Read a Pacific Northwest, liberal perspective on world, national, and local politics. From majestic Redmond, Washington - the Northwest Progressive Institute Official Blog.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Sacred and magical budget story in August

I'm so glad to learn about the budget process in the middle of August. From The Seattle Times:
Sen. Tim Sheldon, a conservative Democrat from Potlatch, Mason County, says that when Democrats held a narrow majority in the Senate, he was able to leverage his vote to get about $100 million in transportation and capital budget projects for his district.

His 35th District was the second-largest recipient of earmarked capital budget money since 2005.

Dunshee said he's tried to rein in the earmark process. He created the form that House lawmakers use to ask for a project, figuring that fewer projects would end up in the budget if more information was provided about them.

It didn't work.
This just in: politics has a game-like quality. People from your district want stuff. Part of your job is to try and get it. Now, there is no doubt that one person's trash in another person's vital economic redevelopment bill, but come on. That's the way legislatures work.

And truth be told, it's not ordinary folks putting pressure (for the most part) on members of Congress or the Legislature, it's organized interested groups with lots of money. That may be acceptable to people, or maybe not, but it's just so funny that this article tries to paint Democrats as somehow ethically deficient. Most of the stuff they pass comes straight from the "bidness" guys and gals.

Better yet is this quote from Frank Chopp:
Chopp said he helps legislators from both parties get projects, and most Republicans end up supporting the construction budget.

He said he wasn't sure why Democrats get so much more money than Republicans.

"Maybe they are twice as responsive to their constituents," he said. "Have you ever thought of that?"
Now that's funny, if not sacred and magical.

Remember, newsrooms do not have agendas. Even in August.

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