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Jul 27, 2011
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-Bobby Forch.
That is far from "enthusiastic".
How would The Stranger react if another publication were to voice crude prejudice against the GLBT community in the manner that it vents ageist ridicule at Jean Godden?
The fault isn't in the system, it's in a lack of zesty challengers willing to do the hard work to win over supporters. As a lover of down-to-the-wire races and harassed incumbents, sad news for me.
And citing Classen's "stance on a proposal mandating paid sick days for everyone employed in Seattle that really pissed the SECB off." He has supported this from the beginning and even said yesterday that he would vote for paid sick leave or consider other opportunities to secure the necessary votes on KUOW.
It seems clear to me that this Position 1 endorsement hasn't been thought through well-enough.
I saw both Sandy Cioffi and Dian Ferguson speak on the campaign trail. Neither could come up with a good reason as to why they were challenging a Council incumbent. Which is a shame, because Dian seems to have some of the tools to be a good candidate; Cioffi was kind of dazed and vague as a public speaker and would have lost to Rasmussen 99 times out of 100 despite their money totals.
I am not supporting Mr.Forch because I don't believe we need anymore meandering minds on the City Council, we already have Jean for that. I will clearly be voting for Classen with his ideas.
And I'd say the SECB being "pissed off" on Classen's stance on paid sick leave, I am not sure what there is to be pissed off about. Mr. Forch "supports in principle" while Classen clearly said yesterday that if he were voting, he would do what was necessary to make it happen, whether it is voting for it on the Council or it is working with a broader group to get these votes and make it happen.
Its pretty clear to me this Position 1 endorsement is not as well-thought out as some of the others.
The job of SPS Directors is really pretty simple in the basic requirements.
1.. Follow State Law.
2.. Follow School Board policy.
3.. Supervise the Superintendent.
The four incumbents up for re-election are a combined ZERO for TWELVE.
The Stranger follows closely enough to make the leap that
ZERO for THREE for each of these folks = NO ENDORSEMENT
.... Now how does the Muni League figure that
Sundquist is Outstanding and each of the other three incumbents is very good?
Does the Muni League not care about laws, policies, supervising the superintendent, and/or results? Which is it? Perhaps all of the above.
A vote for an incumbent is a vote for "inequity and incompetence".
So SPS incumbent School Director Peter Maier has the following endorsements on his website:
Organizational Endorsements
46th District Democrats
King County Young Democrats
Elected Public Officials
Sally Bagshaw, Seattle City Council Member*
Tim Burgess, Seattle City Council Member*
Reuven Carlyle, State Representative, 36th District*
Sally Clark, Seattle City Council Member*
Richard Conlin, Seattle City Council Member*
Mary Lou Dickerson, State Representative, 36th District*
Bob Ferguson, King County Council Member*
David Frockt, State Representative, 46th District*
Jean Godden, Seattle City Council Member*
Lloyd Hara, King County Assessor*
Bruce Harrell ,Seattle City Council Member*
Adam Kline, State Senator, 37th District*
Jeanne Kohl-Welles, State Senator, 36th District*
Marcie Maxwell, State Representative, 41st District*
Joe McDermott, King County Council Member*
Tom Rasmussen, Seattle City Council Member*
Gael Tarleton, Commissioner Port of Seattle*
Scott White, State Senator, 46th District*
PTSA Presidents
Andrea Baumgarten, 1st Vice President, Seattle Council PTSA*
Lisa Bond, former President Seattle Council PTSA*
Laura Brosten, Co-President Whitman MS PTSA*
Linda Ellingboe, former President Ballard HS PTSA*
Betty Hoagland, former President Seattle Council PTSA*
Lauren McGuire, President Seattle Council PTSA*
Paul Plumis, former President Ballard HS PTSA*
Lyn Porterfield, former President Ballard HS PTSA*
Sharon Rodgers, former President Seattle Council PTSA*
Rita Sheckler, Co-President Madrona K-8 PTSA*
Sam Star. Co-Chair Friends of Salmon Bay K-8 (PTO)*
John Verduin, President Ballard HS PTSA*
Sue Verduin, former President Loyal Heights PTSA*
Greg Wong, President John Muir PTSA*
Leaders of Civic and Political Organizations
John Burbank, Exec. Dir. Economic Opportunity Institute*
Alicia Edgar, Vice President Parents for Public Schools*
Lucy Gaskill-Gaddis, Families & Education Levy Oversight Committee Member*
Pamela MacEwan, Board Chair, Alliance for Education*
Tre Maxie, Exec. Dir. Powerful Schools*
Susan Sheary, former Chair, King County Democrats*
* For identification only; does not mean endorsement by organization
Former Seattle School Board Members
Dorothy Hollingsworth
Jan Kumasaka
Barbara Schlag Peterson
Barbara Schaad-Lamphere
Marilyn Smith
Nancy Waldman
=================
My Granny always said that "fools names and fools faces are often found in public places".....
Don't these folks above have some splainin' to do?
.... or are they just clueless?
=======
No wonder the public has such little confidence in their elected officials.
I thought Joe McDermott was a really knowledgable guy ... and now I see him endorsing Peter Maier.
McLaren is a more credible candidate than Anderson in West Seattle and Buetow is stronger than Dunn in the northeast.
But -- if even the self-absorbed, penis-gazing Stranger gets it in general that the current board isn't cutting it, then there is hope the community at large may wise up when they vote.
As a longtime City employee working for my 5th and progressively less effective administration...Bobby's skills and experience would be a welcome addition to Council.
My politics are usually spot-on with the Stranger's - in this case they are even more happily so. :) Good choice!
The Stranger never gives serious consideration to any school board candidates. Not this year, not any year.
Maurice Classen is a great public speaker and does well at forums, but the reason Bobby Forch is getting so many endorsements is because he is making the effort to connect with people one on one and has values and ideals that appeal to a lot of activists in the various organizations whose endorsements he has sought.
Forch did some effective negative campaigning recently by making noise that Classen is against paid sick leave when the truth is Classen is "for" paid sick leave. Forch is taking one from the GOP/Republican playbook. You sure Forch is a Democrat? He's playing dirty like a Republican.
I also like that The Stranger showed that Forch is a proven flip-flopper -- I'm anti-Tunnel. Nevermind, I'm pro-Tunnel. Sounds like he's "I'm whatever will get me elected even though I have no clear policy ideas/plans." If he's elected, wouldn't be surprised if he's pro-paid sick leaveand then anti-paid sick leave.
Wow, Forch sounds like a winner.
I don't agree with all their endorsements for School Board, though. I've met them all and I would vote for Marty McLaren in the Position 6 race and Michelle Buetow in the District 3 race. (Michelle is not a disgruntled parent; she's a smart cookie. I'm not sure I understand how Joy Anderson isn't also a disgruntled parent.)
But it comes down to change. We need to change the direction and viewpoint of the School Board and get people who take input AND use it in their decision-making. We also need less rubber-stamping from the Board and more oversight.
Please look over the challengers carefully and pick one if your district is in this election.
Dear The Stranger -- I am disappointed in you. :(
Note to self and The Stranger readers: Negative campaigning works. Forch spread some lies that Classen is against paid sick leave and he is awarded. Right out of the GOP/Republican playbook. You sure Forch is a Democrat? Last I read and heard on the radio, Classen is "for" paid sick leave. Nothing wrong with wanting it implemented right so there are still jobs in the city.
I also enjoyed reading that Forch is a proven flip-flopper -- I'm anti-Tunnel, nevermind, I'm pro-Tunnel. Seems like a trustworthy fellow. Yeah right!
I went to Forch's site and he wrote about legalizing weed and bringing the troops home. Um, since when did a Seattle city councilman have the authority and power to legalize weed and bring troops home? That's right folks -- the answer is never.
The Stranger is a sucker! So disappointed.
Although it would be way more entertaining to go on a drunken binge in dive bars with Joy Anderson. Wow, she's got some serious wild-ass six-shootin' shit goin' on.
No offense to Ms. Anderson, an interesting person who feels ripped off by the School District. And of course it would be way more entertaining to go on a drunken spree in dive bars with Ms. Anderson. But I think that must have really magnificently impressed the Stranger a bit too much.
(1) Forch didn't "enthusiastically" endorse paid sick leave. As Publicola pointed out, Forch said he supported it only "in principle" and thought it needed to be approached with caution. So, nothing different from Classen and Gooden.
(2) Forch wasn't the first candidate to talk about police accountability. Classen was. And while Classen actually outlined concrete steps on how to make the police accountable, Forch just said that he's had "enough" of police abuses. Uh, thanks, Bobby - So has everyone else in this town. But what's your actual plan and what makes you qualified to get something done?
(3) Forch once was a tunnel critic. Ok, but on KUOW yesterday, Forch, Godden, and Classen all supported the tunnel. The fact that Forch at some point in the distant past agreed with you means that he's worthy of an endorsement? How does that make any sense?
(4) Forch had a "shitload" of endorsements, but most of them weren't unique to Forch. Classen had virtually the same district endorsements plus some of his own (the liberal 43rd) as well as additional endorsements from both liberals and moderates. Godden also had her share of endorsements.
Lastly, Forch hasn't been able to raise any money comparable to Classen or Godden. Money isn't everything, obviously, but in the general election, it matters.
You guys screwed this one up.
I'll let others add comments about your cheapshots on Godden. There are plenty of things to criticize other than her age (for starters, her gossip column for the Times almost made me want to set the paper on fire) . . .
Every one these candidates' pathetic resumes is a big "fuck you" to our kids. The fact that you have kids yourself or you built a skateboard park in your yard doesn't mean you know the first thing about running a school system. Either figure out a way to attract real players to the board, or elect a board that will disband itself and turn over the reins to the mayor and city council.
LOL. Yes, LD endorsements are integral to a campaign. Just like Joe Fitzgibbon, John Burbank, and--oh shit--Jean Godden!
First time in a long time that I've been disappointed in the Stranger's depth on a topic.
Nobody better represents the NIMBY-ish, retrograde Seattle approach to "progressivism" better than Licata.
PS: NO ON THE FUCKING TUNNEL.
I hope this kills the damn thing for good. Can't we find better ways to "put people back to work" than digging a hole in the ground?
I hope this vote kills it for good. Can't we find better ways to "put people back to work" than digging a hole in the ground? Please.
***Kudos to the Mayor for fighting the thing for so long. That's cajones.
The "cost" of the tunnel is the wonder "unless you have lived with this American ignorance for a while and have come to understand it"
No! a bunch of piranhas hanging out in front of your coffee shop wont make mellow non-confrontational Americans cross the street to go to get a cup of "You don't have to pay attention the city's problems as well as pay for coffee "BEFORE" you need to wake up and deal with "your world".
Like we need to remind someone of the story of Washingtons States traffic ignorance and waste of tax payers money over the last 50 years? like we need the congress and the city and the bum asking for beer money?
Do I need to pay the city to take care of veterans and if so can I pay the military to take care of my city?
Bobby Forch seems like a breath of fresh air in a room smelling of old people. I will certainly take a chance on him. He has my vote.
Dian Ferguson, unlike Sally Clark, is very clear where she stands on police accountability and is not endorsed by their guild. Sally Clark has done good things for the time, but times changed and she is becoming irrelevant to the issues we face today. Saving environment and riding a bicycle in traffic is probably the last thing on my mind when at any moment I can be shot by some overpaid corrupt lunatic cop that will lie and get away with it... I do not want to even listen to anyone who is associated with police today.
Do not re-elect Sally Clark! There are enough police connections at the council already. In fact no one have shown any real leadership on the council about the accountability and the guild's attitudes towards the taxpayers.
Vote for Dian Ferguson. get to know her at least! This article is only written by one person and shouldn't be taken seriously. Come on people, it's 2011, google your info.
I actually worked with Dian a while ago in Skyway when she was an activist there and did a fantastic job. And by the way, I am not black and not a female, not even Asian or Hispanic... I am gay though... Vote for Dian Ferguson!
Stranger loves a smooth talking Negro.
Is that some new PC nursery rhyme for those perpetually convinced they're oppressed?
On behalf of all the smooth talking Whites in politics... and straight white males who are perpetually convinced that they're NOT race/gender privileged.
The Stranger Election Control Board, and most people, are missing the point:
The actual problem is the very fact that money can influence ANY vote. Sure, there was a time when you needed serious dough to pay printers and to buy media ads. All that was BEFORE FREE MEDIA; that thing the kids are calling the Interweb or some such contraption.
Today, what you really need is a compelling position and message to distinguish yourself from all the knuckleheads. This alone will draw the necessary attention to your cause. If money can buy votes away from you, the problem is that people are incredibly daft (obviously) AND you don't have anything to say that would otherwise change or influence the votes of the people.
Specifically, Bobby is 54, Maurice Classen is 34, so a 20 year difference.
I am not PC and the deep bore tunnel was my idea. Vote yes on Referendum 1, so we can get on to tearing out those stupid old piers and really open up the waterfront...
http://publicola.com/2011/08/03/campaign…
Clearly, Forch is running a "tell them what you think they want to hear campaign" without any true substance or depth. Waffling from pro-business to the "progressive choice.". He'll burn out before the primary.
Go Crieghton!! Or whatever the hell your name is.
Its like going to the rock races to bet your money on the fastest rock?
Slash and burn all the programs you want and raise taxes until every male in Seattle looses His genitalia and it will not help one bit when a city cant even develop a "meaningful plan" to be financial stable.
The city saved how much money over the past 10 years? and the city invested in what the past 10 years? No jobs! No Social Security! No Bus! No School! No everything! but Yes taxes?
American Government is like the Catholic Church as its Believed to be a place of refuge and help and a better way of life but the truth is its a hide out for a bunch of professional pedophiles.
Voters backing Seattle tunnel; fight may finally be over
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/lo…
Can you dig it?