Cola Endorsements: 27 No-Brainers

Are you going to consider the Seattle School Supplemental Levy?

Is it a no brainer?

No brainer is right.

Anyone with at least half a brain would ignore these recommendations.

In the 3rd, Andy Billig over Dave White is also pretty easy.

In the 9th, it’s Joe Schmick over Glen Stockwell. Glen’s a good guy, but Schmick is really good on higher ed and small school issues.

I love your characterization of Jamie’s race. Makes me giggle on the inside.

I think it’s a no brainer to say no, but not everyone agrees. I did not think you would consider it a no brainer. I was more wondering was it going to be in your endorsement schedule. Some media don’t have it listed as something they are even going to cover. We wrote the Opposition statement for the voter’s guide and I think you were included in our media release. But haven’t heard from you, so just wondering…

News Editor Erica C. Barnett tells me it’s on our list. Thanks for the heads up. Please resend the release to Erica@publicola.net. Thanks.

I’ve noticed that progressive-leaning Publicola, especially in the environmental sphere, rarely deals with issues of children. This is especially evident in your failure to include in your no-brainer list, Rep’s Ruth Kagi in the 32nd District, and Mary Helen Roberts in the 21st. Kagi especially has been yeoman work for years on behalf of vulnerable children in our State. What have these wonderful legislators done to offend you?

Rep. Mary Helen Roberts work on the the “Working Connections” program to help cover child care for the working poor was definitely recognized on PubliCola:

http://www.publicola.net/2010/03/03/house-liberals-propose-parade-of-budget-amendments/

http://www.publicola.net/2010/03/06/house-liberals-go-along-with-budget/

If you guys don’t endorse I-1098…

Voting No on 1053 may seem a no-brainer but too many people who don’t read Publicola don’t understand that requiring a 2/3 vote on anything gives a 1/3 minority of Legislators in eihter House veto power over the budget. The irony here is the two times it was on the ballot before it only passed by 51.24% and 51.27%. This was I-601 and I-960. They couldn’t anywhere near get 2/3 of the voters to pass it. Pass the word and let’s defeat it this time. Defeating Eyman 3x in a row would send him a good message. That’s a good reason for people to vote in this election.

“NO BRAINER” is right. After all the negative news about Dicks this year, and more coming out every day, the clowns at publicola still ‘endorse’ him. Should start calling yourselves publiKoolaid.

I was surprised NOT to see del Bene on your list.

The no brainer part here is that she is a solid opponent for an ineffectual congressman. Worse, given Reichert’s lack of leadership, his vote could do real damage to the eight’s interests should the no nothing/republican class of 2010 actually get to power.

In the smae spirit, I can noty agree with the vote for McD.

Like Reichert he is another ineffectual member of congress. Of course he is going to win, but kit is time for Sunny Jim to step aside and let us elect a younger, more effective congressperson. Ed Murray would be SJ’s choice.

James,
If you haven’t, you should click on our Dicks endorsement and give it a read. Koolaid? PMA is noted right up top.

I don’t know any of these people. What would make them and their opponent. stand out is to identify their strongest and weakest issues. The issues I will be a little more familiar with. Then a publicola twist to the view.

I only see the del Bene ads and they are not too impressive to me. She will cut her owe pay til every thing is fixed? The sun will become a black hole by the time she succeeds.

As I understand it requiring the 2/3 vote is to make it more difficult to pass taxes. When the point being that the legislators are too easily falling into a more taxes to solve all problems mindset. People voting for it want the legislator to be more creative and have a little more common sense before passing a tax. The candy tax debacle comes to my mind. Who ever thought of basing the tax on the content of flour in candy???? Doesn’t make sense at all to me.

Legislators are hardly taking the easy approach and have dealt with budget deficits in a very conservative way. Heres what the Olympian said in opposing I-1053.

“Contrary to popular opinion tax increases are not the first solution for budget writers. In the past three years, lawmakers have dealt with a $12 billion shortfall. They’ve made $5.1 billion in program and service cuts; taken $3.6 billion in stimulus funds, transferred $1.7 billion from other funds; drawn down the ending fund balance and used money from the rainy day fund.

They’ve raised taxes by $800 million.

That’s a measured approach — certainly not “raise taxes as a first option.”

This nation and this state are on a financial precipice. We can tip in either direction. That economic uncertainty has consumers hunkered down and frightened.

This is no time to let a fraction of lawmakers dictate how this state’s budget is balanced.

Budget writing is a complex business with huge risks and people’s very lives at stake.

Tim Eyman’s “legislate by initiative” philosophy is an unwarranted intrusion into that complex decision-making process.

Vote “no” on Initiative 1053.”

You can read the full editorial at http://www.theolympian.com/2010/09/24/1380177/initiative-would-give-undemocratic.html

When you turn your attention to Position #1 in the 25th LD, please note that the Republican incumbent, Bruce Dammeier, has endorsed Hans Zeiger despite Zeiger’s extreme views. (Tacoma News-Tribune, April 16, 2010.)

Zeiger equates Girl Scouts with abortion and Lesbianism. (World Net Daily September 8, 2005) In his book about the Boy Scouts, Get Off My Honor, he says, “Churches fail to speak for manly virtue.” (Page 55.) He denies that Episcopalians are Christians. (World Net Daily June 22, 2006.) He disdains “Unitarians, mainstream Baptists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, members of the ‘Military Pagan Network’ and other watered-down ecumenists.” (World Net Daily May 6, 2004.)

Zeiger labels the PTA “decadent” (World Net Daily November 13, 2004.) and his public school as the “local government indoctrination center.” (World Net Daily November 13, 2004.) He believes “government is not meant to be in the college-aid business,” (Seattle Times May 24, 2003.) which can’t be good news for the University of Washington, Washington State, and the other state supported universities and community colleges where in-state students by definition receive aid in the form of in-state tuition rates.

Zeiger has both disclaimed his writings as youthful and tried to hide them (Tacoma News-Tribune September 2, 2010), but they reveal his core character—both his mind and his heart. They show that Zeiger is entirely too extreme to represent our district.

With Zeiger so clearly out of the mainstream, it is extraordinary that Bruce Dammeier thinks Zeiger would be a worthy colleague. Given what we now know about Zeiger, if Dammeier won’t abandon Zeiger, then he too is unqualified to serve the District and the State.

I agree, her ads are not great.

Do you buy cars that way?

Of course for people with more than half a brain, they make a lot of sense.

Publicola exposes itself again as a shill for the failed Democratic Party policies and its inability to govern the state of Washington, with all D endorsements except for one. Who is going to lead the legislature out of the mess that has been forged over the last twenty years? Frank Chop? Lisa Brown? I think not. Please recognize Publicola as a bunch on myopic insiders who need a public platform to promote they “progressive” agenda and perpetrate a fraud on the public.

Ironic that this blog claims the moniker of the populist Roman reformer Publius Valerius Publicola, and yet are willing to pimp every scheming carry nation the Olympia insiders can concoct.

del Bene is a shill for the wrongheaded 1098.

Yeah, but for for people with, like, uh, like a brain, and a half…or like…two brains…it doesn’t….heh. Got ya…heh.

What about Claudia Kauffman in the 47th? She’s progressive where it matters, but works and plays well with both sides of the aisle. She is also up against the Republican’s annointed golden boy, Joe Fain, who won’t say where he stands on any issue (other than that he won’t raise taxes, of course, and wants smaller government). Joe Fain also just moved to the 47th and bought a $450,000 house -apparently, his King Co. staffer job pays pretty well and that whole smaller government thing doesn’t apply to him.

I had the chance to meet and spend about 30 minutes with Marko Liias during the last month, he seems to very intelligent, on top of the issues, have a sound understanding of how things work and truly concerned with the welfare of his district and the state as a whole.