Washington has earned some attention for being the only state with women serving in the governor’s mansion and both US Senate seats. But lost in the noise is the terrific job being done by the fourth highest ranking woman in Washington state politics… State Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown (D-Spokane).
As the new Majority Leader, Sen. Brown was instrumental in helping to orchestrate what was perhaps the most productive legislative session in recent history, despite the ongoing acrimony over the close gubernatorial election. I have talked with Sen. Brown on several occasions, and have always come away impressed with her detailed grasp of a number of complex issues. The past session has also proven her to be a deft politician as well.
Lynn Allen of Evergreen Politics recently had the opportunity to interview Sen. Brown, and she has posted a transcript online. I was pleased to see that Sen. Brown recognizes that one of the biggest hurdles facing her and fellow Democrats has been an inability to effectively communicate with voters.
We have to be able to do a better job of telling our story. We grapple with the issue of communication. For example, the state is now faced with the possibility of this anti-tax initiative. We worked very hard to get support from community leaders, business leaders and labor across all the cities and counties in Washington State for passage of the Transportation Bill. The whole story about the importance of that bill and its support by such a wide group of people is not getting out. It is being characterized as a ten cent tax increase when we were very careful to phase in the additional taxes, a few cents at a time over several years.
ah yes…lisa brown. well known for her rudeness and arrogance. what else?
so much to be proud of there…….WOW.
Lisa is sharp and dedicated. She’s an impressive woman – and political leader. Washingtonians benefit immensely from her leadership.
I have never seen her be arrogant or rude (and have seen the Senate in action quite a bit).
ah yes…lisa brown. well known for her rudeness and arrogance. what else?
so much to be proud of there…….WOW.
I have had the pleasure of meeting Lisa Brown on several occasions, and your description is nowhere near reality. Get new talking points; the old ones aren’t working.
Thanks Goldy for focusing our attention on someone of whom we eastern Washington residents are very proud. Keep up the good work Lisa.
Xmasghost. well known for his rudeness and arrogance. what else?
Oh, yeah, he makes shit up.
Why are you so enchanted (the clip goldy posted) with someone against taxes? That seems like a loser position; or does it threaten socialism?
Remember, road maintenance is SOCIALISM IN ACTION! Just like police, fire departments, and schools!
WASHINGTON — Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s statements that Iraq is a “quagmire are uninformed and contradict” on-the-ground military leaders, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said yesterday.
The Massachusetts Democrat is one of a minority of senators who never have traveled to Iraq to see the war firsthand.
http://www.wpherald.com/storyv.....4123-5597r
Chuck @ 5,
Let’s see. Two years and two months after the end of major combat operations and we have made what progress? We have spent between 200 and 300 billion on the war effort, and what have we gotten in return? Well, we never really “won the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people.” (Oops.) We have turned Iraq into the mother of all terrorist training centers, complete with urban warfare modules. (Yikes!) We have about 3 American soldiers killed each day (a total of 1,600 dead since end of major combat operations). (Ouch!) Iraq cannot keep politicians and judges from being assassinated. (Damn!) They cannot even put together a constitution. Civilian life is disrupted by daily bombs in Iraq. (Oh crap!) We cannot meet our own military recruitment goals and so must force soldiers to re-enlist against their will. And, to top it all off, we never did find the WMD that Bush, Cheney and Rumsfield promised us.
Not a quagmire, Chuck? Look up the definition of quagmire. In a military context it suggests a poorly planned, badly executed campaign with no exit strategy and no obvious way out. This sounds exactly like what is going on in Iraq!
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
dj@6
Well lets see, we toppled an opresive government that was the third strongest army on the planet with only 1600 deaths? I sat congrats to the men in charge are in order.
Chuck @ 10 “Well lets see, we toppled an opresive government that was the third strongest army on the planet with only 1600 deaths? I sat congrats to the men in charge are in order.”
Again chuck, you are living in another decade. Iraq had an absolutely minamal army (the 3rd largest was hype before the 1st Bush Iraq war)
And the number of deaths is now 1740+. If you gave a DAMN about the troops you would know that, you american hating, Bin Laden loving ASSHOLE!
Donnageddon@11
If you want to see a Bin Laden loving asshole you need only look in the mirror, with people of your caliber around we may as well hand this nation over to the terrorist and we can do like the french did under NAZI occupation…
Chuck@7& various: What’s the matter, Chuck? You’re so off point you look ridiculous. Can’t you handle the topic?. If you can’t handle the topic, don’t comment. Post the rest of your off-topic bile on the open thread.
It’s heartening to know that leaders like Lisa Brown are recognized for their talents whereever they are and I’m sure people in the Spokane area find her a significant improvement and relief from the likes of Jim West, whatever their political leanings.
Marilyn
I thought this thread started out talkiThe ng about the gasoline tax, not about the Iraq war.
The 10 cent gasoline tax hike that isn’t going to finish a single project. If it is actually going to complete anything (without needing additional taxes from some other sources), I would say that the Democrats have done an extremely effective job of NOT communicating that information to anybody.
In all fairness, one can say the same thing about all the money we are spending in Iraq. I think the present Iraqi government can do almost as effective a job of killing its enemies as our soldiers are presently doing. Perhaps more effective, since they should have a freer hand than our soldiers do, and they won’t be constrained by negative international publicity and human rights concerns. Probably the Iraqi leadership will build much stronger ties to their friends in Iran if we leave, but then again, I think our government needs to start trying to actually talk with the Iranian government. 26 years is too long to hate each other.
Richard Pope@14
Doesnt matter Richard, the gas tax is a moot point that is soon to go down in flames…so may as well talk about Iraq, gun control, or whats for lunch.
Richard Pope@14…
“I thought this tread starated out….” , and Chuck @15:
Come on! You know how the thread starated out. Read the openining sentence. Stick to the topic. It is Senator Lisa Brown and the fine job she is doing for the state of Washington.
Except for the open thread on 6/24 where anything goes, there hasn’t been a thread on the gas tax or Iraq in a few days. But…there is another open thread coming up, post your comments there – the gas tax and the Iraq war are ongoing situations. You have once a week at least to comment on those. Marilyn.
I agree with Sen. Browns. One of the biggest hurdles facing her and fellow Democrats is the inability to effectively communicate lies. The democrats want us to trust them to spend the money wisely but at the same time are against any accountablity. It is good to know that instead of ripping a giant hole the taxpayers pocket that the tax is incremental over a period of years. Wow how gracious of the dems.
The 10 cent gasoline tax hike that isn’t going to finish a single project.
This is so blatantly false I don’t even know where to begin. But like most of the GOP talking points, for some reason people believe it. Hundreds and hundreds of projects are going to be completed by the increase in the gas tax. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide enough money to finish the Seattle megaprojects, but if it did, I have no doubt the anti-tax types would bitch about that, too.
Rufus @ 17 (et multi al).
You write:
The democrats want us to trust them to spend the money wisely but at the same time are against any accountablity.
I want to hear one heartwarming story about an infrastructure project done under first-class (i.e. Republican) mangement that was done right. Come on. You guys come here, gripe all day, bellyache, tell us how we’re going to spend your money like trailer trash that won the lottery, but other than bitching like a bunch of overgrown teenagers about how badly everything sucks, you have nothing to show for it.
Is the unofficial slogan of the Republican Party “We’ll spend money just as fast as the Democrats, but the important thing is they won’t get any?”
Bax @ 18
Well, I was not completely correct, but I wasn’t “blatantly false”.
Here is the project list from the gas tax hike (from the supporters of the gas tax website):
http://www.keepwashingtonrolling.org/project.html
There are actually dozens of projects which would be fully funded. Most of them are in the several hundred thousand to under ten million dollar range.
Looks like over half the money — $4 billion — is going to King County, which only has 31% of the state’s population. And this King County money won’t complete a single project. From other sources, $2 billion of this is going to the tunnel replacing the Alaskan Way viaduct — still only 50% of the total project tab. Other projects — such as I-405 expansion and the Evergreen Point bridge — are being funded at far less than 50%.
Pierce County has $769 million and Snohomish County has $431 million — again, not enough to complete a single project in those counties.
I don’t oppose any of the dozens of projects that would be fully funded on the above referenced webpage. But I think this could be done with only a penny, and certainly not more than two cents, per gallon increase in the existing gasoline tax.
If King, Pierce or Snohomish County really have extraordinary transportation needs, the better solution would be for a local gas tax. Give the county council the authority to put a proposition on the ballot. If the voters of King County feel the project is worthwhile, and want to increase the gas tax in the county by 20, 30 or 40 cents per gallon, then the expensive project will get built.
Don’t think that such a local tax increase is impossible. The voters of Seattle approved a 1.4% annual motor vehicle excise tax for the next 50 years to pay $11 billion for building a $2 billion monorail. King County as a whole may not be that liberal, but certainly would be willing to consider a more reasonable project.
Richard Pope @ 20
“Looks like over half the money – $4 billion – is going to King County, which only has 31% of the state’s population.”
I am not sure that is correct. You are pointing out only a part of the total gas tax—the part dedicated to specific transportation improvement projects. I read the bill at some point and I recall that there were many other places (besides projects) that the money went to. I believe that transportation subsidies to counties, cities and towns from the gas tax will still put the lion’s share outside of King County.
Sorry, I cannot fact check—I am supposed to be in bed.
Richard, the project list that you posted deals with only state highway projects through WA DOT. A large portion of the gas tax increase will go directly to cities and counties to fund projects for city and county roads — none of which are listed on the website. That list only gives you a portion of what’s going to be done.
Senator Brown is a Washington Treasure!
1
If you don’t have an argument, resort to ad hominem attack. What else is new. (big yawn) Just what I expect from the intellectually challenged right wing.
7
Chuck is one of a vast population of right wing idiots who have never traveled to Iraq to see how badly things are going to hell in a handbasket there. Actually, Cheesy Chuckie, you don’t have to spend on airfare or risk your sorry ass. All you have to do is pick up a newspaper to see how many people got killed today. Undoubtedly that will be a new experience for you, but it’s not all that difficult. You just insert 50 cents into a newspaper box (or whatever amount the label on the box tells you to deposit), pull the handle, remove newspaper, and read it.
17
Very interesting — no, amusing — no wait … hilarious — to see a Republican accuse the Democrats of “lies,” not spending money “wisely,” and no “accountability.” The GOP is off the charts in all 3 categories.
Roger Rabbit@25
I see you are an armchair democrat same as the muderous Ted Kenedy!
20
Richard, sorry you feel it’s unfair that only 1/2 of King County’s projects will be funded by local taxpayers. We can solve this without a local gas tax by simply stopping the export of $125 million a year from King County to other counties. I say spend gas taxes paid in King County on King County projects, and let the other counties pay for their own roads or do without. Now explain to me what is unfair about that.
27
Cheesy Chuckie, is that you? I fought in Vietnam. Where did you fight? Just curious.
27….another question, which side did chuckie boy fight for? he is so damned confused and with a wonderful ‘one track mind’ he might have been on the ‘other’ side. LMAO@CHUCKIE
DJ @ 21
I went through the “Keep Washington Rolling” project list, and tried to add everything up. It was difficult, since several multi-county projects are listed under more than one county.
I came up with a total of $7.071 billion, of which an even $4 billion was in King County. Apparently, this $4 billion in King County is not enough to complete any single project, and intends to be spread out among several things that are funded at 50% or less.
King County has only 25% to 30% of the gasoline consumption in the state. If we kept the money generated in King County in King County, and didn’t use money from outside King County for King County projects, then the rest of the state would only need a five or six cent per gallon increase to fund the $3.071 billion or so in projects outside of King County.
It will really take $10 to $12 billion (if not more) for the various projects desired in King County to be completed — not just the $4 billion from the (proposed to be repealed) 10 cent statewide increase. I figure that a 50 or 60 cent per gallon local gasoline tax in King County should suffice for this.
Since these costs are concentrated in the expensive Alaskan Way project (completely in Seattle), the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (between Seattle and Eastside), and I-405 (completely in Eastside), I figure an increase of $1.00 per gallon in Seattle, 60 cents a gallon on the Eastside, and 30 cents a gallon in the rest of the county would be fair.
Better yet, maybe we need to re-evaluate whether some of the extremely expensive local projects — both for mass transit and for roadways — are really worth their supposed price tags.
I want to hear one heartwarming story about an infrastructure project done under first-class (i.e. Republican) mangement that was done right. Come on.
Comment by jsa on beacon hill— 6/27/05 @ 11:05 pm
JSA– Republicans are pushing for I-900.. I dont see any donks supporting the initiative. So did you sign I-900? If not that was a bunch of air coming out of your ass on post 19. I await your reply.
Same questions to RR.
Richard @ 31
Yes, I understand what you did. But, those projects are not the only place the gas tax goes to. I belive it is still true that if you take the entire gas tax revenue (not just that earmarked for major projects), W. Washington subsidizes E. Washington.
“It will really take $10 to $12 billion (if not more) for the various projects desired in King County to be completed – not just the $4 billion from the (proposed to be repealed) 10 cent statewide increase.”
Right. . . the rest needs to be raised throught grants, bonds, and local revenue. (Of course, federal grants are not what they used to be—we are spending the money for “Democracy” in other countries).