Early PubliCola Comment of the Day: Mallahan Gets KC Dems Endorsement

I hear Mallahan say that he cares about social justice issues, but I never hear him talk about what he’ll do on those issues (or even which issues, beyond public safety, he believes are social justice issues). I hear him talking about getting rid of inefficiencies, plowing streets, and hiring more cops.

I hear Mallahan say that he cares about social justice issues, but I never hear him talk about what he’ll do on those issues (or even which issues, beyond public safety, he believes are social justice issues). I hear him talking about getting rid of inefficiencies, plowing streets, and hiring more cops.

It’s funny how Mallahan has been getting stomped in the individual Seattle LD’s yet gains the favor of the higher ups in the party leadership.

Frankly it’s just another case of Eastside dems hogging all of Seattle’s political clout.

It’s funny how Mallahan has been getting stomped in the individual Seattle LD’s yet gains the favor of the higher ups in the party leadership.

Frankly it’s just another case of Eastside dems hogging all of Seattle’s political clout.

@2 – you must not have been to the 46th where Mallahan stomped McGinn last week. Or in the 11th where neither candidate got the endorsement. And last I checked, 4 people voted against the endorsement. There are 6 Seattle LDs with 3 votes each. Seems like that is a Seattle stomp.

Interesting to see the pattern: Mallahan gets endorsements for “sincerity”, “listening”, or “working hard”; McGinn gets endorsements (or loses them) for his positions and track record.

Interesting to see the pattern: Mallahan gets endorsements for “sincerity”, “listening”, or “working hard”; McGinn gets endorsements (or loses them) for his positions and track record.

SeaMariner1,

In the 43rd, the KCDCC reps are free to make their own choices when voting on endorsements at that level. They aren’t “required” to cast their votes as the LD did.

I don’t know which of our reps attended the Renton meeting last night, nor do I recall their personal choices between the M&M boys. Though I do recall that the LD Chair’s spouse wore a Mallahan button at last week’s meeting of the 43rd.

SeaMariner1,

In the 43rd, the KCDCC reps are free to make their own choices when voting on endorsements at that level. They aren’t “required” to cast their votes as the LD did.

I don’t know which of our reps attended the Renton meeting last night, nor do I recall their personal choices between the M&M boys. Though I do recall that the LD Chair’s spouse wore a Mallahan button at last week’s meeting of the 43rd.

Joe Mallaprop® should run for Mayor of King County.

Joe Mallaprop® should run for Mayor of King County.

Affordable housing for low-income residents is a major social justice issue and very pertinent right now given the Housing Levy. Mallahan’s response on affordable housing and incentive zoning in his questionaire is completely opposite to his statement at the Chamber’s debate. In fact, his questionaire response is exactly what McGinn’s current position is. He stated in the questionaire that incentive zoning should be flexible in neighborhoods but stated in the debate that it should be eliminated outside of downtown and instead the extra height should be given away for free to developers to encourage density. Incentive zoning is one of our only tools to encourage the private market to create affordable housing and he wants to basically eliminate it. He’s a flip flopper and a hypocrite!

Questionaire statement:
Affordable housing is one of Seattle’s most pressing issues. I would adjust the current incentive based
zoning to make it more flexible and suited to each neighborhood’s needs. The single biggest cost in
new construction is the cost of the land. I support measures to thoughtfully increase density while
maintaining Seattle’s unique neighborhood cultures.

Affordable housing for low-income residents is a major social justice issue and very pertinent right now given the Housing Levy. Mallahan’s response on affordable housing and incentive zoning in his questionaire is completely opposite to his statement at the Chamber’s debate. In fact, his questionaire response is exactly what McGinn’s current position is. He stated in the questionaire that incentive zoning should be flexible in neighborhoods but stated in the debate that it should be eliminated outside of downtown and instead the extra height should be given away for free to developers to encourage density. Incentive zoning is one of our only tools to encourage the private market to create affordable housing and he wants to basically eliminate it. He’s a flip flopper and a hypocrite!

Questionaire statement:
Affordable housing is one of Seattle’s most pressing issues. I would adjust the current incentive based
zoning to make it more flexible and suited to each neighborhood’s needs. The single biggest cost in
new construction is the cost of the land. I support measures to thoughtfully increase density while
maintaining Seattle’s unique neighborhood cultures.

Public perception at large is all that’s going to matter on election day, folks. Funny thing is… I can’t tell between the two who’s doing the better job of winning over the public right now. I’m curious to see the next poll numbers, but I’m guessing there’s still a lot of undecideds.

Public perception at large is all that’s going to matter on election day, folks. Funny thing is… I can’t tell between the two who’s doing the better job of winning over the public right now. I’m curious to see the next poll numbers, but I’m guessing there’s still a lot of undecideds.

(That said, I still think it looks like McGinn’s going to win. He’s doing more to reach out to the public and has seemed, of the two candidates, the less patronizing of the two. I think in time he’ll reach more of the undecideds, though right now it seems like a stumbling bumbling neck and neck race)

(That said, I still think it looks like McGinn’s going to win. He’s doing more to reach out to the public and has seemed, of the two candidates, the less patronizing of the two. I think in time he’ll reach more of the undecideds, though right now it seems like a stumbling bumbling neck and neck race)

Thanks Josh!

Thanks Josh!

Susan Sheary, King County Dem’s chair, worked hard at the 11th District the other night, on Mallahan’s behalf. Very unusual to see the King County Chair taking sides so visibly in a local race between two Dem’s.

Susan Sheary, King County Dem’s chair, worked hard at the 11th District the other night, on Mallahan’s behalf. Very unusual to see the King County Chair taking sides so visibly in a local race between two Dem’s.

I’m glad to see that Mallahan has at least one endorsement that Nickels didn’t have.

I’m glad to see that Mallahan has at least one endorsement that Nickels didn’t have.

@9: I think the first part of that comment is absolutely right (as well as all of what you wrote in #8), although the second part (how patronizing each seems) depends on personal POV. For me, McGinn comes off as a bit of a sanctimonius jerk, but that’s just one person.

I was shocked that Mallahan was in the lead on that last poll — if he still is in the lead after the next one, McGinn will have to take a hard look at what could be causing that.

Personally I think it could be the tunnel, which I suspect is viewed much differently in the city as a whole than it is on here (and no, this tunnel was not voted down in 2007). One has to think that a Nickels voter’s opinion of the tunnel was at worst indifferent.

@9: I think the first part of that comment is absolutely right (as well as all of what you wrote in #8), although the second part (how patronizing each seems) depends on personal POV. For me, McGinn comes off as a bit of a sanctimonius jerk, but that’s just one person.

I was shocked that Mallahan was in the lead on that last poll — if he still is in the lead after the next one, McGinn will have to take a hard look at what could be causing that.

Personally I think it could be the tunnel, which I suspect is viewed much differently in the city as a whole than it is on here (and no, this tunnel was not voted down in 2007). One has to think that a Nickels voter’s opinion of the tunnel was at worst indifferent.

What “focus on social justice issues”?

What “focus on social justice issues”?

Indeed. Merely mouthing “social justice” as a phrase means nothing. Ideally a candidate would have some, you know, ideas…

Indeed. Merely mouthing “social justice” as a phrase means nothing. Ideally a candidate would have some, you know, ideas…

@ 3:

I was one of the four at last night’s KCDCC meeting who voted against endorsing Mallahan. I also voted against endorsing McGinn.

@ 3:

I was one of the four at last night’s KCDCC meeting who voted against endorsing Mallahan. I also voted against endorsing McGinn.

@14 @15 Exactly! Mallahan strings words together nicely, and he has some smart, connected advisors writing good talking points for him to spout. I don’t get any sense that he has any real convictions of his own. He’s plastic.

McGinn is sincere, and wants to hear from everyone. He cares. He’s out there stumping with real people, in small, low-key groups. It’s not attracting press, but he’s sincerely trying to collect information and build relationships.

Mallahan is exploiting the social justice vs. environmental divide many believe exists in the progressive community. McGinn is trying to bridge that divide and create relationships.

People need to get out to town halls and meet these men. There’s no comparison. McGinn’s the real deal.

@14 @15 Exactly! Mallahan strings words together nicely, and he has some smart, connected advisors writing good talking points for him to spout. I don’t get any sense that he has any real convictions of his own. He’s plastic.

McGinn is sincere, and wants to hear from everyone. He cares. He’s out there stumping with real people, in small, low-key groups. It’s not attracting press, but he’s sincerely trying to collect information and build relationships.

Mallahan is exploiting the social justice vs. environmental divide many believe exists in the progressive community. McGinn is trying to bridge that divide and create relationships.

People need to get out to town halls and meet these men. There’s no comparison. McGinn’s the real deal.

Living the Rainier Valley, I’d argue that foundation of social justice is composed of the following:

1) Being safe in your own neighborhood
2) Having the opportunity to make a living wage
3) Not being beholden nor obligated to any group or individual for your opportunities
4) Not being surrounded by poverty

In my opinion Joe is focused on the right issues to make life better.

Living the Rainier Valley, I’d argue that foundation of social justice is composed of the following:

1) Being safe in your own neighborhood
2) Having the opportunity to make a living wage
3) Not being beholden nor obligated to any group or individual for your opportunities
4) Not being surrounded by poverty

In my opinion Joe is focused on the right issues to make life better.

@2:

The reason that McGinn has done so well at the L.D. level is simply the rules for endorsements. The local L.D.’s allow all members to vote, with some sort of time cutoff (in the 43rd, it’s 7 days, I believe, that you have to have been a member for to vote). In the last couple weeks before that deadline, I know that the 43rd has a surge in new members, and almost all of them showed up on the McGinn page as endorsers, or had McGinn all over their facebook pages, or had donated to McGinn.

The County, however, only allows the Chair (or a proxy), and the two reps from each district vote. As you can see, there were only four votes against Mallahan being endorsed…so, of the 18 Seattle votes, only 4 were anti-Mallahan (and one of those, from the 34th, doesn’t actually live in Seattle, if memory serves). That also means that only 11 of those 18 voted for McGinn (and I know that some out of Seattle people did, too).

So, McGinn couldn’t buy this vote, and it turned out poorly for him.

@2:

The reason that McGinn has done so well at the L.D. level is simply the rules for endorsements. The local L.D.’s allow all members to vote, with some sort of time cutoff (in the 43rd, it’s 7 days, I believe, that you have to have been a member for to vote). In the last couple weeks before that deadline, I know that the 43rd has a surge in new members, and almost all of them showed up on the McGinn page as endorsers, or had McGinn all over their facebook pages, or had donated to McGinn.

The County, however, only allows the Chair (or a proxy), and the two reps from each district vote. As you can see, there were only four votes against Mallahan being endorsed…so, of the 18 Seattle votes, only 4 were anti-Mallahan (and one of those, from the 34th, doesn’t actually live in Seattle, if memory serves). That also means that only 11 of those 18 voted for McGinn (and I know that some out of Seattle people did, too).

So, McGinn couldn’t buy this vote, and it turned out poorly for him.

@ 19 is correct on all counts.

@ 19 is correct on all counts.

@18 Why did you move to the Rainier Valley if you didn’t want to be surrounded by poverty? Did you think if you drove property values up the poor people would have to leave?

Social justice means safety, respect, compassion, opportunity, and equality for everyone–poor people included. Many people use the phrase to include the idea of redistributing wealth, from those with a lot of money to those with less.

I don’t want to be beholden to any group for my opportunities–including any corporate group. I don’t my neighbors forced to assimilate in order to enjoy opportunity or to be “allowed” to stay in their neighborhood. I enjoy having neighbors who are different than me and each other.

Social justice means that Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, the Central District and the rest of SE Seattle remain vibrant and unique.

@18 Why did you move to the Rainier Valley if you didn’t want to be surrounded by poverty? Did you think if you drove property values up the poor people would have to leave?

Social justice means safety, respect, compassion, opportunity, and equality for everyone–poor people included. Many people use the phrase to include the idea of redistributing wealth, from those with a lot of money to those with less.

I don’t want to be beholden to any group for my opportunities–including any corporate group. I don’t my neighbors forced to assimilate in order to enjoy opportunity or to be “allowed” to stay in their neighborhood. I enjoy having neighbors who are different than me and each other.

Social justice means that Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, the Central District and the rest of SE Seattle remain vibrant and unique.

@2 – you must not have been to the 46th where Mallahan stomped McGinn last week. Or in the 11th where neither candidate got the endorsement. And last I checked, 4 people voted against the endorsement. There are 6 Seattle LDs with 3 votes each. Seems like that is a Seattle stomp.