In 2004, Washington state witnessed the closest gubernatorial election in history, as then Attorney General Christine Gregoire defeated then real estate broker salesman Dino Rossi by 129 votes (later changed to 133 by a court).
A year and some later (April, 2006), the now defunct East Side King County Journal asked about Rossi What’s his shelf life?:
The charismatic and smooth conservative came within a whisker of winning the governor’s mansion in 2004 and is widely expected to seek a rematch with Democrat Chris Gregoire in 2008. Will it be “Dino Who?” by then?
In politics, it is said that a year is an eternity. So what does that make Rossi’s four-year hiatus with no political office or bully pulpit while Gregoire relentlessly dominates news cycles week after week?
It was an interesting time to ask the question. At the time, Rossi was leading Gregoire by 51% to 38% in a Strategic Vision poll asking about the 2008 election. In fact, Rossi had led Gregoire by more than 50% to Gregoire’s less than 40% in the five other polls taken after the election contest and before April 2006.
The Republicans resoundingly lost the legal battle in the election contest of 2005, but they won the PR battle. Governor Gregoire began her first term polling as less popular than the loser of the election. After a highly contentious, close election, followed by a multi-million dollar Republican dis-information campaign (a.k.a. the election contest), Gregoire’s approval–disapproval spread started out strongly negative, and remained in negative territory for her first year in office. Then, after a 6 months period of nearly even approval (Jan 2006 until June 2006), Gregoire emerged from negative approval-disapproval territory.
Starting from a very bad position, Gov. Gregoire genuinely won over the electorate.
But what about Rossi? When he launched his 2008 gubernatorial campaign (umm…for the second time), Rossi routinely quipped:
“Last time I started with a 12 percent name identity statewide. Most everybody thought Dino Rossi was some kind of wine at that point. A cheap wine at that,” Rossi said….
But name recognition isn’t enough. On the public’s perceptional palette, had Rossi matured into a vintage wine? Or had Rossi’s cheap wine turned to vinegar?
In 2005, Pollster Stuart Elway pointed out:
“’We wuz robbed’ won’t be a strong campaign theme, and Dino will have to present a credible challenge to an incumbent this time. It won’t be like he’s a challenger coming from out of nowhere, but my question is how he stays on the radar screen when he doesn’t hold any office.”
Elway’s concerns were prophetic. Rossi was never able to remain an important player in Washington politics. (Hell…he wasn’t much of a player in Washington state Republican politics, either.) For example, Rossi refused to take a stance in Initiative 912 that would have repealed a state gas tax increase. Neither has Rossi grown in the interim. His campaign stump speech has evolved minimally since 2004. And, at least early in the campaign, Rossi was still running on the “We Wuz Robbed” platform.
The inevitable result is that Rossi has squandered his position of great strength from 2005 and 2006. Just look at the polling. Here is a compilation of every publicly-released head-to-head Gregoire–Rossi poll for the 2008 election:
(Note: different pollsters probe undecided voters to very different degrees. To make the numbers comparable, I have normalized the results so that the Gregoire% + Rossi% sum to 100%.)
After leading in the first 15 polls in a row (through November 2006), Rossi has lost all but one of the most recent 15 polls. A running average puts Rossi about 7% below Gregoire. At this time during the 2006 election cycle, senatorial candidate Mike McGavick, running against an incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell, had just peaked at 9% below Cantwell. In other words, beginning with a huge advantage in 2005, it looks like Rossi’s residual advantage of the 2004 election (and contest) has shrunk to, roughly, a 2% advantage over McGavick’s unimpressive performance.
The electorate just isn’t taking a liking to the Rossi-brand whine. (Perhaps Rossi shouldn’t be building a campaign on sour grapes.)
(Cross-posted at Hominid Views.)
Goldy–
I agree the WE WUZ ROBBED has pretty much run it’s shelf life.
However, it might be revived again in conjuction with the YOU WUZ ROBBED campaign theme.
“Progressives” seem to view progress as higher taxes, inept delivery of services and overspending.
Very noble.
Oh………..and you “Progressives” are also quite the magicians.
I mean Gregoire managed to pull a $2.7 BILLION Deficit out of the tailpipe of a huge surplus by her inadvisable adding of 8000+ new State Employees and countless new spending initiatives. And the underfunded Pension Fund Liability ought to be around $7 BILLION.
But everything is great!!!!!
How you KLOWNS going to eliminate the Deficit?
Cut Expenses? Which ones?
Raise Taxes? Which Ones?
The chickens have come home to roost!
How about this theme Goldy———–
WE WUZ ROBBED and YOU WUZ ROBBED &
WE IS ALL TIRED OF BEIN’ ROBBED!!
Gregoire has created a massive deficit.
She will continue to rob you to pay for it.
Stop the Robbin’!!
UNELECT GREGOIRE THE ROBBER….VOTE FOR ROSSI
I think the massive Gregoire Budget Deficit is perfecto for the YOU WUZ ROBBED theme.
I can’t help but think that Gregoire would improve her poll position more if she finally took a public stance on Glacier Northwest’s Maury Island mind. If the mine is built, it will forever tarnish her efforts to clean up Puget Sound. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/.....ine03.html
re 1: When I see the name ‘Darryl’ as the author of a post, I always assume it’s not ‘Goldy’.
How ’bout you?
i blame rossi for the state’s loss of the beloved sonics.
re 1: Yeah! That ought to resonate: Republicans calling Democrats ‘tax and spend’. In case it hasn’t occurred to you, the BushMan has wasted your rhetorical advantage in that area like the Prodigal and his inheritance.
Better get used to sleeping with the swine, Cynilingus.
Gregoire could have played it safe and done little or nothing (See Locke, Gary), but instead she has exercised leadership in many areas. Unlike previous Governors (See Locke, Gary), we often know where Gregoire stands on the major issues. This sort of leadership will be tough to defeat, particularly by a leaderless Party that has completely run out of ideas.
re 4: Yes. All that whining about taxes scared them away.
I believe Rossi would make a remarkably poor governor. Republicans insist Gregoire has to answer with detailed plans with respect to taxes, economy, transportation, budget, ecology. Of course, Rossi has no credible plan on any of these issues, the Republicans just hope that there is enough in any specifics Gregoire would offer for them to throw stones at some of them, and make vague allegations that somehow Rossi will do better, even though he hasn’t got a credible plan in sight.
But I’m a bit worried about the campaign. BIAW is coming out with new, highly misleading ads about the tribal casino compromise. I haven’t seen much Gregoire advertising. Isn’t it about time for her to come out of the gates and put this one away early? I’m hoping for a much more dynamic campaign than in 2004, but Gregoire seems to feel that being a capable administrator should be enough on its own merits. When you have to deal with liars like the BIAW, it may not be enough.
In the meantime, the local wingnut militia is going around the state, offering smug conclusions that “everyone agrees” that Gregoire has “been a failure at government”, and that Rossi will win convincingly – all without bothering to provide any evidence to support that shaky thesis.
It will be interesting to see the ultimate Times endorsement – I predict Rossi will promise a repeal of the estate tax in return for the Times endorsement – not that it will mean anything (he can’t do anything without the legislature).
In short, I don’t think this one is over by a long shot. We will have to be very active to keep Rossi’s liar’s brigade from cutting into this lead.
It’s not surprising, Darryl. After all, Rossi has nothing to offer — except vinegar to the sour-grapes crowd (there’ll always be some of those, but they’re in the minority). He has no relevant experience, no ideas, and his integrity is in the cellar even by politician standards. He doesn’t even sell overpriced real estate to widows and orphans anymore. He should stay home and raise his kids.
Darryl, come on. You left out the 2004 polls, which all showed Gregoire way up, about the same as the 2008 polls.
And yes, everyone who is honest agrees that Gregoire has been a failure … by her own standards. Remember this
“Our state budgeting has been a roller coaster. We spend when we have a surplus and we struggle to make painful cuts when the economy slumps. It is time to even out the ride. While the roller coaster is fun at the amusement park, it is no model for state budgeting. By treating our budget like a Washington family budget – we will ensure stability and avoid tax increases or Draconian cuts tomorrow.”
Of course, that is EXACTLY what she did — spent when we had a surplus, instead of “evening out the ride” — and now we are struggling as the economy slumps, and we will require cuts or tax increases. Guess which she will pick? Same as last time, of course. Massive tax increases will happen if Gregoire is re-elected.
Rossi may or may not have “something to offer,” as RR put it. Who knows? What Rossi is doing wrong is that he’s not offering anything.
He came up with a transportation “plan” that mostly elicited guffaws in the press (and the blogs) because of its huge and obvious flaws, such as “how the hell is this supposed to be paid for, because your numbers don’t add up?”
Since then, no doubt feeling burned, and quite possibly with few or no other ideas that he can mention in public without people discovering his real right-wing views, he has retreated into a campaign of “Don’t vote for Chris Gregoire.”
It’s not enough. Sorry, Dino, but it’s just not. No one’s going to take a chance on you unless you give them a positive reason, and I suspect you don’t have one that will work in this Blue state.
10 pudge
One might argue that a single poll does not mean anything. But when you see a bunch of different polls and a trend line looking like this one is the same across all of them, that means Dino better pull his head out of his ass PDQ and do something.
1 Cyn
What would Dino Rossi cut in the state budget to balance the projected shortfall that you shout yourself blue in the face about at every opportunity? Where’s the money going to come from? Whose pet ox will he gore?
Here’s betting that your answer ignores the question and slams Gregoire instead.
Rossi lies and lies and lies. Lies about caring about the environment, lies about transportation, lies about his “opponent, the incumbent” and he runs away like a chickenshit from being indentified with the REPUBLICAN party.
You can run but you can’t hide Dino.
“Prefers G.O.P. Party”?
Huh! You’re a REPUBLICAN and there’s nothing you will not do for BIAW.
Wow, that article linked to about how Rossi couldn’t get his own choice approved as state party chair was a hoot! Rossi has no clout whatsoever. Typical of y’all Republicans to rely on an ineffective boob as your favorite son. Reminds me of another guy a few years ago…
And the fact that his choice for state party chair was “a relative newcomer to Republican politics” and “Chelan County vice chairwoman.” Wow, doesn’t Dino realize yet the Chelan County is death to him?
What a maroon.
I hate to say it, but I have almost nothing against Diane Tebelius. She probably should have been the candidate for governor.
Great post!
My main concern is that Rossi and his good buddies (the crooks and liars) at BIAW (already airing anti-Gregoire ads that are short on facts and long on innuendo)will try to paint Gregoire negatively.
The smears on the transportation issue and the gas tax are already up – and they are just plain wrong and false. When is Gregoire going to hit back at the BIAW and their false ad campaign?
Darryl,
You mean the now defunct King County Journal. If it remained the Eastside Journal, the paper probably wouldn’t now be defunct:-)
I think Rossi has better name recognition. Now people know he’s a punk who lied about having a real estate broker’s license (a criminal offense in Washington for which if he were anyone else, he would have been prosecuted.) His name is now attached to GOP or (Gosh oops Publicans suck) and of course the ever famous call to 1-800- WAAAAAH I should have won even though I didn’t get the votes crybaby recognition.
Pudge @ 10,
“Darryl, come on. You left out the 2004 polls, which all showed Gregoire way up, about the same as the 2008 polls.”
In fact, you are wrong about “all showing Gregoire way up.”
The earliest polls I have found from the 2004 gubernatorial election date to September. There was that impressive Elway poll taken from 17-19 Sept 2004 that showed Gregoire up by +11%. This certainly agrees with your claim.
But, a SurveyUSA poll taken from 19-21 Sept 2004 had Gregoire up by only +1%. This falsifies your claim.
“Of course, that is EXACTLY what she did — spent when we had a surplus, instead of “evening out the ride”
Oh brother…more right-wing talk radio bullshit. From an AP article on Senate Joint Resolution 8206:
“…and now we are struggling as the economy slumps, and we will require cuts or tax increases. Guess which she will pick? Same as last time, of course. Massive tax increases will happen if Gregoire is re-elected.”
More wingding propaganda (really, Pudge…lay off the wingnut talk radio…it makes you dumb as dirt).
First, ALL states are struggling with the economy right now–nothing unique to Washington state. Second, Washington state’s tax burden as a percentage of personal income is one of the lowest in the country (ranked 37 lowest of the 50 states). Third, Washington state government is a great bargain recently ranking third-best in the state Government Performance Project. Fourth, the state has an excellent business environment: Forbes’ annual survey ranks Washington state number five in the nation for business climate. And Fortune magazine rates Washington the fourth best state in which to start a business—specifically citing our “low taxes”.
Man…it must suck being a wingnut these day….
Dino Rossi is a boil on the state’s ass. Chris Gregoire has been an outstanding governor. The race should no be close.
re 10: Somehow, I think your solution will involve huge tax cuts to big business and a draconian slashing of social services to those who need it most.
13..DL
In case you forgot, Gregoire was in charge when this massive $2.7 BILLION Deficit was created by HER overspending.
SHE is the one who needs to explain how SHE is going to clean up HER Budget Trainwreck.
I can see the HAers are using the Vic Moore tact of pretending this really isn’t a budget deficit yet and you’ll deal with it in due time (after the Election).
Good luck with that.
I believe the Budget is fair game. It’s one of the main things the Governor is responsible for. Waiting until after the Election is over to address it is not responsible, shows a lack of leadership and leads voters to believe SHE will support a massive tax increase.
SHE created the mess. It’s on HER watch.
What is HER plan???
NONE??
Seems like she is sitting there with her fingers & toes crossed hoping this problem SHE created will go away.
That’s called DENIAL boys & girls.
Not an attribute of a successful governor.
Dodge & Deny….for 4 months
Good luck with that strategy!
21. proud leftist spews:
Dino Rossi is a boil on the state’s ass. Chris Gregoire has been an outstanding governor. The race should no be close.
What precisely has she accomplished besides increasing taxes, spending & creating a massive $2.7 BILLION deficit PL??
How has your quality of life improved due to HER actions??
Outstanding Governor??
Back it up with facts…not feelings.
I decree that this demonization of Rossi is hate speech!
For those of you who know nothing of making wine and/or vinegar: Aging poor quality wine gets you aged poor quality wine. Aging juice without fermenting gets you vinegar. Dino Rossi (or rino Dossi) is noting more bad tasting juice that is now turning into vinegar.
re 23: But, Dino Rossi has no experience managing a state budget, and no experience at being a governor. Therefore, as I’ve been closely following your argument about why Darcy Burner should not be elected to congress, he is unfit to be governor.
Don @ 18
“You mean the now defunct King County Journal. If it remained the Eastside Journal, the paper probably wouldn’t now be defunct:-)”
Yes…I did. Thanks for the correction!
re 23: Ronald Reagan created a huge deficit. Are you saying that Ronald Reagan was a terrible president? Same with the BushMan (that’s a little nickname I gave him. Cute, huh?).
Cynical @ 24:
Gee, so if I were to follow your argument (and accept your numbers), then you must be an OBAMA supporter, right? After all the incumbent party has created massive ACTUAL budget deficits on the federal level, and HUGE national debt, with little to show for it.
For the average American, how has their life changed for the better after Republican control of the three branches of government for six years, and Republican obstructionism (vetoes, threatened filibusters, etc.) for the past 1-1/2 years??????
Just wondering how you reconcile the apparant inconsistency in your arguments…..
@20: Nice debunking of the sludge from Pudge.
Is Pudge so stupid that he thinks we can’t actually check on his fraudulent claims or does he truly believe all the nonsense he hears?
Pudge: Washington state has the 37th LOWEST tax burden – and your hyperboly can’t change the facts. Unless you want to invent new facta dn slant them….which you seem very good at.
The facts are we are a lot better off than the rest of the country which is is a fiscal mess due to the republican president. Job growth nationwide for the entire almost 8 years of Bush = 2.6 million. Average job growth under clinton – close to 2 million per year.
Republicans screw up the economy, fail to regulate industries like banking/loans, Enron and big Pharma – and democrats have to be responsible and clean up the mess. And there is NO credible economist who says the Laffer curve works and trickle down is a total abject failure.
Keep supporting the failed republican policies – it will just drive more people to become democrats.
Lucy @ 27: A couple of differences between Burner and Rossi:
Burner managed a program group at Microsoft, a large (huge) tech company. That requires some administrative skill. She also showed she knows how to investigate, work with people, and create a reasonable plan for dealing with Iraq, a plan which has many co-sponsors.
Rossi has never managed anything more than a small real estate agent’s office. He did have some limited experience in a part-time legislative body. His only attempt at a comprehensive transportation plan was laughable, half of it was for initiatives already put in place by Gregoire, the other half was pie-in-the-sky proposals where the numbers didn’t work.
Game-Set-Match.
Cynical @ 24
Facts and you don’t get along well. Facts put you in a nasty mood and cause you to spew irrationally. Because I care about your emotional health, I will refrain from bringing any facts to your attention. I’m sure you appreciate my concern.
31: Yea, “trickle down”. I haven’t heard that one in a while. I think even the Republicans are embarrassed to sell that line. “Trickle down” means pretty much the same thing as “trickle upon” (as in urinate).
What the FUCK is Cynical talking about.
Read my lips:
THERE IS NO DEFICIT!!!
What an asshole.
Darryl–
I notice your tax stats are “independently” compiled by our beloved Washington State Government. There are NO details or references on what taxes were included and what the per capita income was. Nice.
Were fees included Darryl?
Not sure.
That Table alone means ZERO.
Also, you tap dance around the unsustainable massive spending increase which substantially exceeded revenue increases Darryl.
That’s why we now have a Deficit.
Nice try Darryl.
Try again.
RuJax–
There is no Deficit huh?
Playing word games.
The next Budget will not be able to sustain current spending.
Need a tax increase or Budget Cuts.
That’s a pending Deficit RuJax.
Is Gregoire going to wait until Budget time to address the mess? How is that leadership…and honesty?
Mr. Cynical,
“I notice your tax stats are “independently” compiled by our beloved Washington State Government.”
No, dumbass, they were compiled by the Census Bureau. You know…a branch of the Republican-controlled federal government. (You can find the numbers starting here.)
“There are NO details or references on what taxes were included and what the per capita income was.”
Ummm…no. You were just too goddamn lazy to actually read the fucking report:
“That Table alone means ZERO.”
Sure…for a fucking illiterate (or was it simply laziness this time?) it sure is meaningless!
“…That’s why we now have a Deficit.”
We do not have a deficit, dumbshit. We had a surplus for the current biennium. You are mistaking the concept of a planning report that projects a potential deficit in the 2009-11 biennium with an actual deficit. Since the 2009-11 biennium’s budget is not yet written, it is impossible for there to be a 2009-11 deficit.
You are almost child-like in your ignorance of fiscal matters Cynical. Didn’t you, at one time, actually know something about accounting?
Must suck getting old, huh Cyn?
Darryl, the graph is nice and your opinions are interesting but you just can’t plot out a Nov result or trend without so many foot notes that the reader would get lost in the detail. Those who are designing both campaigns are giving study to polling prior to and after the introduction of a series of ads. The results will identify what works and what does not for both sides and this data will direct when and where the campaigns spend their money.
In truth, all anyone can take away from the polling thus far is that this will be a close race where Rossi’s low end #’s are higher than any other state wide R candidate who did not end up being elected.
The fight is over less than 10% of the electorate. The candidate who gets this 10% to vote and most to vote for them, will win. This will take as much money as can be raised and as much work on the ground as can be generated state wide.
@38, Actually, Washington State never has a deficit budget. It’s unconstitutional.
Yup, we seem to be looking at some shortfall in revenue next biennium, but the budget as passed will be balanced. And I don’t see them upping general taxes much to do it. Services will be cut and state employees will once again take it in the shorts.
Dave Gibney–
Therein lies the key question..
Tax Increase or Spending Cuts??
If spending cuts, which ones?
If tax increase, which taxes?
Curious voters want to know.
In addition, what will be done to fund the underfunded State Retirement Fund??
Will Gregoire again ignore it?
It was over $5 BILLION undefunded @ 6/30/2007.
With $38 BILLION invested in various Stocks, how underfunded will it be @ 6/30/2008?
Would love to know BEFORE the Election.
By underfunding the State Retirement Fund, Gregoire is engaging in a dangerous Ponzi-like scheme where someday, someone is going to have to step up.
Underfunding existing commitments is called BORROWING…aka let the next guy deal with it, I’m too gutless!!
Mr C.
Questions jsu as appropriate or maybe more appropriate to for the Legislature. As I’m sure you should (maybe do) know, the Governor’s budget is just a proposal and usually the budget as passed incorporates many changes from that beginning.
From my point of view, the first thing I’d be cutting or vetoing is any subsidy from Professional Sports. Then I’d look to all the agencies, etc for some slack.
President Floyd here at WSU has already established a serious hiring freeze.
On taxes, I’d abandon the B&O, try to slow down property and try for that unmentionable. But, then again, I’m not an elected official (well, except PCO:)
And as I said, state employees will again lose ground in relation to private sector wages and we’ll just keep doing the best job we can with the resources available.
41 Cyn
You hit the nail on the head.
Yes, we do want to know. If we are facing a potential ‘deficit,’ the governor will have to deal with it.
So, if elected:
What will Dino Rossi do? *crickets*
Which programs will he cut? *crickets*
Which taxes will he raise? *crickets*
DL–
Gregoire created this mess thru excessive spending.
Ladies first!
Mr. Cynical,
“Gregoire created this mess thru excessive spending.”
Bull-fucking-shit!!!!
This is a problem all over the nation.
There are 29 other states that project worse problems that WA, and two other states (Missouri, Texas) whose problems are on the same order as Washington state.
Quit lying, asshole.
CHANGE…..WE NEED CHANGE……In Washington DC….We Need Change in Olympia….We Need Change in King County…..We Need Change in Snohomish County….We Need Change in Seattle…… The status quo just isn’t cuttin’ it.
It seems that partisan politics is far more important than doing what is best for the country, the state, or even our own counties.
In the interest of change I am voting for Obama…in the interest of change I am not voting for Gregoire…She has exhibited the same level of management skills that she was accused of while she was the AG. Her management style was widely critized by a independent report after the whole appeal issue while she was the AG. She was voted into office DESPITE evidence that she was not a good manager.
I am tired of the fucking left wing hypo-cogs and right-wing neo-cons who blindly vote for the candidate because of the little initial behind their name. Use some critical thinking skills when you vote.
Daddy Love: “One might argue that a single poll does not mean anything. But when you see a bunch of different polls and a trend line looking like this one is the same across all of them, that means Dino better pull his head out of his ass PDQ and do something.”
Again, you are ignoring the facts. “A bunch of different polls and a trend line” in 2004 showed Gregoire up by double digits in October. This tells us, obviously, that the polls underestimated Rossi’s support by about 10 points or more. So showing us that Gregoire is up by 10 points now means Gregoire, not Rossi, is in trouble.
Darryl: I was referring to October.
“What would Dino Rossi cut in the state budget to balance the projected shortfall that you shout yourself blue in the face about at every opportunity? Where’s the money going to come from? Whose pet ox will he gore?”
This is a canard. Dino didn’t say what he would cut in 2003, but he did it, and we are much better off for it. He’s already proven he can, and will, do it without outlining it all in advance. I have no problem with, in theory, Hillary (for example) or someone else saying they won’t tell us exactly how they will do something like balancing Social Security, as she said in the debates with Obama. It is how good government works: you come together with everyone involved and work it out.
However, the person making that claim should have a record of success in doing that. Rossi does.
“Wow, that article linked to about how Rossi couldn’t get his own choice approved as state party chair was a hoot! Rossi has no clout whatsoever.”
You are completely ignorant about how things work. Rossi is the most well-respected and well-liked Republican in the state. But Republicans are independent and they don’t do something just because someone they like want it done. If Ronald Reagan himself descended from the heavens to push his own chair, it wouldn’t make a difference.
YLB and ByeByeGOP are lying about Rossi. Expected. I’d enumerate the lies except that everything he said is a lie.
Darryl: “Oh brother … more right-wing talk radio bullshit. From an AP article on Senate Joint Resolution 8206:”
You are, typically, missing the point. Read again what Gregoire said. Yes, she did put money in a rainy day fund. But the point is that she INCREASED SPENDING BY 33 PERCENT, against revenue increases of only 15 percent. SHE said, we should not bloat spending while times are good. SHE DID IT ANYWAY. This is not debatable, it is fact. The budget has ballooned, and we DO NOT HAVE the revenues to cover it.
Darryl, you keep saying that increased spending did not create this deficit. THAT IS A LIE. YOU ARE LYING.
And yes, the budget WILL BE balanced, of course. Right now it is in prjected to be in deficit, but it will be balanced. The question is how to do it. Raise taxes? Cut spending? Or do as the Democrats did in 2001, and fudge the numbers to increase the deficit even more for the following budget? Gregoire said in 2006, that she wanted to avoid this exact situation, because we need to avoid raising taxes, or cutting services.
Dave Gibney says, “I don’t see them upping general taxes much to do it. Services will be cut and state employees will once again take it in the shorts.” Except, Dave, that THIS year, Gregoire said the same thing as in 2006 … except she dropped the part about avoiding raising taxes. So yes, I think we will cut services … but only if Dino is elected, which is why Dino will most likely win.
“First, ALL states are struggling with the economy right now — nothing unique to Washington state.”
Bullshit. We would not have a deficit if we had held down spending to no more than 15 percent, which is still a huge increase. This is a fact.
“Washington state’s tax burden as a percentage of personal income is one of the lowest in the country”
I couldn’t care less about state-to-state comparisons. Our taxes are too high as an absolute value, regardless of any comparisons. This is, of course — as is the case with ALL FOUR of your points — a completely fallacious argument, as I never claimed anything Washington in comparison to any other state, and “correctnotright” is foolish to think you actually “debunked” anything here (and especially sad is the fact that he blames Bush for the job losses caused by the recession that began under Clinton).
“Third, Washington state government is a great bargain recently ranking third-best in the state Government Performance Project”
Again, I don’t care about such comparisons. I do care, however, about the fact that we have increased spending to literally unsustainable levels … unless we raise taxes, which are already too high.
“Fourth, the state has an excellent business environment: Forbes’ annual survey ranks Washington state number five in the nation for business climate”
Again, I don’t care about comparisons, but I looked at that analysis when it came out, and it was mostly bullshit, as actual small business owners in this state will tell you.
“And Fortune magazine rates Washington the fourth best state in which to start a business — specifically citing our ‘low taxes’.”
They didn’t take the B&O tax into account at all! Are you kidding me?
And headless lucy: note that Reagan’s proposed budgets were actually balanced, and his Democratic Congress increased spending to deficit levels.