Short of finding enough votes for single payer or going back in time to vote against Iraq, I'm not sure there's all that much King County wants that she hasn't be working towards.
I voted for Patty because on the whole I was pretty satisfied with her first three terms. Certainly some disagreements over the years. Her support of DOMA was stupid, but it's unlikely that's going to get fixed any time soon.
Score us all the money in Federal to finish all the current planned Link light rail lines, plus a West Seattle/Junction West side along Alaskan Way to Interbay to Ballard to Northgate to Everett line.
And for Seattle--the bulk of the King County votes--some extra Federal money to expand the SLUT into a perfect ring around the downtown core from Denny to Broadway down to the hospital areas back west to the stadiums, north to the waterfront/downtown, and back to Denny and Seattle Center. You hop onto it at Seattle Center, and you can ride a perfect circle around the core of downtown.
1) Renewed federal focus on urban transit in the region
2) Become Senator McCain's biggest critic on social issues (for example, DOMA "I changed, so can you" or DADT)
3) Suspend earmarks and discretionary spending on counties that gave Rossi a mandate as earmarks were a campaign issue
She needs to tell President Obama not to yield to the demands of the Republicans. Urge him, by proposing bills, to champion progressive causes rather than compromising with the Republicans. She can deliver Washington for President Obama in 201 if he does that.
Rather than just letting them vote to not cut off debate (filibuster), make the Republicans actually, well, filibuster -- talk until they can't talk any more, like they used to do in the old days.
Otherwise, they will continue to use their 40+ votes to stop Everything with Obama's name on it, as part of their program to make him fail.
Somewhat off-topic, but I haven't seen this addressed anywhere else, so...
Why the HELL does the GOP get to include Tea-Party members as part of their House "majority"? Wasn't part of the whole T-P mantra that they were disgusted with BOTH the Democrats AND the Republicans? Shouldn't they have their own separate caucus in the House?
Or is this simply more evidence of what a complete and utter sham the whole Tea-Party movement was in the first place?
1. Full equality for LGBTWTFOMGBBQ (Push for everything, but settle for DADT for now since that should be doable even with Republicans owning the House).
2. High speed rail from Vancouver, BC to Portland (start with funding all upgrades necessary for the low US standard for HSR along the current rails, starting with improvements in the Seattle metro area).
3. Urban mass transit funding, with emphasis on light rail.
4. Make sure US soldiers are out of Iraq and Afghanistan by 2012.
5. Bring home as much federal money for local projects as possible, preferably within a larger framework that gives money to all states. But I'll take targeted pork if that's all that can be done.
Ooh, I like the filibuster reform idea. Day one, when they choose new rules, get rid of it. And then pass all sorts of progressive legislation in the Senate by simple majority and force the House Republicans to go on record voting against it. Very helpful for 2012.
I'd like to see her continue to do the fine job she has been doing with added emphasis to LGBT civil rights issues, funds for job creation in WA State, funds for WA State, King County and the City of Seattle to help plug the budget gaps, funds for WA state colleges and local community colleges, and a special dispensation to not pay federal income taxes for the rest of my life.
The extrordinarily large voter turn out reflects a very liberal populace pushing back against the dishonest and manipulative forces in control of the right side of the political spectrum. Patty Murray is mandated to stay on the offensive with a progressive and liberal agenda and cede nothing to those who seek to gain from manipulating people by fear and hate.
I think she arrived with some Southpark bridge money, an evil earmark for a bridge to somewhere.
Listening to the pre-election pundits you would think such a move would have doomed her chances.
@3 She did vote against Iraq. She also bothered to try to explain to a willfully ignorant public why OSM might be popular where he hangs out. Took a lot of flack for both.
Equality. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Delivering it in its many possible facets during this term a) is the right thing to do regardless of other concerns; b) is something that will energize democrats and reap political rewards in the near and mid term; c) would deliver the Republicans a stinging loss right after their "landslide" and provide a compelling counter-narrative to the bogus notion that the US is solidly red right now, which you can believe the media is going to keep hammering over the next 2-4 years; d) is doable.
Filibuster reform, pressure the AG to investigate and prosecute torture from the Bush administration, & tell Obama he can't order the murder of U.S. citizens w/o due process. Letting war crime precedents stand is a real slippery slope threat to our democracy and continues to hurt our credibility internationally.
Free federal transit tunnel!
Free federal seawall!
Free federal slut extensions! (the trolley)
Free federal slut extensions! (the hair)
Free federal 520 bridge with 18 lanes for cars (each way) PLUS light rail, heavy rail, bus lanes, HOV lanes, monorail service, maglev trains, walking paths, ski lift, zip line and some kind of floating nature preserve.
@2 & @29 FTW. Money for projects would be swell, but, in America, everything takes second place to equality. At least it should. We bitch about money, but we fight for liberty & equality.
Murray needs the time machine for DOMA, Maria needs it for Iraq, and I need to to correct my post concerning significant blemishes against our state senators.
Work with the Tea Party! They said that they really really really really want a balanced budget; help them (especially Rand Paul) with that! Let the Bush tax cuts expire. And for spending: over half of the budget is defense spending (including DoE weapons, CIA, NSA, Homeland Security, etc.). Close as many military bases as possible, especially in Kentucky, and in other red states (where most of the bases are). Give the Tea Party what they (claim they) want, and see how they react!
She owes us continuing to be a badass Senator, which I fully expect she will, just like she owes that to the rest of the State. What she has never forgotten, and I wish the people in Eastern Washington would pull their heads out of their asses long enough to get this, is that she doesn't just represent King County, or the Puget Sound area, or Western Washington. She represents the WHOLE STATE. So yeah, she doesn't get much love in Eastern Washington, but she should continue kicking ass the same way she does now, which includes good things for every county.
Totally with 45. How in the hell can defense spending be ignored--the defense budget, separate from costs of current wars, is about equal to what the rest of the world spends combined. Then there's another few hundred billion in tangential spending related to defense jackoff fantasies but not actually in the the DoD budget. Then there are the black budgets, which need serious Congressional oversight.
My ballot, which I dropped in the official drop box in Ballard mid-day on Monday, has yet to be logged as "received" on the King County Elections ballot-tracker -- never mind "verified" and counted.
Get Boeing to work as the primary contractor for a Federal SSTO spaceplane program so we can get ourselves a working space station again. Then get us a permanent presence on the fucking moon, already.
Some more dollars for medical and oceanographic research wouldn't be unwelcome, either, seeing as how we're a big fucking hub for both and most of Seattle's money and motive power comes very directly from creative and scientific sources.
Oh, yeah, and kick each and every one of the remaining Blue Dogs in the junk. Twice.
Short of finding enough votes for single payer or going back in time to vote against Iraq, I'm not sure there's all that much King County wants that she hasn't be working towards.
And for Seattle--the bulk of the King County votes--some extra Federal money to expand the SLUT into a perfect ring around the downtown core from Denny to Broadway down to the hospital areas back west to the stadiums, north to the waterfront/downtown, and back to Denny and Seattle Center. You hop onto it at Seattle Center, and you can ride a perfect circle around the core of downtown.
That's it.
2) Become Senator McCain's biggest critic on social issues (for example, DOMA "I changed, so can you" or DADT)
3) Suspend earmarks and discretionary spending on counties that gave Rossi a mandate as earmarks were a campaign issue
But, I'll settle for standing firm on not gutting the Health Care bill...
Also, maybe she could work behind the scenes to get Christine Gregoire to, like, be more pro-Seattle than she is. That would be a big help.
But nothing for the tunnel - that has to die.
Otherwise, they will continue to use their 40+ votes to stop Everything with Obama's name on it, as part of their program to make him fail.
Why the HELL does the GOP get to include Tea-Party members as part of their House "majority"? Wasn't part of the whole T-P mantra that they were disgusted with BOTH the Democrats AND the Republicans? Shouldn't they have their own separate caucus in the House?
Or is this simply more evidence of what a complete and utter sham the whole Tea-Party movement was in the first place?
@15 Yes
2. High speed rail from Vancouver, BC to Portland (start with funding all upgrades necessary for the low US standard for HSR along the current rails, starting with improvements in the Seattle metro area).
3. Urban mass transit funding, with emphasis on light rail.
4. Make sure US soldiers are out of Iraq and Afghanistan by 2012.
5. Bring home as much federal money for local projects as possible, preferably within a larger framework that gives money to all states. But I'll take targeted pork if that's all that can be done.
Listening to the pre-election pundits you would think such a move would have doomed her chances.
This route or so, and runs in a fixed clockwise loop with multiple cars at least every 20 minutes.
Repeals of DOMA and DADT would be awesome, too!
Free federal transit tunnel!
Free federal seawall!
Free federal slut extensions! (the trolley)
Free federal slut extensions! (the hair)
Free federal 520 bridge with 18 lanes for cars (each way) PLUS light rail, heavy rail, bus lanes, HOV lanes, monorail service, maglev trains, walking paths, ski lift, zip line and some kind of floating nature preserve.
-Justice Department investigation of Seattle Police Department brutality and abuse of citizens rights
-legislation to reinstall Glass Stegall and to break up TBTF banks
-a big ass New Deal style jobs program to rebuild infrastructure
-tougher civil rights legislation to fight employer race and lifestyle discrimination
-and what @17 said about high speed rail
-A bill to undo Citizens United and keep corporations out of the campaigns.
-Increased Funding for the 520 bridge to eliminate tolls.
-Sponsorship and/or creation of bills to end DOMA and DADT.
-Tighter regulations on financial and oil companies.
-Tougher environmental laws.
Then, full court press on DADT, Gay Marriage, and strengthening Access to Abortion.
Murray needs the time machine for DOMA, Maria needs it for Iraq, and I need to to correct my post concerning significant blemishes against our state senators.
Cantwell '12!
http://www.plan59.com/images/JPGs/stylin…
Ooh, this is gonna be FUN!
Just how much of our vote tally is still missing?
https://info.kingcounty.gov/elections/ma…
1. Education, education, education.
2. Jobs, jobs, jobs.
3. One way mission to mars.
I'll take what I can get.
Some more dollars for medical and oceanographic research wouldn't be unwelcome, either, seeing as how we're a big fucking hub for both and most of Seattle's money and motive power comes very directly from creative and scientific sources.
Oh, yeah, and kick each and every one of the remaining Blue Dogs in the junk. Twice.
2) Bring on the Jobs!
Help draw a line in the sand.