I don’t know if it’s just a coincidence or if it’s the summer (so I and/or horses are out on city streets more), but I’ve noticed more piles of horse shit in the middle of the road recently. This morning riding to work, it was pretty heavy traffic where there was maybe the largest pile of shit I’ve ever seen on the street. I was afraid if I swerved around it, and a car tried to pass me, that it they would hit me and I’d die, but decided it was worth the risk.

I assume this has to do with those carriage rides. It looks like a fun way to go around the city for a tourist or a date. I imagine the romance is lessened somewhat if there’s a bag of shit in between you and the horse/driver. Still, I don’t want to ride my bike through, or have to navigate it around horse shit. And I don’t really want to drive my car through horse shit either. I feel like when I lived in a more rural place, that made sense, but it shouldn’t be a thing that troubles downtown Seattle.

– Seattle is one of three cities selected for the Better Buildings Challenge.

– Also at CGI America.

– Support exists for higher taxes.

– What a dick.

– Republicans really are the wimpiest wimps in Wimpville (Marco Rubio edition).

– You don’t expense your smoke bombs? (automatically loading video, no politics whatsoever)

There are basically 2 ways to make Metro fiscally sound: (1) eliminate most service south of Renton and East of Lake Sammamish or (2) find another source of revenue (fares, taxes, taking the money away from something else the county does or some combination, but fares have already gone up and other services are hurting too). Or if you’re The Seattle Times, whine about driver pay and don’t offer any real solutions.

Two problems are special to Metro. One is bus-driver pay. It can be defended by pointing to the 2010 contract, which has minimal raises. But under the previous contracts, between 2000 and 2009, bus-driver pay rose 38.5 percent, to the third-highest figure of any big-city bus operation in the country.

Metro now feels the consequences of the contracts it has signed.

Like 90% of bus drivers are helpful and good natured. They put up with drunks, abrasive assholes, and all sorts of shit while navigating often narrow streets in and out of traffic. They are professionals. So, doy, don’t pay them anything. Also, I’m a little confused. Was bus driver pay the 3rd highest after 2009 or is it the third highest now, after concessions? The writing wasn’t clear, but I think they mean the first. The Seattle Times doesn’t say what we should pay bus drivers, nor do they calculate how many more routes we could save with cuts to bus drivers’ pay (assuming we don’t have more accidents, etc. with poorly paid drivers).

Another problem is that Metro tried to serve the whole county. The agency is going back to setting routes based more on demand, and that is good. Run buses where people want to ride them. But it is too late to avoid this deficit.

It is true that it is more costly (as I hint at in the opening), but I’m not sure it’s a “problem” as the editorial says. I think 40-40-20 is horrible policy, and am fine focusing on routes that serve the most people. Still, I don’t think we should abandon the whole areas of the county that aren’t dense enough to make back much at the fare box.

Anyway, then The Seattle Times goes from wrong to wroooooong.

The problem is that the five lattes are on top of all the other lattes, mochas and Frappuccinos people already buy for their government. Taxes go up in bad years because times are bad and good years because we can afford it.

Aah the implication that no taxes have ever gone down. Good work, people who hate facts.

There has to be a stopping point. Given the economic pain, the public opposition and the unbelievable claim that the $20 tax is for two years only, this is a good time to say no.

FYI, I skipped it but their only evidence for public opposition is that they get more letters opposing it than pro. No polling data. No focus groups. Letters to one newspaper is how you judge all public support. They aren’t calling for an election.

And it’s not like they’ve supported other tax hikes and are reluctantly opposing this. They’re opposed to any tax hike no matter how reasonable. Really, the line in the sand for The Seattle Times isn’t Metro funding. It’s public education, K-12 and higher ed. And it’s public safety. It’s all of the things the state, county, and cities do that have been reduced since the recession hit.

– Seriously, what’s going on here?

– I think Sonntag has a better shot than Sandeep thinks, but I’d still say the smart money is on Inslee.

– You guys, we can tell when you edit Wikipedia.

– I think we should have a much higher marginal tax rate, and this graph surprised me.

I just realized that with Gregoire’s retirement, Washington may have all men in the statewide elected offices. That would be a real shame.

And nothing against men; I am one. It’s just that top to bottom the elected executive branch could better reflect the state. We’re certainly willing to elect women statewide as evidenced by our current governor, US Senators and some State Supreme Court justices.

I’m not arguing for a quota system here, or saying you have to vote for the woman for any position. We should evaluate the candidates based on how well we think they’ll do in office. Certainly if Pam Roach jumps into any race for any executive position, you should vote against her. I’ve heard rumors that Lisa Brown is or was thinking about running, but I’d rather have Inslee than her.

So, I don’t know if the parties aren’t recruiting women, or if possible women candidates haven’t stepped up enough. But it would be a sad state of affairs if in 2012, we couldn’t elect a single woman to an executive position.

This editorial in The Seattle Times is not horrible. And in fact, other than the presumption that we need cuts to Social Security benefits most of the ideas mentioned are good.

In politics, there is a tendency not to praise the player who makes the concession that is obvious to you and everyone else but wasn’t to him. That is a mistake. The federal budget deficit is so huge that all the players have to make concessions. All of them find it difficult.

When they make concessions, they need to be praised — and reminded to follow through.

Oh, I know! Tax increases for the wealthy. That’s a concession that the Republicans still aren’t willing to make. Also, The Seattle Times doesn’t mention that we could get more from a federal estate tax. I mean if the deficit is really the biggest most important thing ever and all of the players need to reevaluate their intransigent stance, then they’ll surely reconsider their position on that. So I look forward to their next editorial where they demand to be taxed at a higher rate. I’ll praise it.

– I hope Washington isn’t the next to pass gay marriage. But only, because there are some states that could finish it up before our legislature reconvenes.

– This is worse than what Weiner did, so I’m sure the Republicans will demand he resign.

– Democracy!

– A lot will happen in the governor’s race, but this is good news.

– Don’t over think it.

– Some pictures from Olympia.

I think as the campaign season kicks into swing, I’m going to ask candidates for various offices questions. But I’d like to hear from the folks here. So far, I can think of some things I’d like to ask Seattle, King County, and Port candidates. If pressed, I could probably reasonably ask some things of some people running for mayor in some of the ring cities and some of the bigger cities in the area, or Seattle School board. But it’s an odd year, so nothing statewide. And I don’t know what local issues exist outside of the Puget Sound area.

Basically, while I have preferences that I’ll probably express pretty strongly about some of those positions between now and November, I want to ask questions that are more openended and to ask all of the candidates the same questions. So I’d email, say, 3-5 questions to each candidate per position and post them unedited here in some predetermined order on a predetermined date.

So is there anything you’d like a semi-popular Washington State political blog to ask of anyone?

Here are basically what I have so far, I’ve kept them vague for the most part so far so people can flesh out ideas in the comments without me saying here’s the question ahead of time:

Seattle City Council:

• Something about the Viaduct, probably cost overruns
• Something about police, preferably including accountability and safety
• Something about faster Internet across the city
• What is the city’s role in education and public transportation given how important they are to the city, but that other agencies are tasked with them?

King County

• Something about Metro service
• Something about services in general since the voters rejected Proposition 1 last year

Port of Seattle

• Something about how people run on reform, but it doesn’t seem like much has been done.
• How can the Port create jobs in the region?
• How can the Port reduce pollution/greenhouse gases, etc.
• Something about parks*

[Read more…]

– A tale of 2 headlines (h/t).

– Decent health care for the middle class is a feature of health care reform.

– Who could have predicted?

– Does anyone know where in Seattle you can catch the Women’s World Cup?

– Taste of Tacoma

Since Dow Constantine’s proposal to add a modest car tab fee to pay for buses is freaking some folks out (see, for example the comments to the linked article), I’m going to state the obvious: Many of the people (and many families) who own a car also use the bus system. We’ll hear a lot of the war on cars bullshit as this issue progresses.

But, there is no war on cars. Me riding the bus instead of taking my car makes the road a little less crowded than it would otherwise be. I don’t take the bus to unclog the roads, I take them because they’re convenient. Having a bus system helps me and everyone else on the road.

When I was growing up in the fairly close in suburbs there was a great freedom to be able to get on the bus. It meant I could go into the city any time I wanted. And it meant I was out of my parents’ hair for a few hours. While the 307 wasn’t the most convenient route (there was a long layover at the Northgate transit station, and it wasn’t particularly direct) it got me into the city long before I started driving, and my parents didn’t have to act as taxi drivers.

Also, plenty of people who drive most of the time take the bus occasionally, and it’s a nice thing to have. The last time my dad, who drives regularly, and I went to the Mariners’ game, he took the bus in. Saved the hassle of finding parking and fighting the rush hour traffic downtown.

The point of these examples isn’t that they’re comprehensive data, and it isn’t even to support the plan necessarily (I haven’t studied it enough, but like it in theory). The point is that the divide between “drivers” and “bus riders” is pretty artificial.

– Doctors still support Obama’s health care reform.

– Today in the GOP not being racist. (h/t)

– Oceans are “at high risk of entering a phase of extinction of marine species unprecedented in human history” (h/t)

– McKenna’s record of reducing government.

– The Dawn space ship is going passed one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt.

I’m a fan of Publicola, but they’ve fallen into the same trap as much of the rest of the Seattle media on the McGinn and the tunnel. From a piece about Peter Hahn signing the Environmental Impact Statement for the tunnel (I assume by Josh, but it’s the Afternoon Jolt, so it doesn’t have a name attached, and he and Erica do the same thing).

The move could signify that McGinn’s administration has decided to back off (for now, anyway) from its single-minded opposition to the controversial project. The McGinn administration, mindful perhaps of polling that has linked his bad numbers to his nonstop focus on the tunnel, has been notably quiet about the tunnel these days. This even-keeled move will definitely draw applause from McGinn’s establishment opponents who consider him an obstructionist.

First off, you think McGinn’s establishment opponents give a fuck about policy? Nobody gives him credit for being bold on the Youth and Family initiative. Nobody thanks him for filling potholes quickly. Nobody gives him credit for a budget that didn’t cut social services. Despite the fact that he salted the roads during the snow storm like his establishment opponents demanded (and I think it’s bad policy, but it is clearly the position of Seattle insiders) he doesn’t get credit. So, no, I don’t think anyone will care that this time instead of asking for and being given more time by the state DOT that this time his people just signed it when their concerns were met.

But to the main point, McGinn has always been able to walk and chew gum (see the paragraph above, for examples of other things he does, and it doesn’t even get into the things that the establishment is against, but that deserve more coverage). He’s never been single minded about the tunnel. He’s always talked about other things. I’m sorry, but it’s been the media, including Publicola, who who see McGinn only through one highway project instead of through his budget and other policies.

Perhaps that’s why he has to stop talking about it. Because we have media who can’t stop talking about how much they’re over talking about the Viaduct replacement. The rap on him has always been that he’s a 1 issue candidate or a 1 issue mayor. But that’s never been the case. He’s always been able to chew gum and walk at the same time. He just needs an audience that won’t obsess about the gum thing.

No politics, just some great writing:

– A very sad story.

– When my dad and I were hustlers.

– Joe Posnanski on the death, and life, of Clarence Clemons.

– Lindy West’s Guide to Life for the Recent Graduates

– Even if you’ve read Eli Sanders’ Slog pieces about the trial of the South Park rapes and murder, it’s worth reading this whole article (although, damn, it’s a difficult read).

Nothing too egregious about this press release from Senator Joseph Zarelli about the budget forecast being tighter than we’d thought, but this was a bit off.

I would have been more comfortable leaving an even larger amount in reserve, but reaching this new budget agreement required a number of compromises, and the size of the ending fund balance was one. Our side figured the June forecast would be down significantly, just like the March forecast was, which is why we insisted on policy reforms that will save money going forward, and made sure this new budget was the first one since 1997 to spend less than anticipated revenue.

If he was that interested in having a larger reserve, he might have considered raising taxes. Yes, there was a 2/3 requirement, but if the chief Republican budget negotiator in the state senate had decided to push for higher taxes, it would have done a lot. So it seems like the things that made him most comfortable were (a) passing a budget since it was a special session, and all the legislators just wanted to go home already, (b) no tax increases, (c) having a reserve. Although (a) and (b) may not be in that order.

Sorry, I’m still writing about Anthony Weiner. His personal life isn’t of concern to me, nor is the fact that he lied about his personal life, but harassing women concerns me greatly. There is another side to Nick’s piece that I linked to in the open thread that “female members of the House Democratic leadership, as well as the female members of the rank-and-file, are actually personally upset” with his conduct. Namely, Democrats are the party of everyone gets a seat at the table, and as such we have more women in leadership and the rank and file, so more of our leadership and rank and file have got harassing nonsense at work or, for participating in politics, and are less likely to forgive it.

I’ve been thinking about what isn’t a good excuse for such behavior. So here’s a partial list of things that aren’t a good excuses for sending nude pictures of yourself or other harassing email/tweets/Facebook messages without consent:

• It’s the Internet, what do you expect?
• Other people cheat
• Other people are doing/have done something worse
• It was a joke
• Don’t you have a sense of humor
• It’s not a big deal
• He’s a good Congressman
• One of them was a Porn Star, so it’s OK
• Come on
• He’s taking on corporate crime, and that’s worse
• You’re playing into the hands of the GOP
• You’re playing into the hands of Breitbart
• You’re playing into the hands of corporate crooks