Judging from the cursory coverage thus far of the Goldmark v. McKenna dispute, I can only assume that our local media just doesn’t get it. And while I expect this sort of thing from the McKenna-infatuated Seattle Times, I’m a bit surprised by the apparent lack of interest from even our dramatically shrunken Olympia press corps.
I mean, you’d think one of several story lines might catch some editor’s attention. You’ve got one statewide elected official taking another statewide elected official to the state Supreme Fucking Court… and for not doing his job, for chrisakes. That sure sounds sexy. And then you have the Okanogan County born and raised Commissioner of Public Lands — the only statewide elected official hailing from the other side of the mountains — attempting to protect his obscure part of the state from the Republican 2012 gubernatorial frontrunner’s expansive defense of a rapacious use of eminent domain. Just imagine the headlines.
Well, you may have to keep on imagining, because to be honest, political reporting in Washington state just isn’t all that good.
On the one hand, reporters in Olympia know state government really well, but politics… not so much. Oh, they think they know politics, because they hang out with legislators, but considering the odd fact that legislators don’t really drive politics in Washington state, this actually puts the Olympia press corps at a disadvantage. Then you have the Seattle reporters, who tend to kinda get the political stuff, but don’t really know the ins and outs of state government… at least not as well as the Olympia full-timers.
Oh… and our state’s few remaining experienced environmental reporters… the journalists most likely to be assigned a story that appears to concern natural resources…? No offense intended, but they really don’t know politics or state government.
Of course, everybody thinks they know everything — that’s human nature — so they don’t bother to ask about what they don’t know they don’t know.
It wasn’t always this way — you know, just a few years ago, when the Capitol press houses were packed to the gils with seasoned reporters competing with each other to break stories — but the sudden collapse of political coverage in our state has been absolutely stunning. And so stories like this tend to fall through the cracks because they are too political for environmental reporters, too environmental for Capitol reporters, too inside-Olympia for Seattle reporters and too wonky/legal for just about everybody in a state press corps that I’m not sure includes a single lawyer amongst its ranks.
And that’s how a constitutional crisis gets virtually ignored while a cute baby seal grabs front page headlines.
Don’t forget about the hard-hitting reports on ferry workers who make a decent living.
Now THAT’S disgraceful and is probably bankrupting the state. That and warehouse fires, car accidents, and missing children.
headless–
You mean the ferry workers who ripped us off for years with travel time and other BS?
Bad example.
It will be interesting to see where all this leads and the fallout. If Goldmark fails…he will be labeled a political hack and drummed out of office for trying to do a politically motivated hit job on McKenna.
If McKenna fails…he will not be elected Governor.
There is a lot at stake.
The other discussion needs to be the basis of Goldmark’s appeal. Perhaps I missed it, but has there been a discussion among non-political legal scholars on this issue? It would be interesting.
So, Mr C, are you and the caucus of trolls ok with the use or abuse of eminent domain in this dustup? Or is this another case like with Bush II where it’s ok when your guys do it?
Apparently the pro journalists out there emerge only to criticize the profanity and use of the first person.
I think it is disappointing that there is not much of any type of political coverage in our local media. I think the changing face of news media is certainly a factor. When you cut back in the newsroom the remaining reporters must cover more and more stories. It then becomes less cost effective to have a reporter sit down for a day or two to sort through all the details and write a coherent story.
This isn’t a “sexy” story. Although very important to the state constitution and the political careers of the participants, until there is a ruling it’s just not something that can be placed into an interesting, front page story.
Judging from the cursory coverage thus far of the Goldmark v. McKenna dispute, I can only assume that our local media just doesn’t get it. And while I expect this sort of thing from the McKenna-infatuated Seattle Times, I’m a bit surprised by the apparent lack of interest from even our dramatically shrunken Olympia press corps.
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Now that’s quite a reach since apparently not a single paper in the state is covering this, including The Stranger and the Seattle Weekly.
Are we do believe that they ALL “don’t get it,” Goldy? Is that really plausible, or is it possible you’re simply tilting at windmills?
McKenna’s campaign site just sent an email about how he’s under attack from liberals please give him money…
And why isn’t this site talking about the sleazy UNION ferry workers ripping off the State? That is the real story of the day.
Sorry Goldy, this story just doesn’t have legs.
So, let’s talk about sleazy unions ripping off the State.
It’s a money and numbers game. The lawsuit would take a lot of time and an experinced reporter to cover while not generating a lot of cash.
Goldy spews:
I’m bothering to ask. Again.
Were you provided, by some other party, the information that you used to write any of your posts regarding Rossi and McKenna vs. Goldmark? If so, were you were compensated, in some form, for doing so?
Wingnuts most definitely have a Jones going for the ferry union. That’s the real ferry union story here – the absurd wingnut hatred of American union workers.
@11, strike “union” from that statement and you have a bullseye. Unions and union leadership in particular, because they fight back, but they have no regard for any working stiff.
@10, Goldy used a copy of the RCW either from a bookstore or library (public or private), the rest of that info was publicly disclosed or Goldy reasoning with that public info. So the answer to your first question is Yes. The second question is also yes, since he published it on the HAseattle website he gets ad money of some microscopic amount or possible pledges from those of us that like his damn work. So, what’s your point, nitwit?
Did I say anything about a working stiff? Not one word. I mentioned low life UNION scum who don’t work for a living. Wearing an orange vest does not make you a worker. Let’s make this state a right to work state, then see how many people decide to join one of these criminal organizations.
Local media really doesn’t know much about politics. I was watching Kiro news a while back when Steve Raible reported “Ex Redskin Clint Didier has been endorsed by the Tea Party to Challenge Dino Rossi in the Senate Republican Primary“.
10. ConservativeFirst spews:
Goldy already admitted his goal is a political hit on McKenna. He’s upfront & honest.
But it begs the question..
Is Goldy a Political Action Committee?
He can call himself a blogger or the King of Progressiveville….but it’s his actions & words and the extent of input and compensation he is getting for doing this that determines if he is a PAC.
PACHorsesAss!
I’ve got a damn fine legal mind . . . my legal posts are some of those of which I’m most proud . . . I’m just plain good at this stuff . . .
Sez Goldy, if he does say so again and again, regarding his legal talents. But not a SINGLE paper in the ENTIRE state agrees with his assessment of Goldmark v. McKenna if their silence is any indication . . . and THAT would certainly call Goldy’s inflated view of his legal prowess into question . . .
Con @10,
I’ve already answered your question. Yes, I get information from outside sources (duh-uh) and no, I’m not compensated for writing these posts.
Cynical @16,
I’ll register HA as a PAC with the Seattle Times editorial board does the same.
Goldy @17
Actually you didn’t, but you have now. So it’s on the record, and I can stop asking.
Well, Mr C has passed on my question posed above, so it seems he’s a little uncomfortable with answering truthfully. Meanwhile, at publicola, Josh asks the same question-
http://www.publicola.net/2010/.....+Elixir%29
Goldy at @17- don’t leave out Fox “News”, Rush, Sean, Beck, et al, all of whom live very well from their “earnings”.
@14
I ride the ferries a couple of times a month and the workers I see seem to be doing a good job.
You must not have noticed that the working class has been shifting back to the Democrats over the last couple of elections. The trend will continue in 2010.
You are on to something. There was a time when newspapers and TV stations sent their best and brightest to Olmpia to cover state government. Daily papers and nightly news offered a recap of the days events during legislative sessions. Major legislative issues were the focus of thoughtful editorials in print and on the screen. It was not too difficult to be an informed citizen. I would guess that the average consumer of news was better informed about state government in 1980 than the average reporter is today.
“I mentioned low life UNION scum who don’t work for a living.”
Hmm, seems harsh. I don’t know anybody in the ferry union but I do know many union construction workers and they are hardly what I would call low life scum. Really, they’re folk of every possible stripe. One thing they all have in common is that they do work for a living. I’m curious, which union workers do you believe don’t work for a living?
“Wearing an orange vest does not make you a worker.”
When I wear my orange vest it’s because of jobsite safety rules, which I always respect. Every major GC has a safety book. At the start of a major project I request a few copies, read and distribute it, and make damned sure the young engineers in my charge understand that observing jobsite safety rules is of the highest importance.
Union or non-union? As someone who designs stuff, I highly prefer union. That’s not to say that some non-union shops haven’t done good work. And it’s not to say that union shops are all wonderful. Some aren’t. In fact, I’ve had the pleasure of assisting some of the largest union EC’s in the country discover the joys bankruptcy – heh, bonding companies don’t file claims, I always say. But given a choice, I’ll go with union every time. I’m a good judge of construction horse flesh and, generally speaking, I find union workers to be far better trained and skilled. But take a close look and you’ll find the dregs in any barrel.
Anyways, I find that people and companies, union or non-union, even unions themselves, stand by their own individual merits. In my field I’ve seen it all, good and bad, on both sides. You, on the other hand, seem to have this rather intense, broad-brush thing going about union workers who wear orange vests like this is some deep-seated emotional issue with you or something. It’s almost KLOWN-like, if you will. If you don’t mind my asking, what’s up with that?
“I ride the ferries a couple of times a month and the workers I see seem to be doing a good job.”
Same here. Is this troll ferry union hyperventilation I see here at HA over that guy who was coaching baseball? I had to go three pages deep into Google to find that story. heh- Piper must have gone all orgasmic with that one. One guy. Condemn the union. That makes sense only if one hates unions. Or maybe ferries.
Let’s see; the management of the ferry system allows employees to collect extra salary which they didn’t need to be paid. So what we have is sucky management at the ferry system, but the wingnuts want to blame the unions?
The wingnuts never want to hold management accountable, look at how they moan about the poor little BP managers being mistreated by the Pres.
So what we have is:
A bunch of greedy bankers, Wall Street Boys, and federal regulators who colluded with the bankers and Wall Street Boys who managed to tank the American economy.
A bunch of greedy Corporate Oil Boys and federal regulators who colluded with them that committed ecological genocide in the Gulf Of Mexico and got a bunch of working class guys killed in the process.
The war in Afghanistan which costs us something like $133M a day and has no end in sight.
The war in Iraq which our president campaigned on ending, but it hasn’t happened yet, and has cost us somewhere north of $704B.
A decision to keep a bunch of troops on Okinawa, where they’re not wanted, not needed and helped that helped destabilize the government of Japan.
And our local media is obsessed with a couple of guys that managed to game the ferry system and a couple of managers that looked the other way while they did it.
I mean, run the story. But, please get your priorities straight.
And let’s not forget all the cops that have been shot to death this year. We lost another one on the 20th, Officer Craig Shaw of Lancaster, TX.
http://www.odmp.org/officer/20.....craig-shaw
Maybe they could run a story about the 28 cops that have been shot and killed this year?
I don’t know, but I think those that have a man crush on Bobby Mac think he is as cute as a baby harbor seal.
27
I don’t know. Hell, if I was throwing a harpoon at a baby seal, I wouldn’t throw it at Bobby Mac. His pelt couldn’t be worth the effort of the throw.
There are at least two law schools in the city of Seattle. Surely one of them has a lawyer who is interested in taking on the attorney general as a class exercise in constitutional law.
Call the dean, Goldy, make it happen.
Law schools in the State of Washington:
Univ. of Washington
Seattle University
Gonzaga
I think SPU used to have a law school, but they don’t seem to be listed now.
But having a law student take on the Attorney General’s office is a supremely bad idea. Faculty, perhaps, but not in an official capacity.
It is interesting that most of the commenters are way off topic. Perhaps the idea of a constitutional crisis doesn’t hold as much interest as calling State ferry workers names.
I have talked to Pete Goldmark on this subject and he was driven to frustration by the AG’s refusal to follow his constitutional duties. He could have said a lot more, but is focused on his responsibility to protect public lands and derive the greatest benefit for our schools. He could have pointed out that Governor Gregoir, during her terms as AG defended the loathsome Eyman initiatives because that was her job, but he didn’t mention it. He could have mentioned that the AG is spending State time and money fighting Federal Health Care Reform without any authorization from either the governor or legislature, but Pete passed on the opportunity.
Commissioner Goldmark runs a tight operation without a hint of scandal or playing politics with his powers. McKenna is all about political manipulation and ambition.