" long-range and other missiles had been test-fired as part of its ongoing naval drill around the Strait of Hormuz. Ahead of the test, Tehran closed its territorial waters. For five hours Saturday, not a single warship, merchant vessel or oil tanker ventured into the 30-mile wide Hormuz strait, waiting to hear from Tehran' that the test was over.

Instead, around 0900 local time, a senior Iranian navy commander Mahmoud Moussavi informed Iran's English language Press TV that no missiles had been fired after all. "The exercise of launching missiles will be carried out in the coming days," he said.

For five hours therefore, world shipping obeyed Tehran's warning and gave the narrow waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes, a wide berth. They stayed out of range of a test which, debkafile's military sources report, aimed to demonstrate for the first time that Shahab-3 ballistic missiles which have a range of 1,600 kilometers and other missiles, such as the Nasr1cruise marine missile, are capable of reaching Hormuz from central Iran.

The Moussavi statement was not aired on Iran's Farsi-language media. It was not necessary; Tehran had demonstrated by this ruse that it could close the vital waterway for hours or days at any moment.

Friday night, shortly after Tehran reported the missile-firing test was to take place the next morning, Washington announced the $3.48 billion sale to the United Arab Emirates of 94 advanced THAAD missiles with supporting technology.

Like the $30 billion sale of 84 F-15 fighter jets to the Saudi Arabia announced this week, delivery dates were not specified. The first F-15s for Saudi Arabia are due some time in 2015. It must therefore be said that the announced sophisticated US arms sales to the Persian Gulf nations bear only tangentially on the current state of tension in the region around Iranian threats.

The Hormuz missile stratagem has given Tehran three advantages in its face-off with Washington and the Gulf Arab governments:

1. It gave credibility to the threats issued by Iranian military chiefs last week regarding free passage in the Strait of Hormuz and Western sanctions:

On Dec. 29, Navy commander Adm. Habibollah Sayari said it was "really easy" for Iran's armed forces to shut the strait, adding "But today, we don't need [to shut] the strait because we have the Sea of Oman under control and can control the transit."

The next day, Deputy Commander of the Revolutionary Guards Gen. Hossein Salami said the United States was not in a position to tell Tehran "what to do in the Strait of Hormuz. Any threat will be responded to by threat… We will not relinquish our strategic moves if Iran's vital interests are undermined by any means."

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The world has learned that a spineless American leadership is not to be feared as much as it is to be pitied.

So much for that "any disruption will not be tolerated" BS.

So, Russell's scammed this new gig with an outfit called "Students for Life of America."

2011-12-31T08:52:00.000-08:00

In some ways, I'm sorry to see this.

Given Jon's myriad, documented and well-known inabilities to tell the truth, working with the more impressionable among the pro-life (Or any other, for that matter) movement is not something I believe he should be doing.

I'm sure this amounts to just another notch on his political gunbelt, a polishing of his social "cred," as it were.

But if, as it appears, it begins the process of removing the cancer that is Jon Russell from our local political scene, then I'm all for it. And, at least he finally told someone the truth about his education.... for once... and, except, of course, Washougal is NOT Russell's "hometown," but to expect him to do anything without SOME level of exaggeration or falsehood is, I suppose, too much to ask.

Now.... let's see how long he can keep THIS job. His other efforts haven't lasted all that long..

Home > About Us > Staff > Jon Russell, Pacific Northwest Regional Coordinator
Jon Russell, Pacific Northwest Regional Coordinator

Jon Russell

Jon started his pro-life work as s full-time fundraising coordinator for a Crisis Pregnancy Center and maternity home in 2000. He has worked for the House Republican Committees in Indiana and Washington State. He served as Executive Director for Faith and Freedom Foundation where he lobbied for prolife and pro-family issues.

Jon holds an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice from Thomas Edison State College. He is a City Councilman in his hometown and an alumnus of the American Council of Young Political Leaders where he traveled as an American delegate to the Philippines. Jon & his family are actively involved in their local Pregnancy Resource Center and Salvation Army.

Cross posted at Jon Russell Watch.

A suggestion for a new source of revenue: a voluntary, self-imposed newspaper/elected official tax.

2011-12-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

After being sickened by the babble of this morning's nonsensical editorial (No, there will be no cap, sources tell me, unless Vancouver wants to pay for it) the thought occurred to me: isn't it about time the newspapers and the elected officials took responsibility for their efforts to shaft constituents with tax increases?

So, how about this: a new law that requires rags like our Goebellian swindle sheet bear the cost for every toll, tax and fee increase they advocate?

Right now, the local carbuncle on our society rabidly advocates for this massive waste of billions of dollars for a bridge and loot rail we do not want, need or can afford and they're shilling it for the same reasons they were shilling the ballpark: because they know THEY don't have to pay for it.

So, I believe we should change that.

I have no trouble whatsoever jamming this tax down the throats of every elected official and newspaper supporting it.

So, those of you scum on the CTran board who keep shilling this garbage... you will have to pay the same amount in a tax for the toll that you're ramming down our throats.

Presuming a conservative $5 per day toll, then that means that every elected official voting for this crap will have to write a check for $5 per day times the number of business days in a month. And they should pay that tax each and every month they remain in any elected office.

That means each of those shilling this crap would cough up about $1300 or so a year to start as their contribution to this massive waste.

For the rag, that means they do the same with a formula that looks like this:

$5 per day times the number of employees times the number of business days in a month.

And every time they tell us to vote "yes" on a bond, levy or sales tax increase, they should write a check for the same amounts they're demanding for us.

You see, it's really, really easy to demand that OTHERS spend THEIR money for what YOU want, ESPECIALLY if YOU don't have to spend a dime.

And, of course, the amount they pay goes up with any increase. So, when the tolls on this scam go up, for example, then the amount of money those who voted for this scam have to pay also goes up.

Simplicity is a thing of beauty, no?

Why is Jon Russell blowing off the city council? Expect him to resign soon.

2011-12-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

Russell is a flake. He's always just viewed his city council gig as a small rung off of his self-induced political ladder.

So, why is he blowing off his responsibility to his constituents? he's missed the last two city council meetings... is he doing an Aaron Christopherson?

Probably. Likely.

Expect him to resign in a matter of days. And expect him to push a genuine slimeball as his replacement.

Right, Jon? One of your lackeys? Living in that double-wide?

Cross posted in Jon Russell Watch.

When the democratian flips their lid: even more CRC rip off.

2011-12-30T10:11:00.000-08:00

The idea that we should all get screwed for the CRC without asking us is bizarre enough. But the utterly nonsensical "lid" crap?

Look, the only "lid" I would support would be a wall of concrete about 10 feet thick covering the entirety of the ghost-downtown area.

But for Vancouver to stick it to all of US for THEIR lid makes no more sense than their bizarre Ballpark fetish.

If these clowns want a lid, then let THEM pay for it.

One of the more astute commenters pointed this out:

Allen Anderson · Top Commenter · Polson High School

tolling at 3.00 a crossing will take 10,000,000 trips to pay for just the cement cap, not including interest. A region holding over 14 percent unemployed and we are told we're going to pay over 10 billion dollars for the CRC. Voters need to remember all those supporting destroying this regions economy with this project and replace them on their election cycle. Businesses supporting the CRC need to be boycotted.We are told this project is about traffic flow, but we're only gaining 2 lanes across the Columbia. But this entire project is about SW Washington paying for Portland traffic upgrades, and a nice new bridge to look at out Vancouver's new waterfront development. Local small town politicians influenced by developers, and generations of tolls and higher taxes are going to be the result.

Reply · 2 · Unlike· Follow Post · about an hour ago

While wrong in one regard (we are gaining precisely ZERO lanes across the river: there are 3 through lanes now, if this abortion is ever built, there will be three through lanes then.) the rest is accurate: those making this commute will have to pay with millions of unnecessary trips for a scam that will benefit Vancouver and Vancouver only.

The democratian's incessant babble, quoting all of those giddy over this rip off is not unusual: failing to seek out the opposing view is their policy when that view pushes back against their agenda. But given who all benefits from this particular rip off, why isn't the CRC presenting the city of Vancouver with the bill?

And to modify the rag's moronic last line in there self-flagellating greaser of an article that oozes with rank hypocrisy, where they spewed:

Get the lid built. We all can worry later about how fancy the top will be.

What they REALLY meant is this:

Get the lid built. We won't worry about who pays for it, at all, because like the rest of this slime, we know it ain't gonna be us.

Time for a newspaper tax. These slime want it?

Then let them pay it.

Jon Russell continues to comment under a fake face: Jessica Bowen.

2011-12-29T22:25:00.000-08:00

Since Russell has scammed a temporary gig working for people who haven't gotten to know him yet, he's gone almost completely dark.

That is, it's hard to find statements attributed to him directly. Few quotes in the newspaper... practically no comments on their web sites.

In the past, Russell has been known for his multiple fake identities, used so he can shoot off at the mouth at others without having to be responsible for his lies, exaggerations, mischaracterizations and the like.

This blog is replete with documented instances of some of the few of his fake identities. And Jessica Bowen is but another of them.

Following the past pattern, where Russell used a fake sock-puppet identity by the name of "Teacher Judy Banks," Jon Russell is now using another fake identity, this Jessica Bowen person.

There are a few "Jessica Bowens" in Seattle. Here's one.

Now, the question might be asked: how do I know that identity is fake?

Well, it's simple, really.

Not one single person by the name "Jessica Bowen" is registered to vote anywhere in the Seattle area... Just like "Judy Banks."

No one is registered to vote in this state by the name of Jessica Bowen who was "Born on June 20, 1981."

Both his fake identities are cute, little and blond.

Oddly enough, the ONLY place "Bowen" comments is the Columbian.

She lives in Seattle is the claim, but.... doesn't comment anywhere... on anything.... but the Columbian?

Why?

How many women list "Red Dawn" as their favorite movie?

As politically active as she appears to be, she doesn't have a single political friend anywhere... but down here.

Russell rather moronically shills for term limits. And so does his sockpuppet "Bowen."

So, keep reading his comments. Just be advised... they're the property of one Washougal City Councilman, Jon Russell... and not a non-existent blond by the name of Jessica Bowen... a name that doesn't exist in the real world.

Cross-posted at Jon Russell Watch.

We're not in this alone.

2011-12-28T23:38:00.000-08:00

Better than 50/50: Iran will take a run at shuting down the Straights.

2011-12-28T12:40:00.000-08:00

The problem is the clueless idiot in the White House.

He's steadily weakened the military through both policy and his political, as opposed to military-based promotions, appointing only those political animals that will support his social engineering efforts that weaken our military capabilities.

Between his cowardice and incompetence, we have a Keystone Cops foreign policy that has made us the laughing stock of the world.

His efforts to turn Libya and Egypt into sharia states have succeeded brilliantly while he sits idly by and watches those who long for freedom get slaughtered in Syria.

Every sentient being on the planet knows that Iran is working towards nuclear weapons, and they're led by religious psychos who view self-immolation as a small sacrifice for allah, particularly when compared to the 72 virgin goats they get on arrival.

His bumbling and fumbling in Iraq leaves them wide-open to become an Iranian client state (ala Manchuria during WW2) and his half-hearted efforts in Afghanistan have turned the sacrifice of the best and brightest men and women this country has to offer into dust.

So, when you look at the record... why wouldn't the thugs running Iran take a shot at shutting off a great deal of the oil flow going to the west which has played nicely with the Moron-in-Chief's Keystone handling of the Keystone pipeline... just see what happens?

The Iranians have already killed 3,000 or so of our troops and wounded 20,000 or more by providing most of the weaponry of the insurgency... and all at little to no cost to them.

They likely, and accurately, view the simple idiot running the show like most foreign countries do, a total joke... a buffoon... so, why not put their boot on that jugular?

They'll spend a few troops... sailors... boats. They'll start to sink a few tankers, daring us to respond (and response in this case means air strikes and ground troops, and they know that the clown running the show keeps his testicles in a jar the Klingon Princess owns...) We'll have to blow billions to respond, IF we respond... and our response will be crippled.

Why?

Because that simple idiot had us tuck tail and run out of Iraq. Bases gone. Air support, dramatically reduced. Pre-positioned equipment? Gone.

Ya spose the Iranians noticed our cowardly withdrawal? You think for one second that this effort is coincidence?

We will not want our carriers in the Straights because they will lack room to maneuver and they'll be in range of Iran's shore-based Exocet-type missiles.

Because our president lacks the balls of a gnat, launching pre-emptive strikes will be out of the question. So, get ready for more Americans to die because this non-serving moron who hates the military doesn't know how to keep that from happening, save for temporary retreat and inaction... so why wouldn't Iran take a shot?

On the whiteboard, the question is this: what do they have to gain (a lot) or lose (Not much).

I expect something to happen. And soon. Sink one tanker... and that's that.

The democratian's sniveling about the FCC and media ownership?

2011-12-28T10:02:00.000-08:00

So, only democrats running for re-election have anything to say about this? Odd that two democrats they want to win are the only pols they quoted. Equally odd is the fact that both of them are up in 12.

Silly me. it's not "odd." They're democrats. Campaigning for those clowns are what they do.

On the surface, opposition to this plan is rightfully obvious. But digging deeper, it's hard to miss the parallels between the poor outcomes of a small few controlling the information flow in a particular market and, say, the largest daily newspaper in SW Washington, where perhaps unintended, hypocrisy rules the day.

"Localness" has done nothing to serve this community: neither of the two slimeballs running the rag are from here, and that might explain why neither of them seem to give a damn what the people of this area think, believe or want. But having a disinterested "localness" owning this paper makes no difference that I can see from having someone who lives in Poughkipsee owning it.

Someone truly concerned about "localness" would have fired both Lou and the Pit Yorkie a decade ago. That he didn't? That just means Scott was ticking off another talking point because he knows he can't compete with a conglomerate, so we're seeing the benefit of his own, personal, enlightened self-interests in these observations.

Talk, obviously, is cheap.

"Diversity?"

That concept must only apply to the race or religion or gender of an owner, because... well, in THIS rag, the MOST important "diversity" of all, the diversity of thought?

That's not allowed.

Oppose the agenda? Point out the many and obvious lies, biases, slants, inaccuracies, exaggerations.... and man, DAT VILL SIMPFLY NOT BE TOLERATED!

Do those things, and his punk will come after you. A slimeball dillwad who shouldn't be allowed to run a 5th grade class paper will do what he can to destroy you. And he'll do it without any of that "local, diversified" ownership doing a damned thing about it.

Do those things, and a punk will come after you. A slimeball dillwad who shouldn't be allowed to run a 5th grade class paper will do what he can to destroy you. And he'll do it without any of that "local, diversified" ownership doing a damned thing about it.

"Accountability?" Please.

No one, save the subscribers staying away in droves are holding Campbell accountable. Even going bankrupt and losing his puzzle palace to the city's incessant empire-building didn't send him a clue.

Campbell's problem? His reasoning has only the thin veneer of reality. Dig a little deeper, and you'll find, as I have, that he says one thing, but the actions of his typically despicable rag show quite another.

Ridgefield Barbie wins the Seattle Post Intelligencer "Public Openness Prize!"

2011-12-27T21:52:00.000-08:00

Rarely do I agree with the PI about much of anything, but this time, the nailed it!

Well done, and well-deserved, Babs!

-- Public openness prize: Newly elected Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., performed like a deer in the headlights at initial public meetings, so staff opted for invitation-only "coffees" with the congresswoman.

Herrera Beutler staff sent a "coffee" invite to the Chronicle, in Centralia-Chehalis, but asked that the newspaper not print its location. Why not? The wrong type of people will show up, explained an aide. The strongly conservative paper, to its credit, told readers where the congresswoman would appear

It's not easy having a cowardly slimeball for a congresswoman, especially one that works so hard to shaft us by voting with her fellow leftists, the democrats infesting our government.

Once again, congrats to the Camas Manikin, so bumblingly inept that they'd toss her off a cliff before they'd allow her to face her constituency without being told what, and how, to respond to them.

But then, that's the curse of being a coward. Right, Jaime?

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

A truly bizarre letter in the democratian... wearing out another set of kneepads... for OUR rag?

2011-12-27T11:47:00.000-08:00

There are bound to be some people out there who play what I call "journalistic relativism."

In this case, I define the term as one where someone either in, or a former member of, the media plays the "but there people are MUCH worse then WE are" game as if that excuses or justifies ANYTHING.

For some, there's no violation of the public trust; no blatant bias or agenda-attacks that are enough to question the motives... or the value... of a despicable rag:

Letter: Deadlines, decisions can be difficult
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
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I find many of the complaints and comments about The Columbian almost laughable. Too liberal; too conservative; too left; too right; yet biased.

Having worked for a major metropolitan daily newspaper, I fully understand the meaning of “deadline,” how hard it is to meet those deadlines and publish something new and interesting each and every day. The Columbian staff is not a group of talking bobbleheads making a small fortune reading the news on network television. The staff is a group of local people dedicated to reporting local news and being involved in our community — a staff willing to wrap Christmas presents to make the holidays happier for a local family; to report personal interest stories and respond to questions from readers.

If you feel that The Columbian is biased, I suggest you try reading that other area metro paper from across the river. And if you think it needs so much improvement, I suggest you start publishing your own version of a daily. Until you have personally dealt with the deadlines, judgments and costs of publication, I doubt you would print anything worth lining the bottom of your birdcage with. To all of The Columbian staff, I say “thanks,” and wish them the very best for the coming year.

Ed Delph
Brush Prairie

Great letter... if you're a leftist hermit not living in the real world.

This "love it or leave it" crap is just that; crap. And the idea that because some of those working there give a small amount of their time to "wrapping presents for A local family" (Big whoop) after years of trashing, lying, exaggerating in their articles against those who, like me, do a hell of a lot more in charitable works with NO publicity or bogus letters to the editor to show for it neither makes up for or justifies there criminal negligence and failure to do their jobs in defense of an agenda.

Our local democrat daily newsletter is just that: a fringe-left rag with a fringe-left agenda where what the people want is of no consequence. No lie they won't tell, no exaggeration, no slant, no bias, no attack... nothing they won't do to protect their agenda and that of the Identity Vancouver/CRUDEC/Chamber of Horrors/downtown Mafia types infesting us.

"Journalistic relativism" like that advocated in this bizarre letter, where he points to the Lazy O across the river and claims THEY are even MORE biased, and therefore, the Lazy C should somehow get a pass is pure, unadulterated garbage.

To expect us to go along like good little sheeple and just roll over for these slimeballs is absurdity wrapped in idiocy... which, come to think of it, sums up this letter.

For a newspaper to have true value, it must ...present the news unslanted, unbiased, with a perspective that includes ALL sides. It must treat everyone the same, and give no one a pass because of the letter after their name. If it denies "speculation" against a democrat politician who got kicked out because of his alcohol-fueled misconduct with female staff in the legislature, then it must deny ALL speculation to or about anything.

Its actions must be guided by the community that provides forbearance in terms of allowing their continued existence... an already problematic issue for the already bankrupt democratian.

I will continue to pound this despicable rag as long as they continue to pound me, us and this community by exhibiting a level of arrogance that wouldn't have been out of place in the 3rd Reich's newspapers, where the people knew absolutely nothing and those publishing this despicable rag know absolutely everything, and they continue to aid those who would profit off a beat-down people who simply cannot afford their peculiar version of an enslaved utopia developed without our permission or input.

And as far as Delph is concerned, he needs to take his own advice: you don't like what those of us wise enough to rebel at this Big Brother's publication's efforts and methods have to say?

Then don't read it.

But as long as this horrific excuse of a media source attacks us, attacks truth and attacks integrity?

Then they... and YOU... should expect us to attack back.

And as far as that goes, I hope Lou left a $20 on your dresser.

Legislators gamble to try and ignore supermajority for tax increases, and impose it where it doesn't exist.

2011-12-26T13:24:00.000-08:00

Sometimes using the faux practice of "journalism," reporters write the truth.

Unless they don't.

For a case in point, go here and read Peter Callaghan's tripe shilling democrat talking points.

First of all, the supermajority on tax increases, as Callahan knows, is the expressed will of the people. The courts, in continuing to reject the democrats repeated efforts to overturn that will, have reaffirmed it several times.

Get over it.

Secondly, any tax increase would be mandatory. That is, if such an increase were voted in, everyone would have to pay it. Well, except for the increasingly high number of border residents who would just do their shopping in Oregon and Idaho.

Thirdly, no one forces anyone to gamble, making that revenue source ENTIRELY voluntary.

Fourthly, using the plain language interpretation of what Callahan wrote:

That’s the state Supreme Court’s interpretation of a 1972 constitutional amendment that banned lotteries “except as specifically authorized upon the affirmative vote of sixty percent of the members of each house of the legislature.” Lotteries, the court has said, include nearly any form of gambling as long as it has the three magic components — consideration (a bet), chance and a prize.

There's nothing there that I can see that applies to the bill in question.

Lotteries are, in fact, lotteries. We go to a store, pay our money, get a ticket, and see if the number drawn on a daily or semi daily basis matches. The bill Callahan is wrongly describing does nothing like that. This is not referring to an expansion of "lotteries," and the plain language aspect so favored by our US Supreme Court (See Carcieri) would not support such a twisted interpretation. Continuing to defend race-based practices because the beneficiaries own you like the 13th Amendment doesn't exist, as is the case with the tribal ownership of the democrats, while this state allegedly so badly needs money that most people cannot afford mandatory tax increases while doing all they can to shelter the tribes, who pay this state precisely nothing while we dump tens of millions into social programs for these "sovereign nations" while they vacuum up non-tribal money and provide absolutely nothing in return appears to me to be the far bigger "gamble."

I, for one, will never vote for any kind of tax increase until this bill is passed. Ever.

So, to Callahan and his fellow democrats, I offer you this opportunity: Feel free to reject the GOP bill. Force everyone in this state, whether they can afford it or not, to pay yet another in the never-ending tax increases you so love. Make sure the democrats continue to turn away from a VOLUNTARY $300 million revenue stream that only those who can afford it will pay, instead.

I, for one, will never vote for any kind of tax increase until this bill is passed. Ever.

But trumpeting garbage like these democrat talking points? You really should give tat a rest either way.

More idiocy from the democratian: jeers for those smart enough to criticize Ridgefield Barbie.

2011-12-26T13:18:00.000-08:00

I've come to believe that the Camas Manikin must have some incriminating video or something, because this flagellating congratulatory crap must be driven by something like that, as the rag congratulates Ridgefield Barbie for selling us out:

Jeers: To critics of Congresswoman Jaime Herrera-Beutler. The Camas Republican has drawn constant criticism in her first year for allegedly being in lock step with House Speaker John Boehner rather than representing her district. Then, earlier this week, when she and six other Republicans defied Boehner and supported extending a payroll tax cut for two months, she drew a bunch of criticism, some from the same voices. It’s worth noting that she ended up on the right side of the issue. After days of posturing, the House finally went along with extending the payroll tax cut.

Naturally the carbuncle on SW Washington's butt would congratulate Barbie for ramming it in and breaking it off. That's the fringe left version of "compromise," as in, "do it our way."

That the GOP in the House was cowardly enough to cave on this issue does no make our local Empty Suit's political treason "the right side of the issue." As is most often the case, when it matters, she typically votes the way her democrat masters want.

She's had a history of that since her pathetic tenure in Olympia. So, what else is new?

She voted to add another trillion to the debt, she's a coward when it comes to town hall meetings (Well, unless you bring your checkbook) she voted for the absurdity of the Super Committee, voted for that massive failure of Obama's mortgage bailout (She was one of TWO GOP votes to continue THAT crap... where's the rag's "congratulations" about THAT?) she's refused to take a pay cut, instead going through the motions with a bogus, not-going-anywhere-eyewash-bill; she's routinely violated the so-called "72 hour" rule; she's scammed into the "women-as-victim" crap, gone so far as to attempt to make political hay out of 9/11 and on and on and on.

She screwed up, and screwed us in the process. And as a result, the morons in the lazy C congratulate her and chastise us.

So, what else is new?

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

When Judges get stupid: Judges sue Grays Harbor County over budget cuts

2011-12-26T12:09:00.000-08:00

For me, the response to this idiocy would be simple:

I would re-examine the county budget and zero out that part of it going to the superior court.

Apparently, graduating from law school doesn't make you avoid becoming a blithering idiot. Budget cuts in this economy are the order of the day, and judges too stupid to figure that out always have another option available: they can quit.

Meanwhile, I'd go fist city with them all day, every day. If these clowns can't do the job with less, then we can always get some more people in who can.

Idiots.

Updated: 2:53 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 | Posted: 12:13 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011

Judges sue Grays Harbor County over budget cuts
The Associated Press
ABERDEEN, Wash. —
Grays Harbor County Superior Court judges have sued the county and its commissioners over funding, including recent court budget reductions.

The lawsuit seeks to overturn the budget cuts and force the county to build a new courtroom, provide more administrative staff and bolster security, The Daily World of Aberdeen (http://bit.ly/t9ofRQ) reported Saturday.

Thomas Fitzgerald, a special deputy prosecutor representing the county commissioners, told the paper he hadn't yet seen the complaint and therefore had no comment.

Superior Court Judge Dave Edwards said county commissioners left the judges no choice in filing the lawsuit.

The suit, filed Thursday in neighboring Thurston County Superior Court, alleges commissioners have improperly interfered with the management of the court, violating the state's constitution — including breaching separation of powers provisions.

The operating budget unanimously approved by county commissioners Dec. 5 reduces the budgets for superior court and the juvenile detention center.

The court's budget for 2012 was cut by $59,020, or about 8 percent, to $645,818. The budget for the juvenile detention center was cut by $313,052, leaving a budget of just more than $2 million.

"In the 10 years between 2002 and the commissioners' adopted 2012 budget, the commissioners reduced the total budget for the Superior Court by 5 percent," while the juvenile detention center has had its personnel reduced by nine people, or almost 30 percent of its staff over the past three years, according to the lawsuit.

"In contrast, during that same time period, the budgets for the executive department offices of the Sheriff and Prosecutor were increased by 21 percent and 34 percent, respectively," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit seeks an order that the county cannot interfere with personnel, administrative and operational decisions of the superior court of juvenile detention center.
___
Information from: The Daily World, http://www.thedailyworld.com

McKenna, politics and religion.

2011-12-26T01:12:00.000-08:00

Back in August, erstwhile gubernatorial candidate (mostly already treated as governor-elect) Rob Mckenna's shop issued, perhaps, the most moronic opinion in our state's history:

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

When Rob McKenna gets stupid: His shop wrongly denied baptism permit for Reality Church in Olympia.
So, RINO Rob McKenna wants to be governor. Screwing around with the law ain't the way to get there.

The Reality Chruch in Olympia wanted to use Capitol Lake for a picnic/barbecue and baptism ceremony: McKenna's minions said yes to the picnic/barbeque, but no to the baptism, wrongly telling the church that:
“No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship, exercise or instruction, or the support of any religious establishment.”
Any 3rd grader knows better.

McKenna SHOULD have exercised his prerogative, reversed that decision and had the permit issued. End of story.

But he didn't. And one has to wonder why RINO Rob allowed that to happen.

Way to go, Rob

Upon reading this, McKenna's Clark County coordinator wrote this in reply... on August 30.

Peter Van Nortwick said...
I have discussed this with Rob, and he indicated that his office gave a range of options. He disagreed with what the GA spokesman said and indicated it did not match his opinion. I asked Rep Ann Rivers to requested a clarification from his office on the issue and then Rob discussed it with her. She asked a week ago Monday. I will push to see if we can get the information back sooner then later. This is a top priority for me.

10:20 AM

But it's not a "top priority" for Rob, because we're creeping up on 4 months later and Rob's office has provided nothing.

I've pointed out it didn't take this long to write the Declaration of Independence. Putting together the battle plan for the Normandy invasion didn't take this long.

The fact is that for this issue to be correct would mean that peculiar interpretation would, for example, have to apply to the dozens of church services taking place after hours in public schools around this state.

But to RINO Rob, it's radio active. So, he's likely thinking that the longer he stalls, the more likely it is that it will just fall through the cracks. And maybe he's right.... except for me. I'm not going to allow it to fall through the cracks.

This opinion was wrong from the beginning. Time will not make it any righter.

More cowardice from Ridgefield Barbie.

2011-12-26T00:51:00.000-08:00

Recently, both Tim "The Liar" Leave-it and Steve "The Liar" Stuart have been beating on Ridgefield Barbie like a rented step-mule over her weak, nonsensical, half-hearted, nebulous effort to make voting on the CRC scam some sort of issue.

The problems are many, the solution, simple.

First, the problems: The empty-suited, cardboard cutout of a faux member of congress is saying pretty please while these two morons are hitting her upside the head with a 2X4.

Second, while her letter talks about the concept that "...the people of Clark County should be allowed to decide through a public vote what they prefer, and what they are willing to pay for," she's not really referring to "the people of Clark County." She is, in fact, referring to those few people in the gerrymandered CTrans tax district, social-service dependent people who have enslaved the rest of the county to pay for THEIR transportation system by excluding the 100,000 plus "no" votes to their incessant and unnecessary tax increases to build their ever-growing empire.

Third: she wants as many people as possible to BELIEVE she actually gives a rat's ass what we want, so she uses terms that are not the same, interchangeably. That is, she is deliberately confusing the phrase "people of Clark County" with the phrase "CTran," when the use of the term "CTran" and the "CTran Board" exclusively limit the vote she's sniveling about to the CTran district."

Fourth, she falsely prices the bridge scam at $3.5 billion when the price, with interest, is closer to $10 billion.

Fifth, she then broadens this crap by saying

"But folks in Southwest Washington should be allowed to participate in the process. I call on this region’s elected officials to give them the chance to be heard in March of 2012."

So, Cowlitz County is in SW Washington. So is Skamania. Does that mean she's demanding that those people be allowed to vote as well?

Of course not. But what it DOES mean is that she wants people to actually believe their opinion matters.

It doesn't.

Because this is the fact of the matter:

The Camas Manikin could have put an end to this months ago: All she had to do was insure that Steve "The Liar" Stuart kept to his campaign promise to have a vote this past November... made to help him get re-elected.

And how could she do that?

Simple: PUBLICLY tell both the Liars Stuart and Leave-it: No county-wide vote.... no federal cash.

And that she has failed to tell them that... plus her demand that this be put to a vote in March of all things, guaranteeing the smallest possible turn out for any election, instead of November, which would guarantee the largest possible turn out... all of that means three things:

First, Barbie supports this abortion, wants the tax increase and wants to get this waste of money built.

Second, she will cave and she will do nothing to act to withhold any money.

Third: she wants to use this situation as a political prop, period.

The Manikin's problem with me? I've got 6 years on staff. i can read this kind of crap and decipher it all day, every day. And every time she has her people (Like SHE actually wrote any of this?) spew this kind of garbage, I'm going to be here to translate it.

Cross-posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

Merry Christmas.

2011-12-25T00:49:00.000-08:00

As this nightmare year of democrat-controlled government at all levels comes to an end and Obama's plan to make this entire nation look like the train wreck of Detroit, (we're only $15.1 trillion in debt.... not to worry, we can always print more) so typical of democrat-controlled government at every level... the disaster of our economy, the disaster of our foreign policy, the disaster of state budget deficits (real OR imagined... because a reduction in an increase is NOT a deficit) the frequent idiocy of our democrat-controlled county-commission; from non-referred tax increases to county employees not paying anything approaching the private sector costs of health-care benefits to their failure to scuttle the CRC (and the county commissioners COULD end that nightmare, except that Boldt has turned democrat, so he won't, and Stuart's a union butt boy, so HE won't.) and the the largest trainwreck, locally, of our double digit unemployment county; Tim "The Liar" Leave-it's personal fiefdom, the city of Vancouver... with a government moronic enough to give a guy already making $167,000 a 3.5% pay raise.

It's not the size of the pay raise that's shocking. It's that Leave-it and his fellow morons on the city council are giving ANY city employee in ANY position a pay raise in this economy.

Such stunning stupidity is legendary for democrats.

But all of that said, we've survived, more or less intact. Except, of course, for our bleak future, where the leftists in charge locally want to enslave 65,000 commuters to a toll of $1300 a year and more just to go to work in Oregon by tolling both of our bridges so they can engage in truly, stupendously idiotic bridge replacement to get loot rail over here... a complete waste of $10 billion that will shackle hundreds of thousands of people, directly or indirectly, to a permanent, life-long toll.

The GOP can be just as stupid, as Boehner's latest idiocy shows... so, I suppose it's a matter of degree: democrats want us to hurtle over the cliff of destruction, while the GOP wants to head on over there at a more sedate pace.

Ultimately, the result seems to be both the same and pre-ordained.

Happy New Year.

Major Egan... why'd you do it? (Originally posted 24 Dec 08, reposted 09, 10 and today))

2011-12-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

I originally posted this 3 years ago today (24 Dec) and every year since. 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 in the Army 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.”

When US House Republicans get stupid.... again.

2011-12-23T06:21:00.000-08:00

It wasn't that long ago that I've forgotten the idiocy of the House effort to shut down government when Gingrich was the speaker.

It's not that the effort was idiotic. It was that when you commit to an outcome, you have to have the testicular fortitude to see it through. Gingrich, of course, did not. And the GOP suffered as a result.

Fast forward to today.

The same thing applied to this most recent fight: Boehner and House leadership SHOULD have had the balls to see this through. The leftists generally and Obama particularly counted on Republican cowardice... and they weren't disappointed.
If you do not have the will to see this through.... then why the hell are you even trying it?

Now our own local congressional coward, Ridgefield Barbie, voted with the democrats to screw us... but then, that's what our empty-suited bimbette does.

Well that, and her cowardice exhibited with her lack of guts to face her constituency... unless they bring a check book.

So, what do we have to show for this garbage? Reid and Obama kicked our collective faces in on this deal, with Bab's help, of course, and we're all going to suffer for it.

Well done, idiots.

The idiocy of Moeller and the morons working at the Hilton.

2011-12-21T06:34:00.000-08:00

Clark County has 11% plus unemployment.

So, what do those who actually have a job at the taxpayer-owned white elephant Hilton do?

Protest their "low wages."

Apparently believing this to be Venezuela or the Third Reich, the union clowns working at the Hilton apparently are unable to ascertain that, in fact, there is no requirement that they work.

None at all.

Don't like what they pay you?

Don't like the benefits?

Don't like the schedule?

Then quit.

Along comes our resident neo-communist, Rep. Jim Moeller (Communist-49) who babbles thusly in support of these cretins:.

Jim Moeller · Top Commenter
"Yep they should be happy they even have a job...." Really? I suppose they're right to a point but then, that's management's argument, is it not? As Jim Hightower would say "Even a slave has a job! What we're talking about here is wages!" Some of the critics of the hotel have called the Hilton "The People's Hotel" because the city owns it. I understand the Vancouver Hilton is frequently cited as a high performing hotel in the Hilton chain. However, when wages and benefit increases for management are far above what it will offer it's staff - It doesn't appear "the people" are in charge.
Reply · 3 · Like · Follow Post · 7 hours ago

He's followed by Lew Waters, who obviously knows more about the economy and the Hilton's precarious position than Moeller:

Lew Waters · Top Commenter · Works at Curmudgeon & Blogger
Where would the money for their 53% wage and benefit increase come from, Jim?

Are you as equally perturbed over the city managers increase, while taxes and fees continue to rise?

He deserves it. They deserve it. We deserve it.

But, where does the money come from?
Reply · 5 · Unlike · 7 hours ago

Lew, of course, is dead-on.
.

These idiots want a paltry 53% pay increase
.

That's right: 53%.
.

Lew Waters asks the question that all fiscal conservatives ask, the question that fringe-leftists like Moeller NEVER ask, because they don't CARE:
.

Where's the money coming from?

As usual, Moeller has no answer that he will publicly give.
.

What utter cluelessness.

Herrera sells us out again: one of 7 Republicans to support Reid's scam plan.

2011-12-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

I knew before I looked what Ridgefield Barbie's vote on this issue would be... but I looked it up anyway.

Yup.... there she is, our own re-re congress-critter, selling us out, and selling out her caucus in the US House, just like she sold us out on her SEIU legislation and the democrat rape of our state emergency fund during her last, horrific, year in Olympia.

One of a total of 7 Republicans (Or alleged Republicans) to vote to screw us.

Well done, you simple idiot. I bet McMorris and Boldt are proud, since they created you.

Here's the democratian wearing out another pair of knee pads in front of Ridgefield Barbie with their cut and paste, press release version of "journalism."

Herrera Beutler votes for payroll tax cut.

By Paris Achen

Columbian Staff Reporter

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

submit 0diggsdigg

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, was one of seven Republicans who split with their party and voted Tuesday for a payroll tax cut extension.

Her spokesman, Casey Bowman, said the motion was, in fact, to reject the Senate-approved bill to extend the tax cut for two months, and Herrera Beutler and six other Republicans voted against that.

Herrera Beutler released the following statement on her vote:

“I support continuing the payroll tax cut, extending unemployment insurance and making sure Medicare patients have access to the medical care they need. I had hoped the Senate would have agreed that a year extension is better than 2 months. But I know that families in Southwest Washington are struggling to make ends meet, and I wanted to eliminate any of their fear that this relief wouldn’t be in place January 1.”

The headline is misleading... but what else is new?

Other headlines that could have been used:

Barbie votes with democrats... again.

Short-sighted Herrera sells us all out.... again.

Clueless idiot votes against her own caucus... again.

Any of those would have been more accurate.

I especially like this:

"...I wanted to eliminate any of their fear that this relief wouldn’t be in place January 1.”

Let me complete the sentence:

"Instead, I wanted them to be terrified on March 1."

Idiot.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

Wondering why we've got so many illegal aliens? This wouldn't have anything to do with it, would it?

2011-12-20T07:50:00.000-08:00

So, you're an illegal alien. An adult. Still going to high school. A student.

And then, since you're committing a crime just by being here, you decide that a gross misdemeanor in the form of what is Theft III here, (one step below a felony) is the way to go by stealing.

And then you complain because we want to deport your criminal, illegal ass?

Please.

We are the laughing stock of the planet. We give slimeballs like this punk IN-STATE TUITION, for God's sake, keeping CITIZENS out of our public universities.

Why would anyone want to stay out of a country that treats illegals like they were born here?

What kind of a lesson is that? What kind of a message?

Reprieve for Portland teen facing deportation
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
submit 0diggsdigg

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A Portland high school senior who was facing deportation to Mexico has won a reprieve.

KATU reports his advocate says immigration officials used their discretion to allow Gustavo Romero-Alvarez to stay. But Jaime Limon-Guzman with the Northwest Immigrant Youth Alliance says the case could continue for years.

Romero-Alvarez faced deportation after he was caught last year stealing a shirt. Authorities discovered he was in the United States illegally. He was brought from Mexico by his family when he was 7.

He says he plans to graduate in June from Centennial High School and hopes to become a firefighter.

Michelle Obama's school lunch idiocy rejected in LA: It's "been a flop. The menu will be revised."

2011-12-19T22:07:00.000-08:00

it's problematic when you're a hypocrite demanding that others live by a standard you refuse to even consider. The Klingon Princess is no exception, having consumed large quantities of foods that few of us have ever heard of of... and cannot even hope to afford.

But she's been instrumental in setting up the school food gestapo, with grandbreaking idiocy such as outlawing school bake sales and the like. The result?

The kids won't eat her swill.

LA Schools Reject Michelle’s School Lunches

From an unfazed Los Angeles Times:

L.A. schools’ healthful lunch menu panned by students
For many students, Los Angeles Unified’s introduction of healthful lunches — part of a campaign against obesity, diabetes and other problems — has been a flop. The district says the menu will be revised.
By Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times
December 17, 2011

It’s lunchtime at Van Nuys High School and students stream into the cafeteria to check out the day’s fare: black bean burgers, tostada salad, fresh pears and other items on a new healthful menu introduced this year by the Los Angeles Unified School District.

But Iraides Renteria and Mayra Gutierrez don’t even bother to line up. Iraides said the school food previously made her throw up, and Mayra calls it "nasty, rotty stuff." So what do they eat? The juniors pull three bags of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and soda from their backpacks.

"This is our daily lunch," Iraides says. "We’re eating more junk food now than last year."

For many students, L.A. Unified’s trailblazing introduction of healthful school lunches has been a flop. Earlier this year, the district got rid of chocolate and strawberry milk, chicken nuggets, corn dogs, nachos and other food high in fat, sugar and sodium. Instead, district chefs concocted such healthful alternatives as vegetarian curries and tamales, quinoa salads and pad Thai noodles.

There’s just one problem: Many of the meals are being rejected en masse. Participation in the school lunch program has dropped by thousands of students. Principals report massive waste, with unopened milk cartons and uneaten entrees being thrown away. Students are ditching lunch, and some say they’re suffering from headaches, stomach pains and even anemia. At many campuses, an underground market for chips, candy, fast-food burgers and other taboo fare is thriving.
Naturally, there is only one thing to do. They must ban packed lunches and strip search students before they enter the cafeteria to make sure they are not carrying any contraband substances, like Cheetos.
Acknowledging the complaints, L.A. Unified’s food services director, Dennis Barrett, announced this month that the menu would be revised. Hamburgers will be offered daily. Some of the more exotic dishes are out, including the beef jambalaya, vegetable curry, pad Thai, lentil and brown rice cutlets, and quinoa and black-eyed pea salads…

The district is even bringing back pizza — albeit with a whole wheat crust, low-fat cheese and low-sodium sauce, according to food services deputy director David Binkle…

The new menu, introduced this fall, was hailed as a revolutionary step by the nation’s second-largest school district to combat the growing epidemic of youth obesity, diabetes and other health problems. It was the latest healthful food initiative by the district, which banned sodas on campus in 2004, nixed the sale of junk food during the school day and called for more produce and less salt and fat to be served.

This year, L.A. Unified, which serves 650,000 meals daily, has received awards for improving its school lunches, including one last week from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and another from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
Michelle Obama’s group, the Healthier US Schools Challenge, also gave these schools awards.

More:

She's as out of touch as the moron she's married to.

Unsolicited testimonial: Magic Jack Plus

2011-12-19T19:28:00.002-08:00

My home phone has been VOIP for 4 years or so now (That's Voice Over Internet Protocol) because it's MUCH, MUCH cheaper than a regular land line.

I had a regular land line through Qwest... with no long distance, you understand... I needed it until recently for medical telemetry and VOIP couldn't handle it. When that need went away, I got rid of the land line saving $35 or so per month as a result.... and for $5 a month more, CenturyLink bumped my DSL speed up to 12 meg from 5.... so now I have much faster internet and I'm clearing about $30 a month... and that adds up.

Now, like many families, everyone here has a cell. So, with the exception of a fax machine and a back up, there's really no reason to have a home line. As a result (and still needing my fax line) I started looking around and I discovered this Magic Jack Plus (Of course, the commercials are also a little hard to miss on satellite) and this is as opposed to the Magic Jack.

The Magic Jack unit, in a word, sucked. I could never get mine to work right, so it sat there gathering dust. Even if it HAD worked right, it required a computer (or something like a computer.... there are other options out there) to be on around the clock.

Well, the Magic Jack Plus has two things going for it that the older Magic Jack unit did not:

1. It doesn't require a computer.
2. You can actually port a number to it.

The Plus only requires that it be plugged into a router. As it turns out in this age of miniaturization, the Plus actually has a CPU inside it, in a package the same size as the older units... maybe a little bigger then a small package of wooden matches.

It comes with a socket for a regular phone jack and a USB port, along with a regular network cable plug in.

When you first get it, you DO plug it into a computer via the USB port and cable (That came with it) or directly by the USB plug in extending from the unit.

You do that only long enough to go through the set up and to download any updates.

Then you have a choice: you CAN leave it plugged into your computer like the old Magic Jack, or, you can plug it directly into a router using the enclosed network cable.

Once you've set it up and plugged it into a router, then you can plug a regular phone into it and voila! you get a dial tone and you're in business.

The cost of the unit was a total of $69... but that included $20 for the year of service.

So, what I did is I kept my old VOIP provider (Viatalk.... half the cost of Vonnage with the same features, as near as I can tell) for a couple of weeks to test it out. I even tested it for using the fax line, and it worked perfectly after I changed the fax setting to "overseas service," a slower setting.

Then, for another $20, I ported my home phone number over... which took like 4 days.

It has worked like a champ, and it saves me a substantial amount of money over just about anything else available.

Further, you can plug the Plus into any router, anywhere, and have phone service to that number no matter your location.

The plus side of this is obvious: it provides a solid back up system with good call quality.

It offers many, but not all, of the usual phone features, including voice mail and the like.

Did I mention it was cheap?

The minus side is that it does not, as yet, offer the ability to easily block numbers, although calls can be, for example, forwarded through Google Voice and they can, if needed, be blocked there.

And it requires that you dial the area code, even for local calls.

But for the savings, it's a hassle I'm willing to put up with.

It may also be that my experience is at least partially because of my 12 meg line as opposed to the 5 meg or slower lines I've had in the past.

You get 30 days to check it out, and in my case, it pays for itself after about 3 months or so.

I am not affiliated with nor do I have anything to do with the companies involved in Magic Jack or any other phone system, in case anyone is wondering.

Cruise around the net and check it out. In this case, it has worked precisely as advertised. Give it a shot, and it might save you a few bucks, particularly if you have a fast internet connection.

Redistricting and the 18: what's it all mean?

2011-12-19T01:53:00.000-08:00

We all remember the feeding frenzy of candidates in the 18th District last go-round: in fact, I can categorically state for sure that I was the only person in the 18th who actually did NOT run for the vacant House seat left open by the horrific ascension of Ridgefield Barbie to the US Congress of all things.

The democrats ran their typical downtown Vancouver leftist union hack, an abysmal failure doomed to political destruction because the 18 was, perhaps, the most conservative district in SW Washington... so, running a pro-huge government, pro-union rip-off bridger/looter who never stopped lying about "20,000 jobs" (The number seemed to go up with every speech) on the unneeded, unwanted and unaffordable I-5 Bridge/loot rail extortion project scam... which, of course, pre-destined the poor sap's slaughter at the polls. (Ultimately, he was massacred, on the losing end of a 60-40 vote, the political equivalent of Oregon playing Hockinson Middle School in the Rose Bowl, with an outcome just as predictable.)

It's not that the democrat didn't TRY.... it's just that he lacked any cards to play with.

That left a very large GOP field that no one in political leadership did anything about... stupidly... because that leadership of the Clark and Cowlitz county GOP was entirely focused on getting the Camas Manikin into Congress.

In Clark, the county chair was bought off with a job offer: Ryan Hart is now the District Director for our occasionally resident idiot in Congress; that was the deal and she bought him with it like the 13th Amendment was, in fact, the 13th Suggestion. We've been suffering with monumentally poor representation ever since.

In Cowlitz, Shannon Barnett was hamstrung both with his enamoration of Barbie and the fact that he was such a poor candidate that his employer maxed out... just not to him. In fact, he didn’t give Barnett, an almost 20 year employee, a dime.

So, we woke up and found ourselves with candidates like Barnett, Anthony Bittner (who was arrested and convicted of so many crimes.... and got away with so much… that he was, in a way, a caricature of a politician in his own personal corruption) Richard Carson, (who announced one day only to find his pet reason for doing so (Allegedly, none of the legislators listened to his concerns over the proposed BPA routing through Hockinson of a power line.... the same Hockinson I live in, I might add) get yanked out from underneath him THE NEXT DAY when the BPA announced that Hockinson was off the table)…. Robert Dean (Who could be a solid representative, and under other circumstances, I likely would have supported him.) Jon Haugen, (who has filed as a democrat, a Republican and, if memory serves, an independent, supports/opposes many of the same issues most GOP'ers do; he was/is/rightfully and militantly opposed to the bridge scam... but his presentation is kind of Ron Paulish...) Then there was Brandon Vick, who was hamstrung by a lack of experience AND time; as a part of a family business in the landscaping arena, he was fighting for financial survival while running a campaign…

Then, of course, we had to deal with failed Congressional Candidate Jon Russell... who is such a poor candidate... and a poor human being as far as that goes, that I've developed an entire blog devoted to his idiocy.

And, the ultimate winner, of course, was Ann Rivers.

But that was then, as they say. And things will be different, logistically. All candidates and incumbents must research their new district configurations. In the 18, as we face the upcoming election, we're struck by three issues: the first is that it's likely that Rob McKenna will get elected Governor. Out here, where the rubber meets the road, we won't notice any difference, of course, because McKenna is a King County Republican, which means he's kind of a democrat-light. Referring to McKenna as a Republican is kind of like confusing Lou Brancaccio and his Pit Yorkie with a "journalist." Any resemblance is purely accidental.

But in the event the planets align, and Rob becomes the Captain of the state Titanic, the buzz is that Joe Zarelli MIGHT get an appointment of some sort... baggage from collecting unemployment while a sitting state senator notwithstanding.

That, of course, is out there: but the dominoes have to fall in the right direction for that to happen... and if it happens, it will, of course, be post election in 2012.

So, we are likely to see Zarelli running for re-election in 2012 for the Senate, along with Ann Rivers in the House.

In the election, that leaves the open seat, currently held by Rep. Ed Orcutt.

Immediately after the election that leaves the possibly open seat held by Ann Rivers, who would likely be appointed to the Senate seat if Zarelli DOES get the gig from Rob.

Thus, the second issue: we're going to have, likely, not ONE, but TWO feeding frenzies: first for Orcutt's seat and then the likely appointment for River's seat, shortly thereafter. Presuming Ann gets the prospective senatorial appointment, she’ll find herself in the unenviable position of having to campaign, almost full time, for two straight years.

There isn’t a job in politics alive that’s worth it.

Now, I'm much more concerned about this seat than most because this is MY district. That is, I live in it... Even after redistricting.

Which leads us to the third issue: who are those going to run for these positions? There are a few people that I simply will not abide being elevated to the state House to represent ME. Some were, thankfully, re-districted out of contention. Some, unfortunately, were not.

Jon Russell is one such person. I will do everything I can legally to keep him out of my House of Representatives.

He is a miserable candidate, a miserable politician, completely without honor or integrity, and he has proven that time and again over the 7 years I've known him.

The likelihood that such a narcissistic career politician isn't going to run is equal to the likelihood that our local excuse for a paper will ever tell the truth about either their agenda... OR the democrats... and do so on purpose, instead of accidentally.

So, expect Russell to both announce for election, and when I kick his ass in that, expect him to announce or make yet another effort (having failed the first time) for the likely appointment for the open seat.

Other names I've heard include Brandon Vick, Chris Boyd (Former WA-03 congressional candidate), Washougal Councilwoman Jennifer McDaniel, and... and... Brian Peck (if he was redistricted into the 18th) as well as, no doubt, a host of others.

Political leadership calls for tough decisions. Those running this next time ought to remember they will not be running in the ultra-conservative 18th. Those foolish enough to buy into Russell's faux Christianity, which amounts to nothing more than one of his many empty political props, will not be enough to overcome the more moderate, less rural aspects of a much geographically smaller district.

Will the House Republicans and local political leadership have the sense and courage to cull the herd to strengthen our chances in the 18th to keep this seat? Will they send the same mixed and muddled and confused messages they did last time, dividing the party and the electorate?

With the same people calling the shots this time as last time.... what do YOU think?

Cross posted at Jon Russell Watch.

Funny, ALMOST dirty joke.

2011-12-18T21:17:00.000-08:00

HHhhmmmmmm.....

When the GOP gets it right in the House.

2011-12-18T20:30:00.000-08:00

.
Winner of Eight Pulitzer Prizes Nation & World

Deal to extend payroll-tax cut already in danger
A day after the Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation to extend a payroll-tax cut for two months, House Republicans made clear Sunday that they would not support the measure. Speaker John Boehner, who had urged his members on Saturday to support the bill, did an about-face Sunday and said he and other House Republicans were opposed to the temporary extension.

By RON NIXON
The New York Times
WASHINGTON — A day after the Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation to extend a payroll-tax cut for two months, House Republicans made clear Sunday that they would not support the measure.

Speaker John Boehner, who had urged his members on Saturday to support the bill, did an about-face Sunday and said he and other House Republicans were opposed to the temporary extension, part of a $33 billion package of bills that the Senate passed Saturday by an 89-10 vote. In addition to extending the payroll-tax cut for millions of U.S. workers, the legislation extends unemployment benefits and avoids cuts in payments to doctors who accept Medicare. The measure would be effective through February. Without any action, Medicare payments would be cut 27.4 percent next year.

But in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, Boehner said the two-month extension would be "just kicking the can down the road."

"It's time to just stop, do our work, resolve the differences and extend this for one year," Boehner said. "How can you have tax policy for two months?"

He said that Republicans want to extend the payroll cut for a year but that it would have to be financed with cuts in the existing budget. When congressional aides announced the deal on Friday, they said the items it contained were fully paid for.

But any thought that Congress will agree on a yearlong tax-cut extension or on the other provisions is extremely optimistic, given that its work will overlap with President Obama's State of the Union speech, the heat of the Republican primaries and a presidential campaign hitting full stride. Senate Democrats criticized Boehner's stance on the payroll-tax cut, saying he was renouncing the fact that the package had been negotiated last week by House and Senate leaders.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Boehner had asked him and the minority leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to work out a compromise on the tax cut and that it had been agreed to by both political parties.

"Neither side got everything they wanted, but we forged a middle ground that passed the Senate by an overwhelming bipartisan majority," Reid said in a statement. "If Speaker Boehner refuses to vote on the bipartisan compromise that passed the Senate with 89 votes, Republicans will be forcing a thousand-dollar tax increase on middle-class families on Jan. 1."

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Boehner's comments called into question his ability to lead.

"This is a test of whether the House Republicans are fit to govern, and it is a make-or-break moment for John Boehner's speakership," he said in a statement. "You cannot let a small group at the extreme resort to brinkmanship every time there is a major national issue and try to dictate every move this nation makes."

Boehner's remarks on "Meet the Press" came less than 24 hours after a conference call in which he tried to sell the package to his rank and file, pointing to its provision that would speed Republican-supported construction of an oil pipeline, known as Keystone XL, from Canada to the Gulf Coast.

The Obama administration had sought to delay a decision on the pipeline, which environmental groups oppose, until 2013.

But many Republican lawmakers were not buying what their leader was urging them to do, chiefly because they objected to the tax-cut extension's cost.

Among them was the House majority leader, Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, who said in a statement Sunday that on Monday "the House will either amend the Senate bill so that it is responsible and in line with the needs of hard working taxpayers and middle-class families, or pass a motion to move to conference to accomplish the same."

More:

It seems like I disagree more than agree with JB... but this time, he's on target.

Knowing most Republicans.

2011-12-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

This video explains the GOP. It uses "glittering generalities" but it seems historically correct.

Not ALL Republicans live up to these tenets. Many in the local party are all about the social aspects.... what conference can we go to, what job can we scam from the plumb book.... what convention... you know, that kind of crap.

Electing candidates is secondary to the party circuit aspects.

And, unfortunately, not all Republican candidates and electeds have the variety of integrity and character this video infers; our own Ridgefield Barbie lacks 99/100ths of the courage and integrity she should have to be in Congress.... and Jon Russell is a lying lowlife, a stain on government anywhere, even at the small town level.

But as ideals, this vid is hard to beat... it should be what our candidates use to educate those being kept on the plantation... and it should be the goal set that all who claim allegiance to Republicanism aspire to.

Take 8 minutes and give it a look.

Democrat political idiocy and the Keystone pipeline.

2011-12-17T09:53:00.000-08:00

So, unlike our bridge scam with the fake 20,000 job claims local dems have been lying about for so long, the Keystone pipeline from Canada is reported to have a genuine 20,000 job level during the construction phase.

The GOP wants it. The unions want it. The states the pipeline goes through want it. A few "get us back into the stone age" fringe-left whack jobs oppose it, and that Empty Suited, Anti-American racist bigot in the White House has to use knee pads to the enviros... as if they'll all vote for the GOP if he doesn't.

Dems have been babbling about how the GOP doesn't give a damn about jobs. Of course, big government reliance and income redistribution are what the dems are all mabout... but jobs?

Only if they're more government jobs.

We've seen the arrogance of democrats on jobs here locally, with the indefensible idiocy of giving a $167,000 a year city manager a pay raise of 3.5% in the midst of this local economy while simultaneously laying off other city employees.

Did I mention "idiocy?"

No pay raises for government employees... in fact, pay cuts are the order of the day. What are they going to do.... quit?

The deal here, of course, is that the pipeline is a private venture that will result in few... if any... government jobs... and no tax, fee or tolls fort a public that doesn't want it, need it or can afford it.

Build the damned pipeline. Do it now. Put people back to work in the private sector. And stop putting your bizarre, delusional brand of politics ahead of the needs of the people of this country.