There were a lot of very important announcements by very important people yesterday. Secretary-General Kofi Annan unveiled his plan to overhaul the United Nations, which could lead to adding Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Egypt, and South Africa (or Nigeria) to the Security Council. Governor Christine Gregoire released her budget proposal, which included fully funding the class size and teacher pay initiatives and adding thousands of poor children to state health insurance rolls, while closing a $1.6 billion budget shortfall with only $200 million in new taxes.
So of course, with all this important news breaking around me, I decided to spend the afternoon attending King County Executive Ron Sims’ “State of the County” address.
Speeches like this are generally staged events, newsworthy only in and of themselves — their contents rarely produce breaking stories, and this one didn’t disappoint. Oh, there were a few interesting tidbits, including a proposal for wireless internet access in White Center and on Metro buses, and the announcement of an innovative “Healthy Incentives Program” for county employees. But mostly Ron just laid out his vision for the region’s future, ten years and beyond.
So why bother covering the address if it didn’t generate much actual news? Well, first of all… I’m a blogger Jim, not a reporter! And second, Ron’s vision for King County’s future could have more direct impact on the day-to-day lives of its residents than anything Kofi Annan or Christine Gregoire might pronounce.
Although soon-to-be-unemployed Councilmember (and Sims challenger) David Irons myopically mocked Ron for his ten-year plan — “You can’t set your sights that far out” — this is exactly the kind of farsighted leadership our region needs to meet the demands of a county projected to add 300,000 new residents by 2050. In addition to recounting some of the recent accomplishments of the county and its residents, Ron laid out a broad list of priorities for the coming decade, including protecting our water supply, cleaning up Puget Sound, reining in health care costs, increasing affordable housing and eliminating homelessness, reducing the spread of HIV/AIDs and tuberculosis, investing in our transportation infrastructure and more.
Talking to a reporter afterwards, Irons attacked the speech as “a nice fairy tale, with no substance,” but really, how much substance do you expect from a speech like this? Hell, President Bush made privatizing Social Security the focus of his domestic agenda in his State of the Union address, yet months later he still refuses to paint a little flesh on the bones of his proposal. So no, Ron didn’t provide a lot of details, but then this was just a speech, not a budget proposal or a piece of legislation.
Moving on to the next reporter, Irons called the speech “a nice fairy tale, with no substance,” charging that while Ron’s speeches are all “warm and fuzzy,” he implements his policies with “an iron fist.” Irons said he wants government to be just as “warm and fuzzy” as Ron’s speeches… too bad Irons himself comes across as “cold and slick.”
With the next reporter, Irons mixed things up a bit, referring to Ron’s speech as “a nice fairy tale, with no substance.” Yeah… we get the point.
To me, the contrast between Ron’s passionate, forward-looking speech, and Iron’s cynical, dour rebuttal illustrates not only the fundamental difference between the two candidates, but between the parties they represent. Democrats like Ron view government as a powerful tool for positively impacting the lives of its citizens, whereas Republicans traditionally view government as a necessary evil, that they might as well control, if only to prevent the other guys from doing too much harm. In short, Democrats believe in government, while Republicans, well… don’t.
Much of Ron’s speech was actually spent congratulating individual citizens for their contributions to the county; on seven occasions he asked individuals to stand up and receive recognition, alone or in pairs, for their hard work and dedication. Jose Abarca, an officer at the Regional Justice Center in Kent, who just returned home from Baghdad after a two-year military leave, received a standing ovation. (Appropriately, the citizen who received the second-most applause was also in uniform: Porter Mathis, the Metro Transit bus driver of the the year.)
Irons dismissed the entire event as little more than a staged press conference, countering with what I cynically hope will be his campaign slogan: “Everything is not wonderful.” Both his observations may technically be correct, but they completely miss the point. Voters aren’t dumb. We know that everything is not wonderful, and we don’t expect it to be. What we expect government to do is to constantly help make things a little bit better.
And that’s what Ron offered yesterday, a positive, passionate vision for the future that builds on his and our accomplishments of the past… while all Irons offered was criticism. He derides Ron for daring to plan ten years into the future, because like most politicians, his horizons don’t stretch beyond the next election. Listening to Irons talk to reporters yesterday, it made me wonder if he actually believes in the job he’s seeking.
I know a lot of people think Ron is vulnerable because of backlash over Sound Transit, the CAO, and the trumped up election controversy. It is true that Ron’s brand of strong, aggressive leadership can rub people the wrong way, but sometimes it is the only way to get things done. No doubt there are a lot of voters angered over his strong-arm handling of the Brightwater waste water treatment facility, but fortunately for Ron, most of them live in Snohomish County.
And if Irons is the best candidate the GOP can throw up against him, that too will be fortunate for Ron. Having nothing better to do is not enough of a reason to run for county executive, and voters will quickly sense that Iron’s candidacy stems more from expediency than passion and commitment.
I don’t know if I’ll ever attend another State of the County address, but I’ve got a feeling this wasn’t Ron Sims’ last.
whereas Republicans traditionally view government as a necessary evil, that they might as well control, if only to prevent the other guys from doing too much harm. In short, Democrats believe in government, while Republicans, well… don’t.
Unfortunately, the Neo Con republicans view the government as something they do like very much, just differently. They have their own set of people they want to give government handouts too, just different ones than the Ds.
And as far as state or federal government restraint, they gave that up that concept at the same time they gave up term limits when they got in power.
The UN is so important I feel all Democrats must contibute 10% of their income to this worthy organization.
Yes, Goldy, It was an important day at the UN!! [Classic Democrat “progressive” BS!] New York – Kojo Annan, son of Kofi Annan, United Nations secretary-general, received at least $300,000 from Cotecna, a Swiss inspection company awarded a contract ultimately worth about $60m under the Iraqi oil-for-food contract. The amount was almost double the sum previously disclosed, but payments were arranged in ways that obscured where the money came from or whom it went to.
He came off looking kinda pathetic considering he can’t pronounce alot of words that he spoke on, here’s a simple one he botched “population” turned into popa-lation. The other thing I saw was alot of ass kissing to King County voters, “please don’t vote me out I’m too young to retire!” Good for a few laugh on an otherwise dull day I guess.
Sims was almost 45 minutes late from the original scheduled time because his stretch limo couldn’t work it’s way thru the stifling traffic jam Sims so masterfully has created during his undistinguished tenure.
The next stretch limo Sims will be riding in has a Greyhound painted on the side!
I’m glad Ron is still so “ostamistic” about our future.
And he noted Dean Logan is a nationally recognized eRection official. Yeah…recognized for doing such a pitiful job and then trying to sugar-coat incompetence!
As someone pointed out on SoundPolitics, Ron Sims is Buckwheat and Don King morphed into one big a$$hole!
And Julia Patterson looks like a redneck gal with no top teeth!
If you cover up her terrible blond dye-job hair and gross lipstick, Patterson bears a remarkable resemblance to JUNIOR from HeeHaw!
Sims is the captain of the ship and his first mate Dean Logan proved about as able and on the ball as Barney Fife. Sims has done noting to fix the problems that came up in the last election or instill with the public that the problem won’t happen again. How about firing the person responsible for the mess? In the private sector Logan wouuld be gone in a heartbeat.
In typical Sims fashion he blathers about his vision 10 or 20 years from now. How about fixing the problems you got right now Ron, (pick one) or at least a vision of what you’re gonna do in the next month, 6 months or year. How about a little reality instead of fantasy Island. Of course we have to remember it’s Ron Sims talking.
Imagine you’re a Boeing director. The board is meeting to interview candidates for the CEO job. You listen patiently as the next candidate tells you he always takes a train because he’s afraid of flying, doesn’t own any airline stocks because he believes they will all go bankrupt, and thinks the company should leave its R&D money in the bank earning 1% interest. In other words, he doesn’t believe in the company or its product.
Would you hire this guy?
Now consider the typical Republican candidate for public office. He doesn’t believe in government. He thinks government employees are lazy and incompetent. He considers government services a bad investment and advocates leaving the money in taxpayers’ pockets.
Would you vote for this guy?
A guy who leaves money in my pocket? YES!
I hope Goldy you told Ron Sims on my behalf thank you very much for Governor-PRO-TEM Gregoire…
I gave you not one, but two trackbacks though in my latest blog post. And yeah, the Councilman for the 38 other counties will get a campaign contribution…
Thanks for making it harder to own property in Skagit County, Ron. Thanks for giving us back the estate tax and flipping the birdie at the State Supremes, Ron. Thanks so much, Ron. I am so home-trained.
Josef in Marummy Country, where # of legal votes BETTER = # of legal voters!
Oh and one more thing: If “relief” = “increasing the allowable tuition rates” in your world, you are NOT in Marummy Country!
I can’t wait for the debates where King Ronny will come across looking just like algore. Lets just pour gasoline on his spiritual environ”mental”wacko views and watch him react.
He is a loser in everyway, everyone knows it, they are sick of him closing parks when he doesn’t get his tax increase, charging $500 for cutting blackberry bushes on their own property, etc etc etc. Perhaps with his preacher training he can find an audience somewhere in leftistville to swallow his good home training.
josef @ 8 & char @ 9
Colleges and parks are free?
Maybe if Sims took Sound Transit, his baby, around Seattle instead of a stretch Limo (at Tax Payer Expense) he would get to his meetings on time and send a proper home training message. It would seem to me a leader should eat his own dog food so to speak. If he wants us to ride sound transit maybe he should lead by example. Come on it’s so easy, it should fit everyone’s schedule! Come on Ron Show by Example! Ride Sound Transit!
Now consider the typical Republican candidate for public office. He doesn’t believe in government. He thinks government employees are lazy and incompetent. He considers government services a bad investment and advocates leaving the money in taxpayers’ pockets.>>>>>>>>>>>
God Don, you are truly a moron arent you? No republican feels that way. It goes to the old saying that if you give a man a fish you feed him for the day, teach him how to fish he eats for his lifetime. We want to teach him to fish instead of throw good money after bad and feed him for the day….
Comment by Don — 3/22/05 @ 11:09 pm
Click on the link and you’ll see what I mean…
Don@15. Your suggestion about clicking on the link you posted reminds me of all the recent commercials put out by AOL where those people appear saying how they love to get infected by a virus. :-)
DON: Yesterday you were called a hypocrite, today you are a called a moron. Hold that up to the light and reper-read it backwards. Means your dam smart and walk your talk.
Now consider the typical Republican candidate for public office. He doesn’t believe in government. He thinks government employees are lazy and incompetent. He considers government services a bad investment and advocates leaving the money in taxpayers’ pockets.
Would you vote for this guy?
Comment by Don— 3/22/05 @ 7:46 pm [DON, YES!!! In a heartbeat!!!]
Chuck @ 14
OK, I get it now.
We should hire teachers as temps, employ them for one day only, and thereafter expect the little darlings to teach themselves.
We should hire DOT employees as temps, employ them for one day only, and thereafter expect the snow plows in Snoqualmie Pass to run on cruise control.
We should hire park employees as temps, employ them for one day only, and thereafter expect the trash to pick itself up.
We should hire cops as temps, employ them for one day only, and thereafter expect criminals to arrest themselves.
Thanks for explaining it to me. I never would have figured this out by myself. Not in a million years.
Don@18
Don, it would have been better for you to leave your keyboard alone and let us think you are an idiot…why you chose to remove all doubt Ill never know….
Chuck@19–
Most excellent zinger!
Don really ought to spend all his time at the kiddy porn sites he obviously enjoys instead of a mere 9 hours per day there.
The ignorance I see expressed here often astounds. Ron Sims has nothing to do with traffic in Seattle. That city is responsible for it’s transportation plan. The State is responsible for I-5. How does the Exec affect either?
Mutual Admiration Society @ 20 & 21
For a few more days, at least, you two can take comfort in knowing you have more cognitive brain function than at least one other person in this country.
I assune you are referring to yourself, Don…please dont kill yourself, really you can heal your mind….if you need someone to help I am here for you, the caring conservative…let us help you heal, we dont want you to kill yourself…..
Don @ 23-
I’m here for you too Don. But I suppose you are more likely to be healed in some sort of self-validation support group. They have support groups for everything these days don’t they Don? I have warned you repeatedly Don that mixing Prozac with pot smokin’ leads to early Alzheimer’s. Listen to Mr. C! And that goes for you other LeftWingNut losers too!
Don, I hear you have recently started a Bladder Control Awareness Group……sounds noble and caring Don but not very practical. Why?
BECAUSE DON’T YOU THINK PEOPLE WHO HAVE A BLADDER CONTROL PROBLEM ARE AWARE OF IT DON?????!!!
Chuck, these LEFTISTS are so fixated on making people dependent on them, DON has also formed an over-65 GINGKO BALBOA group promising members who can’t afford Viagra that Don’t group will at least help them remember what it’s like to have a hard-on!
A quick little posting about what we spend our days doing. Many of you come here to read political news and gossip, and we love making snide comments as much as the next person, although perhaps not as much as