King County Executive Ron Sims delivered his 2006 Budget Address before the Council this afternoon, and one little tidbit that immediately jumps off the page is the news that Standard & Poor’s has upgraded the county’s general obligation bond rating to AAA. For the first time in its history, the county now enjoys the highest rating of financial stability awarded by all three major ratings agencies… and one of the highest municipal ratings in the nation.
In announcing the upgrade last week, S&P lauded the county’s “exceptional financial management through the spectrum of economic climates.”
“From 2000 to 2005, King County experienced economic fluctuation; it was also during this time period that a significant statewide property tax limitation initiative was introduced,” said Standard & Poor’s credit analyst Gabriel Petek. “In the midst of these challenges, the county has effectively achieved ongoing structural budget balance while continuing to incrementally increase its reserve levels in recognition of the need for financial cushion in an environment of limited revenue flexibility,” he added. “Moreover, the county has taken steps to address potential challenges to its very strong fiscal position. For instance, the county is facilitating the incorporation or annexation of unincorporated-but-urban areas within its limits–areas that are effectively subsidized by county services under the current regime.”
…
A structural challenge the county has grappled with is the pressure that Initiative-747 (I-747) places on county finances. In 2001, Washington voters approved I-747, which limits the growth of tax revenues to 101% of the previous year’s revenues, plus newly constructed development. Early in the current decade, this and other limits on revenue growth combined with regular growth in expenditures to produce a structural budget gap between recurring revenues and expenses. In response to the loss of tax revenues from I-747, the county budgets conservatively by assuming low growth in sales tax revenues and by reducing expenditures. In addition, management and staff have been creative in developing ways to make operations self-supporting and by contributing to projects that will provide increases in revenues other than property taxes.
According to an article in The Bond Buyer Online, King County joins Seattle as the only other municipality or school district in the state to achieve an underlying AAA rating from S&P… an impressive accomplishment by any measure.
Challenger David Irons says he wants to run the county more like a business, touting his exaggerated resume as preparation for running a government larger than that of thirteen states. But when voters go to the polls to choose who’s best qualified to manage the county’s $3.4 billion budget, I’m guessing they’ll stick with Sims, the executive who has led King County to the highest bond ratings in its history, at a time when many other municipalities around the state are bordering on bankruptcy. While Irons and his GOP allies are reduced to rehashing the 2004 election contest in a trumped up effort to cast doubt on Sims’ managerial skills, the financial experts — S&P, Moody’s and Fitch — all give Sims the highest grade possible on the executive’s most important management responsibility of all… drafting and executing the county budget.
If Sims had achieved these AAA ratings during an economic boom, today’s news would be a footnote rather than a headline. But by setting the county on such a sound financial footing at a time when revenues were shrinking and costs were skyrocketing, Sims deserves just as much credit as he’s earned for the county.
“I want to run King County like a business.”
What, like your last business David?
Even if you aren’t thrilled with Sims, homeboy is gittin’ it done.
Raise taxes until the S&P Bond rating improves!! [hehe….great idea!!!]
Gosh…geee. S&P AAA for King County, S&P AAA for Seattle, Washington pegged as one of the best managed states in the union. Geeez … Liberals are running amuck in fiscal responsibility and good government.
It is a shame that the NeoCons can’t get their act together on fiscal management issues (or most other issues, for that matter). I offer my condolances to the fiscally responsible Republicans, whose party has been hijacked….
I’m sure you HAs will correct me if I’m wrong here…
There have been many city incorporations within King County in the past few years. Federal Way and Covington come to mind immediately, and I think there are some others.
If that’s the case, the total amount of services King County provides has decreased as the newly incorported cities have taken over what King County used to do. I know Covington took over fire and police protection from King County. They bought the buildings and equipment from King County.
So as the number of people that King County serves decreases and the total number of services shrinks with it, are King County budgets and taxes decreasing in proportion? I don’t know, but I suspect the answer is “no” and the opposite is probably true.
So is Ron Sims being a good steward of the taxpayer’s money? I doubt it. Spending the same or more money on serving fewer people means that King County is playing games with the books and actually being less efficient in the per capita cost of services.
Am I wrong? If so, can one of the rare intelligent HAs out there give me some data?
Hey DJ-
Just saying it doesn’t make it so. Washington among the best managed? Says who? Highly questionable.
Hey SBVFUH-
Why is it you are always the first on to chime in? Must be Goldy’s lapdog.
Hey Mark-
I am pretty sure you already have that answer.
Even if we had the greatest credit rating in the country, that does not excuse the consistent and deliberate effort by Ron Sims to deny access to public records that have to do with the elections or other issues (Seahawks stadium, etc). Dishonest folks like Sims simply must go.
because I subscribe, douche
Can’t say anything without a name-calling insult, “Swiftie.” Standard leftist arguing technique.
MTR – Wow, what clueless MBA’s gave communist KC that AAA rating, MTR? Let’s get you on the job O All Knowing One. I’m sure you can show those raging leftists at S&P a thing or two.
Comment by Swift Boat Vets For Universal Healthcare— 10/17/05 @ 4:20 pm
Here’s the answer: CEO of Convention Communication Provisioners Inc., a Telephone/Internet company – 1997 to present.
Google them… I dare you!!
Mark The Redneck:
Are you trying to say that that little back water town of Covington is funding it’s own police force and fire department like the city of Federal Way?
Hahahahahahaha. C’mon. I’ve been to Covington, it’s no where the size of Federal Way. Besides, they sitll rely on Kent Fire Department for fire protection.
Bond ratings are nice…
But when computer systems go FUBAR, when the elections department becomes the selections department, when the CAO is the scepter that the CAO is and when the elections department is a national embarassment and Dean Logan has not been fired it’s time for change.
Now, can we get an elected county auditor so I might – just might – butt out of the county executive race. Just click on my handle… and sign a petition.
Here’s the part conservaties hate: Democrats are better with the public’s money then Republcians.
Anyone want to challenge?
Tax and spend? You bet.
Borrow and squander? No Thank you.
New KING 5 Poll !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
David Irons up 46% to 43% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
Bye Bye Ron
BWWWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Time for more lies Goldy !!!!!! Tell us how great Ron Sims is.
Ron Sims on his way out.
ROTFLAMAO
You moonbats are gonna get your heads handed to you.
David Irons will win.
I-900 will win by 25 points. Hey Goldy, are you gonna come out in favor of an Eyman initiative?
I-912 will win by 15 points.
Mark the Redneck,
Many of the cities that have incorporated in the past few years are generally contract cities. What I mean by that is that they haven’t formed their own fire and police and other departments, they’ve contracted with other agencies to provide services. For example, if you go to the King County Sheriff’s website, you’ll see that they provide services to a ton of cities (Shoreline, Kenmore, Woodinville, Carnation, Sammamish, North Bend, Beaux Arts, Skykomish, Maple Valley, Covington, Burien, SeaTac, and Newcastle) in King County on a contract basis. The cars all have the city’s names on them, the uniforms all have the city’s name on them, but the people are King County Sheriff’s Deputies and are employees of King County. It’s a good deal for everybody involved because of economies of scale, which are obvious.
In just this limited example, this can make it look like the Sheriff’s Office budget has increased when it theoretically should be providing less service because all these cities have incorporated. But it’s not really providing less service, it’s providing more, because each of the cities it contracts with dictates the level of service. The same applies for other county agencies that provide services by contract to cities. But since these agencies are county agencies, and their budgets are part of the county budget, the numbers on their face can be somewhat deceiving.
So to answer your question, King County’s budgets probably haven’t gone down. But that’s a simple answer to a complex question, and you need to look further than that to figure out what you’re looking for.
Comment by Mark The Redneck— 10/17/05 @ 5:25 pm
Heard the same sweetness!!!!
WATCH OUT COMMISSAR – We’re lined up, “say here we come, you try to stop us.”
How ’bout them WIN-Hawks? How ’bout David Irons? The person who took the phone from HQ was shocked… in joy!!
I hate to be a mean sport – NANANANANANANANANANANA!
WE’RE GONNA WIN!!
WE’RE GONNA STOP THE FRAUD!!!
WE’RE LINED UP, HERE WE COME, TRY TO STOP US… IF YOU CAN!!!!
WE’RE WINNING IN MARUMMY COUNTRY!!!!!
In fact, when I heard the #s, I jumped up and raised my arms in sheer joy – a joy I have not had in years :-).
Then I called Irons HQ to check on my donation.
Yet he can’t he comply with a simple records request?
http://www.soundpolitics.com/a.....tml#005189
It’s not like he has anything to hide or anything, right?
Rabbit Whoey (you here?), not the Roger variety.
See what I mean about dung flinging. Pathetic and hard to read through huh.
You Monkeys quit jacking off and flinging dung at the tourists!!!
Mark –
Other services that the county is repsonsible for are the superior courts, assessment & taxation, jails, prosecution, public health, and elections. There are probably more, but those come to mind immediately. And those services are supplied to the whole county, incorporated or not. So while population served my decline for some things – like roads – the decline in the numbers of those served is not as great as you may think.
The other problem with incorporations (and annexations) is that the area removed from the county is usually highly developed. (Think Sea-Tac, Federal Way, and Tukwila.) This removes sales tax revenues and some minor property tax base from the county income streams. This forces the county to maintain a level of service that the population has come to expect with fewer dollars.
I hope this has helped give you some persepective.
Danno @ 5
“Just saying it doesn’t make it so. Washington among the best managed? Says who? Highly questionable.”
Geeez…this has been mentioned so many times, I though everyone knew about it.
The report was published in Governing magazine. The report comes from the Government Performance Project, and is funded by a grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts.
The web page is here: http://results.gpponline.org/
Washington scored 3rd in the nation based on scores to four criteria (Information, Infrastructure, Money, and People).
David Irons A-HEAD!!
I said so… KING 5 did, too!
Josef’s humping the thread again…
David Irons A-HOLE douche
The Sims hate is hot in herr…
Shit in one hand, KING-5 poll yourself in the other… see which one has a bigger margin of error
Comment by Swift Boat Vets For Universal Healthcare — 10/17/05 @ 7:25 pm
Healthcare is nice, but liberty is better!!!
[I’ll stop w/ a big TD there!]
I participated in that King 5 poll, a first for me. It was one of the computer run things that most people hang up on except for wingnuts who have no life.
@ 28
Fair enough, but I’d like both (that’s a 3rd and long in Bush’s America) :)
It will be tough for Irons to beat the democrats and all the fraudulent votes that KCRE will count for Sims. Does he have enough.
But, but, but, but, but, RUFUS @ 31, the last time anybody looked closely, they could only prove that a handful of fradulent votes went to the GOP candidate.
Too much talk-radio? Let us know when you are read to be de-programed.
55% of the voting public thinks the election was fraudulent. You may have won in court but you haven’t proven it the most of the public. Of course OJ was innocent wasn’t he.
Redneck @ 4: “So is Ron Sims being a good steward of the taxpayer’s money? I doubt it.”
Why do you so airily dismiss the intelligence of HA participants when it is painfully obvious that you are shooting from the hip (re: Bax @ 17)? Are you man enough to acknowledge what you don’t know, or will you quickly throw out another, equally flimsy straw men?
Personally, I don’t have a dog in this race, because I don’t live in King County. But as someone who does have some experience in municipal finance, I’d argue that King County’s credit rating is a REALLY big deal. These ratings aren’t made by bleeding heart liberals, but by some of the most hard-nosed finance experts in the country. I can assure you that other Washington counties dearly wish they could attain such a high rating, because it can translate into significantly lower borrowing costs.
MTR @ 5
Actually, annexations and incorportations hurt the county budget. The more “profitable” areas from a taxation standpoint tend to incorporate. Those left have lower revenues and generally higher costs per unit area.
But don’t let facts get in your way. You never have before.
Comment by RUFUS — 10/17/05 @ 8:27 pm
Well, my “media kit” and talking points are from THIS blogsite. Helps when I helped write them… and call on KVI w/ them.
RUFUS @ 33
“55% of the voting public thinks the election was fraudulent.”
No they don’t. Many people recognize that there were illegal votes in the election, which translate to some into the label “fraud” (which is different from “election fraud”). But, the fact remains: this “fraud” was nearly evenly split between Gregoire and Rossi votes (statistically, Rossi likely got a few extra illegal votes).
And, in the five cases proven beyond doubt–there were four illegal votes for Rossi, one for Bennett.
You can whine, pout, hold your breath, and stomp all ya want, but Rossi lost, by the rule with absolutely no evidence of election fraud.
Ready for deprogramming, yet?
Aint it funny how the democrats want to add votes to the recount. Remember
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....nt08m.html.
You donks cheated…. plain and simple.
Hey you can yell all you want that Gregoire was legitimate but it wont make it so. Gregoire lost and OJ did it.
Aged Flatulence @ 34 “Why do you so airily dismiss the intelligence of HA participants…” Geez, have you read stuff here? Most of it is just left wing kookism. But there are a handful here who are thoughtful and articulate. They’re the only ones worth talking to.
I admitted in my post that I just had impression and no hard facts and asked to be corrected. There were some good replies.
Comment by RUFUS — 10/17/05 @ 9:05 pm
Yeah, she’s only legitmate because the law supports defending the tally over the votes cast… and Dino Rossi decided to rest his case on his own volition.
This “dismissed with prejudice” means crap in that the judge felt the State Supremes should back his decision. Again, if Rossi wanted to press his case, he could have. He just felt enough was enough – and knew, before the I-601 ruling, that there was a 6-3 lefty bias on the court.
41
I hear ya Josef. The lefties think that this is going to go away if they keep with their talking points. It wont go away though. This state has been branded(and rightly so) as Chicago west. Does anyone know if they finally reconciled voter registrations to votes cast in King County yet. Last time I heard they were 1,600 off.
RUFUS
“Hey you can yell all you want that Gregoire was legitimate but it wont make it so. Gregoire lost and OJ did it.”
Now I am just thinking you suffer from mental illness.
Gregoire won the election, she won a lawsuit trying to overturn the election (and, I might add, an election where not one shred of evidence of election fraud was introduced by the GOP), and she is living in the Gov. mansion
Rossi, on the other hand, is drowning his sorrows in a strip-mall bar in Bellevue and writing fiction when he is sober.
And OJ is sipping martini’s in Florida. So what your point.
RUFUS @ 42
“Last time I heard they were 1,600 off. “
You heard wrong…probably spending too much time at uSP or listening to talk radio.
I never said Gregoire was not governor. I just said she was not legitmately elected. Most people would agree with me.
Dearest Joseph, you really must get back on your meds. You are going off the deep end…..in your fantasy marummy wet dream.
Absolutely right Rufus. Most people at unsound politics and those living in Josephs dreamland would agree with you…. all 193 of them
193 + 55% of the State. Just a correction. We all know how you donks are with numbers though.
RE: Josef & RUFUS (#42 & 43)
Sounds as if you have some information that wasn’t presented regarding the ‘stolen’ election. I remember several rulings on all evidence presented, and several cases presented before the state regarding the election. But you state “This state has been branded(and rightly so) as Chicago west” which states some form of illegality. I would encourage you to turn whatever evidence you have to the authorities, especially the state republican party, since they were not able to prove their case in court. Maybe with the damning evidence you have, we can set this wrong.
Now if you are just talking about ‘theories’, that is a different story. If that is the case, you are sounding just like the lefties who claim that Florida ‘stole’ the presidency. So what is it, do you actually have evidence, or is it that you just don’t like the way the law didn’t go your way?
Josef @ 41
“Yeah, she’s only legitmate because the law supports defending the tally over the votes cast…”
What the fuck? The law specifies that the person with the most votes wins (i.e. the relative difference), not the the number of votes cast. Get back on your meds, dude!
“and Dino Rossi decided to rest his case on his own volition.”
What the fuck? What does “rest his case on his own volition” supposed to mean. (Pssssst … Rossi was not even a party to the lawsuit, you moron.)
“This “dismissed with prejudice” means crap”
No…it is a term of art in the legal profession that means the case cannot be reopened (but doesn’t limit the right to an appeal).
“in that the judge felt the State Supremes should back his decision.”
Regardless of Rossi’s unstatesman-like statement about the supreme court, Rossi and the GOP knew damn well that it was exceedingly unlikely that the ruling would be overturned.
“Again, if Rossi wanted to press his case, he could have.”
No shit, Sherlock.
“He just felt enough was enough – and knew, before the I-601 ruling, that there was a 6-3 lefty bias on the court.”
No, the GOP knew that Bridges allowed all the evidence that anyone would want entered into the case to go forward. Then, Bridges smacked down the GOP case in EVERY way possible. The GOP got their asses kicked on the merits, on the science, on the methodology, and got smacked around by Bridges for suggesting fraud without ever providing a trace of it.
The bullshit GOP propaganda attempts notwithstanding, Rossi lost the election by a hair, but lost the election contest big time.
RUFUS
“I just said she was not legitmately elected.”
Yes…I know. And you would be wrong. Snap out of it. An army of GOP lawyers could’t find a trace of election fraud.
So, let me guess… you believe the tooth fairy is wispering secret information to you about it each night?
Guess we’re done with this thread. Election redux
RUFUS @ 49
I would be interested in seeing a study suggesting that 55% of WA residents believe Gregoire won by election fraud.
Or is this just hyperbole?
K @ 53
Feel free to post on-topic. This little jag occurs occasionally when the sore losers stop sulking and have a need to express their anger.
I guess we should try to be a little compassionate….
Story in tonight’s news that in Iraq a dozen provinces has more votes than voters. If you moonbats hadn’t stepped on your dicks here, you could have something to complain about. But since you excused it in King County, you’ll have to excuse it in Iraq right?
I expect no replies from any HA especially Goldy.
Of course Sims always has the nuclear option available to him by playing the race card. As he falls further and further behind and sees his political career going up in smoke, he’ll play it. Ya heard it here first…
“56.
Story in tonight’s news that in Iraq a dozen provinces has more votes than voters. If you moonbats hadn’t stepped on your dicks here, you could have something to complain about. But since you excused it in King County, you’ll have to excuse it in Iraq right?
I expect no replies from any HA especially Goldy.
Comment by Mark The Redneck— 10/17/05 @ 9:56 pm”
No response made by me will make any sense to you. But seriously, do you REALLY believe that what is going on in Iraq has any similarity to what is going on in our country???? If you do, no wonder things are going so horribly over there with a mind set like that. No really, DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE ITS THE SAME? HONESTLY?
Reply to 40
Now, now Mark — don’t overlook the fact that HA comment threads contain plenty of right-wing kookism, too.
Mark the Redneck,
“Story in tonight’s news that in Iraq a dozen provinces has more votes than voters.”
That is a misinterpretation of the concern. From The Guardian:
Yes … I have said all along on HA that the Gregoire-Rossi results were artificially skewed by way too many Rossi votes. It stinks to high heaven. It seems improbable that Rossi could come up with almost as many votes as Gregoire.
But, the evidence has not been forthcoming, so I’ll have to accept that Gregoire won by only a small margin.
@19
Hey Josef, I’ll meet you halfway — at the 50 yard line, that is. I’ll just stand there — all 220 lbs. of me — and you’ll run straight at me as fast as you can …
heehee
This is one of these litmus tests used to determine your membership in the reality-based community.
If you nod and say good, you pass.
If you say “This is good, but here are some changes that could be made which would improve the financial situation” you pass.
If you go rambling on about a KING-5 call-in poll, not understanding that such polls are recreational in nature, not scientific, you fail, and must sit in the corner for five minutes.
Since I don’t want to be accused of making pot shots and running, here’s the one-paragraph run down of everything you missed by not taking stats in college.
When taking a poll, you have to ask, who is your sample? Are they likely voters? Are they distributed correctly geographically? Do they represent the demographics of the larger universe? Are they in Snohomish county near the sewage treatment plant? Is there a mechanism to keep cranks from calling once on their home, once on their cell, once on their calling card and so on?
KING-5’s phone in polls do none of these things. The only advantage they have over a poll on the front page of HA is that KING’s viewer demographic is probably a little broader than HAs.
Read and laugh folks.
I don’t understand the Right Wing reaction.
They cry ACCOUNTABILITY
Here is wonderful, independent, non-corrupt ACCOUNTABILITY and they go off the deep end on unrelated issues.
Could it be they really don’t want ACCOUNTABILITY but want something more like, say, THEIR GUY ALWAYS WINNING regardless?
jsa @ 62
“When taking a poll, you have to ask, who is your sample? Are they likely voters? Are they distributed correctly geographically? Do they represent the demographics of the larger universe? Are they in Snohomish county near the sewage treatment plant? Is there a mechanism to keep cranks from calling once on their home, once on their cell, once on their calling card and so on?
KING-5’s phone in polls do none of these things. The only advantage they have over a poll on the front page of HA is that KING’s viewer demographic is probably a little broader than HAs.”
Did you bother to go and read the results? This wasn’t a phone in poll, but a poll performed by SurveyUSA.
Here’s a link to the full results:
http://tinyurl.com/7n37p
Since the margin of error is 4.4%, statistically the current results represent a tie. They also included the Green Party candidate in this survey but not the one two weeks ago. Somehow I doubt on election day that Lange will get 7%.
Still Sims has to be worried. He’s the incumbent, his support (at least in this poll) is below 50%. He’s facing a lesser known opponent, in a Democratic leaning county, less than a month from election day. Not exactly inspiring. If the Republicans had chosen a better candidate (do they have any?), they could have won this race easily. I think Sims was very beatable this year.
Comment by Thomas Trainwinder — 10/18/05 @ 7:10 am
Nice bond rating. But this isn’t good enough.
One word: CAO.
Two words: Elections department.
Comment by RUFUS — 10/17/05 @ 9:21 pm
See Comment by dj — 10/17/05 @ 9:41 pm…
Comment by Roger Rabbit — 10/17/05 @ 11:23 pm
I’ll be nicer. Try the Irons 40 yard line… I’m going to kick your a** anyway. And that slime attack that’s coming – oh, well. Just means you’ll be in the air when my fellow Seattle Winhawks whack ya!
Ironman speaks:
HERE is David Irons’ latest.
Rebut all day today… this isn’t good news. I presume
Elections DirectorSelections Chef Dean Logan is cooking a Sims Cake in the oven…Joseph for Honest Elections: What, exactly, do you mean by ,”Honest Elections”? Do Republicans ever, in your estimation, win elections dishonestly? Do you feel Republicans are justified in winning dishonest elections because Mayor Dailey of Chicago threw some votes to JFK mzny decades ago? Are they justified in cheating because Mary Jo Kopecne drowned decades ago?
I do not trust you or any other Republican or self-styled conservative. Wrapping yourself in the mantle of honesty is the surest way to rouse any experienced person’s suspicions. For instance: I’ve never heard you even speak about the possibility of fixing elections by rigging Diebold voting machines. Wouldn’t someone whose only interest is “Honest Elections” at least consider the possibility or do a research project on it that encompasses both views and not just the one you happen to favor?
Honest? I’m from Missouri!
For anybody who didn’t donate $25 or more to David Irons!
Comment by headless lucy — 10/18/05 @ 8:32 am
What I mean is that:
*I support the Honest Elections Project to elect your county auditor…
*I support the law being fairly applied to all ballots in all counties…
*I support a paper trail for all ballots…
*I support requiring re-votes when # of votes not equalling legal voters surpasses the spread…
*I support photo ID… and taxpayer-subsidized photo ID for those who cannot afford that in lieu of a poll tax…
*I support firing Dean Logan…
*I support laws that favor the votes cast, rather than the votes tallied and punish fraud – either “individualized acts of fraud” (thank you Councilor “Heavy” Irons) or fraudulent canvassing reports – stridently.
*I am gravely concerned about the involvement of the postal service and the increase in provisional balloting…
*I am only for full citizens casting votes (not felons)…
I could go on.
Actually, annexations and incorportations hurt the county budget. -Comment by K— 10/17/05 @ 8:34 pm
Nonsense, Corrupt Sims County is/was anxious to get rid of all the little unincorporated outposts… I know because until a few months ago I lived in one. Corrupt Sims County was encouraging cities to annex by offering them incentives to do so and threats if they did not.
But don’t let facts get in your way. You never have before. -Comment by K— 10/17/05 @ 8:34 pm
I love how Mark the Redneck is one of the first (comment 4) to chime in about how the bond rating must be wrong/miscounted/misrepresented/doesn’t consider all the facts. Mark, if someone told me I had to bet my life, right now, with no further research, on either your opinion or the bonds analyst’s being right, I’d go with the bond analyst’s. Those guys are old school Republicans, and they know a little bit about money and how it is managed. It’s thier freakin’ job, dude. Do you really think they didn’t consider the stuff you mentioned? Based on this line of reasoning, and the astute and complete rebuttals provided by other knowledgable individuals on this board on this subject, you have shown yourself to be ridiculously naive, and a knee jerk ideologue, to boot.
Josef @ 65
Honest elections?
Name one that a democrat won.
ConservativeFirst @ 64:
Yep. You’re right. I’m wrong. This survey was done by grownups.
Normally when I hear KING-5 and “poll” I think of those phone-ins they do on the 5 O’Clock News.
JSA on Beacon Hill. You said: “If you go rambling on about a KING-5 call-in poll, not understanding that such polls are recreational in nature, not scientific, you fail, and must sit in the corner for five minutes.” Well said JSA, well said! Maybe you should blog to the animal hind parts village idiots Rupert Wabbet & Rugrat602. They love to state polls.
jsa @ 73
“Yep. You’re right. I’m wrong. This survey was done by grownups.”
Thanks for acting like a grownup. (Thought I posted this already, if it’s a duplicate, must be the filter).
No other Western democracy denies the vote to felons. This is not in the constitution. You seem, Joseph, to be more interested in denying people the vote on any pretext you can think of rather than ensuring that all legal voters get a chance to vote–even if a few dishonest ones slip through the cracks. I would be willing to bet money that you are in favor of Ollie North, a convicted felon who never served his time, voting. Well, are you?
Headless, thanks for the easy softball
a) since it isn’t in the constitution, we can thus deny them the vote. duh!
b) Ollie North is not a convicted felon; convictions were overturned.
Lunch must be nasty today at Garfield High…
headless moron,
So lets get this straight, some guy rapes and kills your mom and through the democratic courts is let off with a speeding ticket.
And you support this person being able to vote?
Interesting……
The conviction wasn’t overturned. He received a presidential pardon. The conviction still stands, dope. You think that unless a right is specifically GIVEN in the constitution that it is therefore automatically FORBIDDEN? Really, beyond the fact that you just WANT to prevent felons from voting, you have no express constitutional RIGHT to. Really, you don’t.
It doesn’t say neo-con fascists can vote in the constitution either. And if I had my way your beliefs would be forbidden and punishable as crimes against the satae because of their anti-democratic and totalitarian nature. It’s not in the constitution that I can’t, so I guess I can.
headless lucy-78 ‘You think that unless a right is specifically GIVEN in the constitution that it is therefore automatically FORBIDDEN?’
No, but states can then make it illegal if they so choose. Or, the Fed can make it illegal for federal races if they so choose. Kind of like public schools and mandatory attendance. Are you saying that both of those should be illegal?
‘..beyond the fact that you just WANT to prevent felons from voting..’
Your beef is with the legislature. Try whining there.
Headless, actually if you knew the constitution you’d know which amendment protects my right to vote…
Kudos to Conservative First for a fairly stated and cogent post at 64.
I do think that the numbers for Sims may improve if Irons continues to poll this close, however (not unlike Gregoire, actually – a lot of Dems sat that race out because it looked like a walk), but any incumbent below 50% is in deep shit for sure…
BTW – heard a Sims radio ad today talking about how Irons’ ran a company into bankruptcy – so this race is about to get a lot more heated from the left (the assholes who haven’t gotten over the Gubenatorial election had previously dominated in the negative campaigning department, and still love to see their little pen names in print on this blog, for that matter)
Right On #77
” since it isn’t in the constitution, we can thus deny them the vote. duh!”
Gee, whatever happened to good old fashioned conservatives who believed that the powers of government were limited to the ones specifically enumerated in the Constitution? Oh, that’s right, they went the way of the ones who believed in balanced budgets, limited government interference in people’s lives, and that the US should avoid overseas wars.
There is this other thing in the Constitution about inalienable rights, too, which I suppose covers your right to be an illiterate dumbass.
Ass @ 71
You are right about the “pockets”, but wrong about the trend. Look at the big annexations and incorporations, and I stand by my comment. Look at the left over “islands”, left because they did not pay for themselves in the initial A&I, and the County does want to get rid of them. Try to understand forest and trees. You are a tree. You do not understand the forest.
The conviction wasn’t overturned. He received a presidential pardon. The conviction still stands, dope.
Actually, it *was* overturned on appeal. Courts ruled his congressional testimony couldn’t be used.
I’m fairly certain he got a pardon with the dozens of other Iran/Contra folks though just to make sure.
Mr. X @ 81
Thanks for the kudos. I think Sims knows he’s in for a tough fight, and that’s why he’s going negative, and why Goldy is pushing so hard for him.
“I do think that the numbers for Sims may improve if Irons continues to poll this close, however (not unlike Gregoire, actually – a lot of Dems sat that race out because it looked like a walk)”
I don’t agree your assertion here. Clearly Dems turned out in 2004, Kerry (52%, 1,510,201 votes) and Murray (55% 1,549,708 votes) did much better than Gregoire (48.873%, 1,373,361 votes) in 2004.
The total votes cast in the race for Governor was 2,810,058.
The total votes cast in the rece for U.S. Senate was 2,818,651.
The total votes cast in the race for President was 2,858,007.
Not a dramatic difference between the three races. If anything it shows that a lot of Dems voted for Rossi.
I’m not sure Irons has Rossi’s crossover appeal. On the positive side for Irons, there’s no national race featuring a President that hard core loyalists of your opponent despise, motivating them to get out and vote.
68
I’ve never heard you even speak about the possibility of fixing elections by rigging Diebold voting machines.
Comment by headless lucy— 10/18/05 @ 8:32 am
Last I heard was that there was some evidence that an alien named Melecula from the planet Erf was in on it. I havent heard anything since.
Na Nu Na Nu
Aexia @ 84
“I’m fairly certain he got a pardon with the dozens of other Iran/Contra folks though just to make sure.”
Well, you’re wrong. North wasn’t pardoned. Since his conviction was overturned, a pardon wasn’t necessary. Same situation with Poindexter.
Caspar Weinberger, Elliott Abrams, Duane Clarridge, Alan Fiers, Clair George, and Robert McFarlane were the people involved with Iran-Contra George HW Bush pardoned.