* Finally, we’re winning the war in Iraq. I swear to God this month.
* It’s bullshit how little we spend on rail in this country.
* John Fund stepped away from beating his girlfriend long enough to pretend 8 of the 9/11 hijackers would have voted for Democrats.
* Before Hillary Clinton, nobody ever tried to get people to vote for them based on their gender. Just ask the NASCAR dads.
* General Petraeus’ spokesman is a liar.
* Vote on your favorite wingnut post of all time! Sadly, my favorite crazy post, that will be burned in my skull for ever, My Sharia is losing.
Locally:
* The Seattle Times’ Ed Board is shall we say, wrong-o on Prop-1.
* And speaking of the Times’ Ed Board. Yikes.
* Representative Curtis‘ story made the national blogs.
This is an open thread.
Piper called. He wants to know why not one of his posts were nominated?
Another Republican superstar (albeit at the state level) has flamed out amid a chorus of cronyism, sex and money. What else is new.
http://www.latimes.com/news/lo.....ome-center
@1…Carl…
I told you…if you want to be my press agent, you must be more aggressive! Either that, or I stop paying you!
The Piper
Just amazes me how this breed can so arrogantly defy the will of the people, violate the oaths they took and continue to go about as if nothing has happened.
Head in the sand politics. You gotta love it.
3:
I will need a sizable retainer to begin the herculean task of rehabbing your image with the general public. Here are a couple of pointers you may wish to work on:
1. Apologize for your past transgressions. Include every post that you have left on this and other sites.
2. Become a vocal supporter of all things liberal. In particular….repudiate waterboarding.
3. Last, but not least, make a contribution (which we will publicize) to the John Edwards campaign (Hillary is peaking too early).
Good luck.
Click on Piper’s name on any post he presents and his business website will come up. I’ve told him that his graphic looks like he’s “choking the chicken”, but he apparently doesn’t understand that euphemism, as he earlier explained to me that it was a ‘head’ and he’s a ‘headhunter’!
@5…Carl…
Sheesh…you’d make me look like a past-pull-date pile of pre-flush!
I’m sorry, but no matter how hard you’ve begged for the job, I’m not going to be able to use you in that unique capacity in the Rossi campaign that you said was tailor-made for you.
I hear His Popiness, Richard XI (soon to be XII) is hiring…minimum wage plus a nickel…
The Piper
http://www.scottstclair.com/Pipes.htm
“The Piper” blowing — or squeezing. It’s a cultural thing.
http://www.scottstclair.com/Pipes.htm
Photos of the Piper are available at the “sheep ceremony”. The Piper looks properly solemn as he blows the sheep into their maturity.
Question: Do you think that Giulianni realizes that he looks like a Nebbish? It’s hard to imagine a tough Nebbish. If he has to square-off against Clinton, It’ll be a tough Nebbish against a tough woman.
I see the woman winning.
“Fuck you, Bitch! I’m a tough Nebbish!” Rudolph Giulliani
What kind of self-respecting New York City Walyo family names their fuckin’ kid ‘Rudolph’? Gimme a fuckin’ break! I was born in Queens. I know what I’m talin’ ’bout.
Snail invasion in Tacoma Tideflats worries ag officials
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/11010656.html
I thought they were hippy’s who knew
Democrat David Obey thanks the troops.
Terrorists are ‘running out of people to kill,’ says Obey
If violence is decreasing in Iraq, it may be because insurgents “are running out of people to kill,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) said Monday.
http://thehill.com/leading-the.....11-06.html
So, who else has gotten the phone message that urged me to “join Democrats who are voting for Dan Satterberg?” I hung up before listening to the rest of the message. They could have, I guess, continued on to say that Dan Satterberg is a Republican but that, for some unexplained reason, there were hordes of Democrats voting for him.
But Occam’s Razor says that they’re simply trying to confuse partisan but uninformed voters.
Typical Republican skanks.
Another classic!
Who’s gonna notify the Pulitzer folks?
Check Postman’s blog – another state lege Republican on teh grill with, er, deportment problems.
“It’s bullshit how little we spend on rail in this country.”
I agree. Rail is an efficient way to move goods, but for decades, railroads have had to compete against other modes of transportation that are subsidized by the government, yet railroads receive no subsidies. That makes no sense.
The fact the Seattle Times opposes Prop. 1 doesn’t mean they’re not idiots. Getting that one right was an accident.
If railroads had been paying fucking attention, they’d be running the goddam airlines. Instead, the focused on rail and forgot that they were ultimately in the transportation biz and not just the rail biz.
@15 What? You didn’t give them 5 minutes of heavy breathing?
“There is something for everyone in it.”
That’s exactly what’s wrong with it. By the time they got done gilding the lily, they spent $37 billion. Does anyone have any fucking idea how much 37 BILLION DOLLARS is?!! Divided that by 20 years and 1 million households and you get $1,350 per family per year.
“They say you can’t please everyone all of the time, but this package is the result of years of political give and take.”
How about a transportation plan based on transportation needs instead of one based on politics?!
“Every argument against it has been considered and weighed by those that made the necessary compromises to draft a package that met as many of our needs as it could.”
What compromises? Their idea of “compromise” is to give everyone what they want … that’s how they managed to spend $1,350 per household per year.
http://www.kirkdorffer.com/ont.....h-on.shtml
“Actually, MVET alone for Monorail made no sense. It was too small a source of funding and by stubbornly sticking to it the Monorail board doomed the project. That and Mayor Nickels lack of support to drive through a solution to make the quad-pro-voted project work.”
So the solution to Monorail was to build it for $11 billion instead of the $1.75 billion that voters were promised, by socking people with more taxes?
Actually, the real problem with the Monorail’s funding source wasn’t that it was too small, but that no one intended to pay it. A significant percentage of the voters who approved the Monorail did so in the belief they could dodge the tax by registering their cars at post office boxes outside the city limits. After the Legislature closed that loophole, and the people who voted for the Monorail realized they would actually have to pay the tax, they demanded a revote and shot the Monorail down.
I certainly get the feeling that the same thing, to a certain extent, is going on with Prop. 1. The biggest boosters of light rail are not, I daresay, people who are going to pay a lot of car tab taxes or sales taxes for it. An expensive mode of transportation always looks better to people who think someone else will pay for it.
I wonder what some of these folks would think of light rail if it had to pay for itself and they had to drop $25 into the fare box every time they rode on it.
Speaking of bullshit, that term aptly describes Satterberg’s “nonpartisan” campaign. Lori Sotelo’s $770 campaign donation is cheap (for her) compared to the 130 ten-year terms she should be serving, preferably consecutively. After all, she signed her perjured voter challenge affidavits consecutively.
re 13: ‘hippies’ not ‘hippy’s’
In your situation, a guy who knows that kind of stuff can get a promotion.
Josh Feit calls “BULLSHIT” on Governor Christine Gregoire:
Gov. Gregoire Has Not Endorsed Democrat Bill Sherman
Posted by Josh Feit on November 5 at 16:53 PM
Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire is remaining “neutral” in the King County Prosecutor’s race.
I’ve already bashed Democratic state Sen. Adam Kline for endorsing the Republican in the race, Dan Satterberg.
But I was a little stunned to find that the Democratic governor has not enthusiastically endorsed a Democrat like Bill Sherman—a young, electable Democrat whom progressive voters in Seattle and King County are excited about. Gregoire needs a little traction in King County and getting behind a promising local candidate like Sherman could help. Or, more succinctly: Not helping the Ds win the KC Prosectuor’s Office could hurt.
http://slog.thestranger.com/20.....bill_sherm
Republican = Gay
In 2004, Whoda thunk?!?!
You like labeling gamnes. How do you like this one?
I’M JUSTA TOE-TAPPIN’ REPUBLICAN FAMBLY MAN!!! HEH HEH HEH!!!
@22 (continued)
“Substituting an income tax with a sales tax isn’t good for people with low incomes at all. I wonder if it hurt the Seattle Times to even have to use that argument?”
WTF?!! WHAT is this guy smoking? You know Prop. 1 is bullshit when someone shilling for it tries to convince you that the sales tax is less regressive than a state income tax!
Carl,
Speaking of rr’s…don’t overlook the massive patrimony We The People gave them back in the 19th century, thousands of square miles of free land. All so they could sell watered stock to the gulls.
It will be interesting to see what shit hits the fan tomorrow.
re 27: If you check Sherman’s website, you will see no claim that Gov. Gregoire (not Rossi) endorses him.
So, What you talkin’ ’bout, Willis?
Governor Gregoire:
NOT Rossi.
Just thought I’d savor that for a moment.
You DON’T ALWAYS WIN, DO YOU?
Gov. Gregoire……
Tough luck, loser….
35
“Bush stole Florida in 2000, we will win in 2004″… four years later Bush wins Florida by over 300,000 votes and put the whoop ass on Kerry by over 4 million votes*
*Vote adjusted to account for democrat voter fraud.
Nothing is sweeter. hehehehehe
@22 From your Kirkdorffer reference that Carl highlighted:
“However, who writes these editorials? “Five-tenths” = 50%. 50% of “six-tenths of a cent” = three-tenths of a cent. 50% does not equate to “mostly”. I’m just trying to follow their math. It doesn’t make the point they seem to be trying to make.”
———————————–
Five-tenths does not mean 50%. And this is the reasoning that is driving Prop 1 and calling the Times’ editorial nonsensical. In fact, they had the numbers and math right.
Here’s the deal:
Prop 1 will raise the sales tax by six-tenths of one percent, or 6 cents for every $10 dollar retail purchase. The MVET tax will be raised by $80 per $10,000 of vehicle value as spelled out by a RCW I posted earlier.
* The light rail portion of the propostion, ST2, will receive five-tenths of one percent, or 5 cents for every $10 dollar retail puchase (or, 5/6 = 83.34% of the sales tax increase).
* RTID will receive one-ten of one percent, or 1 cent for every $10 dollar purchase. In addition, it will receive the MVET funds described above.
IN ADDITION, ST2 will receive a portion of existing Sound Transit taxes. These taxes consist of:
* Four-tenths of one percent ST sales tax or 4 cents on a $10 retail purchase
* Three-tenths of one percent ST MVET or $30 for every $10,000 of vehicle value
The exact proportion ST2 will receive from these taxes is not explicitly spelled out, at least that I could see. However, from the financial docs it can be more or less estimated and it is fairly substantial.
Working backwards from RT numbers, they assume an average household spends $25,000 a year that is privy to sales tax. I don’t know how they derive this, but I’ll work with it. In addition, I’ve seen estimates than an average household has about 2 autos. The state has the actuals, and the RTID doesn’t publish these types of (very useful) assumptions in their financial docs, at least the I saw. Here are some results based on these:
1) Prop 1 will raise $150 a year in sales tax from each average household
2) Prop 1 will raise $160 a year in MVET from each average household
3) ST takes $100 currently from each average household each year through sale tax
4) ST takes $60 currently from each average household each year through MVET
Hence:
1′) Each average household will pay out $310 a year for new taxes
2′) Each average household will pay out $470 a year for all ST, RTID and ST2 taxes
The Prop 1 taxes will run through 2027, and I have to be adjusted thereafter until 2057 to service the debt. This is not spelled out after 2027 where I could see.
Incidentally, I think the financial projections are very iffy at best, simply because it’s so difficult to look this far ahead (the record commodity/energy price inceases over the last few years make a shambles of state roads cost projections – and this is over a several year period). Cost overruns are certainly one big area of risk.
Interesting footnote: These existing ST taxes are being used to operate and build Sound Move. So, if a portion of these are being siphoned off for ST2, how and when will they be replaced for Sound Move? And if they have to be replaced, doesn’t that leave taxpayers on the hook (sort of like the Social Security “trust” fund)?
Washington Poll Data On Ballot Measures
In case you’re wondering …
I-960 – 2/3rds Vote Required to Raise Taxes
Yes: 41%
No: 40%
Undecided: 18%
R-67, Insurance Claims
Yes: 48%
No: 31%
Undecided: 21%
Prop. 1, Roads & Light Rail
Yes: 43%
No: 46%
Undecided: 11%
8206 – Rainy Day Fund
Yes: 61%
No: 17%
Undecided: 22%
4204 – Simple Majority for School Levies
Yes: 59%
No: 31%
Undecided: 11%
http://www.washingtonpoll.org/results/102907.ppt
(The Washington Poll is a nonpartisan poll conducted by the University of Washington.
Roger Rabbit Commentary: It looks like R-67, 4204, and 8206 will pass easily. Eyman’s I-960 is a nail-biter, and still has a large overhang of “undecideds.” Prop. 1 also is close, but is more clearly defined with fewer undecideds and not very many respondents indicating they’re likely to change their minds, and appears headed for a fairly narrow defeat, which suggest to me that a better crafted transportation package could pass on a future ballot.
Support for Prop. 1 is actually a bit weaker than the “yes” and “no” responses show, because a higher percentage of the “yes” respondents said they might change their vote (9% vs. 6%). However, the total number of might-change responses is fairly small, indicating many people have solidified their opinions about this measure.
Prop. 1 leads only among Democrats, and only in King County:
Democrats: 56%-33%
Republicans: 29%-64%
Independents: 39%-44%
King County: 47%-43%
Pierce & Snohomish Counties: 37%-49%
And its King County lead is not large. These data certainly suggest many voters in Pierce and Snohomish conties perceive Prop. 1 as primarily for Seattle’s benefit.
So we’re going to decrease from 60% to 50% for property tax increases for schools and impose a 2/3 requirement to raise even the most minor fees?
Tell me again how these referenda are the clear voice of the people……..
Washington Poll Approval Ratings
The first number is “Strongly Approve” and “Somewhat Approve” combined; the second number is “Strongly Disapprove” and “Somewhat Disapprove” combined.
Bush: 35%-62%
Gregoire: 63%-30%
Legislature: 60%-23%
Congress: 39%-52%
http://www.washingtonpoll.org/results/102907b.ppt
Roger Rabbit Commentary: I don’t see anything here to give Republicans hope for Rossi or legislative races.
@39 This isn’t the first time Washington voters have been schizophrenic. Remember when they overwhelmingly passed two initiatives to reduce class sizes and raise teacher pay — and, on the same ballot, defeated a sales tax increase to pay for them?
Non-partisan office, my ass… er, bullshit.
http://www.washblog.com/story/2007/10/10/132441/82
The poll results are not surprising. Washington voters have been extremely tax-sensitive for a long time — a natural and predictable product of our regressive tax system.
Washington is mid-range among the states in terms of total state and local taxes. The problem is not spending or overall taxation, but the distribution of the tax burden.
The people who would pay for new spending initiatives financed with tax increases are, by and large, already maxed out in terms of their ability to pay and their tolerance for paying more taxes. I think we’ve hit a wall with our traditional taxes in this state, and raising property or sales taxes further will encounter fierce resistance.
The solution, of course, is comprehensive tax reform. There is no excuse for Washington’s failure to adopt the same mix of property, sales, and income taxes used by 45 other states. That blend of taxes is time-tested and works. Our tax system doesn’t work, and will continue to hold back funding for schools, transportation, and other essential public works until we reform it.
I voted against the “rainy day fund” because it will further handcuff our legislators’ ability to manage state revenues to citizens’ best advantage, and worse, funding it over the next 10 years will siphon current revenues away from current spending on education and other programs. It will have the same effect on the state budget as a revenue decline caused by a recession — and may take effect (it’s obviously going to pass) at the same time we get hit with a recession. This will lead to a state budget crunch and tight school funding.
I voted “no” on Eyman’s ill-advised I-960, of course.
Curtis told him that “his wife knew he liked men when they got married, but she was not into that, so he only did that when he was out of town,” the detective wrote in his report.
If Prop. 1 is defeated tomorrow, I think a new measure should be submitted on the Nov. 2008 ballot that will:
Fully fund a 4-lane replacement bridge for 520
Eliminate the Cross Base Highway
Fully fund S.R. 2 work in Everett
I don’t think Phase 2 should be taken off the table, but major changes are needed to make light rail expansion feasible:
The project must be completed much faster than 20 years;
Designers need to sharpen their pencils and sharply pare costs;
The MVET rate should be cut in half, and the rest funded with gas taxes, farebox revenues, and whatever federal and state subsidies are available;
Adequate parking must be provided at suburban boarding terminals;
The $2.5 billion U. District to Northgate tunnel is simply too expensive; explore surface options.
A Lynnwood-to-SeaTac route is a reasonable objective. If Tacoma and Everett want light rail links later, let them tax themselves to help pay for it, and let them decide what mix of taxes they’re willing to pay. For now, light rail is more likely to survive a ballot test if it’s limited to a taxing district encompassing the Seattle metro area, where it has more voter support. That’s also where the need for it is greatest, and where the biggest chunk of the state’s wealth is concentrated, making it easier to raise money in that area. Commuters using light rail should expect to pay a substantial fare, as commuting by light rail will save them a lot of money in foregone car use. They should not expect to have their commuting expenses heavily subsidized by non-commuters with modest incomes, such as students, low income families, and retirees.
It would be fine with me if all of this was paid for with local-option gas taxes. This would help reduce congestion and air pollution by discouraging unnecessary driving and gas-guzzling vehicles, and would put the tax burden on those who directly benefit from the improvements and generally have the greatst ability to pay.
It
I’m a pollworker, so I’ll be going to bed early tonight, and not posting on HA tomorrow. I don’t know if I’ll show up at Montlake; depends on how tired I am. The pollworkers usually wrap up and leave their polling places around 9:30 PM. I might be a late arrival at DL if I can still keep my brown bunny eyes propped open, but don’t count on me.
We’re winning in Iraq, despite 2007 being the bloodiest year over there…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....id=topnews
You’re right, what a buncha bullshit.