Far be it from me to offer advice I rarely follow myself, but I think the editors at Crosscut might want to actually read Crosscut before slapping on headlines. Take for example Knute Berger’s latest Mossback, whose teaser scolds:
Seattle’s mayor waves the flag of secession. In so doing, he may have waved goodbye to a future in state politics.
… but whose closing paragraph acknowledges:
One thing we can be certain of: Greg Nickels’ ambitions do not include running for governor. Being Seattle mayor has long been a dubious Olympia springboard.
So… Nickels has, uh, waved goodbye to a future in state politics he’s never had? Um… huh?
In fact, Nickels destroyed any chance he might have had for statewide office the minute he was elected Seattle’s mayor, because the rest of the state fucking hates us, a cold reality implicitly (if politely) acknowledged in Berger’s closer. Which brings us back to subject of Nickels’ little rant.
Nickels criticized the Legislature and regional governance. He said he was tired of rural legislators weighing in on issues like the Alaskan Way Viaduct and gun control. He was frustrated that Seattle was being held back by the rest of the state and said that it was time to consider secession.
Berger dismisses Nickels’ assertion that his call for secession was “tongue-in-cheek” because apparently, journalists are much more capable of climbing inside the heads of their subjects than their subjects themselves, and no politician could ever be subtle enough to deliberately suggest an absurdity purely for dramatic effect. But absurd as secession is, there is a truth at the heart of Nickels’ complaint that deserves more scrutiny than our state’s holier-than-thou editorialists are willing to proffer.
The fact is, Nickels isn’t the only Seattleite who is sick and tired of the rest of the state interfering in our business. We’re tired of being told by voters elsewhere that we’re not allowed to tax ourselves locally to build the local transit we want. We’re tired of being told that we shouldn’t have a say in whether a massive double-decker freeway continues to mar our waterfront, or whether the 520 bridge should have six or eight lanes. We’re tired of being told how much we can spend on our schools or on our roads, and having our hands tied behind our backs by the legislature when it comes to options for raising tax dollars. And we’re goddamn sick and tired of sending our tax dollars out of city and over the mountains, only to be abused and reviled under the deliberately perpetrated false impression that money flows in the other direction:
The Yakima Herald-Republic called Nickels’ secession call “absurd” and wondered where Seattle would get its food if it lopped off its agricultural arm. Looking on the bright side, they opined that at least “we’ll get out of our share of the billions needed to fix Puget Sound’s traffic problems.”
A) We’d get our food the way we’ve always gotten it: we’d buy it! And B) Where the fuck do they think the billions needed to fix our traffic problems is coming from? It sure as hell ain’t coming from Yakima. If Seattle were to secede, Yakima’s share of its state’s transportation budget would be a helluva lot less than it’s getting now, so have fun maintaining all those roads we built.
What galls me about the reaction to Nickels’ comments is how incredibly one-sided the discourse in this state has become. Politicians and columnists throughout the state have free reign to dream up paranoid fantasies about big bad Seattle—Dino Rossi wades in it; Mike McGavick ran on it—but heaven forfend if a Seattle politician responds in kind. Do Nickels’ comments help tear down the Cascade curtain? Hell no, but at least they add a little balance to the popular fiction that Seattle is a drain on the rest of the state’s tax coffers, rather than the other way around.
And some of us are tired of telling you over end over again, Goldy, that 99 is a STATE FUCKING HIGHWAY! And not the sole property or sole jurisdiction of Seattle.
Ivan @1,
If we’re being asked to help pay for replacing it, then we have a right to have a say in how we replace it.
A state highway that literally crawls through Seattle. If it’s so important to the rest of you, give us our portion, and take your state money and build a bypass around Seattle. Oh, wait. Most of that money comes from Seattle anyway.
“99 is a STATE FUCKING HIGHWAY!”
So are Lake City Way, Rainier Avenue and First Avenue south.
I don’t expect a whole lot of truckers on their way from Bellingham to Portland are going out of their way to see the sights along Aurora.
Granted, there is an issue with truck traffic into and out of the city to/from the Port. This is best dealt with by providing the most expeditious means for trucks to get between the waterfront and I-5, or doing our best to ensure that container cargo comes and goes by rail.
Why don’t you start the 51st state of Seattle, and take Ron Sims and the entire King County government with you. You could squeeze em in.
Leave the residents and taxes of King County with the rest of the state.
Also you definately get the Port of Seattle.
You will need no more Light Rail, cause it will someday already run from one end of Seattle to the Seattle AirPORT.
What a deal! I’d vote for that anyday, just leave me outside that rathole.
Goldy @ 2:
Get real! You don’t want “a say.” You want the final word. Well, guess what? The city does get a say. The city always *has* had a say. But the state gets the final word and the city doesn’t.
Politics of divisiveness all around I see. By the GS, you are right, it will be running from the Airport to the city, by the end of next year, oh wait, few even bother to see the updates on ST’s website, it might force them to admit that ST has actually built something. Everyday I see signs of construction coming to an end, and one thing I find interesting, is that testing the LRVs on the track already completed and wired, saves some time. They get the required 2000-3000 miles of testing completed, and probably just have to do a few test runs in the Ranier Valley once they get there, but first, is the drag test, where they tow the LRVs down the line, but with current collectors extended, to see if it meets all clearances.
Now what we are seeing in this country is Civil War II, a war between each other, over politics, and political ideologies, and even intelligent conversation is supsect in a way our Founding Fathers would never have imagined. All sides need to have a timeout, but that will never happen. By the way, if you did not have “Liberal Seattle” to kick around, I guess GS and conservatives would have nothing to talk about. I just get tired of Liberals attacking Conservatives, and Conservatives attacking anybody left of their positions, even those in the middle.
Now for the doubters that keep thinking construction of Light Rail is a waste and never got started, locations you can see completed track are in SODO, and along I-5 near Southcenter.
“Now what we are seeing in this country is Civil War II, a war between each other, over politics, and political ideologies, and even intelligent conversation is supsect in a way our Founding Fathers would never have imagined.”
Betcha they would have. Have you ever seen the booze budget they went through while writing the Constitution?
I did hear an interesting story somewhere once that they did consider bringing in a chaplain to help calm everybody down as debate got heated. Instead, they punted some of the tough issues to later generations. Interesting thing about what is known as Cinco De Mayo, we were not there, and probably would have been on the French side, as Mexico would not want our help then. The Battle of La Puebla where Mexicans beat the French, happened May 5, 1862. What was the U.S. Doing at the time? Oh, that’s right, we were killing each other over states rights, slavery, and maybe a few other issues.
While I have roots in eastern Washington and some affinity for the region, I would have to admit that watching the western-Washington bashers go bankrupt if we ever shut off the IV that flows from here over the Cascades would provide great pleasure. They’d turn on each other with a vengeance. The thought raises that eternal question: why do Republicans hate reality?
@10 “why do Republicans hate reality?”
They don’t. They dislike your reality, which is not the same thing. And I mean “your” as in the left, in general.
No matter that you disagree, think it’s stupid, whatever, there are people that do not, and will not ever, agree with left-wing political “reality”.
Personally, I find you lefties just as doctrinaire, biased, and intolerant as you believe right-wingers to be. But then from my point of view, the left and right are simply mirror images. That’s reality for a Libertarian…
@11 I-Burn:
Finally! Someone said it to the tee! Very well put!
“Personally, I find you lefties just as doctrinaire, biased, and intolerant as you believe right-wingers to be. But then from my point of view, the left and right are simply mirror images.”
I am middle of the road (although mt voting record shows democrat across the board), but because I don’t agree 100% with the hardcore left, I get accused of being a righty! Actually I am beginning to see the nasty side of the left, it can be very eye opening!
Hannah
As they say, the only two things in the middle of the road are yellow lines and dead skunks. You happen to be very doctrinaire; you are on the right side of the yellow line. You need to come out, embrace your rightwing soul. Quit pretending you are in the middle, even a Democrat. You’ll feel better about yourself once you quit lying to yourself. Hey, babe, reality hurts, but you need to find yourself.
@13 – thanks for the pep talk, but I am not hiding from anyone. I don’t care for every single democrat, and I also don’t hate every single republican. Must make me a righty. So are you saying I need to be full of hate to be a true democrat?
Goldy …
Great post.
Why not follow it with some facts?
1 What is the tax burden in Seattle and WHERE DO THE dollars go?
So.meone must know.
2 What proportuon of my taxes vs those of a suburb go to subsidize regional resources … the UW the Zoo the Port etc
@15 SeattleJew – GREAT questions!!!!!
Instead of replacing the viaduct why don’t we just build light rail for cars?? Isn’t that the solution for everything?
High time for Goldy to be sent to spend a summer on a wheat farm in the Palouse. Or fighting fires over near Icicle Creek between Wenatchee and Leavenworth (there are always fires there in the summer – usually started by some Seattle-area moron careless with matches, cigarettes, or toking his herb).
Maybe send him up to Ritzville to see how the other half lives?
Citified dudes who think theirs don’t stink as they spew an elitest condescension toward those who work the land or live in rural areas is as old as the hills. And twice as boring.
Yet, the gang down in Oly is as blue as blue can be – all those Choppian Demos and Gregoireian do-nothings. Goldy still rails against them without regard that they’re his own people.
Maybe best that you get a T.S. chit from the chaplain and…TELL IT TO THE MARINES!
And Goldy…last time rail was voted upon in this state, it was done so by the people who ostensibly would use it, pay through the eternal nose for it, and supposedly benefit by it, yet they still said not just “No!” but “Hell NO!!!”
Prop. 1 – RIP…
Remember???
The Piper
“They don’t. They dislike your reality, which is not the same thing.”
Well, that is the problem, isn’t it? Except that “reality” isn’t malleable, and truth doesn’t bend itself to the whims of popular opinion.
So, I ask, which side of the political spectrum has been more inclined to accept what peer-reviewed science has to say about the issues of our day? When a prominent rightist proudly proclaims, “science leads you to killing people,” which side has lost its grip on reality?
Yeh the DOT just spent 18 million (not to mention operating and maintenance costs) on I167’s new BS lane.
To bring in a whopping how much….$500 – 600 a day in fees, which will be more than ate up in it’s own operating costs.
Hell 18 million at 5% in a F’n bank with zero operating costs brings in $2,500 a day. DUH!
To the DOT Congestion Pricing means – The more we can congest it the more we can collect from it!
@20 – Where did you get those numbers? I am shocked to say the least…where is this cost breakdown?
“there are always fires there in the summer – usually started by some Seattle-area moron careless with matches, cigarettes, or toking his herb”
Over 60 percent of forrest fires in recent decades have been caused by lightening. Details here (PDF).
So having started with a prejudicial, albeit parenthetical, falsehood, the return of the Piper presses on:
“Citified dudes who think theirs don’t stink as they spew an elitest condescension toward those who work the land or live in rural areas is as old as the hills.”
Well, this “citified dude” spent a number of his youthful summers working on a dairy farm, and I can tell you that the prejudice against city people amongst that crowd was palpable.
So, you’re response to Goldy’s alleged prejudice is to regurgitate that selfsame prejudice in reverse. Way to go, Piper. How very illuminating.
“Prop. 1 – RIP…”
Ah, yes. That comment has about as much depth as the puddle that gathers near the drain in my driveway whenever it rains.
Go back to hibernation, Piper. Once again, you’ve managed to bring nothing by way of substance or insight to the table.
Well
It’ll be a hell of alot more expensive if you need to bring in in over the wall via helicopter :)
One of the real problems (and it’s nationwide) is that we’ve been neglecting transportation infrastructure for decades and the costs of fixing anything keep going up. And you’re not going to get any asphalt from ethanol :(
The silence on this blog over wife-beater Richard McIver’s corruption allegation is not going unnoticed by me.
Piper–
Actual Goldy is a “colonist” who was part of the wagon train from Philadelphia that helped turn Seattle into the Anal Canal of the Universe that wants to control everything….even STATE HIGHWAYS!
ivan is right…it’s a f***ing STATE HIGHWAY!
PS–
The Philly wagon train consisted solely of hard-ass LEFTIST PINHEADED KLOWNS driving thru blizzards & across treacherous mountain passes in their SUBURU and BEATER VOLVO Wagon’s!!
Goldy: “We’re tired of being told how much we can spend on our schools or on our roads, and having our hands tied behind our backs by the legislature when it comes to options for raising tax dollars.”
Goldy, most of the time, even if I don’t agree, you make a least a cogent argument.
Not this time.
Who the hell gives the Democrats control of nearly every statewide office and the legislature? Eastern Washington? Since you put ’em there and they’re mostly from the Seattle area, why are you complaining about “outside interference”? If the Democrats *won’t* use their power to push “the Seattle agenda”, how is that anyone else’s fault?
Also, why don’t you have the guts to name the person (and call them on it) whom is most responsible for this “interference”? You know who she is….
re 11: Whatever.
A libertarian is someone whose only use for government is for that government to protect them from the people they’ve screwed over.
A conservatives’s reality has to incorporate the fact that no facts support what they think is reality… They choose to remain ignorant, and no amount of evidence that proves their fantasys wrong counts for anything to them. You can’t even talk politics with a modern republiconvict because 99% of what they believe in is based on fantasy, fear, and hate, and not facts.
#11, I think Rush Limpliar has polluted your mind. Turn on Air America and listen to a little reality based radio for a change. Better yet, tune in when Goldy is broadcasting.
All facts support my positions. Can you ALWAYS say the same thing?
@29 And thank you for so admirably demonstrating my point.
@27 Good one. I’ll think about that the next time I’m cleaning my firearms.
@19 Well, that is the problem, isn’t it? Except that “reality” isn’t malleable, and truth doesn’t bend itself to the whims of popular opinion.
I would guess that several generations of Soviets would disagree with you regarding the nature of reality. Strictly speaking, Reality -hard R does indeed appear to be immutable. However, Reality – soft R, is the realm where perception IS reality, and that is where most folks actually live, in my experience.
It’s true the rest of the state hates us; and the more money we give them for roads and schools, the more they hate us! It appears taking charity wounds their pride.
I’ve got an idea — let’s cut off the $16 billion those eastern Washington ingrates want from us for 3 gigantic new irrigation reservoirs. They’re all Republicans, anyway.
How about, instead of seceding, just redraw the map a little? We focus too much on the numbers of latitude and longitude when it comes to defining ourselves geographically. That kind of thinking has led to disastrous consequences elsewhere in the world, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. So why not redraw Washington and Oregon with the boundaries turned ninety degrees? Western WA & OR can become one state (just for laughs, we’ll call it ‘Ecotopia’), while Eastern WA, & OR, along with northern ID become a separate state (we’ll call it ‘The Inland Empire’). Suddenly, instead of two states with very bipolar populations, we’d have two states that would be very homogenous in their sociopolitical makeup. One red, one blue.
I think it would make sense. When I lived in Olympia (and Port Angeles before that), I identified more with Seattle and Portland, even (yecch!) Eugene more than I ever did with any city east of the Cascades (though I still think Bend is a pretty nice little town), and it would stand to reason that a resident of Ellensburg would identify more with Bend or Klamath Falls than they would Seattle.
@ 32
And I should care about their opinion in this regard? Why?
Are you trying to claim that the “perceptions” of right-wing ideologues who reject science are as equally valid as the “perceptions” of people who look to science as a basis for deciding public policy?
Isn’t the very difference between “hard” and “soft” reality the extent to which one adopts a systematic epistemological method the efficacy of which has been proven time and time again to the extent that the results of that method have not conflicted with some people’s ideology?
You haven’t really answered my question. I’ll repeat, when Ben Stein says that science leads you to killing people, which side of the political spectrum has lost touch with realty?
Yeah, fuck those Eastern Washington and Grays Harbor County hayseeds!
(I don’t have a specific beef with Grays Harbor County, it’s just the non-Seattle W. WA county that most quickly comes to mind)
Seattle Jew
As I recall, the percentage of Seattle-area or King-County-area funds that go to other parts of the state was already well-documented in this blog a year or two ago.
We should fuck the rural conservatives because we can.
Darcy’s in the P-I this morning. I think their concerns are misplaced, because it’s dead easy to make the case that ending the Occupation of Iraq will help the economy.
@36 First of all, a passing acquaintence with reality is hardly the exclusive province of the ideological right.
Certainly it is *to them*. So to the extent that all opinions are valid, then yes. Whether we use those opinions as a basis for policy?
Of course I haven’t answered it. It’s a ridiculous question – and you know it. Ben Stein no more “speaks” for the right side of the ideological divide than you do for the left. There is no monolithic “right-wing”, for anyone to speak for, or represent.
@ 41
But we’re talking about reality, and you at least appeared to agree that reality is not a matter of opinion nor is truth subject to popular appeal.
Actually, no, it’s not a ridiculous question, for two reasons. First, Ben Stein’s statement, and the movie to which it’s related, have been broadly hailed by prominent people who do speak very much for the right. Second, this is merely a representative sample. Do I really have to itemize other instances where the right wing rejects science in favor of their ideology?
I have a dandy idea that Mayor Nickels just might want to get behind. It’s in the “direct democracy” tradition of Timmeh! and it’s bound to have broad, faux populist appeal.
We put an initiative on the ballot requiring WSDOT to spend 95% of the motor vehicle fuel-taxes raised in a county exclusively on projects and services within that county.
The welfare queens in Whitman County will eat it up. The right wing AM radio hot heads will go overboard supporting it. The only hitch is we’ve got to find some plausible front man for it. If it comes from “latte libbie” Seattle, the mud-flap set is bound to be suspicious. We either have to recruit our own Quisling-with-a-bolo-tie, or find a gullible dupe to act as our front man.
It’s pure win-win. If – God Forbid – the thing actually passes into law, rural counties will count the seconds in the two years before the lege can repeal it – no doubt learning a bitter lesson along the way. But far more likely is that the two-bit frauds they send to Olympia will be forced into telling them the truth about our funding system. Wouldn’t it be great to see Mike Hewitt have to go out on the stump to defeat something like this?
In order for any Seattle/King County politician to succeed statewide, they would have to be wildly–WILDLY–popular. So much so that the local vote overwhelmed the state vote. That was not the case for Norm Maleng or Ron Sim and it certainly wouldn’t be the case for Greg Nichols. Everyone I know, no matter their political bent, loathes him.
He would have a very hard time being reelected if he had a serious and legitimate opponent.
If the rest of the state had a majority of supportive democratic citizens, would you be ok in supporting their “welfare”?
Or to put it another way, if the rest of the state wasn’t complaining conservative voters, would this be an issue?