I'm fond of saying, when asked, that I'm FROM Seattle... and it's a great place to be FROM.
I used to be a Republican. I've worked very hard on partisan races... I've had some successes and some failures. Typically, the races I picked were ALL GOP, ALL the time, because being Republican meant you weren't the political version of the anti-Christ.
I've even held paid positions in the GOP up to the state level... where my true political education began in earnest, and I discovered that it wasn't really about getting Republicans elected... far from it. It was about funneling tens of thousands out the door every month for consultants and lawyers. It was about what job could be scammed through the "Plum Book," what appointment... what "consideration."
Those increasingly smaller numbers of people who call themselves Republicans do so because they feel, in part, that it's SUPPOSED to mean something. And that's the problem: It doesn't.
I became a Republican because it was SUPPOSED to mean honor... integrity... character... and inclusiveness.
Today was yet another lesson that such is not the case.
Below is a copy of Senator Don Benton's endorsement of Royce Pollard for his re-election. I support that position as much as I despise many of Pollard's policies.
As even the Columbian has pointed out, on the policy level there is little to differentiate between Pollard and Leavitt. They've been, essentially, joined at the hip legislatively since Leavitt was appointed to the city council a few years back.
Leavitt knew that he had to differentiate himself from Pollard to get this notch on his gun belt before he ran for Congress or whatever he ultimately plans to do.
So, he contrived a hair-splitting difference on tolls, manipulated the local hispanics into committing political suicide, and attacked HIS opponent for HIS OWN failure to vote; a privilege, I might add, that BOTH Pollard and myself spent many hard years INSURING that Leavitt had available to him, only for him to ignore it... again and again and again.
So, I have been hammering Leavitt like a nail. But as I pointed out below, many in the local GOP hierarchy mistakenly believe he's a Republican because Leavitt had the foresight to play both sides of the fence; apparently supporting Rossi while definitely endorsing and supporting the man who has single-handedly inflicted more damaged to our country in less time than any human being who has ever lived, Barack Hussein Obama.
Benton has endorsed Pollard. I will let that endorsement speak for itself. That the endorsement was made, however, has hurt Leavitt badly, because even though he has surrounded himself with leftists and has so far counted on $30,000 (so far) in leftist money laundered from the East Coast, he was secure in the knowledge that he had sucked most local Republicans into wrongly believing that HE, Leavitt, was one.
I also appreciate Ryan Hart's efforts to jam a shiv into Sen. Benton's back with his non-endorsement endorsement of Leavitt, below.
You know, I appreciate the passion of those in this email that is now making the rounds.
Like those circulating this filth, everyone is entitled to their opinion. And I appreciate CDR Patella's use of the axiom, of "what happens when you 'lay down with dogs'," since Pattela seems to have acquired an entire kennel.
My opinion is this:
Tim Leavitt is a democrat. His campaign has surrounded itself with democrats such as Steve Stuart, Betty Sue Morris and democrat campaign strategist Heather Mellon, who ran democrat Peter Goldmark’s successful campaign for state lands commissioner.
Leavitt claims to have supported Rossi. Well, he also endorsed and supported the blight on the land known as Obama. How come no one mentions THAT?
Does that make him any more palatable to you so-called Republicans?
While Benton obviously has a history of fighting for Republican causes and issues that extends back unbroken for the last 15 years in elective office, that does not make him blind to issues of character, integrity and courage of convictions.
The fact of the matter is that I view Leavitt as a political mercenary. He and Pollard are essentially the same on matters of policy and legislation, with very few differences over the years until Leavitt was bitten by the “mayor” bug, when he realized he had to begin to emphasize, and contrive, differences in order to separate himself from Pollard.
So, he makes up a scam about bridge tolls. He’s OPPOSED to tolls, you understand… just not enough to oppose the BRIDGE when it’s REQUIRED to have tolls. And then, we find out that he never bothered to vote. And then, we find out about his grand plan to tax EVERYONE to get the bridge replaced, a replacement that we do not need and do not want and cannot afford.
Most of you base your opposition to Pollard on what amounts to personal animus. And because Don, after much consideration, has decided what *I* consider to be, by far, the lesser of two evils, you respond like this?
For ANY of you to even REMOTELY begin to question the character and integrity of a man like Sen. Benton with a REPEATEDLY PROVEN RECORD of Republicanism is part and parcel of why I have stopped BEING a Republican… And if this is what it takes to be a part of this party, then that is why I am ashamed to call myself one.
Because if blind obedience to an unofficial party line is a requirement to be a part of your organization, then I want nothing to do with it.
Pollard has, of course, engaged in dozens of policies that I oppose…AND SO HAS LEAVITT. Why do you people seem to forget all about that? Why is there such a horrific double standard?
The difference here, at least to me, is that Pollard is HONEST about his positions, where Leavitt is a slimy weasel. EVERYONE KNOWS where Pollard stands, like it or hate it. Leavitt? Well his latest stupidity on taxing EVERYONE to pay for the bridge and light rail that HE wants says it all.
There is nothing to reconsider. I urge Benton to maintain his stance, a stance based on PRINCIPLED support, something apparently lacking in the organization that I have worked so hard, at so many levels to support… But now have come to despise because of this kind of activity on the part of its “members.”
Because someone disagrees with you, you attack him like this? You people are no different than the Obama White House. You’re no different than Axlerod, or Emanuel or Dunn.
You have BECOME the enemy because of your hatred, and your inability to understand the difference between pragmatism and selling out. You would throw a man under a bus because he may disagree with YOUR conclusion on this ONE issue.
Do you think absolutely unsupported ”talking points” will have any sway?
You express concern over how Pollard has treated Campbell. That’s DEMOCRAT Pat Campbell, who USED to be a Republican… right? The utterly INEXPLICABLE idiocy of trying to make excuses for Leavitt's non-voting record... because Pollard was an OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
Are YOU telling US, "Commander," that when YOU were in the Navy in YOUR early 20's, that YOU didn't vote and then, like Leavitt, you LIED about it?
*I* voted, Commander. I bet dollars to donuts that Pollard did as well. That you didn't, and then proceed to make excuses for YOUR candidate who followed along in YOUR irresponsibility is simply beyond the pale.
I cannot and will not speak for Don. But if it were me? I would say the hell with the lot of you. I would say, “great. You don’t want to support me? THEN DON’T. Feel free to vote and provide money to whatever leftist they run against me."
And I pity you for it.
From: Local Mailing List
Date: 24 Oct 2009 09:13:11
To:
Subject: Is Don Benton a RINO?
(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.) __
Senator Benton, I have no idea what kind of a deal you made with Pollard, but what ever it was you are a great disappointment to this Conservative.
You must have forgotten what your mother said happens when you "lay down with dogs".
You may not care and you are starting to believe you own press releases, but you no longer have my support and I will do my best to convince other to no longer support you.
For all who supported Rossi and those of you who support Leavitt, Benton needs to hear from you. Please send Debbie's email to everyone on your mailing list.
L. M. Patella
CDR USN (ret
Dear Friends,
Please email to your email lists, blogs, any media outlets.
Call to Action: Please email Don Benton and let him know how disappointed you are by the Pollard endorsement. don@senatordonbenton.com .
If you need talking points, please feel free to use any or all of my letter to Don.
Dear Don,
I am stunned that you have endorsed Pollard for the following reasons:
1. Pollard is pushing the very policies that you have spoken against.
2. He is vocally rude, condescending, and often humiliating to Vancouver citizens during public comment, so much so that the city lawyer, Mr. Gathe had to come in and remind Pollard of appropriate ethics while at city council.
3. He has been degrading to both Pat Campbell and Jeanne Stewart, his own colleagues, during city council meetings.
4. After numerous requests (for removal), he still retained his campaign treasurer as chair of the Vancouver Charter. As a result of that, the review board sent us weak, useless recommendations at a time when real issues needed to be addressed, such as dispersal of public property, the purchase and rental of property, term limits, and mayoral election cycle.
After weeks of public comment as to the importance of these issues, none of them was recommended for review by the Charter Review Committee. It was disgusting,and a blatant disregard for public input.
5. He has spent this city into a position where we didn't even have enough money to pay our fire/police. If BHO hadn't had the stimulus money, we would have been down ten police positions added to the four the city lost previously. It was disheartening to see firemen begging city council to raise taxes to cover their personnel positions/expenses.
6. Have you seen the proposed developments for downtown Vancouver? Good by to all the reasons we all moved here. It will be a concrete canyon.
Tower after tower of high rises.
7. The whole Leavitt voting record thing is absurd. I'd like to see Pollard's voting record when he was in his early 20's.
8. Lastly, please see below what your own Clark County chair has to say about Pollard, after Pollard trashed yours and my 2008 gubernatorial candidate.
Dear Republicans:
The Clark County Republican party decided earlier this year to not make any endorsements in the 2009 non-partisan races. We did send out a voter information guide for the purpose of informing our members of identified Republicans running for office. Since there were many cases of Republicans running against Republicans, and Democrats running against Democrats, we have made it clear that we as a party have taken no official position in these non-partisan races.
Today I was disappointed to see a mailer sent out by the Royce Pollard campaign attacking Mayoral Candidate and City Councilman Tim Leavitt for supporting Dino Rossi in 2008, and for introducing Rossi at his final appearance in Clark County the weekend before the 2008 election. The mail piece states, “The Leavitt-Rossi agenda will move Vancouver in the wrong direction.”
As Chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, I remain proud of Mr. Rossi and the campaigns he ran in an effort to move Washington forward.
Furthermore, it was an honor to have Councilman Tim Leavitt introduce Dino Rossi.
Mayor Pollard needs to understand that tens of thousands of Vancouver residents voted for Dino Rossi, and that Rossi won Clark County in both 2004 and 2008.
Christine Gregoire, however, now has an approval rating around 30 percent.
It is her failed policies, and those of the Democratic majority, that are hindering Washington and, more specifically, Clark County from moving forward. It is doubtful that the majority of Vancouver voters approve of Governor Gregoire’s job performance today.
Tim Leavitt was right to support Dino Rossi, and I applaud him for it.
Sincerely,
Ryan Hart
Chairman, Clark County Republican Party
Don, I urge you to reconsider your endorsement of this once effective, but now misguided mayor.
Debbie Peterson.
.
