Earlier today I accused Democratic state legislators of spouting BIAW talking points in defense of their opposition to SB 6385, the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights, and I stand by my accusations. I know some of these legislators personally, I value their support on other issues, and I certainly don’t expect them to agree with me 100% of the time. But when they align themselves with the likes of the BIAW, they are doing their constituents and their party a great disservice.
The BIAW is as determined and effective a foe of progressive causes and Democratic candidates as there is in Washington state, an early financial backer of the Northwest militia movement, and an emphatic and relentless critic of environmental protections. These people play hardball, and when they win, they’re not shy about kicking us while we are down. On the election of Jim Johnson to the State Supreme Court, the BIAW’s Erin Shannon once kvelled, “It was a big ‘Fuck you!’ to all the liberals out there. […] We are kicking their ass. How many years have we whipped labor?” And these were the carefully chosen words of the BIAW’s PR Director, talking to a reporter. Message sent; message received.
Politics makes for strange bedfellows, and we can’t always choose our allies (hell, even Dori and I couldn’t avoid agreeing in our mutual opposition to puppy tossing), but when you adopt the BIAW’s talking points you grant them a credibility that they do not deserve, and help them further an agenda that is diametrically opposed to the interests of your constituents and to that of Washington’s Democratic majority. For if those anti-6385 talking points are presumed authoritative and evenhanded, why not the many other talking points the BIAW spews forth on a regular basis:
“One of my priority goals as the 2008 President of the Building Industry Association of Washington is to replace anti-small business and antiaffordable housing Governor Gregoire with her pro-small business and affordable housing challenger Dino Rossi. […] I am therefore not upholding my oath if I do not speak the truth about Gregoire’s record and do everything in my power to defeat her. She attacks affordable housing, and BIAW members are in overwhelming need of relief from her onslaught of attacks against the homebuilding industry. […] BIAW and its members are Rock Solid behind Rossi.”
— BIAW President Brad Spears, January 2008“I urge you to call on President Bush to fire John McKay, U.S. Attorney for Western Washington. […] I presume Mr. McKay has adamantly refused to investigate because he’s a Democrat… I thought the process by which Mr. McKay, a Democrat, was appointed was reprehensible… Please ask the White House to replace Mr. McKay”
— BIAW Executive VP Tom McCabe, Letter to Rep. Doc Hastings“Yellow-booted thugs at DOE have shut down builders because some dirt ran off their job sites. […] These self-anointed priests of nature and the bureaucrats who encourage them are using tactics similar to those used 70 years ago in Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Russia.”
— BIAW Executive VP Tom McCabe, September 2007“There’s an apocalyptic pessimism which seemingly runs through Seattle liberal environmental advocates. […] This attitude and this pessimism likely explains in part why Seattle has lost its children. For those optimists who look for a silver lining in everything, conservatives are having babies and liberals are not which means that eventually conservatives will outnumber liberals in Washington State.”
— BIAW Executive VP Tom McCabe, September 2007“Is this Gregoire’s new plan to revamp her Hillary Clinton-esque image of a heartless, power-hungry she-wolf who would eat her own young to get ahead?”
— Building Insight Newsletter, January 2008“I’d like to see Frank Chopp run for Governor,” says Tom McCabe, executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Washington, which has spent millions of dollars supporting conservative causes and Republican Candidates. “I have a great deal of Respect for him.”
— Seattle Times, July 2006
That is the wit and wisdom of the BIAW, the folks some Democrats are looking to for rhetorical guidance in discussing this issue. The only thing more arrogant and politically dangerous than McCabe and his crew is the delusion Speaker Chopp and other Democrats seem to hold that these are people they can work with. You don’t need to watch your back Frank, because when the time comes, McCabe will thrust that knife in so deep that you’ll see the blade emerging from your chest.
[DELETED — OFF TOPIC]
The BIAW are not the only ones that stand to “lose” from a homeowner bill of rights. There are plenty of developers that give heavily to locally elected Democrats in Seattle. We’ve all seen the shitty, cheap, and shoddily built “town homes” on the south end. In a sense, Mr. Chopp is representing the Democratic party–the donors, who are tight with the Master Builder’s Association and others.
This BIAW stuff is only part of the bigger pie. Until we elect progressive politicians that aren’t in the developers’ pockets–from city council, on up, and until we call bullshit on the industry–even when they are giving to people in a party we happen to like, we’re sure to see more stuff like this; especially when we buy the development for developments’ sake cloaked in the rhetoric of “more density”.
Sounds like Tom Macabe is just the type of guy to lead our economy to the economic heights it is in righ now – you know, with the DJIA at 11,740.15 (today’s closing, after losing another 153.54 points).
That means the DJIA has advanced an average of 1.51% per year for the 7+ years Bush has been President, with a Republican-contolled Congress for the 14 out of the past 15 years. Anybody want to guess how that stacks up against inflation?
@2 – well spoken! And those shoddy townhomes are being built here in King County too! Imagine paying $540K for a townhome that has crooked walls, leaks behind the bathroom wall due to nails in the sewer lines, bathtub faucets coming off the wall (after 2 months and the tub never used once) it is happening everywhere!
What’s really amazing is that this is the perforance DESPITE record military spending, cash infusions in the form of tax rebates in 2002 and upcoming in 2008, as well as large Fed discount rate reductions just in the past three months, and bond guarantees just this past week. If not for these band-aids, we would be in NEGATIVE growth of the DJIA during the seven years of the Bush administration.
Thanks for pointing out how the BIAW bought a seat on the Supreme Court for Jim Johnson. BIAW did the same thing six years before, when it bought that knucklehead Sanders a spot on our highest court. So who is the BIAW running this year? C. Johnson and M. Fairhurst are running for re-election, and they have excellent progressive records. I doubt BIAW would try to run someone against them.
I would say we could entice Brad Spears with a prostitute to break the law, of course that only works on democrat governors.
BIAW and this area’s homeowners should be worshiping Governor Gregoire. Washington State is one of the few areas in the nation where real estate prices are not tanking, or already in the toilet. Responsible Growth (as much as possible, with it’s problems) is the reason.
Other areas let the BIAW types over build out of stupidity, greed, or worse, and where did that get them? Foreclosured.
The reason that our economy, and the housing industry in Washington is healthy is simple. It is because us “liberals” and “Democrats” have our foot on the throats of the lying Republiconvicts in our state. They try to sell their snake oil at ever turn, but overall the people of Washington State are way too smart to believe anything coming out of a Republiconvict’s lying mouth.
Whether it is the fraud Dino Dipshit, or Mike! Mr. Layoff enough of us can see through their slime, pathetic attacks, and lies.
I just can’t wait till we have a justice department that prosecutes criminals, instead of just doing voter suppression for the GOP.
I have an idea what happened to Hastert’s seat may be happening nationwide. Let the party of the ignorant fake conservative war mongerers die the type of death they deserve.
6
Actually, the BIAW has another Supreme Candidate–take a look at Michael Bond.
“There are many other sins that are perhaps much more grave that don’t have anything to do with sex – that have to do with life, that have to do with the environment, that have to do with justice,” he told AP Television. – Pope Benedict.
The Religious Right can go fuck themselves!
#8 You are a fucking genius and I would bet you dont even own a house. In fact I know you dont.
Hannah @ 4- you went 2 months without bathing!!!
@ 12 – hahaha um my home has 3 bathrooms! Are you freaking serious???
@11 Actually Mark, I own many houses. Heck, none of them are even in foreclosure! If you don’t believe me, ask Goldy.
You know what’s great about being me Mark?
All Facts Support My Positions…..
I don’t have to lie to myself based on “ideology” or retarded party loyalty. I am not all that happy with hapless dems, but the Republiconvicts are organized crime.
@13- a joke, admittedly only mildly amusing at best, but I couldn’t resist. You set it up.
Frank Chopp also sold out enviros several years ago on the infamous dirty fill bill, which gave the Port of Seattle the right to use inadequate testing criteria on fill soil at the third runway. I think BIAW was partly behind Chopp’s decision on that one too.
@15 yes I did
And most homes here in Washington are built with such shoddiness it is ridiculous! Granted I have been dealing with a contractor for years that is a perfectionist. Then I go off and buy a new home from a developer. Now this development I live in built in record time and sold for prices way to high ( I bought my townhome in dec 07 for 540K and the ones selling around me can’t even sell at 450K) all have serious issues. I have yet to meet one homeowner in my development that hasn’t had at least one serious issue. Nails in sewer pipes, the drywall put up right over it?? I mean come on! Were the inspectors blind? LOL
@5 Let’s not forget that most of the Bush-era jobs were low-wage (and often temporary) service jobs, will millions of high-paying permanent manufacturing jobs were sent overseas, never to return.
Goldy: I like how you have asembled a list of important and salient quotes from the BIAW that shows what they stand for. A scorched earth policy of far right wing mentality – including the infamous John McCay part – where republicans deliberately ate their own moderate, fair and morally untouched members.
That kind of attitude is why I am no longer a republican. The philosophy of we are right no matter what and we can trample the constitution because we are “protecting” you – doesn’t cut it with me.
I refuse to be part of a party that creates huge deficits and that takes no responsibility for it’s actions.
The thing that amazes me is, who do Republican business people think they’re going to sell their products and services to after they’ve raped the middle class and no one has any money?
@6 I know a bit about Richard Sanders, have met him and talked law with him, and I don’t think he’s in BIAW’s pocket. Sanders is a libertarian, and while he has some unconventional ideas and can be dogmatic at times, no one owns him. He’s the court’s most vigorous defender of individual liberties, and would never approve the extralegal excesses of the Bushevik regime. We may disagree with him on political philosophy and some of his judicial rulings, but he’s a “good conservative.”
@7 See, Hannah? We have lots of wingnuts posing as “liberals” and “Democrats” on this blog. That’s because they’re too ashamed of being Republicans to admit it. They also think (wrongly) that this ruse gives them more credibility. Frankly, I think you’re one of ’em.
@13 So you’re one of the gluttons responsible for our region’s water crisis. I thought so. You seem like the type.
@19 Welcome to the Democratic Party. We’re a big tent. Reformed sinners will find many blessings in our tent.
@23 – There are 3 bathrooms in my 3 story townhouse, not all get used as ‘k’ and I were talking about. Obviously 1 of the bathrooms NEVER gets used, as the reason behind the issue with the bathtub not being used in the 1st 2 months.
Actually I have the lowest water bill in my entire development (over 100 homes), something I am very proud of! I grew up on propety with a well so I know all about water conservation, unlike most people living on city water sources!
What our Democratic legislature and governor need to do forthwith is revise the law that lets BIAW grab L & I tax payments and turn them into political slush funds to support rightwing candidates and causes.
@25 Wells are precisely the problem, dearie. To be precise, Washington historically didn’t regulate wells, only diversions of surface water, consequently in some areas wells have proliferated to the point where acquifers are being depleted and some day those acquifers will go dry. If you want to see what happens when unregulated development outstrips water supply, look at Atlanta.
In fact, water availability, not land availability, is likely to be the primary brake on future housing development in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties.
“There’s an apocalyptic pessimism which seemingly runs through Seattle liberal environmental advocates. […] This attitude and this pessimism likely explains in part why Seattle has lost its children. For those optimists who look for a silver lining in everything, conservatives are having babies and liberals are not which means that eventually conservatives will outnumber liberals in Washington State.”
This is an interesting comment, because Mr. McCabe is overlooking one little detail — most of the bedrock raving lunatic conservatives I know have kids who rejected their parents’ values and political philosophy, and are as bedrock-liberal in their own outlook as you can find anywhere.
So, conservatives, keep popping out those babies! Every time you do, Washington acquires another future liberal voter.
So when our well was low, we didn’t water lawns, we used pond water to water the plants…that is water conservation. People on city water don’t have any idea of what it is like to be low on water. Even when the power was out, so was the well, since it uses power and we never had backup. Our well shared among 5 homes, has been inspected by King County inspectors since the early 80’s so it must have been regulated to some degree.
Ha ha ha! And you stupid fucks thought that liberal politicians weren’t on their knees sucking big business cock. Bend over libs, cause you’re getting it right up the ASS where you like it!
@31 I believe that would be a health department inspection for dangerous bacteria.
BTW, I am and independent. So you motherfuckers had better come up with something other than some queer Republican in a toilet stall to shut me up.
You fuckers are so damn gullible. Like a battered wife, you think because they have a D in front of their name that they are there to represent you.
Ha ha ha. And I bet you dip shits believe in the Easter Bunny too!
@31 (continued) They wanted to make sure the contractor didn’t hook up your well pipe to the septic tank.
@34 I AM THE EASTER BUNNY!!!
@34 So, you’re another Republican liar pretending to be an independent? We have lots of those here.
Their idea of an “independent” is someone who has a formal membership in the Posse Comitatus instead of the GOP.
@ 35 – Contractor? HUH? When did I ever say a contractor had come out? The well has been in place since 1971 and is inspected by king County officials (land use department not health) since at least the early 80’s. So you’re saying that wells are unregulated? Why would they be inspecting the well and water source once a year all these years?
@ 36 THAT explains ALOT!!!!
Whatever you say looney toon. If calling me a Republican or whatever makes you sleep better at night after all the D’s fucked you like a one of Elliot Spitzer’s high classed whores or Larry Craig’s gay lover, then have at it.
Just stop pretending you are so fucking shocked when they whip out their loads and fill your throats with their man chowder. Just swallow as usual.
@36 For proof, click here. http://newswhitehouse.com/life.....%20com.jpg
Rabbit,
They permitted you on the White House lawn, at Eastertime no less? Surely this violation of the Establishment Clause (or is it the free exercise clause) requires prosecution. Doesn’t anyone care about our civil liberties anymore?
Good job on that one, Goldy.
So…is the loon at 34 a new psychopath, or has one of the regular schizophrenic righties merely switched personalities?
Does anyone care?
Yeah, neither do I.
Roger Rabbit says:
@19 Welcome to the Democratic Party. We’re a big tent. Reformed sinners will find many blessings in our tent.
03/10/2008 at 9:08 pm
Big tent, my ass. It’s 100% toe the line to the ultra left wing or you’re out.
BTW, to some of the left-wing loons in here ANY conservative is a psychopath which to me reeks of projection.
Freedom blather: our lefty loons are as far out at the edge of the political spectrum as your ‘mainstream’ movement conservatives. Which is why the party of angry over-the-hill white guys is in a tailspin.
McCabe and Chopp like eachother because they are both run of the mill populists. But the similarities don’t stop there. McCabe is a borderline psychopath who looks to El Salvador for his model economy. Chopp is on a mission to give poor folks more money…to ensure they stay poor. Also: the same way Bush and Bin Laden both need eachother, McCabe and Chopp use the same calculated (and lazy) methods to fight ‘against’ eachother….when, in the end, they are essentially on the same f’d up page.
Goldy: You nailed it here. McCabe is a true right wing nut case out to screw the system to his own advantage and damn anyone in his way. The endorsment of Chopp tells you that Chopp has been compromised – and that he is holding things up to help out the BIAW and their laissez faire agenda of “free enterprise” – aka lack of responsibility.
@19: Reformed republican – exacly! this is why the BIAW, the whiner Rossi and the rest of the corrupt republican crew have driven out the decent and honest people in pursuit of their political agenda – the means justifies the ends to them.
You are so odd. On Mars we never developed political parties. I guess that is the difference between a species evolved from ascavengers and plains dwelling vegetarians like ourselves?
Here on Mars we elect our representatives and expect them to deliberate on each issue as it is best for the world herd.
I guess apes can’r understand that sort of thing?
Hmmmmm….in the links to Orcinus detailing involvement of BIAW w/ultra-right wing orgs, there’s a brief mention of Maltby, Washington as the site of a conference held by these nutjobs about how the New World Order takeover of Cascadia was imminent.
Hmmm….Maltby, Maltby–now where have I heard something about Maltby before? Oh yeah. Isn’t Maltby where some supposed “eco-terrorists” torched some non-green “green” Street of Dreams houses recently?
And isn’t it also curious that this torching just happened to occuring during jury deliberations for the CUH arson defendant?
And isn’t it also curious that this SOD “eco-terrorism” was jumped on by the BIAW and other anti-enviro groups to further relax protections and standards for future developments?
And isn’t it also curious that the neighbors of the SOD homes were and are extremely po’d by the development which tolls the destruction of their rural lifestyle?
Hmmmm…..
As someone who has worked on this bill (more time than I care to mention) The BIAW and their spew machine have been working overtime to screw Washington state homeowners.
Frank Chopp is a willing accomplish by applying the KY jelly to the asses of the people in this state.
I am personally involved in a lawsuit against a builder that built my house. The builder in question, did not build my house to manufacturers specifications (on the products they used) ignored building codes and good building practices.
As I gleefully purchased my house I purchased a 10 Year Warranty to protect me against costly repairs. What I didn’t know was I actually purchased a document that let my builder off the hook as far as being able to sue them. I have to take them to arbitration. AND I have to foot the bill for the cost of the investigation,lawyers, and the arbitrator. The Arbitrator alone is $400.00 a hour. Some Builders now include waivers in the contracts that the home owners waive the right of habitability before they take the keys to the house.
The warranty I purchased only covers things that need to be fixed and weren’t a result of “Poor Workmanship” That means if the builder didn’t build it right…you’re not covered. (for those of you that are wondering…I was giving the warranty book only AFTER I signed all of the papers for my house)
I personally can afford to pay all of these costs and I will prevail in my arbitration case. But, what about those who can’t afford the 10-15 thousand it takes to present a case like this? In the case of one of my neighbors…he was forced to turn the keys to his house over to the bank. He had to walk away because he couldn’t afford the cost of the repairs (around 60K) and he couldn’t afford the 15K to take the builder to court.
I am on Frank Chopp’s ass on this one and everyone else in this state should be too.
Reggie,
I have real concerns that you are only beginning to become aware of problems wtih arbitration. You may be able to afford to pay the costs of arbitration, (so much for the industry’s claim that arbitration is cheaper, huh?), but arbitration can be very biased in the industry’s favor. It kind of operates on its own rules, and the arbitrators do repeat business with builders and warranty co’s, not with consumers. There is a big chance of bias in the industry’s favor because of that reality.
No matter how solid your case or deep your pockets, the arbitrator could rule against you, and have no obligation to explain his/her decision much less be accountable for it even it’s completely out of line. Please check out this Public Citizen report from 2004 on home warranty arbitration: http://www.citizen.org/pressro.....fm?ID=1775 From what I’ve seen this process has become less and less consumer-friendly.
This may be too late for you, or not even applicable, but if you had a FHA or VA loan and they told you you had to arbitrate with a warranty co, they were wrong. FHA and VA buyers do not have to arbitrate with warranty co’s according to the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 24, section 203.204(g). (Citation: 24 CFR 203.204(g).) There is more info, links, etc, on the HADD.com site, just look on the message boards under arbitration and also home warranties. I personally used this regulation, and feel that if I had not found out about it in time I’d have been lucky to get half my damages paid if anything. Instead, I was able to pursue my case and settle for pretty much all of my damages. These warranty co’s won’t necessarily volunteer to abide by the CFR rule; the homeowner has to know about it and agressively enforce it. I truly hope that for your own sanity you didn’t have an FHA or VA loan and are not now kicking yourself for this. But if you do, and if it’s not too late, I hope the regulation will help you.
@50
Most of our wingnuts seem to be from Mars. Do you export all the undesirables? Is this a form of warfare? Destroy our civilization and assimilate us? You’ll get the wingnuts back!
Have any of you KLOWNS ever taken a local at what the Construction Industry contributes to the economy??
Not only lots of jobs, including Union jobs, but huge amounts of sales tax, real estate excise tax, permit fees etc. etc.
Where do you think the $$ come from to create all those Government Jobs??
Without the Construction boom and the related tax revenue it generated, Gregoire would be in a huge deficit.
Seems like you Leftist Klowns would cut your leg off because you have a sliver in your eye!
If you want to know why housing prices are high, look at this Seattle Times article which chronicles a UW Study concluding regulation & bureaucratic delays add $200,000 to the average price of a home….
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....her14.html
Supply & demand and Government Regulation are the key drivers of home prices.
I assume everyone who posts on this Blog lives in a home…and many of you have rentals.
Who built them??
The Housing Market is still very soft…despite realtors doing their normal “puffing” and “crowing” that it’s picking up.
The impact will be felt in future Washington State Budget forecasts. They rainy day fund is smoke & mirrors.
The State Pension was underfunded by $5 BILLION on 6/30/07…and is much more underfunded now due to stock market decreases….although the market is up 320 points today.
Only a few of you KLOWNS understand basic economics….therein is why Washington State is headed for a real problem. Frank Chopp understands the State Budget. He is intellectually honest.
You KLOWNS are a bunch of Marxists!
Seattle would not be in such a snarl…
If Marx had been Groucho instead of Karl.
Yeah, enforcing the law by shutting down a jobsite for excessive runoff is almost exactly like gassing women and children.
Mr Cynical, and others from the industry posting here:
Visit the HADD web site and read all articles on the HADD Headline News page. Check out the data base of homeowner complaints. The home builders, crooked appraisers, title companies, realtors, and lenders are exactly who has DESTROYED this countries economy and our great government HAD to know what was going on for at least three years because we sure did. They turned a blind eye to the fraud going on in housing and now the industry who complains non-stop about over regulation is begging for a bailout and guess what — they will get it at the expense of the tax payers. That’s YOU too! OR just maybe those of you posting here ARE home builders
Well, yeah, it’s way more than obvius the Mr C is a shill for BIAW.
I hope they’re not paying on an effectiveness basis.
Well, actually, I do: He’s worth every inch of it.