Have added a new link to a local liberal portal website - Mainstreampolitics. This is run from Whatcom County and has links to many blogs and selected online articles about the Northwest. The link is
The Herald wants to know what it can do to make elections more “interesting”. Boy, I thought I’d get three days off and then Scott Ayers writes this nonsense in today’s paper. Scott really talks down
A morning comment or two on the election and then time to enjoy the long weekend. No pretension to any real insights. Just a bit on what most of us are noticing and reliable insiders - political junki
The attacks on my credibility continue via emails. So, tis time to spend some space on the accusations and the evidence I used in my posts. On Aug 23, I posted; “Well, negative campaigning was started
The election results for the two close races are safely decided. It will be Damon Gray to face Stan Snapp for the 4th Ward of Bellingham City Council. Gray has edged out Don Gischer by 30 votes and g
He offered to fax the two-page job description of the PR guy to me. I told him I had no fax but if he could leave a copy with his receptionist then I could stop by later in the day and get it. He said
Well, negative campaigning was started by Dan McShane within minutes of the first primary results. Dan said on KGMI radio that both he and Dan Pike favor change - he because he has articulated it and
Second computer vote count has added 3,743 ballots, with maybe still about 6,000 ballots left to count. By Friday at 5 pm we should have the real final results. Today’s tally firmed up Dan Pike to be
You can check the election results from the link in the right column. There may be only one computer run this evening if not too many ballots are received today. Monday’s ballot returns showed no sign
Ballot returns are very low - and unless the last three days’ surge is very large, we will have less than 30% voter turnout. As of the end of today, Friday, and after 15 days of returns with only 5 re
Lois is a single person, with much experience and ability, who has chosen to run against the powerful and entrenched and secretive county executive, Pete Kremen. She decided on her own to file and cha
Today, 4:30 to 7 pm - Lois Garlick’s kickoff reception. Don’t miss it. Let’s hope she gets warm approval from many political activists for having the gumption to file for County Executive. Lois has al
Lois Garlick has her campaign kick-off reception this Wednesday afternoon at the Roeder Home. All are invited. All, including other candidates, supporters, political insiders - whether you intend to c
Politically savvy folks from the left, center and right are endorsing Dan Pike for mayor. Imagine the Bellingham Herald, Tim Johnson of the Cascadia Weekly and myself of NwCitizen all agreeing on Pike
The Whatcom Independent forum last night was a success - a very enjoyable and meaningful event for all - candidates, live audience and radio listeners. For the first and probably only time, all seven
We will probably learn a lot more about the candidates at Tuesday evening’s forum at the County Courthouse. We have watched candidate positions and promises evolve over the forums so far as the candid
An apology from John Watts for the political smear he posted on his new blog. However, in his apology, he spends a sentence trying to make his smear stick - and fails as he gets his one fact wrong. He
Writer's notes: The candidates for State Representative in the 40th District Position 1 are: Dusty Gulleson (prefers Republican Party,) Chuck Carrell (prefers Republican Party,) Doug Revelle (prefers Happiness Party,) Mike Newman (prefers Republican Party,) Kristine Lytton (prefers Democratic Party,) Tom Pasma (prefers Democratic Party,) Thomas Boucher (prefers Democratic Party,) Justin Van Dyk (prefers Democratic Party,) and Donna R. Miller (prefers Republican Party.)
What follows are the two responses to questions I submitted to Chuck last Mon, Aug 2.
Why should I vote for you?
"I’m running this year because the Legislature and Governor continued their out of control spending habits despite our troubled economy, and we need to stop it.
The only way it will stop is to start electing strong leadership to the Legislature that can make the hard choices that will be needed.
I will not support any new taxes unless they will completely eliminate an existing tax and make the amount less overall to the people they affect.
I think people are taxed to their limit right now and the real long term solution is to have the state and local governments cut their spending and get back to the essential functions of what state government is supposed to do.
I will not accept money from, or be a representative for, any PAC or special interest group. That’s important when figuring out where to trim at least $3 billion dollars from our state’s budget next session.
When making cuts, these candidates will feel obligated to keep unnecessary programs due to the financial aid they received during their campaigns. The problem was highlighted this year, and electing those types of candidates will only bring the same issue to the next Legislative session."
What is important to you?
"The most important thing to me this next Legislative session is getting our fiscal house in order.
We need to simplify the tax structure and then get an accurate assessment of what the state budget will be.
Then we need to REALISTICALLY balance the budget. This means that we fund our most important things such as education and public safety first and then continue down until everything is funded or there is no more state money left.
When the state budget is down to zero then we stop funding programs. No matter how badly we want to fund a program, if the state budget is spent then they will have to get their funding someplace else besides state government.
Even within our top priorities we need to look at how to consolidate these agencies and programs to make them more efficient. We also need to look at reducing the middle management in these agencies and what I term “inner bureaucracies.”
Years of these types of hiring practices by state and local government has created an enormous drain on our resources and is not sustainable. Nor can we rely on Federal grants like we did this year to balance the budget."
