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News & ArtsThursday, August 9, 2012
Politics How a Brassy Socialist Could Switch Races to Challenge the Most Powerful Legislator In Olympia
Posted by Dominic Holden on Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 9:10 AM
Kshama Sawant, an economics professor, is the Socialist Alternative candidate challenging Democratic Representative Jamie Pedersen in Seattle's liberal 43rd District. She got 8.4 percent of the vote, as of last night's latest ballot returns, which thrills her supporters because the respectable showing for a third-party candidate advances her to the the general election.
But they're also watching a parallel race—which also involves Sawant.
The Stranger had endorsed Sawant as a write-in candidate against house Speaker Frank Chopp. He's the man responsible for the regressive-tax-passing, GOP-compromising tack of Democrats that Sawant and her backers criticize (while Pedersen, instead, has been an exemplary Dem on passing marriage equality and fighting anti-tax measures), so we figured she should be running against Chopp.
Now it looks like she may—possibly—be able to switch races and run against Chopp in the general after all.
Here's why: Ballot returns from King County Elections show that write-in candidates against Chopp total 10.07 percent of the vote. That's more than the challenger who actually filed in the race, Gregory Gadow, who has only 8.97 percent of the vote. If Sawant has enough write-in votes to come in second-place against Chopp, "she would be allowed to choose—she could select the race she wanted going forward to the general election if she were to win both races in the primary," explains King County Elections spokeswoman Kim van Ekstrom.
The Washington Administrative Code explains the rules in a section called, "Candidate who qualifies for more than one office."
So who are those write-in candidates against Chopp? Sawant's campaign page speculates, "It is likely that the vast majority of the write-in votes were for Kshama Sawant." Indeed, the large number of write-ins for Chopp's race (10.07 percent compared to the tiny 0.82 percent in Pedersen's race) suggests that the write-in campaign has stacked the ballot Sawant's name. But the margin between write-ins and Gadow is admittedly narrow. If there are more write-ins than votes for Gadow, King County Elections will decide by canvassing all the write-in ballots and determining whether Sawant got enough votes to switch races.
If she qualifies, I hope she switches. A smart, firebrand socialist challenging Chopp, the second most powerful politician in Olympia after the governor—and the architect of a Democratic majority that has overseen drastic cuts to education and social services—could stage a spectacular conversation about how Dems have run the legislature.
And, man, I'd love to watch Sawant and Chopp face-off in a debate.
1
You aren't the only one who'd love to see her run against Chopp. Chopp was the wrong guy for the job once he played footsies with the BIAW. Sawant would give him a shock. One he deserves.
2
Yes, it would be a huge shock to Frank Chopp when he gets only 85% of the vote instead of 89%.
Sawant has no program, no constituency, and no possible way of ever achieving anything in Olympia. If elected, no one would ever even talk to her. Why would they? Oh, the Socialist Altern Party, wow!
Sawant has no program, no constituency, and no possible way of ever achieving anything in Olympia. If elected, no one would ever even talk to her. Why would they? Oh, the Socialist Altern Party, wow!
3
I don't see how such a move would constitute a challenge. It would constitute a publicity stunt, pretty much all that candidate seems interested in anyway.
4
"8.4 percent of the vote"
In Seattle? What a landslide!
"It is likely that the vast majority of the write-in votes were for Kshama Sawant."
Great, she's a tall midget.
"A smart, firebrand socialist challenging Chopp"
Challenging? Chopp got over 80%. She's roadkill, that's all.
In Seattle? What a landslide!
"It is likely that the vast majority of the write-in votes were for Kshama Sawant."
Great, she's a tall midget.
"A smart, firebrand socialist challenging Chopp"
Challenging? Chopp got over 80%. She's roadkill, that's all.
5
Oh, the "idiot Sawant" jokes will be too easy. You know, for her political opponents. Not me, I'm too classy for that.
6
@4 - For a write-in candidate who wasn't even campaigning in that race, that is pretty impressive.
Also, you're stupid. And ugly, I guess. And short.
Also, you're stupid. And ugly, I guess. And short.
9
@2) Nobody--not even Sawant or her campaign folks-- thinks she's gonna win. But you know that winning isn't the goal of this campaign. Getting a hunk of the vote and pressing Chopp through November is a genuinely respectable accomplishment for a third party, particularly one that's running a competent candidate on a sensible platform. Progressives should be grateful they're doing this in a district where the campaign won't siphon votes from a Democrat in a close race and hand the election to a Republican, a la Nader.
11
Put yourself in Chopp's shoes. Do you really think he's going to waste his time in a "head to head debate" with someone polling, at what, around 10%? Unless she actually poses a threat to him, do you think he's going to engage her at all?
Come down to earth, please.
Come down to earth, please.
12
Yeah, it's totally Frank Chopp's fault that the recession happened and revenue dropped by billions. 100% on him. Take him out ASAP!
13
@11) We'd get to either watch Chopp debate Sawant--a candidate who may get a 10 percent write-in, which isn't so dismissible if you ask me--or watch him try refusing to debate, what with his busy, busy campaign schedule and all. Both would be entertaining.
14
This kind of pointless gesture sounds really cool at first but in the end it's just depressing.
Stop and remember that there are all sorts of other factions out there that, like you, are light years away from achieving their vision of remaking the world. They're just as frustrated and entertain just as many silly fantasies of their goofy champion (Ron Paul) getting on a big stage and showing the world the rightness of their fringe ideas. And then, fizzle.
So rail against the centrists, but realize that the same centrists are holding back legions of freaks you'd never want to see in power.
Stop and remember that there are all sorts of other factions out there that, like you, are light years away from achieving their vision of remaking the world. They're just as frustrated and entertain just as many silly fantasies of their goofy champion (Ron Paul) getting on a big stage and showing the world the rightness of their fringe ideas. And then, fizzle.
So rail against the centrists, but realize that the same centrists are holding back legions of freaks you'd never want to see in power.
16
The wording of praise for Pedersen (...instead, has been an exemplary Dem on passing marriage equality...) implies that Chopp has been less than exemplary on that issue, doesn't it? Whatever you think of Chopp's fiscal and tax positions, I don't see how anyone can imply that he has been anything but extremely supportive of marriage equality. Do you know something the rest of us don't, or are you just trying to make him sound more conservative/sinister? Chopp voted for the marriage bill and as far as I can tell, worked to get support for it in the dem caucus and in the House.
17
@14) I guess I disagree--because I don't think third parties are a bad thing. This is exactly the sort of contest third-party progressives should be running in. Not presidential races or gubernatorial races. And smart, informed candidates like Sawant--not megalomaniacal nutjobs like Ron Paul or Ralph Nader--are the sort of candidates who should be running.
18
Remember, last October Holden was telling us Occupy Seattle was a "revolution" as opposed to the brainfart everyone sensible saw.
19
@17
Bingo, this is the type of race where third parties can make a difference.
@18
Maybe Occupy Wall Street wasn't a life altering revolution but it did do one thing -- it refocused people's attention on the enormous income equality that is rampant in our non sustainable version of Chicago School of Economics capitalism.
If you don't believe me go talk to Mitt Romney's taxes.
When Obama is re-elected a big reason will have been OWS.
Bingo, this is the type of race where third parties can make a difference.
@18
Maybe Occupy Wall Street wasn't a life altering revolution but it did do one thing -- it refocused people's attention on the enormous income equality that is rampant in our non sustainable version of Chicago School of Economics capitalism.
If you don't believe me go talk to Mitt Romney's taxes.
When Obama is re-elected a big reason will have been OWS.
20
@11 - That 10% is a very special 10%. Sawat *wasn't running,* and had enough people care about the issue enough to volunteer up her name. She didn't spend any money campaigning there; as far as I can tell, the only reason why anyone would write in her name is because the SECB told them to. In all honestly, she probably won't win, even if she goes on to the general election. However, any votes she gets are implicitly telling the Washington Democratic party, "No, you guys aren't acting liberal enough. Act more liberal, and YOU'LL get these votes."
Also, good job in puppeteering approximately 10% of the primary-voting population, The Stranger. I think THAT'S the real story here.
Also, good job in puppeteering approximately 10% of the primary-voting population, The Stranger. I think THAT'S the real story here.
21
@19 Maybe? Sorry, no socialist revolution coming anytime soon thank god. Maybe some better regulated capitalism (ie. no more loans to people who can't pay them back), but American capitalism will survive your 'revolution' just fine. Obama threw the looney left overboard the day he got elected and has governed from the sensible middle.
22
Wouldn't it be awesome if we had mandatory equal funding for candidates in the general? And mandatory debates? You know -- like in a democracy?
23
I am worried that Frank would only win by 81 percent instead of 90 percent.
... oh wait no I'm not ...
... oh wait no I'm not ...
24
Well let's look at this commie's positions and wager which will come to fruition through the ballot box voting for her revolution:
• A state and federal jobs program to provide living-wage jobs for all and rebuild our economy with green technology.
Nope.
• Tax freeloading big corporations and millionaires to fund job programs, schools, public transit and social services.
Nope, any tax increases will go to balancing the budget, not new programs.
• No cuts to social services! No layoffs or attacks on public sector unions! Reverse all budget cuts to education, healthcare, and the Disability Lifeline.
Nope
• Raise the state minimum wage to $15/hour.
Nope
• For a moratorium on home foreclosures.
Nope
• Expand funding for K-12 public schools and reduce class sizes. No to charter schools Initiative 1185. Stop attacks on teachers and their unions. Establish free public higher education and cancel student debt.
Shit, even McKenna supports for funding for schools. THe rest? Nope, charter schools will eventually come to WA state.
• Massively expand public transit. Save the Ride Free Zone in downtown Seattle and make all of King County a “ride free zone!”
Nope.
• No cuts to Basic Health and expand it into a universal, state-wide single-payer healthcare system.
Ha ha…single payer? THanks for the laugh. Nope.
• Massive public investment in renewable energy and efficiency technologies to urgently replace fossil fuels. No to the coal terminals! No to nuclear energy!
From the government? Nope.
• End police brutality and the institutional racism of the criminal justice system. Invest in rehabilitation, job-training, and living-wage jobs, not prisons or detention centers! Abolish the death penalty. Create an elected civilian review board with full powers over the police.
Let homey go free? Nope….just ask Tuba Man.
• For a woman's right to choose when and whether to have children. Defend abortion rights. Free birth control, paid maternity and paternity leave, and high-quality, fully subsidized child care.
Women can choose when and whether to have children, who pays is the issue. All that paid leave? Nope.
• Equal rights for LGBT people, including same-sex marriage, healthcare, Social Security, and pension rights! Yes on Referendum 74.
Shit, most republicans I know have no problem with this one. I'll give her a yes.
• Full legalization and equal rights for all undocumented immigrants. No to E-Verify.
Nope.
• Break the power of Wall Street and Corporate America! Take the giant corporations that dominate Washington state such as Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon, into public ownership under democratic workers' control to be run for public good, not private profit.
Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha, whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo
Windows 10, brought to you by socialists.
Oh man, that last one is priceless. You could confiscate all the wealth of the 1% and wouldn't be able to pay for this.
Fuck off commie.
@22 Really? Even for neo nazi parties or only the far left?
More...
• A state and federal jobs program to provide living-wage jobs for all and rebuild our economy with green technology.
Nope.
• Tax freeloading big corporations and millionaires to fund job programs, schools, public transit and social services.
Nope, any tax increases will go to balancing the budget, not new programs.
• No cuts to social services! No layoffs or attacks on public sector unions! Reverse all budget cuts to education, healthcare, and the Disability Lifeline.
Nope
• Raise the state minimum wage to $15/hour.
Nope
• For a moratorium on home foreclosures.
Nope
• Expand funding for K-12 public schools and reduce class sizes. No to charter schools Initiative 1185. Stop attacks on teachers and their unions. Establish free public higher education and cancel student debt.
Shit, even McKenna supports for funding for schools. THe rest? Nope, charter schools will eventually come to WA state.
• Massively expand public transit. Save the Ride Free Zone in downtown Seattle and make all of King County a “ride free zone!”
Nope.
• No cuts to Basic Health and expand it into a universal, state-wide single-payer healthcare system.
Ha ha…single payer? THanks for the laugh. Nope.
• Massive public investment in renewable energy and efficiency technologies to urgently replace fossil fuels. No to the coal terminals! No to nuclear energy!
From the government? Nope.
• End police brutality and the institutional racism of the criminal justice system. Invest in rehabilitation, job-training, and living-wage jobs, not prisons or detention centers! Abolish the death penalty. Create an elected civilian review board with full powers over the police.
Let homey go free? Nope….just ask Tuba Man.
• For a woman's right to choose when and whether to have children. Defend abortion rights. Free birth control, paid maternity and paternity leave, and high-quality, fully subsidized child care.
Women can choose when and whether to have children, who pays is the issue. All that paid leave? Nope.
• Equal rights for LGBT people, including same-sex marriage, healthcare, Social Security, and pension rights! Yes on Referendum 74.
Shit, most republicans I know have no problem with this one. I'll give her a yes.
• Full legalization and equal rights for all undocumented immigrants. No to E-Verify.
Nope.
• Break the power of Wall Street and Corporate America! Take the giant corporations that dominate Washington state such as Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon, into public ownership under democratic workers' control to be run for public good, not private profit.
Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha, whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo
Windows 10, brought to you by socialists.
Oh man, that last one is priceless. You could confiscate all the wealth of the 1% and wouldn't be able to pay for this.
Fuck off commie.
@22 Really? Even for neo nazi parties or only the far left?
25
@ 22 Having mandatory debates and mandatory equal funding seems opposite to a democracy, Im not for citizens united but that seems to take it too far.
@20 How do we know some if not most of the 10% wouldn't vote Dem anyways, after all if there is one group that is terrified of the GOP it is them.
@20 How do we know some if not most of the 10% wouldn't vote Dem anyways, after all if there is one group that is terrified of the GOP it is them.
26
@ 20 Also if they act more liberal they might lose some votes from independents and more moderate Dems, so have to balance that.
27
I get the impression that no one in this thread has any idea how Olympia works. Ooh, she's going to debate Chopp? Nobody cares. Stuff you say at debates has no bearing on what happens in Olympia. NONE. "Pressuring Democrats to be more liberal" is not a meaningful goal; building coalitions that can get 50%+1 of the vote is. Frank knows how to do that better than anyone. Sawant couldn't pass a vote to approve of the continued rotation of the earth. The Republicans in the House wouldn't even see her as they trampled past.
28
So let's repeat her most important position: she wants to nationalize the banks, Amazon, MSFT, Boeing and all other corporations. Odd position too; would this just be in State? Would small business be excluded? What value would the cut off line for nationalization be? How would inter state businesses be nationalized?
Idiot Sawant indeed.
How's does that policy poll?
I realize a lot of people in Seattle like to call themselves 'socialists' because they think it makes them look smarter, but have you really figured out how you're going to run Amazon.com?
Idiot Sawant indeed.
How's does that policy poll?
I realize a lot of people in Seattle like to call themselves 'socialists' because they think it makes them look smarter, but have you really figured out how you're going to run Amazon.com?
29
@20: Bingo. This can be viewed as a test to see what percentage of this electorate blindly copies The Stranger Cheat Sheet (or at least is persuaded by their endorsement blurbs).
Answer? 10%.
That's pretty darn high. And I'm certain The Stranger will point to this in the future when pushing candidates to court an endorsement.
Answer? 10%.
That's pretty darn high. And I'm certain The Stranger will point to this in the future when pushing candidates to court an endorsement.
30
@28, more importantly, try to imagine the conversation where Sawant addresses the new Democratic leadership: "so, I want to introduce a bill that takes Boeing over by the State of Washington", who wants to help me?"
It's substituting one of the most effective legislators in the state's history for someone who is the ideologically perfect ideal of an ineffective one.
Chopp would be beyond foolish to even acknowledge that she exists.
It's substituting one of the most effective legislators in the state's history for someone who is the ideologically perfect ideal of an ineffective one.
Chopp would be beyond foolish to even acknowledge that she exists.
31
Further: if I was Tim Eyman, Sawant is the exact Democratic opponent I would be trying to design in the lab. He couldn't ask for anything better. The only thing missing is dreadlocks.
32
Hey, maybe they could call this 10% a "reLOVEution" - oh wait, that's already been taken by the other fringe circle jerk group.
But go ahead, be the living embodiment of "the perfect is the enemy of the good".
But go ahead, be the living embodiment of "the perfect is the enemy of the good".
33
She also has a phd in economics and works at both SCCC and Seattle U. To say Socialist Alternative has no platform is plainly a lie, if you're actually interested in the platform, simply read the website's "what we stand for" and other relevant info on the national org's site. However, I understand that comments like many of these motivations are to discredit any third party challenger, which by the way is wholly un-democratic. The democrats have failed to push a progressive agenda and it's important to look to other options. If the only solutions we'll consider are under a rigid capitalist model, then we are so tragically limited as to what positive change is possible. At the very least having a left-wing candidate challenge can give a voice to politics that are left of middle.
34
@12) Don't play stupid. The problem is a structural revenue deficit, which we've known about since the Gates commission published its tax report in 2002.
The economy hasn't helped, but this isn't just about the economy, as you suggest. It's about the Democrats' handling of this revenue problem when they had a majority and Chopp was in charge. Does Chopp have his defenses? Of course he does. But it'd be great to see Sawant press him and make him answer for his strategy that, let's face it, even many moderate Democrats are unhappy about.
The economy hasn't helped, but this isn't just about the economy, as you suggest. It's about the Democrats' handling of this revenue problem when they had a majority and Chopp was in charge. Does Chopp have his defenses? Of course he does. But it'd be great to see Sawant press him and make him answer for his strategy that, let's face it, even many moderate Democrats are unhappy about.
35
I'm still waiting for the Idiot Sawant to clearly spell out her policy for nationalizing all private business. I mean, if that's your most important policy initiative, the one with the most radical societal changes for all of us, surely she has details?
Or is she just squeezing out brainfarts like my two year old?
Or is she just squeezing out brainfarts like my two year old?
36
@33 and 34 so you support her most important policy proposal, nationalizing all private business and property and placing them under state control?
37
@33, that's not a platform, it's a fantasy. Honestly, nobody gives a shit what you "stand for"; it's not relevant, it's not interesting. It's not going to happen.
A platform includes a strategy for moving your ideas through the legislature. Sawant's abilities in this regard are identical to Stan Lippman's or Goodspaceguy's.
I don't have to discredit third parties; they already do that for themselves. Is that "tragically limited"? I dunno. But it's true. If you don't have a route to 50+1, you got nuthin'.
A platform includes a strategy for moving your ideas through the legislature. Sawant's abilities in this regard are identical to Stan Lippman's or Goodspaceguy's.
I don't have to discredit third parties; they already do that for themselves. Is that "tragically limited"? I dunno. But it's true. If you don't have a route to 50+1, you got nuthin'.
38
Why won't Idiot Sawant's supporters spell out how she will implement this policy of hers:
"Take the giant corporations that dominate Washington state such as Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon, into public ownership under democratic workers' control to be run for public good, not private profit."
Surely if you support her, you can explain her most important policy proposal, such a radical transformation of our state? Surely you have details of how our property will be nationalized? Surely you aren't just blowing wind up our asses?
"Take the giant corporations that dominate Washington state such as Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon, into public ownership under democratic workers' control to be run for public good, not private profit."
Surely if you support her, you can explain her most important policy proposal, such a radical transformation of our state? Surely you have details of how our property will be nationalized? Surely you aren't just blowing wind up our asses?
39
So, judging by the total unwillingness of Sawant's supporters here, like Holden, to defend her most important policy: the nationalization of private property, what should we assume?
Well, we can only assume that the central platform of her candidacy, the central platform of a Socialist Altern Party victory in the State of Washington, the most radical overhaul of the state since its foundation in 1889, the nationalization of all our private property for it to be placed in the hands of the state, that policy is …. what, not serious? Just kidding? Just playing around?
And you want to be taken seriously!
Fnarf is right, Goodspace Guy is a more serious '3rd party' alternative and a hell of lot funnier.
Well, we can only assume that the central platform of her candidacy, the central platform of a Socialist Altern Party victory in the State of Washington, the most radical overhaul of the state since its foundation in 1889, the nationalization of all our private property for it to be placed in the hands of the state, that policy is …. what, not serious? Just kidding? Just playing around?
And you want to be taken seriously!
Fnarf is right, Goodspace Guy is a more serious '3rd party' alternative and a hell of lot funnier.
40
Now I get it, Sawant isn't a real socialist, she's just a play socialist so I should take her central platform of state ownership of all property seriously.
Gotcha.
My 2 yr old likes playing fairy too.
Gotcha.
My 2 yr old likes playing fairy too.
41
SA hasn't really taken the GLBT community seriously.
I've been to some of their meetings. Rrarely are civil rights or social justice issues involving GLBT people discussed. I've heard attendants at these meetings nsuggest- cyrtically- that non-GLBT people can understand the GLBT experience so well that there doesn't need to be any GLBT persons on their Board of Directors- the heterosexuals can apparently decide for us what we need.
Sawant is absolutely correct on the economy. But choosing to run against one of the very few GLBT people in the state House shows that she is tone-deaf to our issues. Running against Chopp, who is corrupt and does not belong to an under-represented minority in danger of losing a major civil rights battle, would be smart. but she didn't file to run against Chopp, did she?
She chose to run against one of us. And this is why I have left SA for now.
I've been to some of their meetings. Rrarely are civil rights or social justice issues involving GLBT people discussed. I've heard attendants at these meetings nsuggest- cyrtically- that non-GLBT people can understand the GLBT experience so well that there doesn't need to be any GLBT persons on their Board of Directors- the heterosexuals can apparently decide for us what we need.
Sawant is absolutely correct on the economy. But choosing to run against one of the very few GLBT people in the state House shows that she is tone-deaf to our issues. Running against Chopp, who is corrupt and does not belong to an under-represented minority in danger of losing a major civil rights battle, would be smart. but she didn't file to run against Chopp, did she?
She chose to run against one of us. And this is why I have left SA for now.
42
"Sawant is absolutely correct on the economy."
Really, you think abolishing private property and putting it under state control will work? You think the State confiscating and then taking control of Boeing, Amazon and Microsoft is "absolutely correct on the economy"? Do you know how well a Department of Amazon.com will run that company from Olympia?
Because if you do, you're a fucking idiot too.
Really, you think abolishing private property and putting it under state control will work? You think the State confiscating and then taking control of Boeing, Amazon and Microsoft is "absolutely correct on the economy"? Do you know how well a Department of Amazon.com will run that company from Olympia?
Because if you do, you're a fucking idiot too.
43
@34, we've known about it since long before 2002. It was Republican Dan Evans who tried to push through an income tax in 1967. And it was Democrats who killed a bipartisan push to fully fund K12 education through an income tax in the late 80s. These are decades-long forces and it's inappropriate to blame anyone, even a Speaker for them. If anything, Frank should be one of the top ten all-time heroes of the Washington State Democratic Party for creating his powerful majority out of what was a 49-49 tie not so long ago.
44
Nationalize Amazon.com? The voters here don't even want state-run liquor stores!
The day they start nationalizing private non-bank businesses is the day I actually finish reading Atlas Shrugged, and start stocking up on food and ammo.
The day they start nationalizing private non-bank businesses is the day I actually finish reading Atlas Shrugged, and start stocking up on food and ammo.
45
@34 The voters of this state have mandated a two-thirds majority for any tax increases. It's almost certainly unconstitutional, but until the courts toss it out, there it sits.
Not even Frank Chopp can get you two-thirds for a tax hike, much less following the Great Recession. So that's how they "handled" the revenue problem.
Want to see what happens when you have an uber-liberal majority leader rather than a ball-busting compromiser? It's right across the rotunda, where Lisa Brown lost control of her own chamber.
Washington state voters as a whole are socially liberal but relatively fiscally conservative. They don't trust large institutions, including the Legislature. But Republicans have become too strident on social issues, so the voters have responded thusly:
Put Democrats in charge, but force them to write Republican budgets.
Not even Frank Chopp can get you two-thirds for a tax hike, much less following the Great Recession. So that's how they "handled" the revenue problem.
Want to see what happens when you have an uber-liberal majority leader rather than a ball-busting compromiser? It's right across the rotunda, where Lisa Brown lost control of her own chamber.
Washington state voters as a whole are socially liberal but relatively fiscally conservative. They don't trust large institutions, including the Legislature. But Republicans have become too strident on social issues, so the voters have responded thusly:
Put Democrats in charge, but force them to write Republican budgets.
46
@34 The voters of this state have mandated a two-thirds majority for any tax increases. It's almost certainly unconstitutional, but until the courts toss it out, there it sits.
Not even Frank Chopp can get you two-thirds for a tax hike, much less following the Great Recession. So that's how they "handled" the revenue problem.
Want to see what happens when you have an uber-liberal majority leader rather than a ball-busting compromiser? It's right across the rotunda, where Lisa Brown lost control of her own chamber.
Washington state voters as a whole are socially liberal but relatively fiscally conservative. They don't trust large institutions, including the Legislature. But Republicans have become too strident on social issues, so the voters have responded thusly:
Put Democrats in charge, and force them to write Republican budgets.
Not even Frank Chopp can get you two-thirds for a tax hike, much less following the Great Recession. So that's how they "handled" the revenue problem.
Want to see what happens when you have an uber-liberal majority leader rather than a ball-busting compromiser? It's right across the rotunda, where Lisa Brown lost control of her own chamber.
Washington state voters as a whole are socially liberal but relatively fiscally conservative. They don't trust large institutions, including the Legislature. But Republicans have become too strident on social issues, so the voters have responded thusly:
Put Democrats in charge, and force them to write Republican budgets.
47
Chopp can demolish his own Dem colleagues with a grim stare; I'd love to see him with someone who's "challenging" him with 10% of the vote.
If we hadn't had him in Olympia for seemingly the last 300 years, we'd have no human services left in this state for anyone. Get rid of him when you find someone more effective.
If we hadn't had him in Olympia for seemingly the last 300 years, we'd have no human services left in this state for anyone. Get rid of him when you find someone more effective.
48
@ 41 I am part of the LGBT community and an SA member. I met Kshama and Socialist Alternative for the first time at the 2009 marriage equality rally in Seattle. SA has been actively involved in movements for LGBT rights. As socialists, we are very clear on the need to fight for the rights of all communities: LGBT, women, people of color, those in poverty - anyone who is held down by the system of capitalism. SA does not participate in identity politics because we don’t achieve the greater goal by being segregated. That is exactly what the ruling elite want - to divide and conquer us. It is only when we are united as the working class that we can uncover the injustices that affect all minorities.
To be clear, Pederson is not one of “us”. He is a corporate lawyer who has voted against the community that you and I belong to. While his advocacy of marriage equality is commendable, he is otherwise every bit of a big business Democrat as Chopp or Gregoire. He and Chopp have an indistinguishable record on voting for budget cuts and attacks on pay and pensions of state employees. The state labor council has therefore refused to endorse either of them. Decades of Democratic Party rule in the state have got us massive cuts to education and social services, and the decimation of funding for subsidized housing and youth programs. All this affects us, the LGBT community, disproportionately. As LGBT, we are more vulnerable to homelessness, workplace harassment, poverty - all problems endemic to capitalism and a corporate-dominated society, and all problems worsened under the Democrats.
In reality, the Democrats and Republicans both serve the interests of the super-wealthy. They are both the parties of the 1%. Ordinary people, including LGBT people, are not represented in Olympia. We need to come together to represent our own interests and reject big-business politics and capitalism itself. That is why SA is running this grassroots campaign. And that is why I am a part of the socialist movement. LGBT rights have never been handed down to us from Democratic or Republican politicians. They have been hard fought by grassroots activists among the LGBT communities (http://socialistalternative.org/literatu…).
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To be clear, Pederson is not one of “us”. He is a corporate lawyer who has voted against the community that you and I belong to. While his advocacy of marriage equality is commendable, he is otherwise every bit of a big business Democrat as Chopp or Gregoire. He and Chopp have an indistinguishable record on voting for budget cuts and attacks on pay and pensions of state employees. The state labor council has therefore refused to endorse either of them. Decades of Democratic Party rule in the state have got us massive cuts to education and social services, and the decimation of funding for subsidized housing and youth programs. All this affects us, the LGBT community, disproportionately. As LGBT, we are more vulnerable to homelessness, workplace harassment, poverty - all problems endemic to capitalism and a corporate-dominated society, and all problems worsened under the Democrats.
In reality, the Democrats and Republicans both serve the interests of the super-wealthy. They are both the parties of the 1%. Ordinary people, including LGBT people, are not represented in Olympia. We need to come together to represent our own interests and reject big-business politics and capitalism itself. That is why SA is running this grassroots campaign. And that is why I am a part of the socialist movement. LGBT rights have never been handed down to us from Democratic or Republican politicians. They have been hard fought by grassroots activists among the LGBT communities (http://socialistalternative.org/literatu…).
49
@48 can u share your plans for state ownership of Amazon, Boeing and MSFT? Does the SA party have plans to integrate Amazon's cloud services and help MSFt move into social? Will you be designing the NextGen boeing jets with only one class of seats, 'working class'?
Please she with us your plans for managing these companies. Also, as a Amazom shareholder, will I be receiving market value for my stock when you take over?
Thanks in advance! Onward to Utopia!
Please she with us your plans for managing these companies. Also, as a Amazom shareholder, will I be receiving market value for my stock when you take over?
Thanks in advance! Onward to Utopia!
50
@41,
Again, we agree on the economics. My beef isn't with that. It's the tone-deafness of running against one of the very few GLBT members of the State legislature, unseating one of our own from a position of power, therefore diempowering the GLBT community itself by reducing the number of GLBTs with power by 1.
And in a year when it is quite possible that we will lose Marriage Equality.
That's tone-deaf to the needs of the GLBT community. if you must replace Pedersen, replace him with another GLBT person, not a heterosexual who thinks s/he has even an inkling of a clue what challenges our community faces. If you must run for office, go run against one of the hundreds of powerful heterosexual men in office. They're already over-represented, whereas we are under-represented.
Again, we agree on the economics. My beef isn't with that. It's the tone-deafness of running against one of the very few GLBT members of the State legislature, unseating one of our own from a position of power, therefore diempowering the GLBT community itself by reducing the number of GLBTs with power by 1.
And in a year when it is quite possible that we will lose Marriage Equality.
That's tone-deaf to the needs of the GLBT community. if you must replace Pedersen, replace him with another GLBT person, not a heterosexual who thinks s/he has even an inkling of a clue what challenges our community faces. If you must run for office, go run against one of the hundreds of powerful heterosexual men in office. They're already over-represented, whereas we are under-represented.
51
Polling 10% on write in will likely translate to larger number if actually on the ballot against only 1 other person. Perhaps not enough to win but I think it is difficult to say what the margin would be at this point.
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