The Stranger Election Control Board’s Endorsements For the November 6, 2012, General Election
Reelect Our Kenyan Muslim Overlord! (With CHEAT SHEET!)
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They say politics are boring. They say nobody cares. And sometimes they're right. So we do what we can to make the insurance commissioner contest or some equally dull bullshit—like that riveting race for state auditor—sound exciting in our endorsements.
But not this year. This year, we don't have to make it exciting. Holy Islamic gay Jesus, people, have you looked at your ballot yet?
Stranger Personals
This year, we get to vote on reelecting our Muslim socialist president, legalizing pot, legalizing gay marriage, mandating burrito drops—this election is so fucking exciting that you're going to need a Xanax smoothie right after you vote.
But you do have to vote—because all that exciting shit isn't going to legalize itself. Both gay marriage and legal pot are teetering on the brink. If they lose, it'll be because you had that Xanax smoothie before you voted. If they win, it's because you voted for gay marriage and legal pot—and free burrito drops—before you had your Xanax smoothie.
Even the governor's race is exciting this year: Republican Rob McKenna is running for governor, and he's a right-wing, anti-choice fuckwad who wants to lock up pot smokers, break up gay couples, and give you zero burritos. Vote for Democrat Jay Inslee instead, a man who kicked off his campaign with a solemn promise to legalize gay burritos everywhere.
And when you're done voting for all the exciting shit, well, there's some boring shit on your ballot, too. But you're already voting, right? So keep voting, because even the boring shit is important. Like that goddamn race for auditor. Pick the Democrat over the crazy teabagger. There's also a race for the state supreme court, where pro-life, anti-gay hypocrite Richard B. Sanders is trying to claw his way back onto the bench he was voted off two years ago. As always, there are four impossibly dull ballot measures referred by the legislature. On all that shit, just vote the way we tell you to—and if you disagree with our endorsement, write in "burrito drops."
Initiative Measure 1185
Vote No
Jesus Fucking Christ, here we go again. This Tim Eyman measure would "restate"—as if it hasn't been stated, and stated, and restated a million times already—that the Washington State Legislature must somehow come up with an impossible-to-achieve two-thirds majority vote in order to raise taxes. Ever.
Wondering why our state is broke, our social services have been so brutally slashed, and the Washington State Supreme Court recently ruled that we're in violation of our constitutional duty to provide a good public education to all citizens? This is why. This fucking initiative. This goddamned idiot bait of a measure, which Eyman keeps packaging and repackaging, year after year, is the reason. Sadly, a majority of our state's voters are morons who like the idea of making it impossible for the legislature to raise taxes, but who don't think about what that actually means for the condition of roads, tuition at universities, class sizes in elementary schools, etc.
Right now, our supreme court is considering whether these Eyman turdlets run afoul of our state constitution's rules for defining legislative majorities (spoiler alert: THEY DO! OBVIOUSLY!), and maaaaybe the high court will rule on the question before the election. But then again, since the high court's justices are elected by a popular vote every six years (WE ARE BANGING OUR HEADS ON OUR DESKS HERE), they probably won't rule before the election, the cowards.
Vote no.
Initiative Measure 1240
Vote No
If there were a single credible, independent, peer-reviewed study to suggest that charter schools do a better job of educating children than traditional public schools, we might drop our opposition to this measure. But there isn't. A widely cited Stanford University study finds that 17 percent of charters do substantially better, while 37 percent do substantially worse. Maybe it's our public-school education, but we don't like those odds.
I-1240 would draw scarce funding from existing public schools, while handing control over these dollars from elected school boards to private boards. A petition signed in secret by a majority of a school's parents could initiate the conversion of your neighborhood school to a charter school, but there's no like provision to convert a charter school back to a public school. Charters are nominally nonprofit, but there's nothing to stop them from contracting operations to for-profit companies. There's a lot of money to be made off of I-1240, hence the $8.3 million backing it got from the likes of Alice Walton, the Bezos family, Paul Allen, and Bill Gates. (The idea that Bill Gates, who never set foot in a public school as either a student or a parent, should tell us how to run them is doubly insulting.)
Proponents argue this is only a test run, allowing just 40 charters statewide over the next five years. But we know a foot in the door when we see one. Once voters approve even this limited measure, lawmakers will lose their aversion toward expanding its scope. But mostly, we object to the timing. In the wake of the state supreme court's landmark McCleary v. State decision requiring billions more for basic education, charter school advocates have squandered the opportunity to actually fund our public schools, pushing a divisive, ineffective, free market "reform" instead.
Vote no.
Referendum Measure 74
Vote Approved
Thanks to a perversion in our democracy, the rights of gay and lesbian couples that want to marry—a fundamental civil right—will be decided by popular vote. But let us not dwell on how icky that is, how starkly unjust it is that some schmuck in Ritzville, who argues "them parts don't fit," gets to decide whom you can and cannot marry. And don't obsess on the roundly debunked claims that equality for gay people, through some sort of funhouse mirror, will result in discrimination against straight people. Sure, the ads from Preserve Marriage Washington claim that business owners will face lawsuits or schools will be required to teach about gay marriage, but there's no evidence of it. Let's instead focus on the positive: your vote to approve this referendum! As you fill in this all-important "Approved" bubble for R-74, thereby upholding a law passed by the legislature earlier this year, we want you to think about November 7—the day after this shit passes. Envision all the smiling, crying, rejoicing couples that will be counting down to December 6, when they can finally, legally wed. Picture Jesus tap-dancing in heaven to a looping soundtrack of "It's Raining Men" and "We Are Family." Imagine the deluge of impeccably tasteful weddings you'll be attending next summer with open bars serving high-end vodka. Oh yeah, and think about how right it feels to support the rights of others. Then, when you've bled a pen dry on that motherfucking "Approved" bubble, go celebrate—light a joint, eat a steak, drink a pitcher of wine, have a burrito, and then treat yourself to an orgasm. You're one fine motherfucking human being. Be proud.
Vote approved.
Initiative Measure 502
Vote Yes
Passing Initiative 502 would make Washington the first state to legalize the possession of up to an ounce of pot. Meanwhile, it would license farmers to grow it, companies to distribute it, and stores to sell it.
In doing so, I-502 would stop roughly 10,000 marijuana arrests a year in Washington State, freeing up law-enforcement resources while at the same time putting a stop to the pot-law-enabled harassment of racial minorities. According to a study released last week by three New York academics, blacks and Latinos in Washington use marijuana at a lower rate than white people, but they are arrested for pot at 2.9 times the rate of white people.
You're going to hear plenty of half-baked reasons to vote against I-502. Just last Monday, a pack of former drug czars and DEA agents argued that we shouldn't legalize pot because it will lead to a federal legal challenge. But challenging federal law is the whole damn point. And if all these former drug czars are so confident that I-502 would be overturned by the Feds, why are they campaigning so hard to stop it from passing in the first place?
Some medical marijuana industry profiteers are also opposing I-502. They dislike the prospect of new taxes and regulations on dispensaries, and they complain that the initiative's DUI law is too strict. It stipulates that people with more than five nanograms of active THC (the psychoactive compound in marijuana) per milliliter of blood would be automatically guilty of DUI. That's like the .08 blood alcohol limit for drunk driving. They claim that stoners will test positive for driving high the next day—or a week—after they last smoked pot, when they're no longer impaired.
There is no science to back them up. None. Zero. They're lying.
The scientific research that does exist shows people's blood levels of THC drop below the I-502 cutoff within a few hours, and always by the next day.
This is the year to pass I-502. Voter turnout is high, so more young and progressive voters make this the ideal electorate to legalize pot. If we don't, roughly 10,000 people will continue to get busted every year.
Vote yes.
PROPOSALS FROM THE LEGISLATURE
These things are always—with. out. fail.—written in Sanskrit and then translated into Danish using the worst online translator available, after which they are translated back into English by a recent immigrant whose first language is French. However. We have figured them out. You can buy us a beer later.
Senate Joint Resolution 8221 would limit the amount of money the state can borrow for construction projects at a time when we need more construction projects to fix broken shit and boost the economy. Vote Rejected.
Senate Joint Resolution 8223 would allow state schools like the University of Washington to gamble some of their savings in investments in private companies and the stock market, but only after legislative approval. Risky! However: What choice do they have if we're going to systematically underfund our schools? As long as you're already voting to reject I-1185 (for the school-underfunding reasons stated above), then you can hold your nose, cross your fingers, blow on the dice you're shaking in your hand. Vote Approved.
Advisory Vote 1, Senate Bill 6635 asks us to affirm the legislature's decision to close a tax loophole benefiting out-of-state banks. This is purely a symbolic vote, and some deals were made to get this stupid loophole closed that you probably won't like. You don't want to know. Still, it's worth it. Vote Maintained.
Advisory Vote 2, House Bill 2590 is another symbolic vote, this one to support the legislature's decision to keep strong underground fuel tank safety standards going. Vote Maintained.
King County Proposition 1, Fingerprint ID System
Vote Approved
If a stranger stabs your toddler in the face, you want that fucker found, right? King County's Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) is a regional fingerprint database accessible to all local law enforcement agencies. It helps solve "more crimes than all other forensic sciences combined," says King County prosecuting attorney Dan Satterberg. Voters first approved a property tax levy for AFIS in 1986 and have renewed it four times. If renewed again, the county levy would impose a 5.92-cent tax per $1,000 dollars of property value beginning in 2013. Don't let a stranger rape your toddler's face off and get away with it. Vote approved.
President and Vice President of the United States
Barack Obama and Joe Biden
This endorsement might seem like a no-brainer, but this shit is important, so let's go over it one more time. Electing Barack Obama to a second term goes beyond the standard Democratic boilerplate about how a Democratic president will nominate Democratic judges to the US Supreme Court—though that is vitally important, and is the reason we don't at all regret voting for John Fucking Kerry in 2004.
The thing that's easy to forget in the middle of all this bullshit is that Obama has been a very good president. He saved us from a second Great Depression; he passed health care reform that future Democrats can utilize as a first step to a national health care system; he's made investments in science, transportation, and green energy that will pay off for decades; he supported gay marriage at just the right moment; and he's made dozens of advancements for equality and dignity (Lilly Ledbetter, DADT repeal, executive orders for humane immigration reform) that have changed millions of people's lives for the better.
Sure, there are issues—with presidents, there are always issues—where he's dropped the ball (drones, Gitmo, drones). Those are serious issues. But right now, President Obama needs our help. After all he's done for us, we owe him the opportunity to transform from a very good president into a truly great one in his second term.
US Senator
Maria Cantwell
Yeah, Maria Cantwell can be a little icy. But in her second term, she's iced greedy Wall Street bankers and health-care-reform opponents, and her challenger is a creepy anti-choice Republican state senator named Michael Baumgartner who doesn't support abortion even in cases of rape. Jesus.
US Representative, Congressional District 1
Suzan DelBene
Here is Republican John Koster on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, in his own words, from a video posted to his own campaign website: "It has become a system that punishes those who dare to dream, those who dare to invest, those who dare to work hard or succeed. And it seems to reward the mediocrity, dare I say it, slothfulness, and laziness, of those who choose not to do those things. And, furthermore, it creates a dependency on government programs, even an addiction I can say, by virtue of the sense of entitlement it creates."
Jesus Fucking Christ.
Democrat Suzan DelBene may not be the most—er—dynamic candidate to come before the SECB, but she won't vote to privatize Social Security, repeal Obamacare, turn Medicare into a voucher program, or ban abortion. Koster will. For chrissakes, vote for DelBene.
US Representative, Congressional District 7
Jim McDermott
Seattle Congressman for Life Jim McDermott is now running in the general against a Republican whose name we can't recall but it rhymes with "penis." McDermott deserves a 165th term in office.
US Representative, Congressional District 9
Adam Smith
Representative Adam Smith may be whiter than Idaho snow, but he's progressive enough to represent Washington's redrawn 9th Congressional District, which now has a majority population of racial minorities. He's pro–gay marriage, is against extending Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy, and supported the Dream Act. Smith's Republican opponent, Jim Postma, humps tax cuts for fun.
Governor
Jay Inslee
Forget the focus groups and polls and campaign ads. All you really need to know about the governor's race is this: Elect Jay Inslee, and 350,000 additional low-income Washingtonians get health insurance. Elect Rob McKenna, and they don't.
The only thing McKenna won in his partisan lawsuit to overturn Obamacare was the right for states to opt out of the crucial Medicaid expansion, an option McKenna seems intent on exercising. This would cost Washington hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds, while denying hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians the preventative care they desperately need.
You want other reasons? Inslee supports marriage equality; McKenna doesn't. Inslee champions reproductive rights; McKenna prevaricates. Inslee leads on green energy and the environment; McKenna whines that we have too much regulation.
Both candidates promise to increase spending on education, though neither really knows how to pay for it. But at least we know Inslee's heart is in the right place, whereas McKenna's heart is in a mayonnaise jar buried on the Isla Cruces. Vote for Inslee.
(Read more on why Rob McKenna is such a creeper here.)
Lieutenant Governor
Bill Finkbeiner
We know, we know: Bill Finkbeiner is the R-word. (No, not "rapist." The other "R" word—wait, what? No, not "retarded." The other other R-word.) But he's the sort of uncommon, socially progressive Republican who is pro-choice, supports gay marriage, and even says he'd support a tax increase to fund education (although he was vague on specifics). It isn't just lip service—he's endorsed by progressive organizations, including NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, Planned Parenthood, Washington Conservation Voters, and Cascade Bicycle Club. He even has 14 years of experience in Olympia as a state representative and senator to back it up. But most importantly, Finkbeiner solemnly swore on a stack of hemp-paper Bibles that if the state supreme court strikes down Tim Eyman's wildly destructive law requiring a two-thirds legislative majority to raise taxes, Finkbeiner won't honor this year's update to that initiative, I-1185, which you should vote against. "If the supreme court decides it's unconstitutional, then it's unconstitutional," he says. This is more of a promise than we could squeeze out of feckless Democrat Brad Owen, the incumbent in this race and a worthless waste of space who has spent the last dozen years touring the state with his crappy-ass rock band and crusading to lock up pot smokers. Want to support Brad Owen? Buy his shitty CD. But vote for Finkbeiner.
Secretary of State
Kathleen Drew
To say that Kathleen Drew impressed us with her depth of knowledge of elections procedures would be an understatement. On wonky question after wonky question, Drew, a former state senator, has a thoughtful and informed response. Other editorial boards have touted Republican Kim Wyman as the only county auditor in the race, as if that is a prerequisite for the office of secretary of state. We checked the Constitution. It's not.
So since both candidates have a reputation for being competent, dedicated public servants, and since both display an encyclopedic knowledge of elections procedures, we're voting for the Democrat. So should you. Vote for Drew.
State Treasurer
Jim McIntire
Republican challenger Sharon Hanek insists her opponent has failed to adequately perform the duties of state auditor, which is fine by us considering that Jim McIntire is the incumbent state treasurer. Under McIntire, Washington enjoys one of the highest credit ratings in the nation; the only thing we could do to improve it, he says, is to implement an income tax and get rid of the initiative process. Fuck, yeah! Reelect motherfuckin' McIntire.
State Auditor
Troy Kelley
He wasn't the most liberal Democrat in the state house, and the ethical dust cloud kicked up by some old lawsuits gives us pause, but at least Troy Kelley isn't a herp-derp-stupid teabagger like his Republican opponent, James Watkins. Kelley's impressive credentials include JD and MBA degrees (as well as a possible OCD), plus his chairmanship of the legislature's JLARC committee (trust us, it has something to do with auditing). Despite his airs of nonpartisanship, Watkins has run for Congress multiple times as a far-right Republican. Vote for Kelley.
Attorney General
Bob Ferguson
This race is more important than you think. Holy fuck, is it ever. Republican Reagan Dunn is a lazy, entitled pretty boy with one of the worst voting and attendance records on the King County Council. Yet a few million dollars from one of Karl Rove's Super PACs is inches away from hoisting Dunn up onto the stepping-stone the attorney general's office has proved to be. Let him steal this one, and Dunn is on a path to Congress or the governor's mansion.
Democrat Bob Ferguson, on the other hand, is the hardest working member of the King County Council with one of the best voting and attendance records. An accomplished attorney with the civil law experience the office really demands, Ferguson promises to be a fierce advocate for consumer protection. Ferguson also has a sometimes-annoying independent streak, for those who admire that sort of thing in an AG.
Stick a fork in Dunn's undeserved career and elect Ferguson.
Commissioner of Public Lands
Peter J. Goldmark
Possibly the only thing standing between us and a kajillion tons of coal dust billowing through downtown Seattle is the commissioner of public lands, who must grant environmental permits before any new coal terminals can be built. We trust Democratic incumbent Peter J. Goldmark to once again do the right thing for the state and the environment. So should you. Reelect Goldmark.
Insurance Commissioner
Mike Kreidler
Vote for Mike Kreidler. He's the Democrat who's been doing this job for the last 12 years, overseeing and regulating 48 insurance companies in Washington. In his next term, he says, "Well over half of the operation of the office will be focused on health insurance." Much of that work is ensuring Obamacare—aka the Affordable Care Act—is implemented fairly and justly. We trust Kreidler to handle Obamacare, not his Republican, teabaggy challenger, John R. Adams, who spouted debunked myths about Obamacare taxes that don't exist in our interview. Yeesh.
Legislative District 11
Senator
Bob Hasegawa
Democrat Bob Hasegawa is on a mission to create a state bank—which would reinvest state money back into the state's infrastructure—and close tax loopholes and plug for an income tax. Right on. His opponent is a Republican dental hygienist whose greatest accomplishment is "revitalizing her son's high school football program," her voters' pamphlet statement boasts. To her detriment, Kristin Thompson is even endorsed by the Seattle Times. Pox! Vote Hasegawa.
Representative Position 1
Zack Hudgins
Unlike some weak-ass Dems in the legislature, Zack Hudgins is willing to go to bat for things like a statewide income tax and allowing 16-year-olds to preregister to vote. His opponent, Jim Flynn, agrees with Hudgins on some things but is too green to get any of them done, so we're not sure why he's running. Vote Hudgins.
Representative Position 2
Steve Bergquist
Steve Bergquist was the least impressive of the four Democrats running in the primary, but clearly, we don't know fuck about the redrawn 11th District. A high-school teacher, Bergquist handily beat the higher-profile, better-funded Democrats in the primary election. Go figure. We'd give his Republican opponent a fair hearing—we already endorsed one Republican this year—but she was too chickenshit to come in and talk to us. Bergquist would be the only active teacher in the legislature. Give him a shot.
Legislative District 34
Representative Position 1
Eileen L. Cody
Representative Eileen L. Cody is a practicing nurse and legislator (double your money!) whose legislation has helped lower Washington prescription drug costs and create a state program that compares insurance policies. She's the woman you want ushering in Obamacare as the head of the house's health-care committee. Her opponent, William Giammarese, has absolutely no legislative or blood-drawing experience. Vote Cody.
Legislative District 36
Representative Position 1
Reuven Carlyle
Reuven Carlyle (D-Vespa Scooters) is one of the smartest dudes in the legislature and has been a champion of closing stupid tax loopholes and fixing our state's other structural revenue problems. His opponent, Leslie Klein, hails from the "(R) Hope&change Party," whatever the fuck that's supposed to be. Vote Carlyle.
Representative Position 2
Noel Christina Frame
"I want to lead a statewide conversation about an income tax," Noel Christina Frame brashly proclaimed at a League of Women Voters forum on July 12. Say no more.
As the Washington State director of Progressive Majority and a longtime board member of the Washington Bus, Frame has spent years working to recruit and elect progressives to office. As a young social justice advocate, Frame has personally walked the talk, taking in and fostering two cousins whose mother couldn't care for them. Frame promises to be a bulldog of a politician, tenaciously fighting for progressive reform, even if it means dragging the rest of the Democratic caucus with her. Nobody else in Seattle's legislative delegation has taken such a bold stance—nor has her general- election opponent.
Frame's opponent, Port of Seattle commissioner Gael Tarleton, also says a lot of the right things, but she lacks Frame's passion and clarity. Both candidates say they want to spend more money on education, infrastructure, and social services, but only Frame zeroes in on our state's structural revenue deficit as the real obstacle to a progressive agenda. The problem: Washington relies on a sales tax more than any other state, but the sale of goods has been a shrinking portion of our economy for the last five decades, resulting in systematic cuts to education year after year. Frame understands the problem and is prepared to fix it. Plus, she's got the sole endorsement of Governor Chris Gregoire, a host of progressive labor unions, and prominent environmental groups. She's got our support, too. Vote for Frame.
Legislative District 37
Representative Position 2
Eric Pettigrew
Eric Pettigrew, man, fuck. Seriously: fuuuuuck. The dude gets fiery about charter schools—the Great White Whale that's magically going to fix all our public school problems—but where's that passion when it comes to closing tax loopholes, or creating a state income tax, or any other method for actually fucking funding our public schools? Since his sole opponent is a nutty Ron Paul organizer, we're holding our nose and voting for Pettigrew anyway. But fuuuuck.
Legislative District 43
Representative Position 2
Kshama Sawant
The two-party system has resulted in a squabbling Olympia and a distracted Democratic Party that's become too satisfied with incremental—and often meaningless—gestures on the biggest issue facing the state. Our failure to adequately fund schools, preschools, colleges, health care, and literally everything that costs money is rooted in a structural revenue deficit that we've known about since the Gates Commission published its tax structure report in 2002. What have the Democrats done to fix that fundamental problem? Basically nothing.
They need a kick in the ass, and that kick is called third-party candidates. But far too often, third-party candidates are fucking loons.
Then there's Kshama Sawant. An economics instructor at Seattle University and Seattle Central Community College, Sawant is not a loon. She's uniquely qualified to understand how our state legislature has screwed over higher-education funding and how to fix that problem. She's also a flaming—and brilliant—Socialist Alternative candidate.
She's challenging Democratic house Speaker Frank Chopp, the second-most- powerful person in Olympia, who has presided over the last decade's devastating cuts to colleges (UW tuition has increased 82 percent over four years), to say nothing of slashing funding for health care and the disabled, and gutting funding from state agencies. Is Chopp personally responsible? Not entirely. He's a good man who has tried hard to fight for the poor, students, and the sick (while sometimes squandering his majority). But he's the party leader, and he's not going to lose this election, so this is a perfect opportunity for a third-party candidate to inject fresh ideas into mainstream politics.
Vote Sawant.
Legislative District 45
Representative Position 1
Roger Goodman
We're not endorsing in every single one of the godforsaken Eastside legislative races, but we did somehow force ourselves to care about this one race, between solid lefty Roger Goodman and anti-woman conservative Joel Hussey.
In the primary, Hussey pulled 45 percent to Goodman's 49 percent. Too close for comfort! Especially when you consider that Goodman is a rarity in the state legislature: a smart, effective, mellow dude who is so progressive on drugs that you feel in an altered state just sitting next to him. He's for closing tax loopholes, better funding for education, and the new 520 bridge (duh, it will basically go straight to his district).
Hussey brags in his voters' guide statement that his political experience is "none." So let's do what we can to keep his experience at "none." Vote Goodman.
Legislative District 46
Representative Position 1
Gerry Pollet
Say what you like about state representative Gerry Pollet (and a lot of people colorfully do), his years of fierce environmental and Democratic Party activism earned him his appointment to fill out a vacant house term, and a productive freshman session has earned Pollet the right to keep it. We like Pollet's smart, young challenger Sylvester Cann, but he seems too eager to appease both sides of every issue, and we just don't trust him on charter schools. Pollet is exactly the kind of unapologetic, brash liberal voice we need more of in Olympia, and unless and until he fucks up, he deserves to keep the job. Vote for Pollet.
Representative Position 2
Sarajane Siegfriedt
Democrats in Olympia have proved prodigious at passing groundbreaking progressive legislation that doesn't cost taxpayers any money. But attach a hefty fiscal note to a bill, and it might as well be an anchor. That's because most legislators don't even understand that we have a structural revenue deficit, let alone know how to fix it. We hope Sarajane Siegfriedt helps change that. A former businesswoman with an MBA and a current member of the King County Board of Equalization, Siegfriedt has an intricate understanding of tax issues and a knack for explaining them.
Siegfriedt's opponent, former Transportation Choices Coalition director Jessyn Farrell, brings a lot to the table, too. She's young and dynamic and would no doubt prove to be an effective voice in Olympia on transit and other progressive issues. But it's Siegfriedt's knowledge and experience that's necessary if we're ever going to be able to pay for all the good stuff for which Farrell advocates. Vote for Siegfriedt.
Sheriff
Steve Strachan
King County sheriff Steve Strachan has two qualities that his challenger, longtime sheriff's office spokesman John Urquhart, lacks: management experience and tact. Far be it from us to wag our hairy-knuckled fingers at a kindred tactless soul (an armed one, no less), but solid management experience is a must when overseeing 1,000 gun-toting employees working from 25 different work sites across the county.
Strachan served as a police chief in Minnesota before becoming Kent's chief of police in 2006. There, inside sources describe Strachan as "very well respected by both line officers and elected officials, which is rare." Since then, Strachan says his focus has been on improving accountability, streamlining training, and discipline measures among his 25 satellite offices—you know, boring shit that a manager does.
But some of his experience made us worried. As a legislator in Minnesota, he sponsored anti-choice bills. Grilled on that issue, we were convinced those days are behind him. "I have been very up front that my position has changed," he told us. "Being a cop as long as I have, I have seen the difficult decisions people make. A government telling people what they can do in that kind of position is not okay. I am pro-choice, period."
Is he a flaming liberal? No.
While Urquhart may be slightly more Democratic than Republican (he's donated to candidates of both persuasions), his track record includes a sustained misconduct complaint from 2003 that his "management style and communications skills created low morale and stress at work," for which Urquhart was temporarily reassigned.
Our vote comes down to experience and tact. Vote Strachan.
State Supreme Court Justice Position 9
Sheryl Gordon McCloud
Sheryl Gordon McCloud has a long record of fighting for civil rights and the rights of criminal defendants. She's been arguing in front of the state supreme court as an appellate lawyer for the past 28 years, is widely respected, has an impressive list of endorsements, and is the true advocate of constitutional rights in this race.
And her opponent, disgraced former state supreme court justice Richard B. Sanders? He talks a good constitutional rights game, but is in fact one of the biggest hypocrites ever to sit at the Temple of Justice in Olympia. In the state's landmark same-sex-marriage case in 2006, then-justice Sanders signed an opinion denying marriage rights to same-sex couples—because they have "more sexual partners" and because other courts have found that monogamy is "the bedrock upon which our culture is built." And guess what? Sanders himself has been divorced twice and was dating multiple women simultaneously during the 2010 election season. But that's not all! In 2010, Sanders shocked his colleagues by scoffing at the idea that racism sometimes causes minorities to get unfair treatment in our legal system. But wait, there's still more! In 1996, the first thing Sanders did after his swearing-in was walk over to a pro-life rally and thank his supporters. There's more, more, more, but... enough said already? Vote McCloud.
Superior Court Judge Position 42
Christopher A. Washington
Oy, this race gives us heartburn.
In the August primary, we endorsed Sue Parisien, the smartest of several challengers to incumbent judge Christopher A. Washington. We noted at the time that local attorneys ranked Judge Washington dead last in a survey conducted by the King County Bar Association (KCBA), which also ran a survey in 2007 that ranked Judge Washington ninth from the bottom of 53 judges. That wasn't our sole reason not to endorse him. His rulings seemed to sometimes blatantly disregard the law (as evidenced by condescending appellate court rulings that overturned several of his decisions).
But we're changing our position for the general election. We're endorsing Washington anyway.
First, it turns out that the KCBA judicial ratings are rubbish. The marks for superior court judges were clearly skewed by prosecutors who sandbagged Washington (apparently due to him extending lighter sentences to juvenile offenders). Even the person who administered the survey, David C. Brody, an associate professor at the UW, said the KCBA survey results gave him "pause" because prosecutors ranked Judge Washington with lower marks than defense attorneys in all 16 categories. The judge's poor marks, he warned, "must be viewed with caution."
With the survey discredited, the question becomes Parisien's worthiness for the bench. Asked if she still believes the survey was valid, Parisien told us, "Yes I do."
We don't.
As a judge, Parisien, whose background partly involves defending the state in cases of discrimination, would need to be capable of evaluating evidence and reaching reasonable, fair assessments on which to base her decisions. By embracing a debunked survey as valid, she showed a worrying comfort with setting reasonableness and fairness aside when it suits her purposes. Parisien also claimed when meeting with the SECB that Judge Washington has a "high rate" of overturned decisions. That may be true, and Judge Washington certainly has been overturned on a number of occasions. But when asked if she had any evidence to back up her claim of a "high rate," she didn't.
Judges must be held to a higher standard than most politicians. One test is whether they can fairly analyze the facts—even if they seem to contradict the judge's beliefs. Another is being able to cite evidence that justifies their conclusions. Parisien failed both tests.
Parisien has also refused to submit questionnaires for minority bar associations this year and avoided some public forums that would allow her to face off against Washington. And finally, on her campaign website, Parisien used a quote from Governor Chris Gregoire that implied the governor's blessing in her run for judge. In fact, the quote comes from a 2005 letter of recommendation that Gregoire wrote for Parisien when she was looking for a different job. "I asked for the language to be taken off [Parisien's] website," Gregoire spokeswoman Kelly Evans told us this month. "It implied an endorsement that doesn't exist." Ouch.
As for Judge Washington, he acknowledges his shortcomings: "I have never claimed to be the smartest judge there," he told us. We agree with him—he's not. But his judicial philosophy of compassion for young offenders, who are often chewed up and spit out by the justice system, is more in line with our philosophy than his opponent's.
Vote Washington.
Seattle Proposition 1, Seawall Levy
Vote Approved
Do you want downtown Seattle to slide into motherfucking Puget Sound during the next earthquake thanks to a towering wave of voter apathy? No? Well then, vote approved on this 30-year, $290 million property-tax levy to replace the seawall for another 100 years. The levy would cost the average homeowner $59 a year (given that the median home price in Seattle is an eye-popping,
bowel-evacuating $360,000). Everyone agrees the seawall needs replacing—the structure is nearly a century old and is being eaten away by gribbles (no joke), earthquakes, and the yawning jaws of time. Critics say the entire city shouldn't pay for something that benefits a few waterfront landowners, but, uh, last we checked, everybody likes keeping downtown above sea level. Yes, we acknowledge that it will be really expensive. But the only alternative is ignoring the problem, which is no alternative at all. Vote approved.
The Stranger Election Control Board is Bethany Jean Clement, Paul Constant, Christopher Frizzelle, David “Goldy” Goldstein, Dominic Holden, Tim Keck, Brendan Kiley, Cienna Madrid, Eli Sanders, Dan Savage, and Marilyn McKenna. The Stranger doesn’t make endorsements in uncontested races or races nobody cares about.
1
As for the seawall - another reason to support it: Will in Seattle opposes the Levy. Bam!
1240 is a disaster of an initiative. It WILL hurt districts and taxpayers (like getting less for a school property than it's worth? it's in there).
Charters don't work - not in any large-scale form. There is not a single district in any of the 41 states that have them that can say that because of the presence of charters that they have closed the achievement gap. Not a single district.
And folks, as to that "41 states have them, why don't we?", I note the following:
- we have considered charters three times in the last 16 years and said no, every single time
- 44 states have an income tax; Washington State does not.
- 42 out of 44 states have issued some kind of statement against gay marriage. Washington State's Legislature passed a gay marriage law.
The point is that Washington State voters are not followers. We don't just blindly go where all the other states go.
We are thinkers and independent ones at that.
It's a good thing.
5
Thanks, Stranger!
6
But hey, she supported a good math curriculum when she was on the school board, and seems all soccer-mommish and smiley, and her damned campaign signs are everywhere, so she has a good chance to win.
10
I understand if his position on abortion is an absolute deal-breaker, but those stances at least merit mentioning. Particularly since he has not (at least to my knowledge) made social issues a focus of this campaign.
(I do not work for Mr. Baumgartner, and in fact have not yet made up my mind to vote for him myself.)
My organic chemistry professor in college was named Gribble. On the last day of class, he outlined the steps required to synthesize lysergic acid diethylamide from indole.
Although it was his first year as a professor, he wasn't fired. In fact, nearly 40 years later he's still on the faculty as an emeritus professor.
12
Also, the swear words make it fun. :) Double also, I feel exactly the same way about Bill Gate's donations to the charter school thing. I visited where he went to high school, it is about a jazillion times nicer than where I went to high school.
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Two obviously superior candidates in McKennna and Wyman and you couldn't bring yourselves to say it.
17
From Obama's own mouth:
THE OBAMA CHRONICLES:
“I promise 100% transparency in my administration.”.
“I promise NO NEW TAXES on a family making less than $250K a year.”.
“I will allow 5 days of public comment before I sign any bills.”.
“I will remove earmarks from PORK projects before I sign any bill.”.
“I will end Income Tax for seniors making less than $50K a year.”.
"I will bring ALL of our troops home within ONE year."
“I’ll put the Health Care negotiations on CSPAN so everyone can see who is at the table!”.
“I’ll have no lobbyists in my administration."
"I'll close Guantanamo."
"I'll resign if I don't cut the deficit in half by the end of four years."
"I'll unite the people of this great country."
From Dreams of My Father : 'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race.'
From Dreams of My Father: 'There was something about her that made me wary, a little too sure of herself, maybe and white..
From Dreams of My Father: 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'
From Dreams of My Father: 'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa, that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself: the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.'
And FINALLY, and most scary!
From Audacity of Hope: 'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'
Shame on the
stranger.
No freedom of speech
I am swayed by your logic, SECB, swayed.
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Could you PLEASE pass it on to the paid off idiots at The Seattle Times to endorse Jay Inslee, NOT Rob McKenna? I think all those Pulitzer Prizes went to someone's head over there...
As new representatives Gerry Pollet and Sarajane Siegfriedt will bring loads of energy and push to our progressive ideals, and they will do the best job precisely because they are a little older than their opponents. They have spent the past few decades working on these issues and learning the ropes. Their proven track record is available for all to see. Between them they must have 50 years of experience.
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Cletus, I am so happy to know I've won you over with my obviously superior intellect. I know I am pretty brilliant.
39
What did it for me was when the moderates (yes, there was a day when moderates were elected as R's. Remember Javits? No you probably don't) were run out on a rail.
Now along comes Finkbeiner vs Owens and after reading your very convincing analysis I am sorely tempted. The only problem I have is that the way the R's have managed to get so much done or undone or not done as the case may be is their lock-step party unity. Maybe it's safe for this office, maybe not.
You've given me a lot to think about. Not sure if I can do it but maybe...
Please make the real arguments (women's rights, the right to marry) and don't waste ink on the foolish ones.
My one and only problem with it? At the end of the column was an advertisement urging me to vote yes on I1240. WTF??? After you repeatedly and passionately argued against passage of this inane measure? So The Stranger takes money from all scumbags? Really sad.
Let’s take just a few of the points offered by the endorsement flip:
1. “First, it turns out that the KCBA judicial ratings are rubbish. The marks for superior court judges were clearly skewed by prosecutors who sandbagged Washington (apparently due to him extending lighter sentences to juvenile offenders).”
Interesting conclusion—20 votes skew the results so much that the entire survey is considered “rubbish”? If the results were so wrong, why did the KCBA publish them?
2. “Parisien has also refused to submit questionnaires for minority bar associations this year”
Parisien went through the process of answering questionnaires for minority bar associations, as well as others, two years ago. The ratings generated by those questionnaires are good for three years… there’s no need to go through that process again.
3. Regarding the alleged endorsements. The term “endorsement” was never used by Sue Parisien. She never stated anywhere that either Gregoire or McKenna endorsed her. In fact, her web site specifically states who DOES endorse her. The comments attributed to them are simply statements that were IN FACT MADE. That they are not considered endorsements does not negate the validity of the statements.
4. You use the fact that Parisien did not quickly quote cases that were overturned as a reason why she wouldn't be a good Judge. Judges do not just throw case cites from the bench, they research and include those cites in their decisions – decisions that are generated after hearing all the evidence and evaluating the concepts that are brought before them.
5. You refer to compassion. Sue Parisien has been involved with making and delivering meals to Aids Patients.
6. You state: “... But his judicial philosophy of compassion for young offenders, who are often chewed up and spit out by the justice system, is more in line with our philosophy than his opponent's.”
“Judicial philosophy of compassion”? A juvenile beat a police officer so badly that he lost his job and any possibility of holding a steady job and his “judicial passion” resulted in a 30 DAY sentence. That’s the type of “sound judicial reasoning” The Stranger is endorsing?
Are We Better off Now Than We Were Four Years Ago?
A question has been put forward that has the Obama administration struggling to answer. “Are we better off now than we were four years ago?” What seems like a simple question that is asked of any politician seeking re-election seems to be a stumbling block for President Obama and his campaign. Over the next few months the campaign will try to craft and spin an answer to that question while ignoring the reality. Here are just a few of the facts that should not be overlooked.
National Debt
2009: 10.6 Trillion
Now: 16 Trillion
Treasurydirect.gov
Food Stamps
2009: 32.2 million people enrolled
Now: 46.2 million people enrolled
Bloomberg.com
Unemployment
2009: 7.8%
Now: 8.3%
bls.gov
Median Household Income
2009: $54,983
Now: $50,964
forbes.com
Gas Prices
2009: $1.85
Now: $3.80
Consumerreports.org
eia.gov
Ever actually talk to this guy?
He's a schnook when it comes to education---a complete tool of the Corporate "Education" Privatization Movement and lately rumored to be the missing spawn of Michelle Rhee and Joel Klein.
During this year's session, he actually smirked and snorted at a special ed teacher and constituent when she went in to see him and talk about her challenges as an educator!
Carlyle has clearly been played by the so-called "Ed Reformers" and is in the pocket of the Astroturf Groups like "Stand for Children", "League of Education Voters", "Students First", "DEMOCRATS (yeah, right) For Education Reform", all Vichy/Potemkin Village fronts primarily supported by either Gates, Broad or Walmart (Walton), three "foundations" abusing their tax-exempt status to dominate the political dialogue when it comes to education.
Tuches Lecker!
Here's the question: Are you going to continue to let Carlyle play you, the way he's been played by the Wall Streeters posing as "progressives" and "reformers"? Or are you going to get real about something so obvious?
Ever actually talk to this guy?
He's a schnook when it comes to education---a complete tool of the Corporate "Education" Privatization Movement and lately rumored to be the missing spawn of Michelle Rhee and Joel Klein.
During this year's session, he actually smirked and snorted at a special ed teacher and constituent when she went in to see him and talk about her challenges as an educator!
Carlyle has clearly been played by the so-called "Ed Reformers" and is in the pocket of the Astroturf Groups like "Stand for Children", "League of Education Voters", "Students First", "DEMOCRATS (yeah, right) For Education Reform", all Vichy/Potemkin Village fronts primarily supported by either Gates, Broad or Walmart (Walton), three "foundations" abusing their tax-exempt status to dominate the political dialogue when it comes to education.
Tuches Lecker!
Here's the question: Are you going to continue to let Carlyle play you, the way he's been played by the Wall Streeters posing as "progressives" and "reformers"? Or are you going to get real about something so obvious?
Yeah, you blue bellies are stupid.
After four years of his leadership, he wants you to believe the Don't-worry-be-happy-paradise you're living in was the creation of him and all his power to mold a new america...but don't you DARE bring up that fact that there is a gorilla in the room...you MUST LOOK FORWARD.
Please turn a blind eye to the crushing national dept, the failed businesses his admin. pumped money into, the failed foreign policy (who can forget the magical bowing tour...oh, I guess YOU can), the raised taxes (to get ocare passed Dear Leader pounded the FACT (let me be clear) that it wasn't a tax, but to defend at supreme court it WAS a tax after all...imposed on all of us), the golf games, the his and hers vacations, the introversion to anyone besides bros and hos, the stupidity of the Cambridge police, the shuttering of the nation's drilling breadbasket (hello gulf of mexico) due to his stupidity in the points of well completion..not leasing, not acquistion, not drilling..COMPLETION), the slang and the dialect...all in front of your eyes...and all to be ignored...because he's counting on your stupidity and that all you MUST do is vote for bho, despite what you see.
Prediction - Washington state will barely go blue this election...times, they are a changin'.
Hey, enjoy don't worry, be happy. Dear Leader is counting on you. You, the Sukah Chumps.
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Couldn't we just take baby steps toward Decriminalization and non-discrimination (for employees and renters)? Or is the bottom line just money? I think it would be more prudent to try legalizing it once more states develop Medical Cannabis laws of their own. Under this administration it just seems crazy if you watch the news.
We CAN stop arresting brown and black kids without simultaneously opening marijuana stores. I've recently come around to voting for it because I want cops to focus on other things, but if it passes, cue the Fed in 5...4...3...2...
Ever actually talk to this guy?
He's a schnook when it comes to education---a complete tool of the Corporate "Education" Privatization Movement and lately rumored to be the missing spawn of Michelle Rhee and Joel Klein.
During this year's session, he actually smirked and snorted at a special ed teacher and constituent when she went in to see him and talk about her challenges as an educator!
Carlyle has clearly been played by the so-called "Ed Reformers" and is in the pocket of the Astroturf Groups like "Stand for Children", "League of Education Voters", "Students First", "DEMOCRATS (yeah, right) For Education Reform", all Vichy/Potemkin Village fronts primarily supported by either Gates, Broad or Walmart (Walton), three "foundations" abusing their tax-exempt status to dominate the political dialogue when it comes to education.
Tuches Lecker!
Here's the question: Are you going to continue to let Carlyle play you, the way he's been played by the Wall Streeters posing as "progressives" and "reformers"? Or are you going to get real about something so obvious?
The Stranger didn't even discuss the possible civil rights violations of using the system. Get pulled over for something? Look brown? Maybe Illegal? Oh yeah, lets use the Fingerprint ID system. What next? On the spot DNA swabs? It's not a big leap from Fingerprints to DNA. I expect better from you Stranger.
We don't need to the additional level of laws when same sex couples already have the rights. Even if we vote yes, there will still be those who deny their rights on Religious Moral grounds.
Initiative Measure 502 Vote Yes.
Since there is NO concrete science which backs the federal decision to ban it, Why not legalize it. At least we will not be funding Colombian Drug cartels and Terrorist groups. Making it legal will reduce the burden on courts and maybe we they can concentrate on keeping REAL threats OFF the streets AND out of our houses.
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Vote NO on the Seawall bonds and you can force the city council to use up their non-voted debt capacity before Hansen's arena can. Then the council would have to get voter approval of the debt or exceed the debt limits they've put in place.
This site has more details about the debt limits and how it relates to the arena.
http://nosonicsarena.com/wp/?p=1382
Surplus operating funds could be used to lower the debt burden of students; or hire faculty and teaching assistants; lower class sizes, increase class offerings. Remember the education mission? Since the UW has such a large surplus they certainly don't need to come to the legislature crying poor. $1.2 billion dollars in surplus operating funds in a $6 Billion budget is not too bad... . Perhaps the legislature should sweep those accounts when we look for money to pay for our paramount duty. Vote NO on 8223. See: http://www.publicmission.org
The allegations against Troy Kelley are not just baseless allegations, many of the charges against Kelley are quite well detailed by other traditionally liberal media. If Troy Kelley was a republican candidate The Stranger would have excoriated this guy with an entire issue devoted to detailing his nefarious acts, but as a Democrat you endorse him without even addressing his previous wholly unethical behavior?
I will admit that I am not a democrat. While I share a kinship on most social issues with democrats, I find big labor as repugnant and ignorant as big business. I am also not enamoured of fiscal irresponsibility (believe me, I understand that neither party has any claim to fiscal responsibility) or big government. However, I would rather deal with an ethical person with whom I disagree than a charlatan.
I try and reglarly read your paper to balance other news with that of a more liberal bent that you supply. I will also note that I never watch Fox News because I generally demand honesty and ethics in journalism. However, this election issue that substitutes name calling for analysis and endorses an unethical and unqualified candidate causes me to question your future journalistic value.
I think "dropping the ball" is an exceedingly poor characterization of drone strikes and the continued indefinite detention at Guantanomo. A better way would be to say "where he's killed innocent people or kept them locked them away in a legal limbo (Guantanomo, NDAA, assasination of american citizens, drone strikes on children gathering firewood, drone strikes on people trying to provide medical assistance to victims of drone strikes, drone strikes on those mourning the previous victims of drone strikes)." It's for those reasons that I'm not going to vote for Obama. Murderers don't need my help.
I think "dropping the ball" is an exceedingly poor characterization of drone strikes and the continued indefinite detention at Guantanomo. A better way would be to say "where he's killed innocent people or kept them locked them away in a legal limbo (Guantanomo, NDAA, assasination of american citizens, drone strikes on children gathering firewood, drone strikes on people trying to provide medical assistance to victims of drone strikes, drone strikes on those mourning the previous victims of drone strikes)." It's for those reasons that I'm not going to vote for Obama. Murderers don't need my help.
This could come out as a double comment, if it does, sorry. I think it was just eaten.
As for the law enforcement fingerprints levy, why vote for better and better fingerprinting when what we really need is crime prevention (aka jobs, education, social services, respect).
And why are we voting on a seawall levy (no pun intended)? Wasn't the cost of repairing the seawall supposed to be included in the cost of that expensive new road called the SR99 tunnel, which runs right alongside the seawall?
#78, you've lost me. You say the state will hold a monopoly on pot sales but I'm struggling to see the downside of that. Who's that hurting other than those selling it illegaly anyhow? Certainly not current medical dispensories who I'm sure are only going to drop their "green card" requirement and go public.
And what do you mean 'declares a black market on non state approved marijuana'? You mean to tell me folks would dare sell the chronic without state approval? *gasp* Don't quote me here but I think we've already got that.
...you've got two third points by the way.
I think a "Yes" vote is really what the Stranger means to suggest.
P.S.: State Treasurer Jim McIntire (D) is a strong supporter of this resolution.
I think a "Yes" vote is really what the Stranger means to suggest.
P.S.: State Treasurer Jim McIntire (D) is a strong supporter of this resolution.
"There is no science to back them up. None. Zero. They're lying.
The scientific research that does exist shows people's blood levels of THC drop below the I-502 cutoff within a few hours, and always by the next day."
Your lying or choosing to be willingly ignorant.
Plenty of tests show daily consumers testing above 5 ng/ml the day after consuming, here is one example:
http://kdvr.com/2012/05/16/your-question…
Also you are purposely not mentioning how any one under 21 can get a DUI for up to 7 days after consumption.
Not to mention over 40% of the 10,000 arrests are people under 21, commonly in cars. Those arrests will continue.
Finkbeiner is a backstabbing weasel. No thanks.
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I know all you Capitol Hill-dwelling Stranger writers love to dis "Blahvue" and all the other 'burbs packed with educated, white collar-wearing, tech industry-working, active voters but... you shouldn't. Really.
It's an interesting phenom among you mostly carpet bagging barely-Seattlites who love to dis what you hardly know and it's one I've railed against for years (to little effect). Having been actually born on Capitol Hill and raised in Bellevue (and continuing to live there) and a diehard Dem, I kind of take issue with your sweeping, ignorant, outsider viewpoint empowered by ink and pixels.
Beyond that, we need the clarification of matters on suburban issues no less than Seattle voters need clarification on the seawall (or the monorail back in the day) and other local, niche issues that get people whipped into a froth.
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I'm sorry you guys are asshole murder-apologists now. Sad. The shit you said about Obama is pure INSANITY. Yes, he's committed terrible war crimes that were Bush's wet dreams, killed a ton of Pakistanis, vaporized Yemeni CHILDREN, assassinated American citizens, fired upon first responders at drone strike sites, and then bombed funerals and weddings! But it's cool, they're BROWN PEOPLE, and Seattle loves WHITE PEOPLE, yeah? We don't give a shit about people in other countries.
"Sure, there are issues—with presidents, there are always issues—where he's dropped the ball (drones, Gitmo, drones). Those are serious issues. But right now, President Obama needs our help. After all he's done for us, we owe him the opportunity to transform from a very good president into a truly great one in his second term."
"After all he's done for us..." Would that be the part where he gave our taxpayer money to a bunch of corporations so they could continue raping the country? Would that be deporting like a million brown people? How about offering up Social Security like a sacrificial lamb (something Bush could never touch)?
I'm sorry you guys are asshole murder-apologists now. Sad. The shit you said about Obama is pure INSANITY. Yes, he's committed terrible war crimes that were Bush's wet dreams, killed a ton of Pakistanis, vaporized Yemeni CHILDREN, assassinated American citizens, fired upon first responders at drone strike sites, and then bombed funerals and weddings! But it's cool, they're BROWN PEOPLE, and Seattle loves WHITE PEOPLE, yeah? We don't give a shit about people in other countries.
"Sure, there are issues—with presidents, there are always issues—where he's dropped the ball (drones, Gitmo, drones). Those are serious issues. But right now, President Obama needs our help. After all he's done for us, we owe him the opportunity to transform from a very good president into a truly great one in his second term."
"After all he's done for us..." Would that be the part where he gave our taxpayer money to a bunch of corporations so they could continue raping the country? Would that be deporting like a million brown people? How about offering up Social Security like a sacrificial lamb (something Bush could never touch)?
@75 Simpatico.
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You were protesting when Bush was using drones right? You must have been the only one, because no one cared then.
Over 100,000 civilians were killed in the invasion of Iraq. We must have used a whole lot of drones.
If you really cared about brown people, you would vote for the guy who is pulling our troops out of the places they live, and killing far fewer civilians and far more terrorists than Bush did, or Romney will.
We live in a democracy, and most of the people want to use the military against terrorist threats. It is either invasion or drones. Anyone with any sense would choose drones. They are better in every way.
But you are not the one who would have to fight those battles on the ground, so why would you care, right?
98
That is the same path my neighbor's eight year old takes when he has no good response either.
Ooh, are you going to call me "sheeple?"
I should have looked at your past posting history before realizing it would be pointless to engage with you. Nothing but hating on gays for wanting rights, white male apolgist crap, and uneducated nonsense about economics.
So what have you done to oppose military intervention in the middle east besides posting online? Or did you not care until the media used the term "drones" a few times?
(A yes is certain to lead to EVEN more underfunding .....)
If I cared a rat's ass (about "winning" anything against you), I'd look at your past posts and nail you on your "beliefs", but I AM SURE they'd be a shallow, angry and whiny repetition...just like your current post.
Just keep enjoying your warm little Seattle life.
Please vote "no" on prop 1.
grades and passport. Why not ?? it is an easy
5 million for charity, right ???
Unless of coarse your ego is huge or if you are hiding something.
WHAT IS IT BARRY.......CHICKEN SHIT, SPINELESS
GUTLESS COWARD. As a citizen of the US. We
have the right to know.
You too Mitt. Show us ALL your tax returns.
Is there a problem with the POTUS and the TRUTH ??
However when I attended view ridge in the 90s he gave us several large donations, and some of the teachers had anecdotal stories about him as a student and working at the library.
110
I'm NOT voting for that cunt Cantwell, nor Obama!
This is just so wrong. I understand you are against charter schools, but you really think Bill Gates is interested in this because of the money to be made? Please elaborate? What would a billionaire who founded a charity that is spending much of its time on eliminating malaria stand to gain from this? How about Bezos? Balmer? The founder of Amazon and CEO of MSFT stand to make money from charter schools? Do tell. Not quite getting your angle here. Gates has been active in education reform for a long time, and understands that not everyone can just opt out and go to a Lakeside. So he's trying to help fix it. There is NO way to innovate from inside an org like SPS. A charter pilot allows us to try ideas like year-round school and other reforms on a case by case basis. And if you don't like it, you don't have to go there, just stick with your public school. The only known "precious resources" are 3m over 6 yrs to establish oversight. The rest is a wash, and only costs more if charters succeed in bringing students back into the system that had dropped out or opted for private or home schooling.
For folks who bashed some of the candidates they interviewed for not doing their homework, why did you fall back on the "Rich people support this-it must be bad!" argument without elaborating the riches Bezos, Ballmer and Gates are vying for?
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I agree with pretty much all of your selections here. Now I just need to do some more research on my local candidates.
Are you suffering from a severe head injury?
Here's who Mitt Romney and his tea bag puppet HATE and want to exploit, overtax, and exterminate:
1. Gays and lesbians
2. Women
3. Hispanics
4. African Americans
5. Asians
6. The elderly and disabled on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security
7. The unemployed
8. Anybody ELSE who represents minorities and /or the working poor
Are you a rich, white privileged male by any chance?
122
I gladly would have done most of this already. However I just received my first and replacement ballots last week.
I've been hearing from a number of people that there have been issues with getting ballots to people. When I contacted my county Auditor they didn't seem surprised I has having difficulty. She told me, "...the Post Office is taking their own sweet time getting those ballots to people."
It's just too bad that this article will be taken seriously by legions of unthinking "L-words", instead of for the humorous tone it obviously intends. And before you think I'm disagreeing with any of your choices, not so. I'm just not making my decisions based on the fact that I'm a "fuuuuucking" sheep.
Obama/Biden, Cantwell, Larsen, and everybody with a Big D!!!
Elect Jay Inslee for Governor. He will bring and keep jobs in Washington State, and NOT sugar-coated ""Good Jobs Now" for dirty coal exports. He cares about protecting what makes our lovely state so desirable to live in. He supports women's rights in health and reproductive decisions. He believes that EVERYONE deserves affordable college educations and healthcare.
DON'T believe the misleading ads in the Seattle Times! They're going down, they know it, and endorsing Rob McKenna---who filed suit with 16 other states to repeal Obamacare----is their last desperate fuck you to us Washingtonians!
We need to re-elect President Barack Obama and VP Joe Biden, Senator Maria Cantwell, and elect Kathleen Drew Secretary of State; re-elect Rick Larsen for Congress, elect DelBene (NOT Koster!!), and Jay Inslee for Governor!!!
AMERICA, BRING THE "WHITE MAN" BACK TO ULTIMATE POWER. WE NEED NO KENYAN ON Pennsylvania Avenue.
CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON
IN THE SUBTITLE FOR THIS ARTICLE YOU REFER TO THE ILLEGAL IMPOSTER AS, "Our Kenyan Muslim Overlord."
THAT IS STRANGE SINCE THIS PUBLICATION SUPPORTS DEMOCRATIC IDEOLOGY. SURELY, "Stranger" DOES NOT THINK ISLAM SUPPORTS HOMOSEXUALITY. YET, "Stranger" AND THE MAJORITY OF ITS READERS WANT THE KENYAN TO BE RE-ELECTED.
"LET'S BE REAL" - CAUCASIAN HOMOSEXUALS LIKE THE FACT THE KENYAN ENDORSED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE; BUT, HE IS STILL A "darkie." WE ALL KNOW "Kenyan Muslim" IS ANOTHER WAY TO SAY, "He is 'black';" BUT, DO NOT FORGET, THE INFLUENCE OF HIS CAUCASIAN MOTHER GIVES CAUCASIAN HOMOSEXUALS SOME "PEACE OF MIND."
IF REPUBLICANS CONTROL BOTH HOUSES OF LEGISLATURE AFTER THE ELECTION, WILL CAUCASIAN HOMOSEXUALS STILL REFER TO THE KENYAN AS THEIR "Overlord?"
CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON
Keep up the good work!
Thanks ladies!
[It's (sadly) KILLING me. Urban dictionary most likely candidates: joint, penis or dookie. The "drop" part is the real head scratcher. I can see how "burrito" might be the Seattle equivalent of "a chicken in every pot," but what about the "drop?"]
It's just to flawed and goes in the wrong direction.
I think MJ should be just as available as cigarettes for one, I mean if someone is old enough (18) to make a life choice to enlist in the armed forces with the very real possibility of being killed or maimed in a foreign war of convenience, they should be able to make the afternoon choice to grab a pack of joints at the corner store and enjoy them down at the beach with their friends.
But seriously wtf is the deal with the WA state liquor control board (?) controlling all the licensing of outlets, I mean wasn't the board supposed to be dismantled in the aftermath of Costco's all liquor, all the time law they purchased last year?
The two main contentions I have are:
It will still be illegal to grow your own, unless you apply for a license ($250), and are granted a license ($1000, annually). Seriously? The bill stipulates that one has to pay the state $1000.00 a year just to grow some plants for personal enjoyment on their back deck or window planter. What kind of BS is that?
And finally the thing that really gets me about it is the mandated taxing structure. (Some friends in discussions in the past have said 'yes we should legalize it and tax the shit out of it', well that's exactly what this bill does.) The bill mandates a 25% excise tax at EVERY step of the way, from grower to 'processor' +25%, from 'processor' to retailer +25%, from retailer to final use customer +25% AND local B+O/Sales Taxes as well.
Lets take a hypothetical $200 oz. wholesale(from the grower), without any markup from the processor or retailer:
$200.00
+25%
$250 to processor
$250.00
+25%
$312.50 to retailer
$312.50
+25%
$390.63
+9.8% sales tax
$428.91 to final customer
And this is all without any markup (you know, what businesses need in order to do business). Washington State fees comprise 53% of the cost to consumers, or more than double the price on taxing alone. The final cost to consumers is even more extreme when one figures in markup. (I'll take my chances with the 'black market' and 'cartels', thank you.)
I haven't heard or read a single republican/bagger/libertarian repudiation of this egregious overtaxing scheme. Which is surprising (not really), since "too much tax in order for businesses to survive" , is their holy grail of memes.
The bill also presupposes a wholesale bud price of $3 gram, or $84 oz.. After water electricity, and all the time it takes to tend to a crop, the only businesses that will be able to operate are huge agribusinesses or farms that are able to allocate a 1000 acres to weed, boutique growers wont be able to continue.
Can't find your ballot? Misplaced or lost in the mail. No worries - print it out from the comfort of your own home. (admittedly I had to download as a PDF and then print - stupid Windows 8).
http://kingcounty.everyonecounts.com/
Fill it in, print it out, sign the declaration (like the back of the envelope) mail it in or drop it at a drop box:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voti…
Can't find your ballot? Misplaced or lost in the mail. No worries - print it out from the comfort of your own home. (admittedly I had to download as a PDF and then print - stupid Windows 8).
http://kingcounty.everyonecounts.com/
Fill it in, print it out, sign the declaration (like the back of the envelope) mail it in or drop it at a drop box:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voti…
Urquhart also was in favor of I-502 five months before Strachan finally endorsed it, and Urquhart also held a joint fundraiser with the Approve R-74 campaign. Strachan, on the other hand, held a fundraiser called "Shootin' with the Sheriff" at a gun range in Bellevue in one of the worst years for gun violence in our city's history.
And don't even get me started on the two terrible audits of the Sheriff's Office, the 100 lost citizen complaints, the $9 million sexual harassment lawsuit, and a sustained ethics violation because Strachan was campaigning in uniform at the King County Republican Picnic.
For accountability and a needed change in the Sheriff's Office, vote John Urquhart for Sheriff.
142
BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
►►►TONIGHT!◄◄◄
◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►
THE FINAL PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE!!
◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►◄●►
Jill Stein of the Green Party and Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party will discuss issues ignored by Barack Obama and Mitt Romney!
Will either of these candidates achieve the 5% of the popular vote they need in order to receive matching federal funding and streamlined ballot access for the next election?
Hosted by the Free and Equal Elections Foundation, from the studios of RT.com in Washington D.C.
This event will be streamed live at Free and Equal, RT America, and many other outlets beginning at 6:00pm PST!
If you are in King County you can make sure that your vote has been received and verified by tracking your ballot online at http://info.kingcounty.gov/elections/bal…. Voters in Snohomish County can track their ballots at: http://www.snoco.org/elections/results/R…. Voters in Pierce County can check at http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/pc/abtus/ouro…. If you voted early this is a great way to double check to make sure your ballot has been counted. It took three days after mailing my ballot to find out that my ballot had been verified.
If for some reason there is a problem with your ballot you can call the Elections Department tomorrow and fix the problem. This will be a very close election and your vote should count!
Please let other people know how they can check to make sure that their votes have been counted before the election is over.
146
I WATCHED THAT DEBATE. Jill Stein WOULD NOT KEEP HER MOUTH SHUT - Governor Gary Johnson COULD NOT, "GET A WORD IN EDGE-WISE." THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A FEMALE TRIES TO DO "A MAN'S JOB."
Governor Gary Johnson HAS MY VOTE. I WILL BE THERE "BRIGHT-AND-EARLY" IN THE MORNING TO GIVE HIM, "MY PERSONAL STAMP."
CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON
LOVE YOUR POINT...The readers (and writers) of thestranger support Dear Leader, who favorably supports islam, who would gustily move you all to the front of the line to have your throats cut.
Only an L-word can rationalize that FACT and happily pull the lever for Dear Leader.
The L-words reading thestranger represent an activated independently minded human, about as much as all the followers of "Dear Leader III" in North Korea.
I know you L-words reading this rail against the comparison, but from half a continent away, that's what Seattle represents to the Nation.
Mindless, myopic, moronic, maroons.
If Dear Leader wins, you'll get what you deserve...count on it.
Until the 1920's women couldn't vote.
Until the 1960's African-Americans weren't considered full citizens.
I'm not against people having an opinion about anything they see fit. I also don't have a problem if that opinion disagrees with mine. I celebrate and believe in freedom in that beautiful and unique way.
I realize that we have a history rich with exclusion. However, the historical record is very clear on which path we eventually end up walking. Sometimes we wear out our shoes more than we have to, but we somehow get there.
The nature of government; by definition, is to treat all of their subjects equally and in a just manner. Regarding religious beliefs, political beliefs, etc.
So, I wonder why anybody that truly believes in democracy would actively want to vote in favor of the government discriminating against a specific minority?
As I see it, asking the government to discriminate against a sector of society is asking for trouble.
We have the right not to associate with anything gay if we so choose. We have plenty of options of churches and organizations to participate in.
We also, can be absolutely sure of our sexuality here and now, but we can't predict our children's or grandchildren's. They may need us to be their advocates not tomorrow, but today (Tuesday). They may need us to love them regardless of who they are before they are actually born.
My promise to my children is that I will love them no matter what and that I will love their children and grandchildren the same way. I trust that if they are gay they will have big hearts and beautiful souls. I will be extremely proud the day they decide to marry their loved one. If I'm around I will support their decisions, and some day I will die knowing to have been on the right side of history.
Pablo, just a straight guy
As brainless trolls, you obviously are sucked into Big Corporate's Binder of Bullshit.
If Big Corporate illegally buys the White House as Dubya did---TWICE--you dumbshits and everyone else blindly supporting their evil wingnut agenda will deserve what YOU get. Do you really think Romney gives a rat's ass about you? He's laughing his spoiled rich white boy ASS off at all the fools he's misled!! And don't come crying to me afterward should the United States become a desolate, Banana Republic neo-fascist, Third World wasteland because of your shameful ignorance.
152
Thank you for your (fun-to-read) counter-intelligence reporting -- especially on those counter-intuitive choices.
Cheers!
Ps. the addition of the BIG Link-button (on the homepage) to the Endorsements section eliminates the last cognitive effort required in voting.
153
"@124 and @149: Go baaaaaaaaaaacck to your caves and stay there.
As brainless trolls, you obviously are sucked into Big Corporate's Binder of Bullshit.
If Big Corporate illegally buys the White House as Dubya did---TWICE--you dumbshits and everyone else blindly supporting their evil wingnut agenda will deserve what YOU get. Do you really think Romney gives a rat's ass about you? He's laughing his spoiled rich white boy ASS off at all the fools he's misled!! And don't come crying to me afterward should the United States become a desolate, Banana Republic neo-fascist, Third World wasteland because of your shameful ignorance." --auntie grizelda
----Reply from JMarin: Auntie G., Thank you for telling it like it really is...
I'm off this evening with plenty of comfort food and alcohol to watch a perfect movie to recuperate from the intensity of this election year: "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World".
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