Ted Van Dyk is voting for Susan Hutchison, not because she’s qualified to run anything more complicated than Charles Simonyi’s social calendar, but because Van Dyk thinks Dow Constantine is too partisan:
Democrats enjoy a huge registration edge in the county. Constantine, therefore, has based much of his campaign on his long partisan affiliation, in contrast to former TV anchorwoman Susan Hutchison’s uncertain affiliation. (Hutchison says she is a genuine independent who has voted for both Democrats and Republicans and who is endorsed by both Democrats and Republicans). More recently, Constantine’s allies have attacked Hutchison on the basis that she might not be pro-choice.
As the general-election campaign has proceeded, Constantine has diminished himself with his low-politics tactics. (Neither partisan leaning, in a nonpartisan office, nor presumed position on a social issue has anything to do with the duties of the King County executive).
Uh-huh.
But then, I guess such an attitude shouldn’t be surprising, coming from a man who clearly pines for the high-minded bipartisanship of a long lost era, when even a Democratic stalwart like Van Dyk could be counted upon to deliver suitcases full of $100 bills to President Richard Nixon’s private attorney.
[…]
Now that’s what I call bipartisan cooperation.
According to transcripts from the Watergate hearings (yes, the Watergate hearings… Van Dyk’s name comes up surprisingly often in the transcripts), the amount of money funneled to the Nixon administration from this milk industry co-op was closer to $900,000, not the $100,000 originally reported in the New York Times, but who am I to quibble? The point is, according to Van Dyk (who later served as a milk industry lobbyist), bipartisanship is a good thing that always leads to better and less corrupt government than that nasty partisan stuff Constantine practices.
I’m just sayin’….
you got any newspaper copies of joe kennedy paying off the unions down south to steal the presidential election for jfk? no? oh, then i guess that never happened.
Funny how often Watergate keeps coming up in the backgrounds of people over the past few years.
For example, Karl Rove (who somehow had a “permanant” student draft deferrment despite only being a part-time student for a couple of quarters) was a protoge of Daniel Segretti, who eventually served time for his role as a leader of Nixon’s infamous “Plumbers”. Rove was also implicated in some nefarious activities for his activities as part of the College Republicans, but in the context of the larger crimes of the Nixon administration, and the desire to put it all behind us after Ford pardoned Nixon, charges against him were never pursued.
Rove’s election to head the College Republican post was questionable, being decided by the then-head of the Republican Party – George W. Bush, who effectively threw Rove’s opponants out of the party for tattling to the press about Rove’s activities.
Cheney and Rumsfield went to work for the Ford administration, with an agenda to reverse the “democratization” of the White House, which they felt had been dangerously weakened in the wake of the Watergate scandals. For the next thirty+ years, they sought to increase the power of the Presidency (but only as long as it was in Republican hands). When George H.W. Bush came to office, they had a cooperative Congress, a “crisis” around which to rally public support, and an agenda which encroached upon the Bill of Rights and gave unfettered spending authority to the administration far more than any other President before him, except in time of war (John Adams’ quasi-war with the French, Lincoln’s actions during the Civil War, FDR’s actions during WWII).
If you haven’t picked up on it, I’m obsessed with Ted Van Dyk. He evokes much anxiety in me. I’m constantly fearful of his cost-benefit analyses.
Cost-benefit analyses?
Ted Van Dyk?
That was a joke, right fakegoldy?
1. mot
Yep, didn’t happen. Tx for pointing this out.
@5
no problem sjew. joe k also was not a rum runner and didnt associate with organized crime.
@4
Alas, it is not a joke. I constantly dread Ted will analyze the cost and the benefits and write about it.
I’ll bet it was Ted Van Dyk’s direct experience with corruption, money laundering and big money influencing politics which is what influences his hysterical ranting post-Watergate.
Van Dyk insinuates graft at every government level, and sees conspiracy theories behind each politician he hates. Such as Dow Constantine – who got on Ted’s bad side when he pushed for more light rail (supported by over 60% of KC voters).
But Ted missed the cocktail circuit lifestyle, and easy money – even post-Watergate: the guy went to work for junk bond king Michael Milken after his corporate lobbyist stint in DC.
I don’t think there’s any character assassination going on here; it’s more like character suicide.
Funny this got the HA trolls worked up. Watergate was a high water mark for the cynics, anarchists and nihilists who haunt Goldy. Ted Van Dyk is naturally “one of their own.”
Can you provide an example of said cost-benefit analysis, fakegoldy?
This should be good….
@9
I can’t bear to look at one. The detached, cool rationality would cause a panic attack.
Heh. I knew you would run away like a girlie troll again.
How very clever your pointless little schtick is…
However, I will grant you this, fakegoldy: defending/apologizing for Ted Van Dyk IS nearly impossible.
Here’s what fakegoldy was trying to say about Van Dyk and his cost-benefit analyses. Or, at least how it plays out for a corporate lobbyist like Ted:
Cost- highly paid milk cartel lobbyist launders money and uses it to pay off politicians who would otherwise be trying to stop monopolistic price fixing, and would otherwise be trying to protect consumers from paying artificially high prices
Benefit – milk cartel lobbyist gets a fancy condo in Belltown, a plush vacation home in New Mexico, and an expensive wife.
Did I get it right, fakegoldy? That is the Republican cost benefit model in action…
At least Van Dyk voted for R-71 and against I-1033. Other than that he’s still a douchebag.
rhp, that was Donald Segretti.
(Just picking a nit)
Anytime bagman Ted gets up in a public forum to spout his brain addled trash, he should be confronted with a question regarding this shameful episode and explain how his bribery facilitated good civic government.
Bagman V-dyk, a pestulance on public discourse.
So, here’s a trivia question – since there was an entire chapter (5) dedicated to Van Dyk and his milk cartel in the Watergate Investigation Report, did Ted Van Dyk dedicate a chapter to the subject in his book, Heroes, Hacks, and Fools: Memoirs from the Political Inside ?
I haven’t read the book, and don’t plan to shell out $25 for this Republicrat’s offshore retirement account….anybody else read it?
As you may have gathered, I resent Ted. I resent that Ted’s writings frequently appear in The Wall Street Journal, America’s best-selling true newspaper.
10 Years from now, they will be talking about Rahm Emmanual, David Axelrod and the rest of the current group of crooked Obama appointees.
Anyone else watching this Yankee/Angels game.
7-6…top of the 9th to start.
I hope the Angels win and wear out the Yankees pitching staff for the Phils by taking it to 7 games.
I loved the Yankees as a kid.
Steinbrenner ruined it for me.
Frankly, I think there should be a GAMES penalty for excessive payroll. Sounds Socialistic, doesn’t it. But it would be interesting if the Yankees, Red Sox et al had to spot teams say 8 games or so.
Kind of like weight handicapping Race Horses.
@10
rahm emanuel and david axlerod. are those them jews that jeremiah wright said wouldnt let him near obama?
@6 mot
seems to understand that Jo Sr. inherited the wealth made by the Kennedy’s efforts in organized crime.
oddly manof seesm unaware that ol’ Jo was a far rght wingnit, jus like him! … that is a Nazi, Henry Ford/ MCarthy buddy.
so now for the rest of the story ……..
SJ–
Seems a bit disingenuous to seperate Joe’s wealth from it being the wealth that put his son’s in power. Some of us connect the all dots. SJ connects most of them…just conveniently misses a few.
Ted Jr. ran for Raleigh City Council on a pro-rail platform. He lost, but it’s encouraging to know the next generation of Van Dyks is more progressive on key issues.
http://www.tedvandykforcouncil.....ransit.php
Transit:
We need more transit, sooner. Transit offers alternatives to cars. Transit is green. Transit allows broader access to those who need alternative means of mobility.
Transit will be an integral part of any competitive, livable City in the years to come.
We need four kinds of transit in Raleigh
Enhanced bus service including additional transfer stations/park and rides
Light rail – small, local, convenient routes such as Fairgrounds to Downtown
Regional Rail – a large scale system linking the Triangle and its neighbors
Greenways and pedestrian/bikeways
Each of these systems has a place in Raleigh’s future. Let’ support the ½ sales tax allocation that the State is currently working on to allow us to fund our future transit plans.
We can identify easy options to help in the near term, while working to build a world class regional system in the years to come.
I will work with my fellow Council members, State representatives, TTA, County officials, and others to ensure that District D is an integral part of our transit future.
It’s weird how the right wing HA Trolls instantly get off on these meaningless tangents. (I suppose it’s all they got these days)
I’m glad a couple people are pointing out some basic facts about Joe Kennedy:
1) he was a right wing / isolationist creep – an early day Pat Buchanan.
2) it was easy to pull the wool over racist, right wing inbred southerners’ eyes
3) Joe made his dough selling booze to the masses at inflated prices, while thumbing his nose at the law…just like a good Libertarian / Republikan.
4) And finally: I wonder if the Troll Patrol has figured this out yet: Joe Kennedy doesn’t have a faux muckraking column in Crosscut or the Wall Street Urinal…
I forgot one thing: the Mob was the originator of religious family values, heavy on tradition, control and domination. Right in line with cynical conservative standards.
@21
oddly manof seesm unaware that ol’ Jo was a far rght wingnit, jus like him! … that is a Nazi, Henry Ford/ MCarthy buddy.
sjew, i totally know that. in fact, joe kennedys ifamous line about jews is “they ruin everything they touch”…
funny how jews/liberals love the kennedys but they give ‘ol joe a pass for being an antisemite.
@1 I take it your changing the subject means you don’t feel comfortable discussing how Van Dyke is toadying up to Suzie Cute.
@6 What the fuck does Joe Kennedy have to do with anything? He’s not president, never was president, never was even a senator or congressman, and his president son ain’t him. So what on the Rabbit Spirit’s green earth are you babbling about? Joe Kennedy has nothing to do with anything.
Give Joe a pass? You gonna show us a SINGLE example of that, manofspoof?
By “give Joe a pass” maybe you mean like: nobody even acknowledges the guy existed aside from your pals on the far right who loved his anti-commie and anti-semitic views?
So – using your line of “thinking” – by ignoring right wing Joe Kennedy, the thoughtless libs actually endorse him.
Makes sense.
Could these conservative troll clowns get any more pathetic? Seriously, manofspoof, don’t you have any self-respect left?
@15 Here’s an idea, Dow should run ads featuring Hutch’s mug shot (profile is best) and a blurb that says, “Endorsed by Richard Nixon’s bag man.”
@19 WHAT??! Cynical is coming out for gummint regulation of BASEBALL??! What are you a fucking commie??!!!
@22 And now you’re against the rich, too! Folks, I think we have a closet COMMIE on our hands!!
Maybe Joe McCarthy was right after all, you can’t trust anyone. No one. Not even Klynikal!
Maybe Klynikal was a Soviet agent all along.
I used to be a conservative, and I still get these Strangelovian impulses now and then, but I’m calming down now.
Which reminds me. After I came home from the war, I owned this beat up old car, and had a bumper sticker on it that said, “I’m A Vietnam Vet, And I’m OK Now,” and had the phone number for the veterans’ counseling center on it. No one ever tailgated me for more than a few seconds. As soon as they got close enough to read my bumper sticker, they would slow down and drop back about 10 to 20 carlengths behind me. I guess they didn’t want to take a chance on rearending me, for some reason or other.
@25 You forgot to mention that Mob women knew their place, too.
36
Liberals must arm. (Actually, many of us are armed, but we shouldn’t let the wingnuts know that.)
@26, @29 — I think we all agree that Old Joe was a rightwing asshole just like most of today’s highrolling thieves.
Joe was right about one thing, though — “Don’t get mad, get even.” And boy, are we ever gonna.
@38 Some people say we should rebuild bipartisanship in this country, get the parties to work together again, reinstate the old system of negotiating and compromising. I say BULLSHIT! The best thing to do with Republicans is use ’em for target practice!*
* Just kidding! That’s a wingnut joke. It’s not even very funny.
Sen. Hatch wants Obama to investigate the BCS.
Halliburton? No. Missing $9 Billion in Iraq? Fuggedaboutit.
BCS? Get right on it.
Come to think of it, none of their jokes are funny. Especially the ones about concentration camps and exterminating political opponents.
@42 But we already knew the GOPers’ priorities are fucked up, didn’t we?
Say, where are the trolls? Did we run them off? Cowards.
@28
@6 What the fuck does Joe Kennedy have to do with anything? He’s not president, never was president, never was even a senator or congressman, and his president son ain’t him. So what on the Rabbit Spirit’s green earth are you babbling about? Joe Kennedy has nothing to do with anything.
i see i have to do your thinking for you roger. joe kennedy is relevant because his money and connections to the mob stole the election for jfk.
and the pass he gets is that nobody ever talks about the kennedys inherting their wealth via rum running.
I’m thinkin’ man of truth is a plant, designed to make idiot conservatives appear much more idiotic and conservative than they really are!
Maybe manoftroof is actually B-1 Bob Dornan, the disgraced ex-Congressman.
That guy had a strange obsession with the Kennedys.
And with losing.
Just like manoftrufe!
Here’s how you can tell manoftrooth is a jokester: he complains about rich people inheriting their family’s wealth and political capital.
Which is the true essence of the Republican party since they took over the southern Whites Only country club cocktail circuit.
Manoffilth detests the Kennedy clan, yet he is a die-hard W fan. See….totally joking.
Are there any serious conservatives left?
Dow is a crook.
That was the most sophisticated post yet, lord humorous!
http://www.seattlepi.com/conne.....oel23.html
Too funny. Joel Connelly calling Ted Van Dyk a “grumpy old man.”
Ouch.
Ironic timing for Crosscut asking people to become annual financial suppporters at the same time as Van Dyk’s endorsements(misguided ones, IMO). Chris Vance, Van Dyk…they are more than welcome to write what they want, where they want and I am more than happy to only read Crosscut when Knute Berger has an entry. Or not at all.
Chris Vance runs circles around Ted Van Dyk. And, he’s an idiot!
@50….why complicate things when the truth can be stated in just a few choice words?
Mongrolia,
You really have a winner there! So you don’t forget about Ted The Swimmer Kennedy…
Chappaquiddick Ted and John Effin Kerry were behind the Big Dig. You forget the 4 Billion original price ended up over 14 Billion. Those huge cost explosions were from corruption and quality issues. Remember the tunnel leaks and the sign that fell down and killed a woman in her car?
The man and his family were staunchly against wind farms off of his shoreline. It was a classic NIMBY moment because Ted didn’t want to see those columns and spinning blades as he looked over the water. Yet his nephew Robert Kennedy Jr calls himself an environmentalist. Oops… they use private jets wherever they go.
Look where Ted had the Kennedy money? See if it isn’t offshore. See if he doesn’t pay his fair share of US taxes. Why is that? mongrolia?
Why is pUddy so wrong so often?
Becuase his sources are conservative, right wing idiots – like himself.
the big dig:
First, Kerry and Kennedy weere not “behind” the big dig – they voted for the highway funds along with a supermajority of congress – but local Boston interests and Massachusetts stat interests pushed it.
Second, the real problems with the big dig were corporate cheating and some bad design:
Of course, Mitt Romney got contributions from the same companies that screwed up and chaeted….but that is typical republican shady dealing.
Puddy fails to mention this becuase he is stoopid and biased.