Slog - Comments on The Supermajority Democrats Strike Again http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again So, who did the supermajority Democrats appoint to head up the state House Agriculture and Natural Resources committee—the committee that's central to drafting state environmental policies that affect water, watershed planning, timber, mining, and fish and wildlife? Answer, an environmental conservative from logging country, of course. The new chair is Rep. Brian Blake (D-19, Aberdeen) who gets a C from the local Sierra club's Cascade chapter. Blake voted, for example, against a bill to up biodiesel use. "Brian Blake, in the past, has not had environmental issues as a priority and he has been hard to convince," Clifford Traisman,... Copyright 2008 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:03:17 -0800 Sun, 23 Dec 2007 23:05:08 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Will in Seattle Well, it's just a committee. There are many people on a committee, and they represent this giant thing called a state - a state that has many different viewpoints.

The question is more what the Rules Committee does - which pushes thru bills and decides the order they are done (or more usually by sleight of hand, NOT done).

The 6-8 foot Blue Wave in 2008 (2006 was a 2 footer) will create a lot more D's in areas that have been R before. You work with what you get.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881614 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881614 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:13:36 -0800 Comment by kinkos oh thank christ jeff morris was appointed to rules. i knew santa would pull through.

]]> kinkos http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881654 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881654 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:41:49 -0800 Comment by Andrew Biodiesel is a red-herring. It's not all that green, and the corn that goes into making it costs a ton in fossil fuels.

]]> Andrew http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881656 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881656 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:42:39 -0800 Comment by TMW "The 6-8 foot Blue Wave in 2008 (2006 was a 2 footer) will create a lot more D's in areas that have been R before."

Where? The suburbs are already nearly maxed-out from 2006, and even with the state GOP in such sorry shape it's highly unlikely to pick up seats in the rock-solid rural GOP areas.

In my estimation, Democrats can realistically target five Senate seats: Pflug, Benton, Zarelli, Carrell, and Stevens. The only ones that might change absent a wave are Benton and Carrell, which are genuine swing districts. Republicans can realistically target McAuliffe, Rasmussen, Haugen, Kastama, and perhaps Pridemore. At least for the upper house, 2008 won't be anywhere near 2006 as far as Democratic successes, and may well end up a wash.

The House might still have some fruit to bear, but I can't imagine it would surpass the six seat gain from last cycle. Democrats should have no problem picking up the Dunn seat, probably even if the GOP gets their act together and primaries him, and then the seat Joyce McDonald is vacating should be ripe for a pick-up. Both 10th district races should be competitive. The GOP can still target Barlow in the 6th, Green/Kelley in the 28th, and maybe a few Eastside seats still. Steve Litzow should keep the old Jarrett seat competitive, but the 41st has gone Democratic so fast that I suspect it will stay Democratic regardless.

]]> TMW http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881700 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881700 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:11:04 -0800 Comment by tiptoe tommy Please don't trouble Will in Seattle with realism--it is a waste of all of our time.

]]> tiptoe tommy http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881806 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881806 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:19:26 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle TMW - my, you haven't been paying attention to the polls, have you? How's Mercer Island working for you, by the way?

@3 - most bio-diesel in this state is not corn-based (caveat: I own 100 shares of Valero Energy) but from other crops (or food waste). Switchgrass and algae are major research subjects for bio-diesel in Washington state, as well. But the subsidies for corn ethanol do distort this market.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881884 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c881884 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:02:26 -0800 Comment by jessica At least Rep. Upthegrove is the new Chair of the Ecology & Parks Committee. He's got an A+ Sierra Club rating and led the Puget Sound stuff last year and was a big-time champ trying to stop the Maury Island mine. Hopefully his ascencion is a silver lining....

]]> jessica http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882005 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882005 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:31:33 -0800 Comment by Bill LaBorde @7: More than a silver lining. All the enviro issues, except for straight resource issues will go to Upthegrove's committee. Global Warming legislation, as well as Puget Sound will be heard in his Ecology committee. That's great news. Upthegrove is one of the greener House members and is already conspiring with Hans Dunshee on major climate legislation.

On the other hand, Blake is all about cutting down trees and supporting the Farm Bureau's unsustainable, corporate farming agenda - definitely a bad development on those issues.

]]> Bill LaBorde http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882069 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882069 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:27:24 -0800 Comment by TMW "TMW - my, you haven't been paying attention to the polls, have you? How's Mercer Island working for you, by the way?"

Did you read a word of what I posted? The numbers aren't there for another Democratic landslide, they've already won too much. To think otherwise is unrealistic.

]]> TMW http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882085 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882085 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:06:37 -0800 Comment by Giffy @7 and @8. It was my understanding as well that ecology and parks would be getting the enivro issues, while Blacks committee would get farm and timber shit.

Upthegrove is an awesome choice for this by the way. He was a leader on the Puget Sound Partnership and leader on environmental issues. He is one of Olympia's up and coming stars and will serve well as the leader of of this committee.

]]> Giffy http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882090 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882090 News Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:21:25 -0800 Comment by herbert browne It's funny that Blake would come out against biodiesel when the biggest production plant around will be in Gray's Harbor. The possibility of a methanol producer that will work with wood chips (eg small diameter thinnings from forests) might be a good thing. Re corn: even if local ethanol production isn't from corn, the wheat prices are doubled above last year's record price... somewhat unnerving. Algae research = good... but more acreage in oil crops?.. maybe not so...
Sharon Nelson a definite "plus".
Q: When do the turbines go into The Narrows for the "tidal power" demo? ^..^

]]> herbert browne http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882526 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supermajority_democrats_strike_again#c882526 News Sun, 23 Dec 2007 23:05:08 -0800