When it comes to slot machines, the house always wins, a lesson initiative monger Tim Eyman learned last year, when he was taken to the cleaners over I-892, by far his most lopsided political defeat ever. I-892 would have put 19,000 slot machines into hundreds of bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and non-tribal casinos, scattered through nearly every community in the state. But voters overwhelming rejected the proposal by a 62% to 38% margin… a landslide by any measure.
Yet, as the Tacoma News Tribune editorial board points out, Gov. Christine Gregoire apparently wasn’t paying attention:
Washingtonians made it clear last November that they didn’t want their state inundated with Las Vegas-style machine gambling. They didn’t want it even if their rejection cost them a tax break, which is what I-892 offered the electorate in exchange for doubling the number of gaming machines in Washington state.
Yet Gregoire’s negotiators have now come up with a deal that would let the Spokane Tribe of Indians operate up to 7,500 gaming machines in exchange for giving the state a share of the revenues.
And the compact with the Spokanes would be the least of it. Nineteen other tribes operate casinos in Washington, and federal law gives them the right to virtually any gambling privilege any other tribe obtains from the state. If the Spokanes get 7,500 slot machines, the state would be more or less obligated to give 7,500 machines each to the Puyallups, the Muckleshoots, the Tulalips and so on, provided they accept the same revenue-sharing arrangement.
No question, the Spokane compact was negotiated under direct instructions from the Governor’s Office, and some may find it curious that I would now use this forum to attack the decisions of a governor I have spent the better part of a year stalwartly defending. But I have an obligation to use what little influence I have to promote sound public policy… and the Spokane compact simply ain’t it.
If Gov. Gregoire signs this compact, setting the state irreversibly down the road towards an absolutely massive expansion of gambling, she will be making a huge mistake that will disrupt local economies and cause untold suffering amongst a new wave of problem gamblers and their families. Problem gamblers are not just an unfortunate byproduct of the gambling industry, they are its best customers, accounting for forty to sixty percent of its profits. And slot machines are the most addictive form of gambling ever devised, scientifically designed to create compulsion.
But the Spokane compact and its inevitable impact statewide would not only be a policy disaster, I predict it will be a political disaster for Gov. Gregoire herself. We’re talking about an explosion of slot machines — exactly what voters rejected in 1995, 1996 and again in 2004 — and the governor simply cannot afford to so blatantly ignore the will of voters who, however unfairly, already question her legitimacy. The people have spoken on the issue of slot machines, again and again and again, and signing this compact would be perceived as a slap in the face of the voting public.
Gov. Gregoire doesn’t have to take my word for it… she should go to the tribes who spent over $5 million opposing I-892 and ask to see their polling data. Opposition to gambling expansion cuts across demographic and party lines, and has been unchanged for at least a decade. Indeed, not a dime of the No campaign’s money was spent convincing voters that more slot machines would be bad for WA’s communities… all the tribes had to do was educate voters that I-892 would expand the number of slot machines, and that was enough to send the initiative to an overwhelming defeat.
If voters would resoundingly reject a slot machine measure that would have put money back into their pockets, why would they accept a similar compact that puts the revenues into government coffers instead? The people wisely decided that the tax revenues from these slot machines simply is not worth the impact on their communities, and Gov. Gregoire would be advised to heed their wisdom.
Dismiss me as a loudmouthed, political neophyte if you want, but Gov. Gregoire, I urge you to listen to voters. The citizens of this state simply cannot afford the Spokane compact. And neither can you.
I think it’s a great idea to expand gambling because finally, there will be a “tax” on stupidity. The more they pay, the less I have to pay. Great.
Great job with this posting, Goldy. Glad to hear some constructive criticism of “Governor” Gregoire for a change.
Leaning a bit heavily on the outcome of an initiative, eh Goldy?
http://www.horsesass.org/wp-trackback.php/1057
“The initiative process simply isn’t well suited to legislating complicated, nuanced issues… and is too easily hijacked by moneyed special interests and rhetorical blowhards.”
Wait a second, let me get the straight, Christine Gregoire does not listen to voters?
Wow, that’s a breaking news story.
Maybe you should keep looking at this woman goldy, possibly, you might even discover she had something to do with a rigged election.
Indians are “victime” and must have special rights……kind of like blacks. And the democrat pols must get kickbacks. If you disagree you must be a racist.
4 & 5:
Well said!
Goldy (in August): “I’m not saying Democrats are pure as driven snow; never have, never will. And while I don’t tend to waste pixels on my own party’s foibles (quite frankly, that’s not the job of a partisan, progressive blogger,) no doubt there are some bad Democrats.”
Well, I’m glad you are “wasting” pixels on this potential foible. Bad decisions are bad decisions, and party shouldn’t matter. Great post, Goldy!
re 1: I agree. People and businesses don’t want to pay taxes to pay for necessary items. Any pragmatist can see that the money has to come from somewhere— and in the case of road repairs–fast. There’s no time to demonstrate to people that their ideas have bad consequences. I don’t want a family member of mine to die on a poorly maintained road because the people and businesses of this state are too stupid to realize that roads cost money to maintain.
Headless moron, who says any of this money is going towards roads?
This is just another case of democrats ignoring voters
Goldy—
Not much for me to be “cynical” about regarding this thread.
I believe there are plenty of gambling “opportunities” currently. Gambling is somewhat like “PORNO” in my eyes…..and as such should have some restrictions on where Gambling opportunities are available. We zone PORNO out of neighborhoods…..the same should apply to this type of gambling. Kids exposed to this at a young age are roped in with visions of the “easy way” to wealth and a lifetime of misery.
So while I am a free-enterprised advocate….there are exceptions which should be addressed via zoning….like Porno and gambling.
Gambling addiction has become more and more of a societal problem with huge fallout costs.
Pay me gambling revenues now….but pay more mitigation costs later.
just another example of the Dempublicans (or Republicrats, if you like) giving back to thier supporters.
nobody should be suprised at this, coming from a state with how many lottery games?? gambling will be this states future, much like all the states along the Mighty Miss the past 2 decades.
for good or bad this is the way that the top 2 candidates were going to go.
Maybe you should keep looking at this woman goldy, possibly, you might even discover she had something to do with a rigged election.
Comment by prr— 10/12/05 @ 11:46 am
————–
a rigged election, eh??
you maybe correct on that but it does seem both had some strange vote tallys…no??
both are guilty here…not just the lady gov.
prr,
You are ignoring the fact that Goldy’s post is a pretty good message to our Gov. Nobody really want’s the slots but the indians and a few rambunctious grandmothers. And all you righties complain about taxes when it comes out of your pockets? How do you feel about it coming out of the Red Man’s huh? Awe heck, you don’t seem to like it any way you get it.
Are you kidding?
we don’t have anyproblems paying taxes when they are voted in, but this is just the typical nonsense that washington state thrives on, the voter say no to soemthing and the the state comes right bcak around and does it anyways, under a new name
I’d say Gov. Gregoire is listening to the voters… unfortunately, what she seems to be hearing is that the majority wants government services but don’t want to pay their own way by paying taxes. So how’s she going to pay for the services our spoiled citizenry demand? Revenue from slot-machines seems like the least worst option (and as options go, it sucks).
– btw – Goldy, I’m glad to see that the right-wing lunatic fringe is here helping to increase your hit-count.
How much money did Indian Tribes donate to Gregoire? It seems to me that they have quite a racket going on. They make excessive profits from untaxed (or low tax) gambling, and then funnel these funds to buy politicians. It just keeps going. The tribes own enough politicians in California to run the state, and they are pretty close to it here.
Ever wonder who is the money behind the no-smoking initiative? Follow the money – who benefits?
13…But, but, but……..Indians are “victims”, just like blacks. They must have “special” status. You must agree, or you are a racist!! [hehe]
prr @ 4
“Maybe you should keep looking at this woman goldy, possibly, you might even discover she had something to do with a rigged election.”
Naaaa … she was nowhere near Ohio last year.
The News Tribune Editorial Board: Doesn’t the governor listen to voters?
No.
The Horsesass.org Commentator Board: Should the governor listen to Horsesass.org?
Considering that the blogmaster here is her unofficial Marummy, I think she should repay her debt to (Democrat) Society and scrap this deal.
Janet S @ 13
“It seems to me that they have quite a racket going on. They make excessive profits from untaxed (or low tax) gambling, and then funnel these funds to buy politicians. It just keeps going.”
Yeah … kind of reminds me of the BIAW!
Josef @ 15
“Considering that the blogmaster here is her unofficial Marummy …”
Sorry to have to say this Josef. I think you should consider getting professional help over this “Marummy” thing. It wasn’t really funny in the beginning, and now it look more like a symptom….
Even Goldy recognizes that Queen Christine ignores the voters. I’m sure she’ll leave quite a legacy for Washington by the time she steps down from her throne.
Comment by dj— 10/12/05 @ 2:05 pm
That was a metaphor. David Goldstein is Dino’s Mary Lane/Marummy. He has blocked, ran down the field like Joe Galloway (sp?) and basically been… there for the Gregoire admin.
Comment by Rick— 10/12/05 @ 2:12 pm
Me too.
Where’s Rob McKenna when you need him? 1-888-RMK-AH64 :-).
Where’s Dino Rossi when you need him? Cheated out of the Gov’r’s mansion where this deal would be kicked into Idaho so fast you’d think the Win-hawks did the kicking.
It’s gonna be fun to watch the trolls who supported Eyman’s initiative bash Gregoire’s Spokane agreement because, well, not because they’re against gambling but because they’re against gregoire.
@19
Your metaphors need re-wiring, or maybe even a new fuse box, because Goldy isn’t Dino’s anything.
posted 6:18 PM EST [1818] ………….Why are on topic posts held for hours? Roger Rabbit and Headless Lucy post within minutes. Maybe Goldy might help the Democrats count the votes!! [hehe]
Roger Rabbit-24 ‘It’s gonna be fun to watch the trolls..’
It’s the consistancy that gets to you, isn’t it?
Good post, Goldy. And another example of the blind squirrel & nut adage.
My understanding of the Indian Gaming Revenue Act, is the state must allow tribes to do what the state allows non-tribal gaming operaters to do. Its how we got Indian Bingo, then casinos. Churches had bingo, and lots of non-profits were allowed to have casino nights to raise funds. The state could not prevent the tribes from having the same. So, Gregoire would be opening the door to all tribes, if and only if she allowed one-armed bandits to operate outside of the auspices of tribal lands.
However, I imagine that if the tribes are allowed to operate slot machines, some sort of state equal protection claim might be raised by other tribes and non-tribal gaming interests. Not being an expert on Washington State Constitutional Law, however, I don’t know whether such a claim could be made, or what the standard would have to be. Is there a federal legal claim that could be levied by other tribes? Its hard to say, since these compacts are negotiated between sovereigns (washington state being a sovereign as well as each tribe), that a gambling compact reached with one is somehow discriminatory if not granted to another. Its even harder to imagine, from my perspective, what possible claim non-tribal interests could levy to claim discrimination under the federal constitution. But hey, I haven’t read the law on this in a few years, mabye its all changed.
Goldy:
“Dismiss me as a loudmouthed, political neophyte if you want, but Gov. Gregoire, I urge you to listen to voters.”
Neophyte: No
Loudmouth: Yes
Well that’s what the tribes polling data says.
If the Governor wants more gambling, why go halfway? Just legalize and regulate gambling like Nevada. I’d suggest enterprise zones in economically depressed areas, i.e. Skamania County, and sell the licenses for big bucks instead of trying to put a slot machine on every corner. A leader might be able to convince people that such a move would benefit the state without as much of an adverse effect on local communities. Instead, Gregoire seems to like to use the backdoor to get what she wants done.
PRR & JCH in 4 & 5: That was funny. In California, the same thing was said about Gray-out Davis. He didn’t listen to the people but to the special interest groups.
Windie: Here is a message just for you from PacMan. Kiss my big black ass, your racist enabler. Yes my ass is big because I need the extra muscles to do the up-down job right! Where do you get off accusing Puddybud of not posting my material by email? Screw you white boy! Spend some quality time in the ghetto. Get to know a black person. Become a close friend instead of a cloistered friend. I still haven’t seen your apology on loocy yet!
GBS, have you recanted headless loocy’s racist spiel yet?
Goodbye Windie.
Goldy why don’t you post your unapproved list of words somewhere?
Well written.
My only slight disagreement was in the nature of the initiative that failed last year. Voting against a specific initiative does not always assume that the people would oppose the concept behind it, were it presented differently.
Either way, i dont go to Indian Casinos and likely never will.
But hats off to you goldy, for proving that you do care about the truth.
Goldy why don’t you post your unapproved list of words somewhere? -Comment by PacMan— 10/12/05 @ 4:26 pm
Because the filter satisfies his ‘King of the World’ ‘God Complex’?
I hope you no it going where the money is, so what was in it for the goveness christy. Sure she got some indian money out of it
Wabbit @ 24
Who says any of us supported Eyman’s I-892 gambling initiative last fall? It failed pretty big in both red counties and blue counties.
She sleepwalked into an embarrassing recount, she’s sleepwalking into the I-912 campaign, and she’ll sleepwalk into this thing, too.
As a Democrat who held his nose and voted for her as the only alternative to Rossi, I have to say that the woman makes a bag of hammers look politically astute.
PhilK @ 34
“She sleepwalked into an embarrassing recount, she’s sleepwalking into the I-912 campaign, and she’ll sleepwalk into this thing, too.”
What the fuck? She raised, like, 3/4 of a million dollars for a recount that ended up deciding the election in her favor … and you call that sleepwalking?
Likewise, the gambling think is willful, not sleepwalking.
But, yes, until the last 2 weeks, she did seem to be sleepwalking through the I-912 issue.
ProudAss @ 31
“Because the filter satisfies his ‘King of the World’ ‘God Complex’?”
No. In fact, there is a good (and innocent) reason that Goldy does not post the list. But, you will have to get that information from Goldy.
Sheesh … do the wingnuts ’round here have any interest in truth and non-Machivalian explainations for the things that they find disagreeable?
It’s like, if the sky is blue, Goldy made it so as a left-wing propaganda move.
DJ: “She” raised 775K or John Kerry had the National Democratic Party SEND her the money?
I am tired of doing your heavy Internet lifting.
“The $730,000 down payment that will start a statewide recount came from cash left over in Kerry’s presidential campaign, from the Democratic National Committee, and, in the past two days, from 15,000 smaller donations, many of them from individuals reached by Democracy for America, an organization created by Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor who sought the Democratic presidential nomination this year.”
Yeah she raised it. Bullshitto again Perfesser DJ. Maybe you should stick to them 30 year old playbook textbooks you be using in de classroom.
Looks like Goldy is not posting a PacMan bolg entry. What’s the matter Goldy? Did PacMan roast those little chestnuts?
Letter sent to the News Tribune:
Last Saturday Ken Vogel reports that the Spokane Tribe has reached a deal with the State of Washington to allow more “slots,” 24-hour gaming and raising the betting limits. In return the State gets a cut of the proceeds and would also allow the tribe to have casinos off the reservation. You can bet (yes, pun intended) that all the other tribes in the state will want a “me too” compact with the State. I have mixed feelings on this.
This compact would pretty much be the kiss of death for all the non-tribal gaming establishments. The tribes have better games…and the strong likelyhood that I-901 (banning indooor smoking) will pass will give the tribes a near monopoly since the smoking ban wouldn’t apply to them. Say what you will, but gambling, smoking and drinking go together!
I would rather have a system where both tribal and non-tribal establishments were on equal footing. All provide jobs and the non-tribal establishments pay taxes. On the other hand, as a smoker, I would say to the tribes, build it bigger and faster since we will be pretty much banned from our old haunts.
You do have to wonder if there is a “wink and nod” arrangments between the State and the tribes. Some of the tribes donated to Queen Chris’s recount and may soon have an exclusive on providing entertainment for many.
I know I generally ignore you puddy, but you actually claim to work in IT but are asking for a public post of filter parameters? How about you publicly post exactly what words you have in your personal killfile so we can send you spam that gets around it.
You are either a liar about working in the industry or you know better and your the biggest ass in the universe.
Puddybud @ 37
Are you ODing on stupid pills today, Pud? Your reality distortion filter seems to be operating at full tilt :)
Let’s see … Gregoire raised $730,000 (only $200,000 from Kerry) from ~15,001 donations. Were you thinking that Kerry doesn’t count as a donor or something?
Like I said, she raised, like, 3/4 of a million dollars for a recount that ended up deciding the election in her favor … and you call that sleepwalking?
Puddybud @ 37
“I am tired of doing your heavy Internet lifting.”
(*snicker*) I’ve never asked you to look up anything for me on the internet, so please feel free to stop anytime.
Actually, I don’t give a rat’s ass whether or not you look stuff up. I do wish you would learn how to actually read and understand the stuff….
I beleive that I saw one comment with the word “sovereign” in it. People seem to forget where the state and government got their land – and how much did they “profit share” or pay the NATIVES for this land.(notice – I did not say indians.) Yes, some may think this is unfair to some of the other tribes, but where were they when the Spokanes needed their help to fight this battle in remaining a SOVEREIGN Government. Great job to Christine for acknowledging the Spokanes for this long battle for their rights. I only hope that this does pave a road for other Tribes to fight for what is theirs – SOVEREIGNTY –
WASH needs more votes from illegal Mexicans, double voters [kind of like the NYC voters who ALSO voted GORE 04 in Palm Beach], and lots of non registered blacks without IDs. I suggest that the Dems float the 500 buses left as submarines in New Orleans, and bus illeagls and blacks without IDs from poll to poll. Anyone who disagrees is a hateful racist!!! [hehe]
Like I said, she raised, like, 3/4 of a million dollars for a recount that ended up deciding the election in her favor … and you call that sleepwalking?
I said she sleepwalked her way into an embarassing recount. If she had run a campaign, she wouldn’t have had to have a recount. I agree, 3/4 of a million dollars is awsome. It’s just pathetic it had to be wasted bailing out her lame-ass performance. Think what that money could have done for somebody else.
PhilK @ 48
“I said she sleepwalked her way into an embarassing recount. If she had run a campaign, she wouldn’t have had to have a recount.”
Ahhh…my misunderstanding. I thought you were focusing on the steps that initiated the recount rather than the campaign itself. Sorry. I agree that she did kind of sleepwalk through the campaign. But, she most certainly did not roll over dead (i.e. sleepwalk) when it came to the endgame.
“I agree, 3/4 of a million dollars is awsome. It’s just pathetic it had to be wasted bailing out her lame-ass performance. Think what that money could have done for somebody else.”
Ahem…that pool of money was not actually wasted. It was fully refunded after the successful court challenge.
On the other hand, there was another, much larger, pile of money spent on the legal defense. It is hard to say that that money was all wasted, since the GOP spent an even larger amount on the case….
me @ 49
“It was fully refunded after the successful court challenge.”
Of course, I meant to say “It was fully refunded after the successful defense to the court challenge.”
@28
Nothing gets to me.
@41
“Sheesh … do the wingnuts ’round here have any interest in truth and non-Machivalian explainations for the things that they find disagreeable?”
Of course not! That’s why they’re called “wingnuts.” These are the same folks who believe in Bigfoot and alien abductions.
@42
Actually, you’re right this time, Putty fer Brains! Gregoire had nothing to do with the recount fundraising. That was an operation of the WSDP run by Paul Berendt. Gregoire’s only role in it was to tell Berendt she wouldn’t allow a partial recount.
re : Who’s playing the victim now? Hypocrite!
The Washington State Republican Party bought 4 more votes for Gregoire at a cost to the GOP of $500,000 each.
Now I ask you, who is stupid, Berendt or Vance?
Goldy, good commentary. Will the governor pay attention to your logic? I hope so, but also assume she has heard this line of reasoning before. What might have more potential of moving her is the power of your readership. Alas, this thread is dominated by right wingers who aren’t going to vote for her anyway. So why should she pay much attention to HA?
I hope you haven’t backed off the idea of switching to rated comments, because the current structure is killing the potential of your blog.
RE 33 PacMan (if your not a figment of Pudwhack’s imagination) The above post is meant for YOU!! You’re the racist you buffoon!
re 27: You call your racist remarks “on topic”? You sick SOB! PacMan, if he exists, is a glutton for punishment.
Jerry 56
I’d guess that she would much rather pay attention to Goldy’s typical preaching to the choir (“cross posted to Daily Kos”) than this rightly critical post. Good post Goldy.
Her alternative source of news would be SP, where proof has been posted that King County fraudulently gave her the election! I doubt she’ll be reading that one any time soon. Gee, I wonder if Goldy will respond with a typical “Discredit Stefan” post.
dj @ 49
Actually, I was very favorably impressed with Gregoire’s performance through the recount. She was completely consistent, and always asked for the same thing, regardless of whether it went for her or against her. Rossi, on the other hand, went into the recount seeming like a nice guy, and came out looking like Joe Isuzu.
I know so many people who thought she was lame, but a shoo-in, so they made a statement against wimpy Democrats by voting for the Libertarian (or Green, if there was one) and then agonized with guilt as the recount went on. I thought she was a wimpy candidate, but didn’t think she was a shoo-in. I was concerned about Rossi smooth-talking a lot of people into a confused trance, so I voted for her.
Speaking of alien abductions and Bigfoot you know that diebold voting machine scam would not be a bad idea. If only the republicans could implement it in King county. We could compensate for all those provisional ballots that magically appeared before the third recount.
PhilK @ 59
…Joe Isuzu…
Haaaa Haaa! That’s brilliant! Perfect!
” I thought she was a wimpy candidate, but didn’t think she was a shoo-in. I was concerned about Rossi smooth-talking a lot of people into a confused trance, so I voted for her.”
I, like so many people, completely ignored the Governor’s race (but I did vote for Gregoire). I was heavily focused on re-defeating Bush though.
dj
Maybe this will enlighten you about Gov. Gregoire, since you admittedly ignored the campaign:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....re01m.html
“Throughout the campaign, for instance, Gregoire — like Rossi — repeatedly said she would not raise taxes for the state operating budget.”
“During the campaign, Gregoire also said she wouldn’t push for a gas-tax increase until taxpayers are convinced they are getting their money’s worth for the nickel-per-gallon increase lawmakers approved in 2003. She even criticized Rossi for having voted for the 2003 increase.”
zip @ 65
Yep … I did hear, in passing, Gregoire talking about not raising some types of taxes. I found that most annoying, since I knew that was a promise neither candidate could keep. (I mean, I695 and the estate tax changes make it inevitable).
Bush, of course, could keep his promise to not raise taxes (at lease he could in his first term) becaue he did not have to ballance the budget. On the other hand accruing the largest debt in the history of mankind is not something I am about to admire Bush for.
Rufus @ 63
“We could compensate for all those provisional ballots that magically appeared before the third recount.”
But, wouldn’t that be unfair to the people who cast those ballots?
Oh…wait, you are from the “fuck ’em over at any cost to gain power” branch of the wingnut party.
Demo fraud is their lifeline these days:
without Philly, Pennsylvania = red
wo/ Detroit, Michigan = red
wo/ Milwaukee, Wisconsin = red
wo/ King Co.(Seattle) Washington = red
wo/ Cook Co.(Chicago) Illinois = red
PhilK-62 ‘..went into the recount seeming like a nice guy, and came out looking like Joe Isuzu.’
That is why the queen is still polling behind Rossi in September 2005. (She is tied with Bush, however.)
http://www.strategicvision.biz.....l_0923.htm
‘If the Election for Governor in 2008 was between the Democrat Christine Gregoire and the Republican, Dino Rossi, whom would you vote for?
Christine Gregoire 37%
Dino Rossi 54%
Undecided 9%’
zip-between-ears @61
“Her alternative source of news would be SP, where proof has been posted that King County fraudulently gave her the election!”
Sucky Politics = “news”
HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR
“proof has been posted”
YEE HAW HA WHOOP HEE HA HA HAR HAR HAR WHOO SPLUTTER GASP HA HA HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAW HAW HEE HAR HOO GURGLE HA HA HA HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR
“fraudulently gave her the election”
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Thanks for the laughs, dope! Just what I need to wake up on a dreary gray cold Thursday morning.
@63
Hey Doofus, I don’t think your GOP pards want you advertising the fact they’re rigging the voting machines.
@65
Puddwhacker, you’re absolutely right — Gregoire campaigning that she wouldn’t raise taxes was like Bush promising he would be a “uniter.” All politicians lie!
Me @ 72
My bad — I blamed zip’s nonsense on Puttybutt — but what the hell, even if Puddywhacker isn’t guilty of this particular idiocy, he’s guilty of some other idiocy. So that’s a whack at both of you, and a pox on both of your houses!
Comment on 66
Actually, if the trolls were to read the fine print, they would see that Gregoire promised not to seek a general tax increase (i.e., sales tax, property tax, etc.) — a promise she has kept — NOT that she would never, ever, propose any increase in any tax, whatsoever. Gregoire never led anyone who was paying attention to believe there would never be any increase in dedicated taxes like the gas tax, or that Washington voters would live in a tax-free nirvana if she was elected. She was (and is) far more honest about her intentions than Rossi ever was (or is, or ever will be).
RR @ 74
“Actually, if the trolls were to read the fine print, they would see that Gregoire promised not to seek a general tax increase (i.e., sales tax, property tax, etc.) – a promise she has kept – NOT that she would never, ever, propose any increase in any tax, whatsoever.”
http://www.thenewstribune.com/.....8428c.html
“Take Gregoire, for instance. Last fall, because she was running against a much more fiscally conservative opponent, she knew she had to promise no new taxes or else she’d lose the election. Her pledge to not increase taxes clearly provided the margin necessary to win election.”
http://www.seattleweekly.com/f.....donkey.php
“On the campaign trail, most every reporter will tell you that Gregoire pledged, like Rossi, not to raise taxes.”
Sorry Roger, the fine print isn’t there, to be read. Even if it was, are you really proud of making policy that depends on the fine print of a campaign promise? If so, I can see why’d you’d so ferverently support someone who argued over the definition of the word “is”.
Sorry totally off topic now, but that gave me this mental image of a political ad immediatly followed by a voice over ‘offer only valid in the contiguous United States. Attempts to follow up on offer must be made in writing to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with a self addressed sealed envelope. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery’
Rupert Wabbet: Confusing me with Zip? I guess that peyote chewing escapade hasn’t worn off yet? Or is that the real reason you scamper off to Greenlake?