Two new entries today:
1. Get your voice on the draft county platform.
2. What should the party do in a post Top Two world?
Category: Washington Politics (Page 14 of 27)
First off, some bad predicting from Andrew up at the NPI blog:
They haven’t won anything yet. If they lose – and they’re likely to – the door will be slammed for good on that lousy system that no other state, save for maybe Louisiana, uses. The leaders of both the state Republican and Democratic parties have expressed confidence that the Supreme Court of the United States will uphold the lower court rulings invalidating the “Top Two” primary.
That hour of oral argument will be heard tomorrow morning, and in a few months, the Court will announce its decision in Wash. State Republican Party, et al. v. State of Washington, et al. If history is any indication, Reed and the Grange are bound to be disappointed when the Court’s opinion is issued – and the rights of those who belong to a political party will be upheld.
The Other Side points out the funny election we would have had in 1996:
In 1996, the top candidates were Gary Locke, Norm Rice and Ellen Craswell. Under this new system, Gary Locke and Norm Rice would’ve made it to the general leaving no GOP candidate.
So, who were the real choices in 1996? A farfarfar right-wing Republican who eventually abandoned her party or a two King County political chieftains, one moderately progressive and other a center-left business Democrat? I’d say the Top Two would have had it right in 1996.
And, Goldy is swearing a lot, but here is one of his clearer points:
The whole purpose of a primary election is to enable the parties to choose their candidates through more democratic means, rather than via smoke filled rooms. Now that you’ve done away with that, and entirely removed the parties from the nominating process, we might as well skip the primary and go straight to a general election… that way the ultimate winner can be chosen on a ballot that folks actually turnout for.
He’s right in the sense of the historical meaning of primaries, though the original intent of the traditional Washington primary was to remove parties and their smoke filled rooms from the primary election. Though he is wrong about the Top Two taking the power of nomination away from the parties.
They can still nominate, it just means that their nominee might not make the general. I’ll write more about this later, but parties just have to make their nominations mean something.
And, some stuff I wrote back in the day:
The best argument against a closed primary
Open primary grandstanding
Participatory democracy and caucuses
So, who’s to say that the parties can’t live with the Top Two
Key Arena is owned by the City of Seattle. Qwest Field and Safeco are both owned (to some degree or another) by the people of Washington State through Public Facility Districts.
So, all three major sports venues in Washington (not including obvious college venues) are publicy owned, one more directly.;
Not really any facts here to back this up, but I think this makes the situation with Key more volatile. I’m all for more democracy, but that Key Arena is directly managed by elected officials, rather than a board appointed by elected officials, makes it more likely that folks will have problems with the arena’s management.
More of a public issue, if you know what I mean.
$75 million is a lot less than $300 million, which was how much Clay Bennett wanted for the Renton arena. But, how much is it compared to the stadiums and public financed sports venues the legislature helped finance last year?
Can’t you see the beauty in that?
Last year’s session saw the financing of a horse venue in Lewis County and a new hockey arena in Kent and a community theater down in Longview. I couldn’t find hard numbers for all three projects, but the financing for the hockey arena comes to $30 million public dollars.
$30 million for a minor league hockey arena and no $75 million for Key?
…when I cheer for the Sonics, I am cheering for the city of Seattle. I’m a small-town kid who, through his basketball love, has changed this metropolis into my community. You are my family.
This is a love story, damn it.
Once, in KeyArena, after a big Sonics win, I hugged a stranger and he hugged me back. We were men crying in each other’s arms.
Previously, by me: Why the Sonics Matter
1. Ross Hunter’s Key Arena Task Force is as good as it gets when we’re talking to Sonics fans about the legislature’s reaction to the new group of local rich guys.
Problem is that I can’t find the task force in the capital budget (beware large pdf), where Hunter’s press release says it is.
So, deal with it and make it work.
Baird’s challenger’s myspace is here, and the reason I’m linking to it is not just so I link to it, but because it actually looks like she’s using it.
Updated: She also has an Act Blue page. Bonus points for Cheryl.
Rep. Brendan Williams (from my own 22nd LD) is looking for folks to feature in an ad in the Olympian, supporting the homeowners bill:
Dear Friend:
Once again, Sen. Brian Weinstein (D., Mercer Island) and I are working to pass a Homeowners’ Bill of Rights. Once again, we’re opposed by the powerful Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW). We need your help!
There is no accountability in our state for defects in new homes, unless such defects actually cause a home to collapse. Your new home need not even be fully-constructed. Senate Bill 6385 would grant to buyers of single-family homes the same statutory warranty protections condominium buyers have.
Although many other states provide statutory warranty rights, and many go further and allow homeowners to sue builders for negligence, BIAW claims protecting consumers would destroy the building industry. Indeed, they actually blame consumers for their builders’ negligence!
Of course, BIAW has also claimed women are “eradicating manly jobs”; denied global warming’s existence; denied the Puget Sound needs cleanup; worked in concert with far-right civil rights’ opponents to try to take over the Washington Supreme Court; attacked unions; and has even described Governor Gregoire as “a heartless, power-hungry she-wolf who would eat her own young to get ahead”!
Look at the facts: D.R. Horton is the nation’s largest homebuilder, and does business in other states that provide substantive protections to homebuyers. Obviously it’s profitable to do so.
To counter the homebuilders’ millions in campaign contributions,there’s no organization for homeowners who’ve been victims of homebuilder’s negligence. That’s why I’m personally paying for an ad in The Olympian to promote this issue (if BIAW has not already killed the bill in our fast-paced session).
I would be honored if you would lend your name to the statement, “We support Representative Williams’ efforts on behalf of homebuyers’ rights.” I’ll list all the names in the ad and include a photo of a local home damaged by negligence.
We cannot allow the voice of consumers to go unheard, and this is the best way I can think of to create visibility. Will you please lend your name to this effort? If so, please respond at your convenience with your full name and address. Thank you so much.
Best,
Brendan Williams
State Representative
House Majority External Relations Leader
22nd DistrictP.S. Let’s not let dreams of homeownership turn into nightmares.
I have my own questions about the legislation, but if you’re interested you can email him at olylaw — at — gmail — dot — com.
To me the most interesting thing isn’t the ad he’s going to buy with his own money, but the already used way he refers to the BIAW. When in doubt, go with the “they claimed women are “eradicating manly jobs”; denied global warming’s existence; denied the Puget Sound ecosystem is imperiled;” line.
If you’re into that kind of stuff, you can see how a state mandated primary election can be a violation of a political party’s freedom of association. You can’t tell a political organization how they’re going to decide who their nominee is.
But, I’ve been wondering if you can tell a political party how to organize itself, from the lowest grassroots level, to how it chooses a chair, and still not violate its freedom of association.
I’ve been trying out the argument (here and here) that the election of precinct committee officers, mandated by the state, is a violation of the same freedom of association. So far no one has bit, but I think that has as much to do with the sidewayness of my argument as it does that I’ve come late to both comment threads. Gotta be on me toes.
The reason I think the party’s don’t mind these requirements because in a way they help build their parties, especially the PCO elections.
Electing PCOs in a public forum (no matter how little participation there is) gives the parties an easy way to keep activists involved in organizations. Because of state law, the people elected as PCOs put together a local organization, its almost like it happens on its own.
Or, it could just be that the state party would want to put together local branches anyway, and that it is codified is just a happy coincidence. And, that local government is on the hook for low participation PCO elections, they don’t mind that either.
Crist will meet the press on February 27.
Politics is a blood sport chimes in, but takes a shot at her credibility:
Cheryl Crist is a nice person, but will simply get ignored by the Baird campaign. No credible challenger emerged, and that’s too bad, as a healthy debate on the war would have made for an interesting race. It goes to show you that maybe the Donna Edwards primary win over Al Wynn might be an isolated event, even in this wave year.
…
A growing congressional district deserves a lot more clout, especially when there’s this little $4 billion bridge project to get done.
So indeed, there’s more than just Iraq to challenge Baird on. Too bad there’s no one credible to go after him.
albaum over at DKos points to Cheryl:
Check out Cheryl Crist’s website. This is probably the best opportunity we’ll get to replace a pro-war Democrat with a Peace democrat, so send her $10. Now would be the time to show lots of small donor support.
What I’m thinking right now is that before Baird, this was a district that elected Linda Smith. And, before that Jolene Unsoeld and Don Bonker held the seat. While Unsoeld could be considered fairly liberal, she did have some very strong guns rights beliefs that would put her in
the libertarian wing. And, Don Bonker was Don Bonker, much like Baird is Baird.
I’m just saying, defeating Baird in the primary could end up handing the district over. Not a big deal to some folks, I understand.
Emmett O'Connell
@emmettoconnell@olympiatime.com
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