Fixing our public schools:

Under leftist control, public schools are a disaster. I don't know if Oregon has an equivalency to Washington State's OSPI report card, which details the academic outcomes of our schools.

But I'm sure it's a nightmare if such an online report exists.

This is the current copy of the latest reports on academic outcomes here in Washington.

You'd have to be insane or masochistic to send your kids to a state school system that has no requirements to get a worthless high school diploma in order to somehow protect the sensibilities of minorities who fail to perform.

Meanwhile, Oregon continues to punch out fringe-left programmed semi-literate cretins like movie tickets, just like Washington (which just fell behind MISSISSIPPI in academics - schools that spend roughly $6000 LESS per student than we do) and then, leftists ask for a "plan to fix it," as if 1. they were clueless that it's broken and 2. WHY it is broken.

Plan to fix all public schools:

1. End social programming.

Kids go to school for one reason only: academics. Social programing, insane gender issues, mainstreaming mental illness, teaching children to hate their country, hate law enforcement, hate the rich, hate internal combustion engines, hate immigration law enforcement, hate those advocating for actual biological science when it comes to being born male or born female while hating the police should ALL be prohibited.

2. Focus ENTIRELY on academics.

English. Math. Science. Government/Constitution. Shop. Music. Athletics. Home Economics.

This country ranks 31st in the world for academic outcomes. China spends $4200 per student. Our country averages $15,000 to $17,000 per student. "China generally achieves higher foundational test scores and STEM output." In Washington State, the number is $19,341 per student.

To call our academic outcomes here in the Washington Soviet “abysmal” is the understatement.

"China scores significantly higher in international metrics like PISA (Programme[sic] for International Student Assessment), particularly in mathematics, reading, and science within participating regions like Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. The system emphasizes rote memorization, repetition, and foundational mastery.

United States students typically rank lower on standardized international math and science benchmarks compared to top-performing international cohorts, focusing more on conceptual understanding and student-centered engagement."

We rank lower. You know, on the things that matter most?

There's zero excuses available for ANY country to do better for their students than THIS country... and the issue is NOT money or so-called "underpaid teachers."

3. Hold teachers accountable for their outcomes.

Teachers have been mailing it in for years... decades. Demand accountability for what they produce.

Nationwide, there's horror stories. Baltimore, for example, spends $23,147 per student. Academically, they are among THE worst schools not only in the country, but in the entire 1st world.

It begins and ends with the combination of curriculum and those teaching it.

Try and hold teachers accountable for their end-product (you know, like all the rest of us are held accountable for ours?)

End teacher strikes, which are illegal and extortion. If teachers go on strike, lock them up.

If teachers don't like the pay, benefits, retirement? Then quit and go pump gas. But acting like failed teachers who are far more concerned with offending the sensibilities of those who refuse to do the work over those who actually make an effort, is a nonstarter.

Your value as a teacher is in direct proportion to the product YOU produce.

4. Hold STUDENTS accountable.

END the insanity of providing worthless pieces of paper that many students did NOT work for.

Implement reasonable academic standards to not only graduate, but to pass on to the next grade.

If a student can't read, how does that get better by moving them to the next grade so they can fall behind even more?

Holding failing students back provides some incentive to do the work, an incentive completely absent today because there are no requirements needed to move on to the next grade or even to graduate.

5. Stop blaming parents.

That's the favorite past time of teachers and their fringe-left acolytes.

It's NEVER the teacher’s fault. It's ALWAYS the parent's fault.

To hear them tell it.

I had two high schooler's graduate from Hockinson High School, one with a 3.6 and the other with a 3.1.

They did the work. As parents, we WERE involved. We checked their homework. We helped them to study, gave them tricks and pointers. We were proud of their academic achievement.

And neither one of them could pass the Clark College math placement test. (one has a 4-year degree now from WSU-V. The other did 2 years in college)

Explain it to me like I'm a 6-year-old.

The responsibility for those outcomes rests ENTIRELY on those who taught the subjects and graded the papers.

Not the parents.
___________

There may be, and most likely are, other steps that can be taken. But what Oregon schools are doing now simply does not work. And it's insane to continue to do the same thing, over and over, while expecting a different outcome.

We can do better. Leftist intransigence while the sky actually IS falling is a critical element in the disaster that is not only Oregon’s educational outcomes but those of the entire United States.

We can fix it. But as always, it boils down to this single question: Do we have the will?

When are the fringe-left governments of the left coast going to start their mandated redistricting at both the state and legislative levels?

Race-based districts at both the congressional and legislative districts are de jour in Washington, Oregon and California.

The Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v Callais, et al 608 US__ (2026), which, in brief, states:

§2 of the Voting Rights Act imposes liability only when the evidence supports a strong inference that the State intentionally drew its districts to afford minority voters less opportunity because of their race.

There is no doubt that the vast majority of congressional and legislative districts within these three states were based PRIMARILLY on racial make-up.

Most recently, here in the Washington Soviet a federal Court ordered the redrawing of 3 districts in the Yakima area ENTIRELY for race-based reasons.

The case in question, Palmer et al v. Dobbs et all and Trevino et al, CASE NO. 3:22-cv-05035-RSL,  UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON AT SEATTLE, was decided by the obvious misinterpretation of the Civil Rights Voting Act, Sec 2, when the court held that:

For all of the foregoing reasons, the Court finds that the boundaries of LD 15, in combination with the social, economic, and historical conditions in the Yakima Valley region, results in an inequality in the electoral opportunities enjoyed by white and Latino voters in the area. The Clerk of Court is directed to enter judgment in plaintiffs’ favor on their Section 2 claim.

Clearly, given the Supreme Court's recent order, at minimum, the Court's decision in Palmer was made in error and should be subject to immediate recommitment to the prior redistricting the Court subsequently overruled.

At the congressional level, the 7th District, which comprises mainly of  Seattle from the Snohomish County line south to Normandy Park, inclusive of Vashon Island, is 55% white. District 9, which is mainly covering Bellevue west to south Capitol Hill south to Federal Way and Pacific, is 50% white. District 1 extends south from Arlington through east of Everett to Northern Bellevue, 58% white.

Washington State itself is 63.1% white, which indicates the likelihood that racial components were used in these districts.

ALL redistricting decisions based on race are subject to strict scrutiny. And, in fact, ALL redistricting should be reviewed for compliance with the Supreme Court's decision.

The questions are when and how much will the Ferguson Regime obstruct the Court's decision?

Schools districts whine about a lack of funding. Who's at fault? Who will be held accountable?

Continually failing school levies play a roll in this, of course... but who wants to waste even more billions on an obviously failing statewide public school debacle?

We dump billions in... but what are we getting for ROI?

When they crammed the McLeary budget down our throats that caused our property taxes to explode, wasn't school funding supposed to be "fixed?" Who knew that the McLeary rip off was an obvious scam?

Massive increases in money without requiring any increased academic performance FOR that money... and getting worsening academics every year since.

Billions wasted.

Further, the reduction in anticipated, utterly unrealistic student attendance projections as more and more parents discover how totally, completely worthless most public schools in this state actually are and either home school their kids or private school them, combined with the costs of horrifically overpaid teachers who punch out semi-literate cretins like movie tickets, might have something to do with it.

If only the unconscionably bad schools of this state, now in many respects overtaken by Mississippi public schools in academics for only a paltry $6000 per student LESS than students that WE pay to have taught... would actually begin teacher accountability.

Our schools are terrible. The OSPI report card is a nightmare, by most schools, most districts and the entirety of this state.

And it isn't funding. Other states are doing far better for far less. And the Washington DC district, which has wasted even more money per student than we do, has done far worse.

It isn't parents. Mississippi school children have parents as well. While our teachers typically blame everyone else except themselves for these outcomes, are Mississippi teachers blaming parents for THEIR outcomes?

Funding does NOT equal outcomes. If it did, Washington DC schools, which are an actual crime against children and among the worst in the world, would, at $31,000+ per student per year, be punching out geniuses instead of their pathetic outcomes:

All students - English proficiency: 37.6% Math proficiency: 26.4% Science proficiency: 13.3%

Leftists riot at the drop of a bong.

But they never riot over how piss-poor our schools really are. Government simply doesn't care.

And sadly, it would seem far too few parents care, either.

Sideshow Bob, out with the "unclean," shilling his statewide, all-wage-earner income tax scam.

Whoever running Sideshow's social media has him out there working HARD to sell his latest class warfare scam.

THE #1 source of chaos in Washington State is the fringe-left clown in the video.

Sideshow, stop blaming the disaster you've turned this state into on anyone but yourself.

You're lying about the so-called "Millionaire's Tax" that even a dull-normal cretin like you knows violates the state's Constitution AND is merely a temporary stop on the road to a statewide income tax for EVERY wage earner, while you play dumb-ass class warfare games.

And you also know that soon, EVERYONE with a wage, a bank account, stocks, a job of any kind will be paying this tax as well.

And yet, you and the rest of your gutless cowards refuse to tell the truth, refuse to take responsibility for YOUR irresponsible actions and instead, try to ram "Trump's Fault" down our throats as cover for your incompetence and lies.

Your refinery tax slush fund comes to mind. Leftists lied about that garbage from the get and now you're hurting ALL of us, including this disabled, fixed income veteran.

Is it any wonder so many despise this state's government? 

Washington Secretary of State, Steve Hobbs, whines about efforts to require proof of citizenship to vote.

One of the DNC media outlets in Portland, KATU ran a Facebook post with the byline: 

Voting fraud is incredibly rare, and there have been 15 cases of noncitizen voting in Washington between 1982 and 2025, according to Secretary Steve Hobbs.
Horseshit. Hobbs claimed "15 prosecutions on cases" that are known.

What about the unknown cases? How could he possibly know if illegals are voting or not?

It's not like they write on their ballots, "I'm an illegal."

See, here's the total weakness of the case put forward by fringe-left scum.

How is this clown going to tell the difference between a legal vote and an ILLEGAL vote, PARTICULARLY WHEN HE NEVER LOOKS? Particularly when he NEVER CHECKS?

Prosecuting rioting leftists in Portland for the last 6 years? "Incredibly rare."

Well, that must mean rioters never attacked anyone. Never burned anything. Never looted anything. Never assaulted police or the feds. Never damaged or destroyed anything. Never blocked traffic. Never violated noise ordinances. Never vandalized anything.

Right?

Prosecuting shoplifters in Portland?

Essentially unheard of.

Well, hell... that MUST mean shoplifting is "incredibly rare" and that it's not really any kind of issue.

Right?

I mean, if you apply his "reasoning" to illegal voters, i.e., few prosecutions equal "not a problem," then you must also apply it EVERYWHERE ELSE.

Must mean all of the stores that closed because of theft, and all of the items locked up in cases in stores and locks on merchandise in the remaining stores are unnecessary.

Right?

But leftist liars in the media never do that. No mention of that sort of "incredibly rare" occurrence.

I wonder why?

I get leftist media isn't concerned about illegal voters (well, as long as they vote PROPERLY) but because leftists do not WANT proof of citizenship TO vote, that effectively means anyone in either Washington or Oregon, for example, can do it.

And to suggest they aren't is insane.

Further, if it's so rare, then why do fringe-leftists fight so hard against proving citizenship? What other alternative do they offer? Or is it, obviously, that they WANT illegals to vote?

After all, if it's "incredibly rare," as you leftist politicians assert, how could requiring proof of citizenship make any difference in actual voters voting?

The harder fringers like Hobbs fight against efforts to prove citizenship, the more obvious it is that they WANT illegals to vote, just like Obama did back in 2016 when he famously said that even if illegals voted, they typically can't be caught... an open invitation.

In the end, the claim that "prosecutions are incredibly rare" is utterly meaningless and just another effort by fringe-left pols and their media lackies to blow smoke up our asses as they insist on demanding that we accept that 2+2=5 and math is racist. The main questions Hobbs needs to answer are simple: Does he WANT illegal aliens to vote in our elections? (of course he does) And if he says "no," then what does he intend to do to make sure they don't, followed by, why hasn't he acted to implement that plan (which he does not have?)

Thoughts on Education in Washington State. A comparison with... Mississippi.

Thoughts on Education in Washington State.

A comparison with... Mississippi.

Washington per student expenditure: $18,564 per year.

Mississippi: $12,093 per year.

Education:

Mississippi: Between 2013 and 2019, Mississippi moved from 50th to 35th in K-12 education rankings. In addition, since 2013,

Mississippi has led the nation in 4th-grade reading improvement, rising from 49th to 9th place. In math, the state has improved from 50th to 16th place. Even more impressive, adjusted for demographics, Mississippi scored first in the nation in 4th-grade math and reading, first in 8th-grade reading, and 4th in the nation in 8th-grade math.

Washington: Fourth-grade reading scores have been dropping in the state since 2015 and are now at the lowest level since 1994. Washington ranks 19th in 4th-grade reading and 27th in 4th-grade math.

Mississippi: Despite limited resources (2025 spending per student was $12,394), Mississippi ranks 25th for student/teacher ratio at 15:1.

Washington: Despite very high per student spending ($20,748 annually per student), Washington ranks 41st in student/teacher ratio at 17:1.

Mississippi: In terms of closing achievement gaps, black students in Mississippi rank 3rd nationally in 4th-grade reading scores, and low-income students in Mississippi outperform their peers in every other state.

Washington: The latest Washington State Board of Education report concludes that “educational outcome disparities based on race, ethnicity, and program participation are widespread.”

By any of these measures, Mississippi seems to be getting it right — while Washington appears to be heading in the wrong direction.

How bad are leftist controlled cities?

Bad enough that CNN's Fareed Zakaria indicted democrats as his snap shot/indictment of the left shows Washington State OUR future as every allegation he makes against fringe-left-controlled cities also represents an indictment against fringe-left controlled states.

As leftist scum in Olympia continue taxing us into oblivion with their progressive train wreck economics, the fiscal insanity of the left will damage/destroy every corner of our state.

And they don't care, because they'll do it with a smile, all in the name of their phantom "equity."

 

Washington schools continue to fail us.

I despise public schooling controlled by leftists who are working, deliberately or inadvertently, to destroy our country. 

In the 19-20 school years, Washington state reached a high of 1,103,173 students enrolled.  According to the latest OSPI figures, even though our population has increased from 7,546,400 in 2019 to 8,159,900, that number has dropped significantly to 1,096,285.

So, while the state has gained over 600,000 residents, the number of students over that same time period has decreased instead of increasing to reflect our population growth.

Here, for example, is the statistical summary of Washington State Public Schools, according to the state, leftist controlled Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, before his new grading system to cook the books in an effort to literally slather lipstick on an absolutely unacceptable pig known as the public school system in the state of Washington:

Note the "highlights," or the lowlights, as it were, of this report that the fringe-left OSPI generated, just before the school year started in September of 2022..

48% are at grade level in English.

30% in math. 46% in science.

17% drop-out rate

16 student average classroom size.

20% don't bother to show up at all.

Now, after OSPI changed the reporting criteria to make school academic outcomes LOOK better, here are the results OSPI wants us to believe:

3 school years later, the number of children showing up for class has collapsed, from a despicable 80% to a horrific 73%.

That means that we have a typical rate of 27% of children in this state blowing off school.

How is it possible for 27% of kids to skip school, but still have an 83% graduation rate?

And yet, somehow, even though the number of kids actually bothering to show up for school has almost ended the need for schooling that children obviously see as worthless, somehow, in the face, of kids NOT SHOWING UP?

The GRADUATION RATE INCREASED?

How is that even possible?

What's missing from the OSPI report card?

THESE numbers, provided by an OSPI report summary but missing from the actual report card itself.

Why aren't these numbers included on the Report Card?

Even with the obvious subterfuge OSPI is trying to sell us, these numbers are still horrific.

In fact, It was recently reported that Mississippi just passed Washington in 4th grade reading levels... 

Even though their expenditures per student are over $6000 LESS than Washington State, proving once again that money DOES NOT equate to academic outcomes.

Meanwhile, the actual Superintendent rails against districts implementing the President's Executive Order to keep boys out of both girl's locker rooms/bathrooms and sports.

All while we're punching out semi-literate cretins and academics continue to suffer at absolutely unacceptable outcomes.

Unfortunately, I can't just blame OSPI for this obvious systemic educational incompetence.

PARENTS have a role to play in this nightmare.

That parents either don't seem to know... or care... that political inculcation far exceeds academics in importance in Washington schools as shown by recent school/district-sponsored fringe-left progressive school organized walkouts/riots over ICE enforcement in this country. These outcomes are to be expected when both school boards and teachers are not held accountable for the horrific jobs their doing.

But parents... who drive change... are failing their children by accepting mediocre-at-best outcomes from overpaid prima donna brain-washing leftists masquerading as teachers... and our kids suffer as a result.

Isn't it time to stop spending on homeless and to insist, instead, that they begin adulting?

Two articles on my timeline, one directly followed by the next (in just the tiniest bit of irony) that are yet ANOTHER illustration of Portland wasting millions on the homeless.

Article one: KATU - Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said the city is on track to reach his goal of adding 1,500 shelter beds for the homeless.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1F6VgQ3uZS/



Followed by Article two: Willamette Week - Data released by Mayor Keith Wilson’s office last week shows that most of his new emergency shelter locations are struggling to reach 50% occupancy on any given night.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AYSZhU3Uz/



Hopefully... one day... the leftist morons running government on the left coast will wake up one morning and discover that they've failed to do anything but waste billions on a problem they've completely misread and have to get off their concept that throwing truckloads of money at ANY issue, let alone the proven failure of their efforts on the homeless... will, not, work.

Continuing to do the same things, over and over, while expecting a different outcome, is insane.

And the left's example of THEIR insanity continues to vaporize billions with nothing to show for it.

Earlier this month, a report from Portland State shows that the TriCounty area of Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas has spent over $730 million dollars on the homeless during the last 2 years.

And during that same time frame? Homeless numbers have skyrocketed over 61%. And of that number, 73% were living in that area before they became homeless, meaning the homeless destination resort Multnomah has built accounts for roughly 1 out of every 4 homeless uprooting from other areas around the country to join the Portland touristas.

PDX City Councilor Eric Zimmerman admits this area is the worst in the country for the homeless blight. And the hundreds of millions they've already wasted isn't enough.

“We’re the 51st out of 51. So we’re including territories now in terms of access to mental health. That is a failure. But that’s not something that right now the city of Portland can solve. I need the state,” Portland City Councilor Eric Zimmerman said. “We, the city of Portland, can work on the affordability, getting our communities more dense, getting more apartments and homes built. But that won’t help if a huge part of our population remains sick and untreated.”

As expected, there's no mention of the primary root causes of homelessness: self-accountability, self-responsibility and a desire to end their own homelessness.

Providing shelter without demanding these requirements does not solve the issue of homelessness... it enables it and increases it.

A blind squirrel could see it in a minute.

But the leftists allowing this insanity at ever-increasing costs to those paying the bills for this obvious failure?

They've got a Homeless Industry(tm) to support, and By God, they intend to support it. Costs be damned, results be damned.

It's worse now than it was two years ago: Public Schools continue to fail us

 It hasn't changed. We're cranking out semi-literate cretins and no one cares, least of all parents.

If a riot is ever called for, it's not at a Tesla dealership: It's at your nearest local school board.

Parents, however, have been numbed into the stupor that the fringe-left indoctrination centers known as a "public school" is actually educating their children.

Which is totally untrue.

In school districts standing up against the INSANE idea that it's OK for fake girls to compete against/use the locker rooms/shower with the real thing, the state of Washington will hammer on such a district like a drum while completely ignoring the horrific academic outcomes that are par for the course.

They'll spend more money punishing school districts standing up against state-imposed tyranny than they will insuring that high school graduates in this state are required to actually know how to read, write and do math.

And what a sad priority THAT is.

In Oregon, for example, you get a high school diploma as if you actually learned something when, in fact, you literally, as Bill says, don't have to know ANYTHING to graduate, or, for the matter, even show up to class.

Two years ago, I wrote:

For years now, I've been pounding the internet over how horrific our public schools actually are.

Any public school in this state will typically have nothing to brag about. Frequently, the end product of a high school diploma is awarded to kids failing in all areas and subjects, and in many schools, even to kids who fail to regularly show up for class.

But they get pushed through anyway and in spite of the billions the taxpayers of this state waste on the education plant, we suck... and suck HARD.... academically. Our academic outcomes are embarrassingly horrific. But we continue to indebt taxpayers to follow the pattern of shoveling cash into teacher's pockets when far too often, their final product, which they are never held accountable for producing, are abysmal academic failures.

But man, you CAN count on them having undergone social engineering instead of academic competency.

Woodland schools, for example:

Right now, 49% of kids aren't at grade level in English. 65% aren't at grade level in math. 55% aren't at grade level in science. And whole 80% attend school regularly... while 83% graduate (17% drop out rate aside) but graduate with what? A worthless piece of paper that shows no competence or academic achievement.

How is that OK?

Well, leave it to Bill Maher to point out our reality and maybe, just maybe, you can recall this the next time you're filling out a ballot to enable schools to steal MORE of your money and waste it on teacher pay and benefits that most of us can't even dream of.

And if you want to see how much YOUR kid's schools suck, just head on over to the OSPI (Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction's) report card, where you can look up how much we such statewide, districtwide or school wide.

Prepare to be sickened.

Meanwhile, here's Bill laying it out, the reality our kids... and our society... face every day.

Tough choices for governor in Washington.

I’ve mostly been silent about this election cycle, which is definitely unusual for me. It’s difficult to explain, exactly… or even inexactly.

But there is no doubt the cringe-factor has played a role. I’ve spent the better part of the last 40 years observing, involved in, analyzing, advising and consulting in primarily local politics. The wear and tear on me has been horrific and now, as I approach my 69^th birthday, I find the once roaring fire that drove me to have been reduced to the size of a single ember, little more than a spark.

Over time in a river, even the sharpest stone is typically worn down to a pebble.

Real life combined with medical issues and stress finally did the deed.

And situations like those confronting us now have also played a role, combined with the cynicism resulting from candidates claiming to be one thing, only to become something completely different once sworn in.

The culmination of these experiences where those false promises are clearly bereft of accountability in a state where the Supreme Court has ruled that lying as a part of any campaign by either public agency (Sound Transit) private organization (the Drug Policy Alliance) and individual candidates, among them Sen. Ann Rivers (R?-18) and former Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt, are perfectly legal has led to a certain level of “why bother?”

Which brings us to the question of which GOP candidate, if any, will advance to the general election this November.

I say “if any” because the misguided efforts by both parties to force party registration (which I strongly opposed and made every effort to stop while I was the state GOP’s Executive Director) led to our top-two primary system where regardless of party, the top two vote-getters move to the general, which has led to a great many democrat-only general elections and to a lesser extent in this dark blue state, the odd Republican-only general elections.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of the Washington State Grange, we’ve so far managed to avoid the cancer of party identification, save for going through the motions of the lightly-voted presidential primary (35.26% of registered voters earlier this year) where if you participate at all, you have to write your party allegiance on your ballot envelope.

I, personally, am known as a 4 of 4 voter. This is based on my participation in the last 4 elections, regardless of politics or school levy or bond or what have you, or any other balloted election. 4 of 4’s can be counted on to vote. And that’s a very valuable commodity.

Except this last time. The requirement of party identification on the envelope, which I steadfastly oppose, made that impossible for me so I skipped it. And I will skip it again in 2028 due to the party identification issue as well as the reality that the left could run a brick for president in this state like they did in 2020 and they’d vote for it and the leftist federal candidate would win the electoral votes here.

Democrats are rerunning a president too dementia-addled to stand trial for his theft of documents as a Senator and Vice President and subsequently the storage of some of those documents in cardboard boxes in a garage, while somehow simultaneously remaining sharp enough to be president.

That is obviously either an indictment of the position of the Presidency of the United States, as in any simple-minded idiot can actually perform that role… OR, it’s an indictment of our justice system because the democrat-controlled Department of Justice just sees this as yet another instance of the weaponized double-standard where Biden’s political opponents face a level of accountability they otherwise wouldn’t experience… while he avoids ANY accountability outside a ballot box.

In short, like the Washington State rule on lying, if your side is in power, it’s perfectly OK to lie your collective ass off as long as you can win.

There is also, I believe, a substantial overlap between the state and federal elections confronting us and frankly, I find the whole thing to be exhausting.

The microcosm of our state gubernatorial primary election is a reflection of the choices confronting the entirety of the American people at the federal level.

I’ve seen, up close and personal, voters make decisions to oppose someone not because of what they have done or will do, but because they don’t “like” them. And that’s a major part of the problem confronting us today. It’s a complete abrogation of responsibility. Arrive at an outcome of the “like” test, and you no longer need to do the work. You don’t have to pay attention. You don’t have to understand what’s going on and who bears responsibility for this horrific state of affairs.

The “like” test supersedes all of that, “end of discussion.”

Of course, that’s how some historical figures in the past who were very, very bad actors came to power.

Vision doesn’t matter. Ability doesn’t matter. Record doesn’t matter. The reality of past=prologue doesn’t matter. For far too many, the only thing that matters is if the voter “likes” them.

It’s not surprising, really. We’re a feelings-based society that typically ignores reality, driven instead by manipulation and social media combined with fictional advertising. So why not vote for a guy bent on this country’s destruction because you dislike the other guy; even though America was better off in every imaginable way during his term, considering the impacts of covid?  For many voters, the destruction a candidate has caused, destruction they see with their own eyes and the blood he has spilled and which is dripping off his hands means nothing.

The vote this November will be driven by hate. And the unreasoned, never ending hatred of a candidate and, for that matter, a religion; frequently by the SAME PEOPLE, is on full display here.

One is dementia-addled and brain damaged idiot with a worthless, incompetent, ignorant toad as a VP, a heartbeat from the absolutely unimaginable horror of taking over for Racist Joe. He has done more damage to this country in his almost four years than Obama did in his eight. It will take decades to repair every aspect of our lives that’s been infected by their cancer.

The other did mean tweets and drove leftists insane which, to be sure, isn’t that far of a trip.

Here at the state level, there are two main candidates for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in the general. One is a former member of Congress and a former King County Sheriff. The other is a former Special Forces soldier.

One has a voting record in Congress frequently more in keeping with the Congressional Democrat Caucus than with the GOP. The other is being chastised for wearing awards and qualification badges on his uniform that he is not entitled to, and claiming to have done things he didn't do.

The former soldier was endorsed by the State GOP. The former Congressman threw a hissy fit over losing out, which from the 10,000 foot level certainly qualified him for losing what little chance he had for that party endorsement.

Here is my professional opinion of the outcome.

The GOP candidate in the general will be the former Congressman.

When the GOP-endorsed candidate gets clobbered in the primary, two things will happen.  First, the GOP base will stay home in droves for the general. There will be zero ways to incentivize the base to throw their support behind a candidate who, along with his surrogates, never misses the opportunity to belittle the soldier’s supporters... and who, all while the non-endorsed candidate, when he was in Congress, on the surface at least, has a voting record in office that would make Patty Murray smile.

Think in terms of Jaime Herrera voting to impeach Donald Trump in that totally unconstitutional congressional kangaroo impeachment court… or Liz Cheney/Adam Kinzinger's democrat efforts on the Jan 6 Committee.

But the exact, same, thing would happen if the Soldier won. The leftist Republicans would refuse to vote for him, making the outcome inevitable and a replay of the Culp campaign 4 years ago.

Second, by committing political hara-kiri, the state party will have been reduced to the political laughing stock of the PNW.

Far too often, even those actively engaged in the political realm fall victim to the “is he like me” syndrome instead of the “can he win” syndrome.

That’s what happened here.

Conservatives are frequently unable to separate the two because a major part of conservatism all-too-frequently involves feelings instead of political reality.

That is not to say that conservatives are wrong in their thinking as to what is the best course of action of those available. But that IS to say that frequently, conservatives as a group forget that they make up, perhaps, 30% of the electorate. And in this state? Likely even less.

But the political choices to date for the GOP in this state appear to be between fringe-left Republicans which results in the conservative base staying home, or conservative Republicans which result in the independents and fringe-left GOP’ers staying home; or, as they did in the WA03 Congressional allowing their fringe-left hatred of conservatives to shine through by actively supporting an antifa-leftist in the Congressional race.

Democrats, for their part, are just as guilty. For example, they’ll run a fringe-left, downtown-Seattle democrat in the most rural of legislative districts that have been GOP for decades. Not because that candidate has even a remote chance of winning but because they will support no other, which leads to their inevitable defeat n those districts.

This state is a deep, dark, blue. There’s no denying it. And after the general in November is over; it will, if anything, be even a deeper and darker blue. Because as badly as things are going in this state, democrats dominate and have party discipline the GOP can’t even dream about.

To be successful, we’ve got to take baby steps. And as Culp proved 4 years ago, doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different outcome IS a definition of insanity.

In all of this, we can see the symptoms. No one realistically believed Reichert could win statewide. The Establishment hacks that put him up to it are the same hacks that supported the democrat over the Republican in the 3^rd Congressional District 2 years ago and spent millions to torpedo him, which they did successfully.

The GOP establishment would rather have a democrat win than a conservative Republican.

Sadly, my professional opinion in all of this is that absent some major October Surprise, this election is already over. And my professional opinion is not the result of any bias for or against anyone. It is my assessment of politics in this state.

Were I wrong in this assessment, leftists would be rioting against their city governments. Seattle has turned into a sewer. Tacoma may even be worse. Most every city of any size in this state, including Vancouver, refuses to act to end crime, homelessness, drugs and everything that goes with it. And the majority of these cities continuing to foster these outcomes all have the commonality of leftist dominance in city government.

Even Lynnwood has city council members involved in drag queens for 2 year olds. Grooming is obvious and open. And who’s doing anything about it?

ANGER is required to replace incumbents or titular incumbents.  And it’s just not there at the state level. It SHOULD be. But it isn’t.

And as a result, the winner in this state will not be a Republican.

The Idiocy of Sam Reed, our state's Secretary of State, continues.

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It was primarily because Sam Reed, our Secretary of State, is an incompetent moron.

I've hammered Reed many times over his idiocy on this and other matters. He accomplished his goal with this vote, he thinks, which is to eliminate his sworn duty to enforce all of the laws... including those pertaining to felon voters (He doesn't happen to think that much about identification or citizenship requirements, either) but because it's too "hard," he doesn't want to do it any more... not that he ever did it in the first place.

The idiocy of this bill is that with a dolt for Secretary of State who didn't want to deal with the administration of the felon voting requirements, who has no system in place nor the intelligence to figure one out (after all, he's only wasted NINE years ignoring this problem) will simply ignore the requirement that felons make their payments on time to keep their eligibility, and just make sure that all felons can vote.

He can't and won't monitor felons WITHOUT this program... who really expects him to do it WITH this program?

That's EASIER, you see, and Reed is only concerned about reducing his responsibilities. Not what's right. Not what's ethical... and given his abysmal enforcement of the felon voter laws (Essentially non-existent) not what's legally required.

If you Republicans want him, you can have him. But I would vote for a fire hydrant before I would ever vote for him.



Lawmakers OK bill to restore voting for felons

Story Published: Apr 22, 2009 at 4:24 PM PDT

Story Updated: Apr 22, 2009 at 4:24 PM PDT

By Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The Washington state Legislature has approved a measure that lets convicted felons get their voting rights back once they're no longer in state custody.

The House, on a 52-44 vote Wednesday, concurred with changes made in the Senate. The measure now goes to Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Under current law, felons can't vote until they have served their sentences and are no longer under state custody, including any parole or probation, and have paid all restitution and other court fees.

Under the bill that passed Wednesday, felons could register to vote once they're no longer under parole or probation. But those rights could be revoked if a felon fails to make regular payments on financial obligations, including court fees or restitution. not what's legal, either.

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There are times when I ashamed to be a Husky: This is one of them - Reserve soldier sues UW, alleges discrimination

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I hope against hope this isn't true.

I was commissioned into the Regular Army out of the UW back in the early 80's. A product of Clark Hall and the Kinnear Husky Battalion.

The problem with the left is that they don't tolerate dissent. I can see how it would be difficult for LTC Lukehart to exist in an environment filled with people that hated George Bush would make his life a living hell.

What they and so many like them are incapable of understanding is that we have sworn an oath.

Like most leftists, few of the haters have actually served. Few, like our president, have held private jobs; owned a business, or ever sacrificed a damned thing for this country.

But to make life difficult for someone doing their duty for this country?

"Despicable" doesn't quite cover it.

Reserve soldier sues UW, alleges discrimination
By LEVI PULKKINEN
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

An Army reservist employed at the University of Washington has filed suit against the institution, asserting in court papers that he has been harassed and discriminated against for serving in Iraq.

Employed by UW as an electrician since 1992, Army Reserve Lt. Col. James Lukehart had risen in the ranks of the university's facilities department and was working as a maintenance manager when he was ordered to deploy to Iraq in June 2006.

Before he went overseas, a group of his coworkers had told him he would be "engaging in immoral, if not illegal, action" if he went to Iraq as ordered, Lukehart asserts in court documents. Still, the reservist went to war less than three weeks after receiving notice that he'd be deployed.
According to military news reports, Lukehart served as an executive officer in an engineering brigade stationed at Ballad Air Base, 70 miles north of Baghdad. Among Lukehart's duties while deployed, according to an August 2007 edition of the Camp Anaconda Times, was the construction of a water-treatment plant in rural Iraq.

Hoping to return to work in September 2007, Lukehart found that his manager had launched an investigation into allegations of misconduct made against him while serving overseas, according to court papers.

Through his attorney, Sidney Strong, Lukehart alleges that the university gave him no notice that he was under investigation. Confronted by Lukehart, the university even declined to say what the allegations had been made.

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