Koenninger must be getting old: It took him far longer than I thought it would to get stupid over the Gorge.

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As a 23 year, post military service resident of this area, one of the biggest disappointments about this area we live in has been the local daily paper.

And of the many disappointments within that despicable rag, Tom Koenninger has been the worst.

His list of idiocy and efforts to bully those wise enough to disagree with him is both long and distinguished. His many outrages against common sense include an unfathomable fetish for loot rail, one that he will cheerfully charge us billions of dollars to dabble in; a moronic fixation on forcing the people to pay for a downtown Hilton that has cost us millions and has yet to make a profit; a determination to silence the people that would have done Stalin himself credit... and his bizarre view that he is some sort of arbiter as to what is and isn't proper for, or about, the Columbia River Gorge.

Koenninger babbles about the Gorge on a frequent basis. He has, off and on, beat people up wise enough to disagree with his peculiar view that the Constitutional protections afforded to the rest of us are somehow beyond those who live and work within the confines of the Gorge Scenic Area.

The utterly absurd restrictions those thousands of people must live under are just that: utterly absurd. To get some appointed group's permission to change the color of your home, for example, is beyond stupidity. But such a restriction exists within the Scenic Area; one of many that were imposed without regard to the desires of the residents of the Scenic Area.... and one of many that Koenninger, his babble notwithstanding, does not choose to live under.

No, Koenninger views the Gorge as his personal fiefdom, and does everything he can to continue the oppression of the Gorge's residents and economy. He's even gone so far as to use his bully pulpit to attack a young couple trying to build a home, an already permitted home, within the Gorge... because of an inability on his part to determine the difference between the legally required standard of "visually subordinate" and the bizarre, self developed and totally unconstitutional standard not required by the Scenic Act or any other act of "invisibility."

When the issue was settled by a Washington State Supreme Court decision of a 9 - 0 crushing defeat of Koenninger's moronic position on the matter, (Note, the anti-Gorge leftist whackos like Koenninger did not appeal the decision in question) Koenninger failed to do so much as apologize to that couple, the Beas, even though he, personally, had used his platform so irresponsibly as to make their lives a living hell.

So, when legislators in the area made the effort to get the Gorge Commission's attention by cutting their budget, Koenninger got positively spastic over that effort, permanently cementing himself into the "stuck on stupid" mode that led to idiocy like his column today.

Koenninger demanded the resignation of one of those legislators, idiotically pointing out that his constituents would do it for him when he ran for re-election... in the face of the successful, bi-state effort (Oregon joined with Washington in whacking the Commission's budget.) that took place to, well, remind the Commission who they actually work for.

Koenninger was babbling then like he's babbling now; the legislator in question, then State Representative Marc Boldt, won re-election easily four times, and then has twice been elected county commissioner.

As I have frequently stated, self-delusion is the hallmark of the leftist. As a leftist, Koenninger stands as the chief example of the fact.

We have wasted millions on a Commission that has accomplished little to nothing. And we can no longer afford to indulge in Koenninger's fancies because he wants to do so.

SHB 3132 is the right bill for a group that has far outlived it's usefulness. Democrat Rep. Kevin Van De Wege's residence is as irrelevant as Koenninger's. Van De Wege does not live in the Gorge, and neither does Koenninger.

I knew Koenninger would get stupid over this proposal. I'm surprised it took him so long.

Hopefully, Van De Wege will be successful in eliminating this waste of money in the midst of our recession. And Koenninger, who has always felt parochial ownership of the Gorge, can certainly write a check to make up for any budget shortfall, if he REALLY feels the Commission to be all THAT important.
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Will sanity finally reign in the Gorge? Bill seeks to repeal Gorge compact.

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Here locally, excepting the massive vaporization of a wasted hundred million on that steaming pile of a bridge replacement/loot rail plan by Deb Wallace and her senate sidekick, one Craig Pridemore; it's hard to find a bigger waste of our money than the Columbia River Gorge Commission.

I remember a few years back when now current county commissioner Marc Boldt joined with other legislators on both sides of the river and cut Commission funding in half. Man, that was a HOOT!

I though Koenninger would vapor lock, he got so mad. He spewed a column so full of hatred and vitriol against Boldt.... why, that simple idiot even demanded that Boldt resign... before his constituents did it for him!

Course, Marc's only won 5 straight elections since then; but hey, no one can deny that ol' Koenninger's been stuck on stupid about the Gorge all of his life.

But then, Koenninger doesn't have to live under any of the rules or regulations he demands for the second-class, The Constitution of the United States is "different" for those that live in the Gorge folks. It's not unlike his rank hypocrisy about the bridge/loot rail issue: he ain't gonna have to pay for it, so ignoring the will of the people and advocating for a $4 billion pile of crap is an easy exercise for him.

So, kudos to state Representative Rep. Kevin Van De Wege for sticking this waste of millions on the chopping block. Who knows... Michael Lang of the FOG might actually have to go out and find work once this thing is axed!
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Koenninger blows it again on the bridge.

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Look, I get that the Columbian collectively orgasms over replacing a bridge that by no means requires replacement so they can jam loot rail down our throats while forcing us to pay billions; I get that the rag has an agenda that is in spite of the people instead of a reflection of the people (Their bankruptcy does tend to speak for itself) and I get that they want US to pay for THEIR vision.

But it takes a level of arrogance that exceeds that of the size of Mt. Rushmore in order to characterize anyone opposing this unneeded multi-billion dollar monstrosity as a "meddler." For a champion of the First Amendment to do so is as despicable a thing as this despicable man has ever written... and he's written a great many.

There is one reason and one reason only why we have not been afforded a vote on this horrific waste of precious transportation dollars: the powers that be know that such a vote would lose and they have admitted as much.

To that end, if, what Koenninger calls "the bickering" will finally kill this steaming pile, then I say bicker away.

Here's a memo to Koenninger: We do not NEED your bridge; we do not WANT your bridge; and we will do everything we can to limit the colossal waste of our money to the hundred million dollars we've already wasted for studies with pre-ordained outcomes that have made me so ashamed of the leaders of this community.... both the real, like our local governments; and the imagined, like the clown editor that wrote his column of pap as if he had any impact or power to persuade.

Things are happening out there that will impact this and provide a voice for those who are actually having the gun of government aimed at their heads to extort $1300 a year to begin with for their commute to Portland. You can either get on the train or get run over by it.

In the case of this stain on the science of journalism, there's little doubt where they will stand on the popular movement coming.
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The never-ending delusion of Tom Koenninger

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It took no degree in rocket science to figure out that Tim "The Liar" Leavitt would be a disaster as mayor of Vancouver... and so far, he's lived up to his billing.

He lied almost through out the entirety of his campaign, as he made up an entirely false position concerning bridge tolls.

Leavitt has always supported the bridge and loot rail, and he has always, always, ALWAYS supported tolls.

The PEOPLE, however, desperate to avoid paying the massive bill the Downtown Mafia and scum of the paper like Koenninger demand, were willing to suspend common sense (much like watching the movie "Avatar") and vote for a guy who lied, but who more importantly TOLD people he was lying, because3 the other guy told the truth about bridge tolls and people, as illustrated by the unfathomable election of Obama, are willing to believe ANYTHING.

This always goes back to the one, unassailable fact:

This bridge does NOT need to be replaced.

We do NOT need loot rail.

And we DEFINITELY don't need clowns like Koenninger, who will NOT have to pay for this monstrosity of waste to tell those of us who WILL have to pay for this steaming pile "what we need."

Koenninger's arrogance led to this garbage heap today:

But let’s be vigilant about the new bridge. It must include a lid over Interstate 5 to minimize the “downtown canyon” effect through Vancouver; it must provide adequate traffic access. As the entry point to the state of Washington and to the city of Vancouver, it must have a distinctive look, the “community connector” that the Fort Vancouver National Trust is developing.

Light rail is another consideration for the new bridge. Not only should it cross the bridge, but plans are needed for its expansion in the city in years to come as a transportation link, perhaps with the aid of a trolley system. Direct access from east Vancouver to Portland International Airport should be added to the vision.

Sigh.

1. We do not need, want or desire the replacement of the I-5 bridges.

2. We do not need any kind of "lid" over any road of any kind, as colossal a waste of money as I have ever heard of.

3. Any structure needs to be functional, period. If it looks like a bent bicycle, then that's too damned bad. The last thing we "need" to do is pay hundreds of millions of dollars to avoid offending Koenninger's sense of aesthetics.

4. We do not need or want loot rail from any point in the Portland Metro to any point in Clark County.

Each and every aspect of this project comes from Big "Koenninger" Brother who has always believed though his massive arrogance that HE knows best.

He doesn't.

And BTW, Tom, YOU people elected him; YOU people need to live with him, liar and all.
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So, the Gorge Commission's budget has been cut. Where's the Columbian's demand for resignations and firing of those who cut it?

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It wasn't that long ago that I've forgotten.

A little over 10 years or so ago, the budget of the Columbia River Gorge Commission was whacked by about a third to a half.

Led by then Rep. Marc Boldt (R-17) and current Sen. Don Benton (R-17) on the Washington side, and Sen. Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day) on the Oregon side, the budgets for both states, which have to match, was cut as a way to get the Commission's attention.

The Gorge Commission had increasingly shared the Columbian's view that the people of the Gorge are a nuisance, and the phrase through out the Scenic Act, that is, "visually subordinate," actually meant "totally invisible."

They took months to approve projects as mundane as painting your house (The reader, of course, is aware that the Commission must approve a request to say, paint your house if you live in the Scenic Area. They and they alone can approve YOUR choice of colors.) and far too often would implement an overly restricted series of policies NOT called for by the Act's language.

Then, of course, there was the debacle of the Bea House; a house approved by the Commission only to be stupidly and arrogantly challenged by both the Commission and our local stain on journalism.... positions utterly destroyed by a 9-0 State Supreme Court decision.

The reaction by the democrat newsletter that is this rag?

Howls of outrage. It's one of the many reasons why this waste of pulp has never endorsed Sen. Benton, and why they've only recently endorsed Marc Boldt. In fact, Tom Koenninger demanded Boldt's resignation, moronically suggesting that Boldt "resign before the people do it for him."

Over the years, the stupidity of that position has become self-evident.

Slashing the Commission's budget as a teaching moment proved to be wildly successful. Attacking those who orchestrated that move proved to be hideously moronic.

In short, that the fishwrapper believes that the people of the Gorge should be bulldozed out (with the appropriate re-planting of trees) so that OUR side of the Gorge could go back to its natural, pre-people state (OUR side of the Gorge anyway... I wonder if the rag has noticed an interstate freeway on the Oregon side of the Gorge...) so that it could remain the post card that THEY want to look at... but would never dream of living in with all the restrictions and assaults on their freedoms that they have to put up with, is not a universally-shared view.

In fact, voters here locally would have no problem if the Commission were abolished.... let alone have their budget cut.

All of which begs the question: Where's the faux outrage? Where's the demands for resignations? Where's the barrels of ink, the screaming, whining and moaning.... the generalized idiocy of Tom Koenninger trying to bully people and destroy them politically?

Where is it?

It's no where.

Now.... why is that?

The answer is simple. THIS time, the legislature cutting this budget were all controlled by... democrats.

THAT is the difference. The state democrats OWN the despicable rag that is our paper. They SLASHED this miserable rag's business and occupation tax in the midst of a $10 BILLION budget deficit... so they now OWN this steaming pile of garbage... and as a result, they have cemented their position as being beyond criticism or question... because this rag knows that the legislature giveth, and the legislature taketh away.

Combine that with Koenninger's utterly rank hypocrisy, and the result speaks for itself.

One need look no farther than the Gorge Commission's despicable efforts to steal operations dollars out of money's MEANT for economic development and recreation planning dollars.

And that the money in question STILL hasn't been paid out on an Act in place since the REAGAN ADMINISTRATION is a testament to the weak representation of the 3rd Congressional District since the Scenic Act was put into place.

So, why is it that this garbage heap of a paper isn't hammering Baird, that cow Murray, and ol' round heels Cantwell for failing to get the money into the Gorge that the Act calls for?

Here's a bulletin, morons: our elected representatives don't give a damn about the Commission, either. If we were to wake up TOMORROW and discover that the Gorge Commission no longer existed... most of us wouldn't give a damn... much like we wouldn't give a damn if your paper ceased to exist.
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Brian Baird: Coward (X) More of the Columbian's rehab effort for Baird.

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Today's blithering idiocy?

Tom Koenninger has weighed in with his efforts. Tom, who no doubt has a "tingling leg" for Baird like that moron (Chris Matthews?) has a tingling leg for Obama, continues to avoid even any pretense of journalistic fairness or, for that matter, reality.

Koenninger and the rest of the upper level types at the local rag are totally in the tank for leftists generally. As I've shown from the last election, this disgrace of a paper ONLY endorsed democrats for EVERY open seat, from president on down.

Since Tom and the rest of the leftist thugs running that rag are completely in the bag for socialism and democrats (which is how they secured their gigantic B&O tax cut in the middle of this horrific recession and this state's $10 BILLION deficit) he predictably will do anything and everything he can to get his boy re-elected.

As I pointed out yesterday:

Baird will continue to lie about his position on this issue (He will vote for it if the Belle of Botox tells him to... and she will) and he will get massive, positive coverage from the despicable rag that is our local newspaper... so they can begin the process of burying Baird's little indiscretion, wherein he referred to me and millions of others as "Nazis" and "Brown Shirts," among other things as he engaged in cowardly, inexcusable conduct in avoiding his constituents in the face of the empty suit's efforts to further his socialist agenda.

Baird's public rehabilitation plan, orchestrated and implemented by that waste of paper known as our local newspaper, has already started. They printed alleged death threats, probably (I mean POSSIBLY) manufactured to help the Cowardman's image, today.

Can we even BEGIN to imagine what this scum rag of a paper would be saying had, say, Tom Mielke said something to offend?

Of course, since those running this disgrace to journalism AGREED with Baird's comments concerning Nazi's and Brown Shirts, they certainly aren't actually OFFENDED by our Cowardman's actions... so naturally, he's gonna engage in some of that leg-humping that makes our local paper famous among leftist aficionados everywhere.

Anyone who believes that a Cowardman voting for a bill he hasn't even read is "... a solid, hard-working and experienced voice in Congress for his district," has a screw loose. Baird's despicable conduct has disqualified him from representing the people of the 3rd District, and that's a message he'll receive loudly and clearly next year.

Dismiss his "exceptional legislative service?"

I spit on it.

His constituent services have been a joke; the man votes for bills he hasn't read; he insults and abuses his constituents... and this clown SUPPORTS him?

What amazing, rank, hypocrisy. And for someone who seems incapable of putting out a column that isn't infested with that particular virus, this one rises to the top.

More here if you have a strong stomach.

The Seattle Post Intelligencer: RIP 1863-2009

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The future of the Columbian as foretold by the Seattle Post Intelligencer?

There are many reasons for the death of this newspaper... reasons that I cannot help but think our local newspaper SHOULD have noticed... but have chosen to ignore.

Newspapers are essentially an outmoded method of news delivery. They cannot be updated; they waste resources (trees), they're a huge cause of pollutants, and a logistical, time consuming and expensive item to deliver.

That leaves the electronic medium. The obvious problem with that strategy is simple: newspapers are already competing with well-established electronic media... and the now omnipresent internet.

How do you charge for providing something that is provided, essentially, for free?

You don't.

The Seattle PI has been reduced, essentially, to a blog. One can see the effectiveness of a blog because, after all, you're reading this one.

Now, I don't have a staff of writers or researchers available. Nor do I have the brand name awareness of the Seattle PI which has, after all, been around 3 times more than I have.

And this brings me to what I believe is the most critical reason why the PI failed... why the Seattle Times SEEMS to be failing, and why the Columbian is failing... and these are reasons in addition to issues of technology and finances... because not every newspaper is teetering on the brink.

That reason?

Bias.

Newspapers have had a place in our communities and our societies. They've played a role in developing this country as tools of democracy. They've served as tools to hold our leaders accountable. They've sometimes been positive forces for change... but more recently, negative forces for change.

The critical element for newspapers has been under attack for years. Our local newspaper had a reporter that was prescient in expressing his concerns, a quote I reproduce here:

NEWSPAPERS TRY TO REGAIN CREDIBILITY WITH READERS
From: The Columbian Date: July 28, 1997 Author: MIKE FEINSILBER

The Columbian 07-28-1997

WASHINGTON -- Would you believe this? A lot of editors worry that you wouldn't - that people are less willing these days to believe what they read in the newspapers. They fear that, for a variety of reasons, newspapers are suffering a crisis in credibility, losing the irreplaceable asset of believability. The press has a lot to worry about these days: stagnant circulation, too few young readers, the Internet's ...

I stopped paying to read the Columbian over 13 years ago. They attacked people they disagreed with unmercifully, using exaggeration, lies, bias and gallons of ink to attack individuals wise enough to understand that while this newspaper is a PART of our community, it does not RUN our community.

In Seattle, in what appears to be an increasingly leftist area that I am FROM (And, in the interests of full disclosure, point out that I used to be an employee of the PI a LOOOOONG time ago) those who aligned themselves with the left wing a-men choir that the PI had unabashedly and unashamedly become have now accessed all of those technologies and other sources for free that the PI charged for.

Why read the PI if you can get the latest leftist pap from Kos, or Horse's Ass... for what amounts to free?

Loyalty is a fine thing... until it starts reaching into your wallet.

The PI attacks Congressman Dave Reichert because he was smart enough to vote against the Empty Suits "Generational Indebtedness Act," telling us it was a "partisan" move. They failed to mention the 11 democrats who also voted against it. Were they "partisan? The PI lost their collective minds over the Gas Tax... and kept silent when we were screwed by WADOT who then cut the project list by 30%; an obvious fraud... in supporting the idea of a death tax... and on, and on... and on.

This represents something of the Chinese water torture approach to anyone to the right of Lenin.

If a newspaper beats the hell out of a large segment of the public they depend on to support them financially... what's the incentive to give them money if you're a part of that segment?

Well, based on the PI going under, it would appear their isn't one.

Here, we have a completely leftist newspaper, one that only endorsed democrats for any open seat in the last election, with an editorial page editor apparently PAID to beat the hell out of anyone to the right of Stalin. He uses insults, slams, lies and libel towards those he doesn't agree with... and that typically means those wise enough to avoid the leftist Kool Aid drinking he's so enamored of.

Why on earth would anyone not a fringe-left whack job buy the Columbian when this clown writes most of his columns as if the very idea of conservatism is a personal affront, and he needs to use his soap box to kick the hell out of those he disagrees with?

Now... that is not to say that *I* don't do precisely the same thing: I do, and I admit it. Unlike the two newspapers under discussion, how ever, I don't hide anything from anyone in the realm of news. And part of the reason why I spend time doing this is to provide SOME counterpoint to the lie-driven, agenda driven morons that spew their lies as if they were God's own truth.

But the MAIN difference between us is.... YOU DON'T PAY ME TO READ ME. For the thousands who've stopped by my blog, there is absolutely no charge. I refuse to have the google ad set here for a variety of reasons, so I don't even make any money off of THAT.

And those issues, of course, just go to politics.

The other main issue is one of agendas.

For several years now, the Columbian uses itself as a club to literally BEAT on those opposed to their agenda.

In the alternative, they go out of their way to ignore those opposed to their Orwellian vision of what they want us to become.

They have a track history of this type of arrogance and community damaging garbage: The current issue is their utterly absurd and nonsensical lies and exaggeration in support of their demand that we get light rail into Vancouver... and oh yeah, let's waste $4 BIOLLION to make that happen... all the while, typically writing as if tens of thousands of us are not completely opposed to their moronic idea... going so far as to elect an anti-light rail, anti-bridge replacement county commissioner this past November.

Some at the Columbian have come right out and attacked those who oppose their massive black hole of precious and increasingly fewer transportation dollars as they do their damnedest to force US to pay hundreds of dollars a year in tolls THEY will not have to pay.

There have been other episodes of Columbian idiocy besides their rampant lies about the bridge replacement; there support of gerrymandered elections for tax increases, their support of the city of Vancouver actually suing the voters into silence for downtown redevelopment? their support of the overwhelmingly rejected Port tax increase, the biggest increase in our history.

Their relative silence on the destruction our prtesident is causing this country (of course, they endorsed him... and once they endorse you, you can do no wrong) their failure to hold our congressman accountable for his earmarks and for voting to bury us under an additional trillion in debt... because HIS earmarks are RIGHTEOUS. There attacks... repeated attacks... against a couple trying to build a house in the Gorge... their idiotic demands that a state representative, now a re-elected county commissioner, "resign before the people do it for him," right before he won his first of four re-elections to the House and his subsiquent re-election as a county commissioner.

This goes directly to the point brought out by Feinsilber, above.

If the people believe you've abbrogated your responsibility by putting your politics or your agenda ahead ofwhat's right for the people... well, guess what?

You become the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

When a newspaper lies, distorts, exaggerates, attacks and loses sight of their primary responsibility of telling the unvarnishede truth, they become an increasing stain on democracy; and people like me become increasingly less likely to want to pay to be abused by tonedeaf idiots like many of those writing for this newspaper today.

There are lessons to be learned in the demise of the PI. As of now, the Columbian maintains their blinders... and continue to circle the drain.

Seattle P-I to publish last edition Tuesday

By DAN RICHMAN AND ANDREA JAMES
P-I REPORTERS

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer will roll off the presses for the last time Tuesday.

· Seattlepi.com to continue as local news, opinion site
· Letter to readers
· More about the new seattlepi.com

The Hearst Corp. announced Monday that it would stop publishing the 146-year old newspaper, Seattle's oldest business, and cease delivery to more than 117,600 weekday readers.

The company, however, said it would maintain seattlepi.com, making it the nation's largest daily newspaper to shift to an entirely digital news product.

"Tonight we'll be putting the paper to bed for the last time," Editor and Publisher Roger Oglesby told a silent newsroom Monday morning. "But the bloodline will live on."

In a news release, Hearst CEO Frank Bennack Jr. said, "Our goal now is to turn seattlepi.com into the leading news and information portal in the region."

The new operation will be more than a newspaper online, Steven Swartz, president of Hearst Newspapers, said. The so-called "community platform" will feature breaking news, columns from prominent Seattle residents, community databases, photo galleries, 150 citizen bloggers and links to other journalistic outlets.

On Jan. 9, New York-based Hearst put the Seattle P-I up for sale and said that the paper would stop printing if a buyer were not found within 60 days.

Despite community concern, no buyer emerged. The P-I lost $14 million last year.

"The thing that should not be missed here is that the P-I is not going away. The P-I is going online," Oglesby said in an interview. "Nobody is happy about the newspaper going away. That's a sad thing. The editorial voice is still going to be here."

About 20 news gatherers and Web producers will stay on with seattlepi.com, plus another 20 newly hired advertising sales staff. The publisher will stick around through the transition period, but does not expect to be part of the ongoing online operation.

"Our goal is to just let the quality of the Web site speak for itself," Swartz said in an interview. "We're very excited that the people who are staying with us will continue to evolve and experiment and innovate. The newspaper industry needs more innovation, needs more experimentation, and I think the new seattlepi.com is an innovative experiment and I think that the eyes of the country and this industry are going to be on what we do in Seattle."

More:

Koenninger cops to the fact: the ONLY reason for a replacement bridge is loot rail.

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When Tom Koenninger actually begins to address reality on any project, you know it's in serious trouble.

In the understatement of the decade, Tom observes, rhetorically, "Maybe the bridge can wait a few years."

No kidding? Like, how ever many years it takes to build a bridge on the west side and another one on the east side? However many years after 2 additional bridges are built? Like that?

FINALLY, someone connected with the Pravda Columbian acknowledges SOME of the facts of the matter, no matter how indirectly. Those facts are these: the majority of people in this county believe the entire concept of replacing a perfectly serviceable 6 through-lane bridge with a $4 Billion replacement with 6 through-lanes is a moronic nightmare; and that using that as cover for the true purpose of this massive waste; that is, to bring loot rail into Vancouver, is as idiotic as President Obama's unneeded and unnecessary porkulus rip off.

The Powers That Be already know this: that is why they refuse to put this massive mess to a county-wide vote.

We've known for months that there's no money for this massive boondoggle. Politician after politician, from Sen. Patty "dim bulb" Murray on down has tried to tell these money-wasting fanatics that there is no money to waste on ego-driven projects like these... and until now, none of the main shillers has acknowledged that fact.

But in his acknowledgement, what's the first thing Koenninger says?

-- Restore the trolley tracks in the existing bridge to allow light rail to cross the river and add another transit option between Vancouver and Portland. (Cars also would drive on the trolley tracks).

No.

No to any delay. PERMANENTLY shelve this crock of horse poop.

No to light rail. No to any version for light rail. No to any expenditure for light rail. No to no more studies for light rail, studies we knew would only result in a light rail "option" from the beginning, $10's of millions of wasted dollars ago.

He continues to blather:

During the golden oldies, trolleys would clang, clang, clang across the bridge. The tracks could be restored, and linked to Max light rail at Delta Park. During a test program, many questions could be answered. For example, has this patch to Max reduced bridge traffic? As bridge congestion increases, has light rail ridership gone up proportionately?

This is even more nonsensical crap.

The results of such a massively expensive project would be the same as the so-called "pilot project" for the infamous HOV lanes. You remember THAT debacle, don't you? Accidents, congestion, $10 of thousands of wasted dollars for lane painting and signs. A dogged insistence by these same ignorant twits that the HOV project, which we lived with for an agonizing FOUR years before Sen. Benton was finally able to get it killed, was somehow a "good thing."

With that track record, it's fairly clear that no matter WHAT the results of such idiocy, the Koenningers of the Downtown Mafia would still twist the facts into some sort of justification for loot rail... and, by extension, some nonsensical reasoning to continue their efforts to screw us.

The HOV lane, finally and rightfully put to a well-deserved death in early August of 2005, but it still stands as a memorial to the same arrogance and tonedeafness exhibited by the blithering, self-centered idiots behind this abuse of the taxpayer known as the I-5 Bridge Replacement/loot rail scam.

Koenninger closes his lying diatribe by again acting as if he's off his medications. He ignores the growing hatred of the idea that he and a select few others would impose an addition $1200 yearly tax on commuters to go to their jobs in Portland, all in the name of his additional psychotic efforts at social engineering.

We don't want this bridge. We don't want loot rail. We don't need this bridge. We don't need loot rail.

And every time I see the Pravda Columbian print such lies and utter propaganda, I pray for their demise to occur sooner, rather than latter. I, for one, am sick of theire efforts to damage this community.



TOM KOENNINGER Feb. 11: Maybe bridge can wait a few years

Wednesday, February 11 3:01 a.m.

BY TOM KOENNINGER

Here's an I-5 replacement bridge idea that has yet to gain traction: Put most of the Columbia River Crossing project on the shelf for five years, to let the economy strengthen.

Meanwhile, proceed on multiple fronts:

-- Restore the trolley tracks in the existing bridge to allow light rail to cross the river and add another transit option between Vancouver and Portland. (Cars also would drive on the trolley tracks).

-- Allow the entry design project to continue to create a stunning gateway to the state of Washington. More later.

-- Continue efforts to bridge the "Grand Canyon divide" between east and west Vancouver by capping part of the freeway.

-- Allow and encourage the bridge debate to continue between straight-talking Mayor Royce Pollard of Vancouver and petulant Portland Mayor Sam Adams.

-- Allow and encourage proliferation of innovative ideas.

More: (If you can stomach it)