From the Nation Journal’s subscription-only Hotline:
AD WATCH: He Did It
The DCCC is up with a new ad attacking Rep. Dave Reichert [R]. The ad features footage from a speech Reichert made in 5/06. REICHERT (from 5/06 speech): So when the leadership comes to me and says, ‘Dave, we need you to take a vote over here because we want to protect you and keep this majority, I do it.’ ANNCR: And when they told Dave Reichert to give billions to big oil, he did it. And a vote against cracking down on price gouging, he did it. Three times. Now we know why. Dave Reichert — another vote for Bush’s agenda (Hotline sources, 10/18).
Yeah, um… and this is the same guy the Seattle Times congratulated for having a “conscience-driven independent streak”…?
It’s not like Reichert’s admission was a big secret. I blogged on this speech back in June, as did the Stranger’s Eli Sanders. Video of the speech before the “Mainstream Republicans of Washington” has long been available on TVW. And even fellow Republicans who were there in the room that day roll their eyes and openly laugh at Reichert for admitting publicly — and on camera — what they all quietly understood. State Rep. Toby Nixon (R-45) was in the audience for Reichert’s speech, and just listen to this exchange between me and Toby last night on Podcasting Liberally:
“It was shocking,” Toby said — and it was. But apparently not to Times editorial writer Kate Riley, who in lavishing praise on Reichert chose to stubbornly ignore the congressman’s own explanation of his voting record.
It’s a funny world we live in where the media has grown accustomed to blindly repeating our politicians’ lies, and willfully ignoring their truths.
Kate Riley likes working at the Seattle Times. Kate Riley wants to continue working for the Seattle Times. Kate Riley, like RubberStampReichert, is a reliable shoeshine girl and will do what she’s told.
Roger,
I specifically endorsed that editorial. When are you going to recognize me as the incumbent, the true and rightful heir to Ms. Dunn? I have been annoited by the Blethens. I bask in the glow of God. Hey, I was sheriff and caught the Green River killer, don’t forget that.
Vote for me, or I shall have our good prez’ declare you an enemy combatant.
Yours in Freedom,
Sheriff Davey
Why is anyone surprised?
Dave Reichert does whatever is dictated to him by the Republican leadership — like all Republicans.
Last weekend I heard a “rumor” – from someone I consider reliable – that the Times endorsement was part of a deal. According to this person, Reichert was promised the endorsement in return for taking part in the debate. Considering the debate was basically a Seattle Times production, and that Reichert has been hiding under the covers for the last two months, afraid to show his face at any public event that Burner would also be attending, and cancelling talk-show gigs at the last minute – I don’t actually find this “rumor” to be all that far-fetched.
But all we need to do is read through the utter silliness of the Times’ endorsement to know that something is screwy there.
It’s a funny world we live in where the media has grown accustomed to blindly repeating our politicians’ lies, and willfully ignoring their truths.
But this could be a step up from the yellow Hearst press that JUST MADE SHIT UP. The glass may indeed be half full, ya’ know.
Oh, I forgot. Now we have Matt Drudge.
Nevermind.
I suppose most Seattleites subscribe to the Seattle Times for the crossword, comics, sudoku, sports scores, stock exchange listing pages, television listings, recipes and gardening and not so much the endorsements on the op-ed page nor the fiction that passes for real estate columns.
The Seattle Times’ woes would diminish if they’d just replace the op-ed page and Elizabeth Rhodes’s column with paid advertising instead of advertising from salaried personnel.
This Toby Nixon fellow actually seems to have a bit of integrity and a sense of humor. What the hell is he doing in the Republican Party?
7 Same thing Ron Paul and Olympia Snowe are.
Honestly, I’ve worked with both Dems and Reps in local (King County) government and there are sweethearts and creeps on both sides. I know everyone of them works long hours and slogs through tons of dead trees full of proposed legislation though.
How DARE you evil Democrats use Sheriff Dave’s actual WORDS against him.
You ALL should be ashamed!
To be clear, by saying “it was shocking” I was expressing the surprise I felt at the time that Rep. Reichert was so open and frank about being approached in this manner, not at the fact that it happened. It is, in fact, quite common for majority party leadership to go to freshman members of their party and provide such guidance, in order to provide cover for those freshmen in their first re-election campaign when they are most vulnerable to challenge. It happens quite frequently in the Washington State House of Representatives, too.
How else do you explain the passage of HB 2314 (tax increases on alcohol, tobacco, extended warranties, self-service laundries, and a number of other things) by exactly a 50-48 margin with Democrats Green, Kilmer, Morrell, Springer, P. Sullivan, Takko, and Wallace — mostly vulnerable freshmen — voting No?
How else do you explain the passage of SB 6096 (estate tax dedicated to education funding) by exactly a 50-48 margin with Democrats Green, Kilmer, Springer, P. Sullivan, and Wallace voting No? Do they oppose education funding?
How else do you explain Democrats Grant, Green, Kilmer, Lantz, Linville, Miloscia, Morrell, Springer, P. Sullivan, and Takko voting against the 9.5 gas tax increase, SB 6103?
How else do you explain the passage of SB 6078 (suspending I-601, enabling all the other tax increases) by a 50-43 margin with Democrats Green, Kilmer, Linville, and Wallace voting No? Note that Springer originally voted No as well, but on the revote changed his vote to Yes because Rep. Cody had left to catch an airplane and somebody had to take the fall.
I could go on, but you get the picture. This happens a lot, but people don’t talk about it because they know voters will think it disingenuous at best. To the best of my recollection, I’ve not heard any other legislator talk openly about it, and that’s what was “shocking”. Dave Reichert does deserve credit for honesty!
proud leftist @ 7: “This Toby Nixon fellow actually seems to have a bit of integrity and a sense of humor. What the hell is he doing in the Republican Party?”
First, thanks.
Every party has people in it who are ethically- and humor-challenged. If you want purity, you will not find it in any political party. I chose to affiliate with the Republican Party because I agree with more of its platform than I do the Democrats’. Well, that and because my wife’s family would disown me if they found I had affiliated with the Democrats. Teddy Kennedy single-handledly orchestrated the defeat of my wife’s uncle’s appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the whole family has been Republicans ever since.
Rep. Nixon,
We have Tim Sheldon, proving your point. Might I ask who Teddy tanked?
Toby Nixon wrote:
“by saying “it was shocking” I was expressing the surprise I felt at the time that Rep. Reichert was so open and frank about being approached in this manner,”
Nothing is so mistaken as the supposition that a person is to extricate himself from a difficulty by intrigue, by chicanery, by dissimulation, by trimming, by an untruth, by an injustice. This increases the difficulties tenfold; and those who pursue these methods get themselves so involved at length that they can turn no way but their infamy becomes more exposed.”
–Thomas Jefferson to Peter Carr, 1785. ME 5:83, Papers 8:406
The great principles of right and wrong are legible to every reader; to pursue them requires not the aid of many counselors. The whole art of government consists in the art of being honest. Only aim to do your duty, and mankind will give you credit where you fail.”
–Thomas Jefferson: Rights of British America, 1774. (*) ME 1:209, Papers 1:134
Maybe you Yum-Yums ought to take history lessons from our Founding Fathers and get back to doing the HONEST work of the people or get out of politics. Particularly, Republicans. The lessons of history and honesty seems to be lost on them the greatest.
Darcy Burner is debating Reichert tonight at a League of Women’s voters forum –
Mercer Island Candidate Forum
At Islander Middle School
8225 SE 72nd St.
Mercer Island, WA 98040
Wednesday, October 18
7:00 – 7:30pm Reception
7:30 – 9:00pm Forum
more info at: http://www.mipreschoolassociat.....lative.htm
To paraphrase A. Einstein: The world’s problems are so complex that they cannot be solved by the lesser sort of mind that created them.
2
You and your pal George know where to find me. Big tree on the east side of the lake, then seven paces to the left, look around until you find the burrow. Bring a gun.
Considering how long it took you to catch Gary Ridgway, I’ll die of old age before you show up at my burrow.
Yours in liberalism, cordially,
The Rodent
11
“I chose to affiliate with the Republican Party because I agree with more of its platform than I do the Democrats’.” Commentby Rep. Toby Nixon— 10/18/06@ 3:31 pm
Has the GOP done anything lately to cause you to rethink this? If not, please explain your reasoning. Thanks.
RR @ 17:
Read my quotes by Thomas Jefferson at 13, it’ll explain why Mr. Nixon won’t answer you question honestly.
BTW, he’s not a crook.
Kilmer vulnerable? I think Rep. Nixon is engaging in some wishful thinking.
I cancelled that shitty, cat-box liner rag years ago. And as for Dave 3rdReichert, claiming credit for the GRK, remember they had him in custody in the 70’s and let him go, to kill how many more?
@19- Hey stupid- back when those votes were taken, Kilmer was a freshman newly elected from a swing district- barely elected at that. Now he can- and does- use those votes to demonstrate his moderate position. Isn’t politics wonderful?
What about his vote to defend a father’s right to rape his daughter? April 27,2005. He voted to kill an amendment that would forbid fathers who imprgnated their daughters from being allowed to sue when their daughter was taken out of state to avoid parental notification laws.
http://www.progressivepunch.or.....district=6
Consciense driven? I’m glad my consciense doesn’t operate that way.
7 Let’s keep in mind that Toby Nixon will probably run for secretary of state in 2008
23
The solution to that is electing a Democrat to SoS.
Kate Riley is the least apologetic right-winger at the Seattle Times. Here is an email exchange I had with her a while back about the minimum wage:
http://www.artdish.com/ubbcgi-.....8;t=000030
25
Riley’s percentages don’t agree with the ones my research produced. She says Washington agriculture produces about $6 billion a year, which is about right. But then she does on to say that’s 13% of state output, which would make the latter $46 billion. That’s way too low. Washington’s economic output is over $200 billion a year, and agriculture represents less than 5% of it. That’s a pretty glaring error for a columnist for a regional newspaper to print in the paper — sloppy journalism, I would say.
Riley complains that “urban Democrats seem not only to take agriculture for granted but throw obstacles up. They are hardened to the need for water solutions for thirsty crops and jack up the minimum wage (at $7.35 an hour the highest in the nation), which squeezes farm businesses — price-takers in global markets with competitors that pay just a fraction.”
First of all, there’s only so much water in the Columbia River, and all of it is spoken for. I assume Riley is bitching because urbanites want some of that water to flow downstream for things like navigation and salmon, instead of it all being sucked into irrigation pipes above the Hanford Reach. Or maybe she’s thinking, “those greedy Seattle obstructionists don’t want to pay for Black Rock Reservoir.” The Yakima Valley farmers sure as hell don’t have $1.8 billion, so of course urban taxpayers will pay for it. Last I heard, Governor Gregoire and the Democratic legislature were the project along toward fruition.
Where wages are concerned, Riley seems hell-bent on joining the global race to the bottom. Other people’s wages, that is. I don’t think she’s proposing that her own salary be set at, say, Chinese or Peruvian levels. Last I heard, apples are rotting on trees because eastern Washington growers can’t get people to pick them for $7.35 an hour. Maybe $3 gas has something to do with that. When it costs more to work than one can earn from working, most rational people choose not to work. If eastern Washington apple growers can’t compete with China’s coolie labor, they should get into some other business, like selling water to urban Californians.
proud leftist @ 12
My wife’s uncle was G. Harrold Carswell, nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by none other than Richard Nixon (no relation). He was the last nominee to be rejected up until Robert Bork.
Roger Rabbit @ 17
Yes.
GBS @ 18
What was not honest about that?
RightEqualsStupid @ 19
I didn’t say I thought so now, but in 2005 the Speaker clearly thought so.
Despite Fatbutt’s (Rush Limbaugh) admonitions to the contrary, the news these days is appallingly bad for the GOP. Literally none of their talking points are plausible. Their war in Iraq has gone from debacle to disaster. Their domestic terrorism repression policy is seen as an A-Qaeda victory. And their economic policy has resulted in an impending collapse of the national economy.
Bottom line question: are the idiots who got us into this mess the folks who can lead us out???
TOBY
Dont worry about GBS.they booted him out of the navy.now he works at mcdonalds.hes a loseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer.
Toby:
You’re probably a nice guy. And if we were discussing politics over a beer, we’d find much in common. Hats off for attending a “drinking liberally”. Hope to see you there again soon.
Unfortunately, you’re on the wrong side of the cultural divide at the moment.
Good luck with your internal family issues.
I have to admit Mr. Nixon, it takes a lot of courage to call yourself a Republican these days. Kinda like calling yourself a NAZI after the concentration camps were discovered…..
I only hope we can someday undo the damage the Republican Party has done to our country.
It will be hard though.
“Because the big picture here is, keep this seat, keep the majority, keep the country moving forward with Republican ideals….”
Thanks for the clarification Mr. Nixon and I applaud your courage for coming here to debate in a hostile environment. You show guts that 99.99999 % of the republicans don’t seem to have.
Thanks for the clarification Mr. Nixon and I applaud your courage for coming here to debate in a hostile environment. You show guts that 99.99999 % of the republicans don’t seem to have.
Did you hear TVW has told the Burner and the DCCC to remove their latest ad distortion of Reichert’s words. I love it when the moonbats are so desparate they are caught by TVW no less.
Dave Reichert votes with George Bush 90% of the time, and the rest of the time he votes as he’s told.
And he’s running on his record. Why isn’t this more of a slam dunk?
37 MWS
You mean the one where they play the tape of him saying it?
Voe for Dave Reichert for LOTS more of the Iraq war, ballooning government spending, ethics violations, and the influence of social conservatives.
Elect Dave Reichert and we’ll just stay in Iraq. And stay, and stay, and stay, and stay…
NO “more of the same!” Send a Democrat to Washington for REAL accountability. Vote Darcy Burner!
CNN:
Years before. Years.
Well, at least we know Dave Reichert didn’t know anything, because Dave Reichert is only told what he needs to know to vote.
Gee, they’re anouncing Saddam’s verdict on November 5. Coincidence?
When will Darcy talk about the positive votes of Reichert for the economy?
Today in the Wa Post:
“”Worst economy since Herbert Hoover,” John Kerry said in 2004, while that year’s growth (3.9 percent) was adding to America’s gross domestic product the equivalent of the GDP of Taiwan (the 19th-largest economy). Nancy Pelosi vows that if Democrats capture Congress they will “jump-start our economy.” A “jump-start ” is administered to a stalled vehicle. But since the Bush tax cuts went into effect in 2003, the economy’s growth rate (3.5 percent) has been better than the average for the 1980s (3.1) and 1990s (3.3). Today’s unemployment rate (4.6 percent) is lower than the average for the 1990s (5.8) — lower, in fact, than the average for the past 40 years (6.0). Some stall.
Economic hypochondria, a derangement associated with affluence, is a byproduct of the welfare state: An entitlement mentality gives Americans a low pain threshold — witness their recurring hysteria about nominal rather than real gasoline prices — and a sense of being entitled to economic dynamism without the frictions and “creative destruction” that must accompany dynamism. Economic hypochondria is also bred by news media that consider the phrase “good news” an oxymoron, even as the U.S. economy, which has performed better than any other major industrial economy since 2001, drives the Dow to record highs. …
President Bush’s tax cuts were supposed to cause a cataract of red ink. In fiscal 2006, however, federal revenue as a share of GDP was 18.4 percent, slightly above the post-1962 average of 18.2. And the federal budget deficit was $247.7 billion, just 1.9 percent of the $13.1 trillion GDP. That is below the average for the 1970s (2.1), 1980s (3.0) and 1990s (2.2).
Yet the northwest based moonbats have no clue… Clueless…, yes that’s the ticket (Jon Lovitz)!
Just like Darcy can’t tell the truth, neither can the MSM.
http://www.mrc.org/BozellColum.....061018.asp
But that “Culture of Corruption” page on the DNC home page has disappeared. Something funny happened on the way to the polls this year. The Democrats have shown they have their own contemporary ethical problems. Luckily for them, it probably won’t matter much on November 7. The national news media have decided to ignore them.
Look no further than Senator Reid himself. Associated Press reporters John Solomon and Kathleen Hennessy reported that Senator Reid scored a windfall of $700,000, turning a $400,000 real-estate investment in Las Vegas in 1998 to a $1.1 million land deal in 2004 – even though he apparently had sold the property to a casino lobbyist buddy in 2001. He did not report the facts on his Senate financial disclosure forms – while he served on the Senate Ethics Committee. When AP called Reid for comment, he hung up on them. You would think that an aggressive, fair and balanced media would have been incensed and activated. But we don’t have a fair and balanced national media.
Culture of corruption with Harry Nepotism for my Sons Reid? YES!
http://newsbusters.org/node/8371
[Chris] Matthews Tells Baker ‘Democrats Not My Party Anymore’
Yeah when it’s politically expedient to swim upstream when thinking people see the librul bias of the MSM!
See how the MSM frames things?
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=2583579
GWB didn’t say that, but the MSM is looking for anything to pin on him.
He was comparing the current situation in Iraq with the Tet Offensive in Vietnam in 1968 was accurate. Bush responded that the writer could be right. Yet moonbats in the MSM lied about his response!
“jump-start our economy.” ???
What is wrong with it? The DOW is setting all time highs, unemployment is lower than it’s been in years, gas prices are good, interest rates are still low.
What is there to jump-start? She was on the news this morning harping about repealing all of the Bush tax cuts…… That’s just what the fuck we need, pay more federal taxes! We already lost 500 bucks from the income tax deduction, Gregoire and her Democratic infested legislature are getting ready to tax us into Neverland to pay for state wide health care, cleaning up Puget Sound and whatever other blue ribbon panels are reporting to her.
44
Bill Clinton produced 22 million NET jobs in his two terms. Mr. Tax Cuts has a NET 3 million, and real wages are flat or dropping. Profits are up thanks to the aforementioned wage stagnation and employers cutting back health coverage. It’s just a bully economy for the average person, isn’t it?
Sure, the economy as a whole rebounds. Thank God for the resilisnce of the Maerican economy, even with Idiot Boy at the helm, he cound’t quite destroy it.
“President Bush’s tax cuts were supposed to cause a cataract of red ink.”
Bt you think a quarter of a trillion dollars in additional debt in one year is just ducky. You like percentages; what percentage of the $8.5 trillion in debt we alerad owe are we adding this year? Hint: 2.5%
Interest on the national debt for fiscal 2006: $405,872,109,315.83
We’re spending over $400 billion a year in interest alone! Adding to the debt is just stupid, and Bush and the Reichert Republicans don’t fucking care.
48
Yeah, God forbid we pay for health care or clean water. What are those people thinking?
“”Worst economy since Herbert Hoover.”
Yep, never since the great Depression have we had a slown an economic recovery as under Bush. Jobs creation has so seriousl lagged that a bunch of people aren’t evn in the labor pool any more or are seiously underemployed. Fewer employers are offering health benefits, and the bankruptcy giveaway is making harder for those in medical debt to get clear.
But it’s just rosy! The Dow has just passed where it was at six years ago!! Things couldn’t be better!
ANd if you complain about the economy, the terrorists win.
Reichert was a no show at the debate last night. Burner was great.
Mr. Nixon @ 28:
Since you answered in the affirmative to Roger Rabbit @ 17, can we assume you are going to leave the Republican party?
If not, specifically state your reasons why you choose to remain a Republican.
Thank you,
GBS
GBS @ 53
The question was whether recent events had caused me to rethink my affiliation. When one rethinks something, one can arrive at the same conclusion as previously, which is the case now; your assumption that rethinking inevitably results in a different conclusion is incorrect. My reason? I continue to agree with more of the Republican platform than the Democratic platform. Like I said before, there are scoundrels in all parties, and there are also leaders who act in ways that are inconsistent with their platform and stated principles in all parties. The mistake too often made is to assume that because someone elects to affiliate with a particular party that they therefore agree with 100% of the party’s platform and support 100% of the actions taken by the party’s other members or leaders. Neither of those is true.
Mr. Nixon @ 54:
First, please allow me to publicly apologize to you for my sharp critique of your character that you would not respond honestly to Roger Rabbit’s question. I must admit I am fairly angry at conservative politicians at the moment and I allowed my prejudice to overshadow your honesty. Please accept my apology.
Second, let me express a sincere thank you for the spirited conversation. I truly enjoy it. It’s long past due in this country for honest debate. Let me also say that I promise to keep my tone with you civil, yet firm in my beliefs and convictions in conversing with you.
Now on to your response and my rebuttal.
You wrote:
“When one rethinks something, one can arrive at the same conclusion as previously, which is the case now; your assumption that rethinking inevitably results in a different conclusion is incorrect.”
Of course one can come to the same conclusion after giving serious and critical thought to something important to them. It’s not only healthy but a necessary evolution to make sure you are taking the correct course of action — politics or otherwise. I, however, came to no such “inevitable” conclusion that rethinking one’s position means they will come to a new conclusion. As evidenced by the phrasing of my question in the attempt to have you clarify your answer in advance by saying; “can we assume” and “If not, specifically state your reasons.” Nor did I imply any litmus test of absolutes, agreeing with and supporting one’s party “100%” is not what I said or inferred.
I didn’t frame my original question properly so please allow me to ask the same question in a different manner to try and elicit the response I was hoping to get from you.
Could you specifically rank by order of importance what attracts you to the Republican party? (As many as you think are relevant, of course, but I was hoping for at least 5.)