But you still have to vote. James Yamasaki

Comments

1
So the stranger endorses Kshama in 2012 vs Frank chopp and calls him an ineffective leader. Now suddenly he's the best? How does the stranger justify endorsing a corporate politician who hides behind crumbs for the working poor while giving huge tax handouts to Boeing and refusing to pay for anything in this state other than regressive fucking taxes?

2
With the exception of Jeanne Kohl-Welles...these candidates need the support of Mr. Burns political campaign team.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=simp…

I get that you endorsed Carlyle because his opponent is incompetent, but Carlyle was the guy behind the Boeing $9B tax deal when Boeing is poised to make $52 TRILLION dollars:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bo…

No worries though...the legislature passed the biggest tax break in history in three days and Carlyle was one of the guys leading the effort. Post enormous give away..Carlyle went to the press and complained about a "flawed process" even though HE was the process! He did close an $125M tax-loop hole.
3
Depressing that we have an ineffective legislature are only given the option of ineffective, often insane challengers to incumbents.

You know, you aren't obligated to endorse in a race if you don't support the candidate (see: Pettigrew). And you could have given Chopp a better scare by waiting to endorse until the general election. Alas. I wouldn't vote for her, but Spear probably knows as much about state politics as Sawant did in 2012. What's changed?
4
Re: Prop 1 (Park District)
"We elect leaders who set taxes and build budgets and fund infrastructure, and when they fuck it up, we vote them out."

Our next chance to "vote them out" is 2015 when 7 districts 2 at-large City Council elections start. Voters can never undo the district entity itself and City initiative and referendum probably don't apply. Why let the current incumbents lock in a revenue stream for Downtown's waterfront extravaganza ($4 million/ year to start)?

There are other parks funding mechanisms available, including development impact fees like many surrounding cities. And an LID to get nearby landowners to help pay for the waterfront project. Why are you supporting the more regressive tax method?
5
It's statements like that which explain why the Stranger endorsed Chopp. The State House isn't the city, and Spear isn't Sawant. If the Socialist Alternative Party wanted to make a statement against corporate democrats, they'd have run a candidate against Eric Pettigrew.
6
"you see those handful of apartments that in no meaningful way begin to address the rising rent? Yeah, my leadership as speaker help finance those, in part." God who can look at what Sawant did for SEIU and say having one vocal member of a body isn't effective? Let's have a fighter, let's have a voice, Vote Spear!
7
I ran into Carlyle's opponent- Leslie Klein. I asked Klein: What is the difference between Carlyle and yourself. Klein answered: "Nothing. Everything Carlyle is for- I'm for-including charter schools."

Ross Hunter and Carlyle will beat teachers into the ground for poor educational outcomes. When, they, themselves have miserable failed.

The candidate well is very very dry.
8

Every once in a while, The Stranger makes a mistake- and Prop 1 is a mistake.

I'll go with the League of Education Voters on Prop 1. LEV voted unanimously to oppose Prop 1 and with good reason.

http://www.seattlelwv.org/advocacy
9
@Toby: Chill out with your false rhetoric. In fact, 10% of the previous electorate can petition to dissolve the park district.

The opponents - who LOVE LOVE LOVE parks - are so focused on dissolving the funding for parks, I'm a bit confused. No need to lie about the situation.
10
It seems hypocritical of The Stranger to be such enthusiastic cheerleaders of Frank Chopp, when it was just a year ago that they were actively trying to get him out of office, through the write-in campaign for Kshama Sawant. Not to mention when Dominic referred to him as a "feckless sissy" five times in one article. I guess they just support him when it's convenient.
11
@9--10% can petition, but they cannot vote on the measure. Only the Council sitting ex officio can actually do the deed. To make it easy, here's the entire section:

RCW 35.61.310 Dissolution.

A board of commissioners of a metropolitan park district may, upon a majority vote of all its members, dissolve any metropolitan park district, prorate the liabilities thereof, and turn over to the city and/or county so much of the district as is respectively located therein, when:

(1) Such city and/or county, through its governing officials, agrees to, and petitions for, such dissolution and the assumption of such assets and liabilities, or;

(2) Ten percent of the voters of such city and/or county who voted at the last general election petition the governing officials for such a vote.
12
@9--ps

Also, most of the opponents I know most definitely do NOT want to "dissolve the funding for parks." The leaders of the "No" campaign are long time parks volunteers. They (and I) want a progressive, democratic, and accountable structure for park revenue and how it is spent.

I second your sentiment--let's all try to speak the truth about the Park District proposal. I try to be 100% accurate with my facts and legal analysis and am happy to entertain corrections or alternate interpretations. In the meantime:

IMO, Prop 1 is a regressive measure designed to cement in some of the power of the Downtown establishment prior to district elections.
13
This endorsement of Frank Chopp is pathetic.

"He did vote for the $9 billion Boeing giveaway, which is socialism of the wrong kind (corporate socialism), but he also backed a $15 minimum wage."

First, he didn't just vote for the $9b giveaway. He called the special session to make sure it happened.

How exactly did he "back a $15"... was it by passing a state-wide $12 minimum? Nope. He let that die without even being voted on. Too busy calling special sessions to give our tax money to Boeing. It's a shame that this horrendous betrayal only takes up half a sentence of your endorsement, seeing as it is the reason we have no funding for education or transit, and he led the charge.

What I wouldn't give to have Goldy back and give the SECB back its credibility. Later, I'm off to read HorsesAss.org for some real news.
14
The kneejerk support for Prop 1 (the last grasp for power by the wholly at-large council) is similar to that for the privatization of liquor sales. The people who have the public interest in mind and have studied the law are against it, and the lazy purveyors of ad hominems are for it, and try to shout down anyone who has done any critical thinking and expects an informed debate. All these supposed progressives falling over themselves to fawn on Sally Bagshaw, of all people. Unfortunately, this time there will be no recourse when they figure out they were had, and that those hippies at the League of Women Voters knew what they were talking about.
15
@13 Only the Governor can call a special session, but don't let those pesky facts get in the way of your argument.

I do agree with you, however, that the Stranger was foolish to let Goldy go.
16
Ouch, did not expect the Stranger to be anti-rent control. It works in NYC and SF because without it even more people would be pushed out of their homes by rent increases. The problem in both cities is that huge loopholes have been carved into rent control laws to the point where the number of renters covered is small. So Seattle should be able to experiment with a better solution, which means the state prohibition needs to go. While I'm agnostic in the Chopp-Spear race, I do hope the Stranger comes around on rent control because without some form of it Seattle renters are screwed.
17
You guys can use all the swear words you want, it still doesn't make up for losing Goldy.
18
I will vote for the Parks thing, but I'd much rather have the parks under the control of a nice sedate parks board instead of the city council.

And the Auburn Red Barn Antique Store is one of the creepiest places In the Puget Sound region. It's mostly a knife store.
19
Why doesn't the Stranger newspaper endorse JESS SPEAR of Socialist Alternative and $15Now, the workers' challenger who pledges to take only a workers' wage?

Instead, why does the Stranger endorse the Boeing $8.7 Billion bagman Frank Chopp, Democratic/Republican apparatchik, the "House Speaker" who's "mute" about both a $15 minimum wage and rent control?

Despite having endorsed Jess Spear's co-thinker, co-leader, co-fighter Kshama Sawant, against the self-same corporate politician, for the self-same 43rd district, at the previous election?

The Stranger's caviling criticisms of Jess Spear are just a fig-leaf.
The real reason for the Stranger's cowardly capitulation is, well, capitalism! -- pressure from the owners/board of directors/advertisers who have seen first-hand, and fear, the electrifying effect on the working class of having even one intransigent, incorruptible, inspiring representative: Kshama Sawant, on Seattle city council.

From the capitalists' perspective, what could be worse than having one socialist fighter elected?
Having two!
Because next thing they know, the capitalists will be facing a nationwide independent working-class political challenge -- like Eugene Debs a hundred years ago, only even better!

We hope to make those capitalists' nightmares come true.

Sister! Brother! Let's make history together!

Jess Spear is a splendid candidate, with a splendid chance of winning -- with your support, that is!

And she's earned her spurs in battle:
-- as director of Kshama's victorious 2013 Seattle city council run.
-- and as director of $15Now spearheading (no pun intended!) the magnificent relative triumph in Seattle of the $15 minimum-wage struggle.

In addition to voting, make Socialist Alternative and $15Now your very own party -- join it, build it, influence it.
http://www.socialistalternative.org/
http://15now.org/

Dump the Elephant, Dump the Ass! Build a Party of the Working Class!
20
When Toby talks...I listen.
21
Oh for fuck's sake. The more @19 calls Jess Spear "splendid" and "magnificent" the less seriously I can take her candidacy.

Maybe the far left wanted their own Goodspacegal. If so, she fits the bill nicely.
22
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT NO. 43
Representative Position No. 2: Frank Chopp

God bless. Someone saw reason.

@2, I am not really interested in the views of people who can't tell the difference between $52 trillion and $5.2 trillion, or the difference between one year and twenty, or the difference between an entire market and one company, let alone profits or even sales. Numbers are SO confusing, aren't they? Maybe you should go have a lie-down until the blood returns to your head.
23
Hear, hear. Chopp is a bulwark against the lunacy in the Legislature. He is universally loathed by the Republicans because he's effective. Keep him there.
24
Thank you, SECB, for supporting sustainable, long-term funding for parks and community centers in Seattle! Proposition 1 will grant another tool in the belt of our elected officials - our democratically elected elected officials - to ensure equitable access to high quality parks and programs for all residents of our city, all for about 0.5% of an increase to the property tax (the most progressive option we have that is stable in Seattle). It should be noted that this tool followed the recommendation of a 15 member Citizen Advisory Committee, and came after nine months of in-depth meetings and tons of additional public comment.

It's good to see the Stranger join with over 70 trusted organizations - from Sierra Club and WCV to King County Labor Council, 8 different Democratic Party organizations to Feet First, El Centro de la Raza to Seattle Youth Soccer Association, plus the Municipal League, all join together to recognize that this is the best option for Seattle Parks!

Visit www.seattleparksforall.com for more information!
25
Hey Stranger! Why did you skip the 32nd District? Pretty big race up here for State Senate. Maralyn Chase has a primary and an opponent who is doorbelling furiously and making stuff up about her! Need your attention please!
26
@16 Seattle will never "be able to experiment with a better solution" [for rental stabilization] without RCW 35.21.830 being done away with. How do suggest we make that happen? Seems you have the order reversed.

That said, rent stabilization would help in the Seattle area. In NYC, there is a 4% cap on rent increases of 1 yr leases and 7.75% for two year leases, which Rent Guidelines Board is trying to lower even further. My rent has increased by 10% every year for the last three years; I would love to have the increase capped at 4%.
27
Dear SECB,

Could you please salve my growing fear that the 47th district Democrats are a clusterrific shitshow of incompetent bunglers?

Also, isn't Carol Barber also their Vice Chair?
28
“Still, he's grinding along in the right direction, which is no small feat in today's Olympia, and the list of solid progressive bills he's ushered through the House—only to have them killed by the motherfucking Republican senate—is long. Vote Chopp.”

So we should judge Chopp on what he didn’t get through rather than his real record? That record, $8.7bn tax giveaways, criminally underfunded education, cuts to public services, the most regressive state taxation system, hikes in tuition costs, etc, etc….

This seems to me to be far more about the strangers business interests than about the candidates themselves. Weak stuff, stranger.
29
Wow, so after raining fire on Chopp for two years, the SECB gets nervous and caves in to endorse the czar of corporate politics? The same politician who bullies progressive Democrats to force them to the right, has kept a state-wide $12 minimum wage off the floor of the State House, has presided over a massive onslaught on funding for education, and zero action on mass transit? And they do this after their own poll shows a 66% majority support for Spear among their readers?

Even more pathetic are the attacks on Spear, who is clearly extremely sharp, already has extremely impressive knowledge of issues, and who's arguments about rent control and regressive taxation are dead on.

Gutless. The SECB lost it's way when it lost Goldy.
30
Hey now. Frank Chopp got a Facebook page in April -- https://www.facebook.com/frankchopp -- and there are quite a few photos of him on it pointing his finger at things.
31
Again, The Stranger, thanks for the help. Perhaps in future I should just sign my blank absentee ballot and send it to SECB to fill out? Though I'm too old to appreciate the dirty language, I have to wade through it cuz the rest is well-written and lots of fun.
32
Vote Jess Spear.
33
It's funny how you talk about the obvious problem of our stagnate political body in Olympia but then you turn around and endorse a ton of the incumbent politicians. Change doesn't come from doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. That's called insanity. The most head-scratchingly bizarre thing of it all is you fail to endorse Jess Spear, a candidate with a proven track record and turn around and endorse Frank Chopp, who you failed to see promise in, for good reason might I add, only two years ago.

Chopp is a corporate politician who looks out for the interests of his millionaire donors not the people of this state. He receives thousands of dollars from Boeing, McDonald's, and the Washington Restaurant Association for his campaign every year. That's why he can't get a raise in the minimum wage on the floor of the house but he can get Boeing that $8.7 billion handout no problem.

Whereas Spear helped organize Sawant's campaign for city council, and was one of the leading organizers for 15 Now. In fact I highly doubt we would have been able to raise the minimum wage here in Seattle if it weren't for her efforts behind both campaigns.

She may not be able to get the politicians in Olympia to march behind her on rent control, and a higher minimum wage, like you claim she said, but she clearly wants to fight for the people's issues. She would be a real change in the corporate establishment we haven't seen in forever. And I think we can all agree that change is clearly what this state needs right now.
34
"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." - Stranger's Election Control Board 2012

If the legislature "just spent their last terms spinelessly handing Boeing nearly $9 billion in tax breaks while also failing to find the relatively piddling $2 billion that the state supreme court ordered them to cough up so we could properly fund basic education for the next couple school years," then why are you endorsing the speaker?

Was it because you didn't think Sawant could win in 2012 that you endorsed her? Now that Socialist Alternative is more influential (post Sawant's election and Spear's role in that election campaign and 15 Now) and is mounting a credible challenge to the Speaker you back away and endorse the status quo.

The guy takes money from BP, Chevron, Walmart, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, WA Restaurant Assoc., Bank of America, Wells Fargo, BNSF, etc. You don't think these donors are stupid do you? They wouldn't keep backing someone that didn't do their bidding.

I'm tired of the excuses. We need representatives that don't take money from business and who will actually represent the people. Vote for Jess Spear.


35
@28, you're an idiot. Frank has saved public services a hundred times over. If he's kept something off the floor, maybe it's because there's a very good reason to -- namely, if it doesn't have a ghost of a chance of passing the other chamber.

Feel free to explain how soft-brained Jess Spear, who doesn't even know the basics of how government works ("what's the MVET?", gimme a break) is going to fix the regressive tax system kept in place by the Republican majority in the senate? Or institute rent control when rent control is explicitly illegal?

You people are addicted to Pyrrhic victories for reasons I cannot fathom. It's like you WANT to lose every fight instead of just some of them.
36
I'm baffled by your endorsement of Frank Chopp.

If the legislature "just spent their last terms spinelessly handing Boeing nearly $9 billion in tax breaks while also failing to find the relatively piddling $2 billion that the state supreme court ordered them to cough up so we could properly fund basic education for the next couple school years," then why are you endorsing the speaker?

In 2012 you wrote - "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."

Did you endorse Sawant in 2012 only because you didn't think she could win? And, now that Socialist Alternative is more influential (post Sawant's election and Spear's role in that election campaign and 15 Now) and is mounting a credible challenge to the Speaker you are backing off and endorsing Chopp.

I'm tired of the excuses. Our education and transit system continually face cuts while corporations get tax breaks. Speaker Chopp is part of the problem. I'm voting for Spear.

37
We need representatives that don't take money from business and who will actually represent the people.'

Those two things aren't mutually exclusive.
38
"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU APPLYING FOR A JOB TO MAKE SPECIFIC POLICY". MS Darnell has a different interpretation of the interview with the Stranger. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZVTA8Abr… at 4:23. Is she delusional? Or just blatantly lying?
39
@ 35 - "You people are addicted to Pyrrhic victories for reasons I cannot fathom." - The stranger says we should judge frank chopp on things that didn't go through - by your logic he shouldn't even put those forward? I don't see how what you're saying is going to change anything in WA - but is that the point?
btw, seen as we're talking about things that are explicitly illegal, how about underfunding education?
40
Covington is between Kent, Maple Valley, Black Diamond, and Ravensdale.

Duh.

I'm not kidding, this is my job!
41
"Vote Chopp!" because giving away $8.7 Billion of our tax money to Boeing when our state education system is being illegally underfunded is in fact "grinding along in the right direction". "Vote Chopp" because our communities have seen nothing but devastating cuts to education, healthcare, and social services, while the wealthiest in our state keep getting wealthier. " Vote Chopp" because he had the chance to move more progressive taxation, legislation to raise the state minimum wage, and support legislation that would protect workers- but he didn't. The Stranger, accompanied by big businesses like McDonald's and Walmart (two of his many corporate funders) will tell you to "Vote Chopp" 2014!
42
Don't be harsh on Tomiko-Santos; she has held back a lot of bad policies.

I don't know why Tomiko-Santos didn't show for the Boeing vote, but perhaps she is tired of jumping for Boeing. Shall we expect Inslee to call legislators to Olympia to fund education? I won't hold my breath.
43
@39, and @36, you seem to be unaware of the existence of Republicans.

Chopp can't fund education if the Republicans won't let him. That's a simple fact. He has tried many times. Spear has less chance of succeeding there than I do of winning MVP of the NBA next year.-

I think it's very bizarre that Chopp's very real affordable housing buildings are somehow less valuable than Spear's wholly imaginary ones that she will never in a million years be able to get built.

But that's typical for Spear supporters -- nothing outside their bubble has any reality to them. Olympia needs more empty speechifying. The Republicans will surely bend over when the nice lady asks them to, especially if she uses a megaphone.

@36, if Spear gets elected there is a very real possibility that our transit system will be ELIMINATED, along with every housing program, every health care program, and every other valuable thing that our divided government does manage to get done. It's a shame that you don't know what any of those things are, or how they came to pass. Spear doesn't either.
44
I can’t believe how full of shit The Stranger is endorsing Frank Chopp. The entire intro the the endorsements is a scathing attack on the legislature for failing to put up a fight for progressive policies and rolling over to empty our state coffers for Boeing while criminally underfunding everything important (education, transit, etc.) Who called the special session to approve the record-breaking handout? Frank Chopp. To say he is a friend to labor is laughable. Who voted against a bill that would make mandatory anti-union meetings in the workplace illegal? Frank Chopp. To say he is a strong advocate of a $15/hr minimum wage is downright false. Who refused to put a $12/hr to a house vote? Frank Chopp.
The Stranger is finally bending to pressure from their small-business advertisers and turning on the woman who led the fight for $15. They know her politics are better than Chopp’s- her politics are the same as Sawant’s, and they (rightfully) couldn’t stop raving about her.
Shame on you, Stranger. Shame on you for throwing your weight behind a cowardly corporate politician instead of the independent progressive who could actually shake Olympia out of it’s conservative stupor. Not because one house member can unilaterally sway the entire body, but because, like Sawant, she could mobilize tremendous grassroots pressure. You’ve caved to the money. You are no better than the legislature you so gleefully criticize.
45
@41, you seem to be unaware of the existence of Republicans.

Chopp has brought more healthcare and social services to his district and his state than any legislator in our history. Maybe if you familiarized yourself with his lifetime of work, and the budget process in this state, you'd know that. Probably not, though.
46
@35 It seems telling that the majority of your arguments are personal attacks, against both Spear and fellow commenters. Referring to Spear as soft-brained, because she didn't know one of the multitude of ways Seattle has imposed taxes, is not only terrible argumentation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasty_gener…) but also childish. And do you know what she did after the endorsement interview? She went home, learned about it and sent them an email to clarify. Representatives (like all of us) need to be willing to acknowledge that they don't understand something, but strive to learn. Also, a specific Metro levy hardly constitutes "the basics of how government works" (see hasty generalization).

Lauding Chopp for keeping progressive issues off the house floor because they probably won't pass isn't a very convincing argument, when he stands to be replaced by someone who has and will be an unapologetic champion the people for everyone who lives and works in Seattle, not just the people who can donate. Vote Spear.
47
I used to trust the SECB's endorsements. Your endorsement of Prop 1 is ill advised and frankly unsupported. Your voting for just because you don't like they "whiny opposition." Sounds personal to me. You must not be a property owner or a park volunteer. Your faith in city council's ability to do the right thing is remarkable.
48

Perhaps it is #22 that should lie down. Last time I checked $5.2 TRILLION dollars was a lot of money- even if it is spread- out over many years.

God forbid someone having a typo.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/categor…

"Boeing raised its forecast for aircraft demand today, saying it now expects to deliver 36,770 planes over the next two decades in deals worth US$5.2 trillion (3.8 trillion euros)."
49
@44, you are dumb.

Chopp's political platform was virtually identical to Sawant's, except for the "nationalize all big businesses" part, which is simply lunacy. Spear is on that same moon rocket now, which is just one of the reasons why she's a hopeless candidate.

If you were capable of paying attention you would know how the stalemate over education works:

The Republicans, who control the senate, flat-out refuse to fund education without taking the money -- ALL of the money -- out of every social service program in the entire state. They won't agree to a single penny of increased funding from anywhere. They are more than happy to sacrifice everything, even shutting down state parks, to get what they want.

The reason they have not been able to do that is Frank Chopp. He is responsible for saving every health and housing and social service nickel in the entire state, and there is not a single person in state government who doesn't know that.

There seem to be a lot of people wandering around here in a stupor who don't, though. They think that the budget figures are achieved by waving one's hands and wishing it was so.

A vote for Spear is a vote for Mississippification.
50
Fnarf should definitely lie down before he/she has a heart attach and/or stroke.

51
@46, that's just one of many examples. Spear DOESN'T know anything about the issues she espouses. Frank has devoted his life to them. That's the stupid thing; Frank is a better advocate of Spear's own causes than she is.

Spear isn't a champion of anything. She's never faced any kind of real opposition in her life, just a bunch of yessing socialist cheerleaders. She's a train wreck waiting to happen.
52
Everyone railing against Chopp and saying he doesn't represent "the people" should probably go find out why unions have endorsed him. Unions, otherwise known as "the people" you think you're defending.

"The people" have spoken, and they've endorsed Chopp.
53
@51 "Frank is a better advocate of Spear's own causes than she is."

That's definitely why he was silent about the fight for $15/hr and chose not to bring Rep. Farrell's $12.50 minimum wage bill to the floor. But you're right, Jess was a much worse advocate of Seattle. I mean, only 68% of Seattle voters supported the minimum wage increase to $15 and she still insisted on being the organizing director of 15 Now? I hope she's a better advocate for us than that when she's in Olympia!
54
A vote for Spears is a vote for wholesale reduction in teachers' salaries of maybe as much as 25%. That's what the Republicans want. They want to "fund" education by slashing the wages of the people who provide it, and destroying their union protections in the process. Chopp is the reason that hasn't happened. Maybe that's why unions are supporting him, not her -- including SEIU, the leftiest union.

Don't be stupid.
55
Hey Fnarf,
You are protesting so much that you make it sound as if Spear might have something going for her.
Or in fact ARE you Chopp?

Btw, in fact I'd vote for him if he were in my district but you certainly have gotten my interest and I do wonder...
56
@53, well, if 68% of Seattle voters supported it, it was sure to be a snap in the Republican-controlled legislature! Right? That's what you people keep saying.

You want to make a speech, make a speech. But if you think Rodney Tom and Don Benton and Pam Roach are going to listen to it, you're seriously deluded.
57
@51 And as far as Spear never facing opposition, I'm sure working against the interests of the wealthiest business owners in Seattle is a cakewalk compared to defending Frank Chopp against the internet.

The crazy thing is, we agree that the Republican senate is a huge problem, but you are spending all of this energy trying to stir up resentment of Jess, when you (as far as I can tell) agree with her that education, transit and social services are continually getting fucked. Maybe you don't agree with some of her politics, like the democratic running of our workplaces, but that is no reason to unilaterally dismiss everything she has done and could do. I've read the comments so I'm confident that I won't convince you to vote for her, but that's fine, because you can't convince me to vote Chopp. Just don't throw everything she stands for out the window because you think she might not be the most effective way to make progress.
58
@56 I appreciate your realism, but that doesn't excuse not trying. If you never try to pass a bill it won't ever pass, no matter how many times you talk about how you think it should.
59
I would never vote for or against anything in August. Its summertime. No one want to argue. It is a time for getting massages, long walks in Discovery Park with all its shady trees, eating steak once a week, sampling all the cannabis strains, swimming in a cool pool, "doing" a few tourists. Politics in August? Or even July for that matter. I'd rather eat a cardboard sandwich with sawdust filling!
60
Do you live in the 43rd, Fnarf?
61
I love the name calling and fear mongering. It's an honest representation of the viper infested pit that is today's Democratic Party.

These comments are going to be fun to read when Hillary Clinton stumbles into the upcoming presidential race.
62
Ah-what the heck! I normally agree with the Stanger on most of the issues. However, I will vote AGAINST PROP 1. I would rather see some sort of online accounting spreadsheet to determine where every penny will go. Have it updated in real-time so every citizen can see how their property taxes are truly spent.

I'm looking at my "Official Property Value Notice". Old value was 443,000.00. New value is 586,000. Total scam in my mind! Publish an entire article on this. I never even remodeled the home. It was in great shape when I moved in. That's just the tip of the iceberg. And speaking of icebergs. Its summertime and I don't like to argue in the heat. Id rather sit on an iceberg.
63
I think that Spear's call for nationalizing the Fortune 500 is kooky and makes her look foolish.

So why bother attacking Spear so much? except to set forth her views on the Fortune 500? which to most people are comical?

(Btw, laughing at idea of nationalizing Fortune 500 is NOT the same as taxing 1% or advocating tougher regulation or arguing for more German-style "socialism" -- which is just more welfare-statism -- which I basically support.)
64
@60, yes I do. I used to be in the 36th, but the border changed.
65
Spear is the perfect bumper sticker candidate. That is, her knowledge and platform ideas fit neatly on a sticker. That's about it...
66
I miss Goldy.
67
@ 65 'Vote Frank Chopp - for more of the same, you can believe it'
68
@67 That is more of a twitter account. Perhaps the reason Chopp doesn't do social media is that his ideas and platforms take more thought than 144 characters.
69
That's because Spear, who sees Sawant's success on the nine-member Seattle City Council as her model for success in Olympia, seems to believe that electing just one socialist from one Seattle district to the 98-member state House will suddenly cause the rest of the House members to march behind her


What a ridiculous argument. This is some bizarre Seattle Times nonsense logic -- one left-winger won't accomplish everything, so you prefer zero left-wing representatives. Are you seriously satisfied with only far-right and center-right representatives in state government?

It seems pretty clear that Tim Keck is having more and more influence on The Stranger's journalism and editorials. His job is as an ad salesman, and he's proven to be a conservative -- why the hell is he on the endorsements board? (Except to know who to fire if someone steps out of line, of course.)
70
@59 The next time some fucked up initiative, piece of legislation or office holder pisses you off, please take a moment to savor the fact that while they may not allocate any time to actually considering this shit, those assholes can be counted on to vote in each and every election.

tl;dr Fuck you very much.
71
How exactly is losing Chopp going to singularly cost the Democrats their majority in the House? Spear isn't going to side with the Republican caucus on anything.

It seems to me that either result is going to continue the status quo. If Chopp loses we'll have a different speaker but the same completely ineffective nominally Democrat-controlled legislature.
72
I agree with @25... Where is the 32nd LD endorsement? Bellevue, Redmond, and Covington deserve your attention, but Northwest Seattle does not? Chase is the obvious choice, but her opponent is strong enough that Chase needs the shout out!
73
what specifically did mia gregerson do to "beef up" protection for homeowners facing foreclosure?
74
Jess Spear's stated plan to win the 43rd:

1) Enthusiastic Stranger endorsement
2) Major support from organized labor
3) Massive war chest of $150K+

Sorry, people, this one's O-VER!
75
@Fnarf is spot on.

Politics aren't like a story book, imagining unicorns and flinging around terms like "corporatist" doesn't change that unicorns don't exist and Republicans do. In great numbers, regretfully. It's going to take quite a while to change that.
76
For those interested in our past Chopp-related endorsements, here's a brief history.
77
SECB . . . watch your lawn for brown spots.
78
Frank Chopp and Joe Fitzgibbons are awful Democrats who stand more for big business and taxing the poor than representing our intentions. Fitzgibbons doesn't have a viable actually liberal opponent, but Chopp does.

However, this is all about The Stranger's push to the right. "We sent Chopp the message that he needed to get better, and he didn't, but we're still shilling for him anyways."
79
Wow. Three posts in one day about the same subject, the third one comment locked. I haven't seen this much backpedaling since Goldy's firing.
80
@25 and others: We hope to weigh in on the state senate race in the 32nd District ahead of the general election in November.
81
@76

"feckless sissies like Frank Chopp don't deserve to be threatened with violence; they deserve to be voted out of office and remembered as feckless sissies."

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
82
From The Stranger in 2012:

Yeah, we know, being house majority leader means you have to look out for the Democrats from the sticks. Well, you know what, Chopp, you also have to look out for your base.

Dead-on. Send a message to Ol' Frank in the primary and vote Spear. Chopp needs a wake-up call.
83
@ 82, what would you have said if Fnarf didn't live in Chopp's district?
84
Wow. I never really took The Stranger too seriously, but watching you waffle and weakly rationalize your endorsement of Frank Chopp is shameful. I am embarrassed for you. You rail against the ineffectual, sellout Democrats issue after issue, but when it comes time to stand up and take action you can't perform. Obviously the incumbent has more Olympia experience than Jess Spear, but what has that gotten us? As a union Ironworker doing some work at Boeing, I'll tell you that he hasn't done a damn thing for the machinists, unless you count complicity in fucking up their pay scale and health benefits, and destroying their pension. Smart workers don't vote Democrat. I cannot believe that "progressive" people in a "progressive" city reading a "progressive" sniping rag would come to these conclusions. So yeah, way to go Stranger, you're an embarrassment.
85
@84, The Stranger has been selling out for some time now. They've gone from communist to socialist to progressive, and are now almost moderate.
86
Stranger: Forget everything we said in the past about Chopp.

87
What's wrong with Watanabe? He is a smart and humble guy that isn't kissing-up to the Pooh- Bahs.
88
@83: I would've asked him if he thinks that Chopp represents the political leanings of the 43rd, for precisely the reason the Stranger stated waaaaaay back in 2012 (and I quoted @82).

Now that I know Fnarf lives in the 43rd and supports Chopp, well, I guess he's cool with that. I'm not.
89
Oh and to the SECB, I suppose Sawant getting 29% of the vote and your juvenile threats of pissing on Chopp's lawn really sent the Democrats a powerful message. Shortly after that they gave Boeing $8.7 billion of our tax dollars that were sorely needed to fund our education, transit, and social programs! Great job, I think they're starting to come around. Maybe if you leave a flaming bag of shit on his porch he'll make us a right to work state next year, hooray! You guys are a joke.
90
Groovy.
91
Does anyone know a good local endorsement list to send to friends and use for downballot elections, now that The Stranger swung to the right?
93
"Doug's Voter's Guide" will be endorsing soon!
94
Here's how far right The Stranger has swung. These are Frank's positions on the issues:
FUND BASIC EDUCATION By closing tax loopholes and developing new sources to fund basic education as well as make our tax system more progressive and fair.

PROMOTE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL By dedicating a new revenue source for higher education to freeze tuition, increase student financial aid, and make key investments in colleges and universities.

ENSURE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL By expanding Washington Apple Health to hundreds of thousands, and by ensuring that women, not insurance companies or politicians, make their own health care decisions.

STRENGTHEN THE SAFETY NET By increasing funding for mental health treatment and working to end homelessness.

PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING By expanding public investment and innovation in low-income and workforce housing.

STAND UP FOR WORKING PEOPLE By enacting paid sick leave, raising the state minimum wage, preventing wage theft, and creating new jobs through public works.

PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT By promoting public transit and reducing carbon emissions to address climate change.
As you can see, he's practically a Nazi on the issues.

The first person to say "hey, man, those are just words, man" gets a face full of laughter and, sorry, probably a little spit too. They're the same words as Jess Spear, only Frank has backed 'em up with action for thirty years. Spears hasn't and never will.

Unions? You like unions? Frank STARTED two unions. Jess Spear started a couple of chants at a rally once.

To the right. Sure, sure. You people don't even know what the words you use mean.
95
Angry hipster on the loose, everybody. Careful, he might get his putrescent hulk out of his bathtub and tear you a one. Well, talk loudly at you, anyway.
96
@83
I'd like to hear Chopp commenting for himself right on this thread rather than other people doing it for him (or her -- goes for Spear as well.)

Of course I understand that no politician wants to get involved with actually speaking with real people in an uncontrolled situation. But it would be nice to hear Chopp speak out -- unless Chopp already is here? :)
98
Well, I guess it's an accomplishment to know what the MVET is. Pity he hasn't actually managed to do anything to save Metro with all that, you know, POWER people keep yammering on about. But knowing vocab words is really something....

Does Chopp do an effective job representing his district, the most liberal in the state? Doubtful. Seems like he's probably doing a fine job representing the people of Covington but not doing a thing to represent the needs and wants of his city and district. That's what's distressing. Spear wouldn't be effective, but it's really galling to me that we are stuck with the incrementalist who wants to represent every city except Seattle in the legislature.
99
Spear would be smart to hammer on the Boeing fiasco... What a sad sad joke!!! Ms Jayapal just came by tonight doorbelling for her campaign. I was very impressed with her but wish I would have quizzed her on the Boeing tax break... Speaking of which, why is no one pushing a citizens initiative to repeal that shit?!?!?
100
94: About Jess Spear being a chanting, dumb, hysterical woman who will move the elected body to the right -- you said the exact shit about Kshama Sawant, and you were absolutely wrong, as is typical.

Frank Chopp is absolutely right-wing by Seattle, urban American city, and global standards. We're not talking rural white American standards.

Saying you'll work for "basic education" and "the environment" is not left-wing. That's what everyone who isn't a far-right rural tea partier says.

What "accomplishments" do you find progressive from Frank Chopp? Do you have one, besides not eliminating the ENTIRE state government?

How about some examples of his accomplishments? He tried to eliminate east link to add another deep bore tunnel in Montlake. He tried to replace the viaduct with a giant 50% wider double-decker freeway. He personally delayed the Homeowners Bill of Rights for years. He killed tying climate change considerations to the growth act. He refused to allow WA state to EVER decriminalize marijuana even though it was wildly popular and would have easily passed -- fucking Nebraska and Ohio passed decriminalization. He just passed on the $12 state minimum wage. He loves unending billions of tax dollars on corporate tax breaks.
101
@96, Chopp speaks with ordinary residents of the 43rd every single day. He's met with every community group in the district, over and over again. He knows their names, he knows their agenda, and he knows how to get what they want. Some of the time.

Spear knows none of that. She's met with no one outside of her little circle of idiots, who solved all the problems of the world back in their dorm room a decade ago and have never set foot in the real world since. Seriously, she's met with NO ONE. Community groups don't endorse her because they've never heard of her; she doesn't go their meetings, she doesn't want to take their phone calls, she's just...unengaged.

@94, you're really a very annoying little shit, you know that? It's like having cockroaches crackling under your feet, listening to nitwits like you.

Frank doesn't say he'll "work for basic education"; he says he'll work to fund it with NEW REVENUE. Since you have obviously not been following the discussion in Olympia, let me explain: the Republicans want to fund education by slashing teacher salaries. They want ALL of the money to come out of people's wages. You want Frank to wave his hand and make all these naughty tea partiers away, but the fact is they have veto power over the entire state budget. Saving teacher salaries is, in fact, a great accomplishment when one chamber of the legislature wants to do exactly that.

Progressive accomplishment: Phyllis Gutierrez-Kenney Place. I'll wait while you google up who that is, and what that is. I can name a dozen other projects like it, too. That's THOUSANDS OF UNITS.

I mentioned the TWO UNIONS Frank created.

Minimum wage? The last time we raised it, Frank ran the initiative.

The home care program for the elderly and disabled in this state? Frank started it.

You don't know what Washington Apple Health is, so I'll tell you: it's what we call Obamacare in this state. It's here because of Frank's work -- not Jess's work (she has no work to show).

Transportation? You ever see those little buses that go around carrying people who can't ride the regular bus? Frank started that program.

Broadview Emergency Shelter, the most important domestic violence shelter in the state? Frank started it. Spear doesn't know a DV shelter from a hole in the ground.

The Low Income Housing Institute? Oh, that's right, you've probabaly never heard of them. Look it up, I'll wait. Frank started it.

You're worried about freeways? Frank is the reason the RH Thompson and the West Seattle freeways never got built.

I've given many examples of the kinds of bills the Republicans are trying to push through. Frank is the one who stops them, almost every one. You wave away those "far right rural tea partiers" but those are the people who control the legislature in this fucking state.

You're a child, raku, mentally at least, and you're not as bright as you think you are. You're full of crap, in fact, and so is your dreamy candidate. If you ask ANYONE who has worked for social justice in this state, they'll tell you "Frank? He's the greatest, he's the most effective legislator in the state, we couldn't survive without him".

Spear? She's pretty good at showing up later and taking credit for other people's work -- like Working Washington, which is the real power behind the $15 wage -- not Spear's group.
102
I'd like to know more about the two unions chop created ...

Also @fnarf, your condescending dickhead attitude is winning no converts

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