Offering frequent news and analysis from the majestic Evergreen State and beyond, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's unconventional perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Election Day Points to Ponder

In the spirit of the old Bill Nye segment, Consider The Following, here are a few morsels to chew on as you tend to your ballot:
  • If you're considering I-933, consider this: It originated in a rich New York libertarian's head. According to the AP, Howard Rich is a real estate investor, a board member of the Cato Institute and a member of the Club for Growth. Think of a national version of Tim Eyman. A Grover Norquist clone. He wants to limit government and cut taxes, consequences be damned. Along with I-933, he's sponsored or driven similar initiatives in 14 states this year. Washington State conservatives - you're being played. Again.
  • If you're considering a change at the state Supreme Court level, consider this: We already have enough Republican partisan hacks on federal benches. We don't need another one representing our state. Keep Susan Owens. Reject Stephen Johnson. His stance on abortion and his conservative leanings are alone enough to disqualify him. The BIAW and big businesses know they'd have a ringer on the bench in property rights cases—look at how much money they've thrown at judicial races this year.
  • If you're considering teaching Maria Cantwell a lesson, please wait. Yup, I've scratched my head over a few of her votes, too, but she's done great things for the environment, and she successfully stood up to the Enron cartel while Republicans looked the other way. If progressives have any hope of reclaiming our democracy from theocratic corporatists, we will need every last Dem we can find. Vote Cantwell.
  • If you're considering I-920, consider this: Odds are, it won't affect you. TicketMaster doesn't tack on a surcharge to gain entrance to the Pearly Gates, and there is no winnings fee as you attain Nirvana. Death tax is an inaccurate but emotionally charged phrase designed to stir outrage in conservatives. Yes, they're being played. Again.
  • If you're considering Dave Reichert, consider this: He does what W tells him to. Newsflash, Dave: You're supposed to represent your constituents, not your deranged puppeteers in DC. If you want a responsible, responsive voice in the 8th District, vote for Darcy Burner. You deserve better than a cagey yes-man.
  • If you're considering ANY Republican this year, consider the following: Katrina, Foley, Cunningham, DeLay, Ney, Abramoff, Weldon, “stay the course,” Halliburton, body armor, Haditha, 103 US Military deaths in October, Scooter Libby, Jeff Gannon, waterboarding, “no-brainer,” Military Commissions Act, torture as policy, a PR arm for the Pentagon, Rush Limbaugh on Michael J. Fox, Rush Limbaugh on Abu Ghraib, WMD, “freedom is on the march,” the Taliban, Iraq Civil War, NSA wiretapping, habaeus corpus, posse comitatus, missing armaments in Iraq, missing 7 billion dollars in Iraq, “cut and run,” “I'm the Decider,” Donald Rumsfeld still has his job, “Brownie, you're doin' a heckuva job,” election fraud, Kenneth Blackwell, no-bid contracts...
Our complete endorsements are available here.

<< Home