Washington 2020: The Calm Before the Drizzle

[bgwah]

Nickels came third? What'd he do to become so unpopular?

Seattle did the same thing in 2001: incumbent Mayor got third...

Quite frankly, Seattle is just a whiny complainer city. He's never been popular. Supposedly some are upset with how he handled the snow storm last winter.

[bgwah]

It took *eight years* to make a decision on the viaduct. And the right decision was made. But no, McGinn wants to change it. He would probably fail, but he may be able to drag it out for years.

Quite frankly, if that viaduct collapses because he dragged the process out longer than he should have, then I am 100% okay with putting him right on death row for mass murder. Because the people who die when that happens? The blood will be on McGinn. And if it happens during the day, he's going to be drenched. Seattle is really bad at this kind of thing. It's called the "Seattle process," everything is dragged out and prolonged. It takes *forever* to make a decision. Nickels was good at cutting through this. But McGinn? He epitomizes it... He is the Seattle process candidate. I hate the Seattle process. It must be destroyed. I don't want to risk having the viaduct rebuilt. Rebuilding the viaduct will destroy Downtown Seattle for generations!! The surface option is retarded and doesn't make sense, either. It would also threaten Pike Place Market. And you don't f**k with Pike Place Market!

Furthermore, Nickels was such a strong supporter of in-city growth. He raised height limits downtown, encouraged developments around transit stations, etc... On the other hand, McGinn is one of those annoying "slow growthers." And slow growth just means pushing the growth to the suburbs. He claims to be an environmentalist, but if he were really one then he would be in favor of getting as much of the population growth in the city as possible. Not cutting down forests for cookie-cutter subdivisions.

Nickels gave us results. He raised height limits downtown, he finally got our light rail network started, he had a great environmental record, he was getting rid of the viaduct... He was doing well on the issues important to me. And it upsets me to see him go.

Lewis--You're wrong on McGinn!! I fear his idiotic "surface option" may risk having the state just go ahead and build a viaduct. McGinn is definitely the best bet for rebuilding the viaduct.

McGinn is a populist virus and he must be exterminated!

[bgwah]

Wouldn't that just split the Lefty vote and elect Mallahan? Or is Murray hotdamn popular and might just push both people to the wall?

He's got more name recognition then either Mallahan or McGinn by a mile, and he'd have the heavy backing of the labor unions (all of which had been behind Nickels). I think you're right though that it'd much more heavily cut into McGinn's voting base.

It would also depend on the type of campaign he'd end up running. It could be a serious campaign about actually becoming mayor or it could be just about making a point for the grumpy Nickels supporters or it could be an extension of the R-71 fight and make it a whole gay rights thing. Murray is a gifted and powerful politician though, and he's being pushed into doing this, so I suspect it'd be a legitimate campaign.

I would have to learn more about Murray's position on urban issues like the tunnel, but I like his work in the state legislature.

I was always under the impression that Murray was just waiting for McDermott's seat, though...

[bgwah]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2009737129_seiu_getting_to_know_mcginn_ma.html

Murray says there's a 25% he'll run and will decide by next week.

[bgwah]

The last ballots seem to be trickling in... Hutchison has dropped every day, I think. She's now at 33.07%.

[bgwah]

Nickels fell further behind... Bag tax is up to 43%. Stupid Seattle.

Hutchison also dropped to 35.92%

I just read that Hutchison served on the board of directors for the anti-evolution "intelligent design" organization, The Discovery Institute.

Good grief! I know she's running for County Executive, a position that deals more with road grades, zoning and budgets rather than hot button social issues, but still--how is someone like that running strong in metro Seattle?

Eh, George W. Bush got about the same %.

[bgwah]

Ed Murray isn't running for Mayor...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2009786412_the_stranger_murray_wont_run.html

[bgwah]

This is just disgusting. I might just go and protest this.

WTF Glenn Beck is a Washingtonian? *BARF* just goes to show that NW Republicans truly are insane.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/why-do-you-hate-me/Content?oid=2156227

*begins to cry*

ROFL at the last one... When did MODU move back to Washington?

[bgwah]

LOL Glenn Beck was a DJ for Kube 93? wtf

[bgwah]

Hutchison polled about 5-7 behind what the polls said she would get in the primary... I could see her getting 40-42%.

But whatev, I'm still 99.999% sure she'll lose.

also, she's apparently winning 76% of the black vote. lolz

[bgwah]

The Seattle Times was kind enough to make 2009 maps unlike stupid Alcon...

King County Executive: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2009/09/09/2009832174.pdf

Seattle  Mayor: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2009/09/09/2009831662.pdf

[bgwah]

Brad Owen sucks, Part XXV: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2009833043_wes_uhlman_brad_owen_endorse_h.html

[bgwah]

Brad Owen sucks, Part XXV: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2009833043_wes_uhlman_brad_owen_endorse_h.html

I am not surprised that Owen would endorse Hutchison as my opinion of him was already low.  As a Democrat, I am embarrassed that he is in our party. 

I wouldn't worry about that Survey USA poll.  Once the Democratic Machine starts grinding Hutchison will be crushed.  She is a pathetically easy target.  The average person is paying little to no attention to this race at this point, most Democratic voters are unaware of Hutchison's (lack of) policy plans, her embarrassing statements/actions and her political affiliations.  That will likely change soon.

I'm not worried, either. Looking at this past primary as well as the 2005 election, Republican candidates tend to over poll by at least 5 points.

[bgwah]

BTW, "Gayrightsapalooza" is my favorite thread name so far.

[bgwah]

Once people realize it's an Eyman initiative, the "definitely oppose" should shoot up to 35-40%!

Also, I will be very surpised if R71 doesn't pass by a large margin.

[bgwah]

Once people realize it's an Eyman initiative, the "definitely oppose" should shoot up to 35-40%!

Also, I will be very surpised if R71 doesn't pass by a large margin.

Many people thought that Prop 8 would fail... but then look what happened.

1) I think Washington would've rejected Prop 8 had we voted on it.
2) This isn't gay marriage! It's not even civil unions. It's domestic-friggin-partnerships. Even Arizona was against such an extensive gay rights ban, and South Dakota almost was as well.

[bgwah]

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_union_push.html

Are the inevitable cracks finally starting to form in the GOP's domination of South Central Washington...?

[bgwah]

Though it is not as if Washington hasn't become freakishly hard for the republicans in the last 10 or so years.

I won't be happy until every single one of them is voted out of office!

[bgwah]

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_union_push.html

Are the inevitable cracks finally starting to form in the GOP's domination of South Central Washington...?

Interesting.  We do have a large agriculture industry here.  And as the article notes, it certainly puts a local angle on the simmering card-check debate.

It doesn't surprise me that Microsoft is supporting Approve I-71 vigorously.  I worked there in the late 1990s and while I hated that job, I was impressed at how gay friendly the place was.  Quite a few employees were out.  They have a group called Gay and Lesbian Employees at Microsoft (GLEAM) and I surmise they have been important in pushing for rights, including when the corporation initially went wobbly after threats from the loathsome Rev. Hutcherson. 

Unfortunately, I fear that Tim Eyman's horrible new initiative (I-1033) is going to pass.  Social conservatism doesn't have much traction in Washington state, but playing on anti-tax sentiment is often quite effective. 

I-1033 is scary. The county results will be interesting. I always like seeing Whitman becoming one of the most pro-tax counties on these initiative votes. A lot of "conservatives" there change their tune when funding to WSU is threatened.

[bgwah]

... Yes

[bgwah]

Damn Washington, chu got some crazy fundies.

http://vimeo.com/6853620

Didn't know California could be outclassed. They're not even pulling that in Maine... where there actually is a same-sex marriage law up for a vote! Can't you just wait for the real marriage law to come up for a vote?

I've said numerous times that the only reason a rich libertarian state like Washington is so Democratic is because our Republican Party is downright insane.

[bgwah]

R71 = Domestic partnerships

I-1033 = Relates to property taxes, I would just look here: http://no1033.com/index.php?page=display&sub=1&id=6

[bgwah]

Really shows you who the decent people in this election are. One focuses their campaign on happiness and love, while the other focuses on fear, hate, and lies.

[bgwah]

Too bad you didn't videotape it.

[bgwah]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2010040661_rally11m.html

Apparently Christians escaping persecution deserve freedom here in the U.S., but the gays living here already don't.