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

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Rossi's "citizens movement" doesn't come cheap

The Building Industry Association of Washington is making Dino Rossi's "citizens movement" a little more attractive to strapped-for-cash citizens. It might surprise "Reduce the Minimum Wage" Rossi that the BIAW is luring paid canvassers with a wage of $12 an hour, almost $4 an hour more than Washington's minimum wage.

Walking for Washington is the BIAW's answer to real grassroots support by citizen volunteers. For four hours a day, six days a week, Washington's most aggressive right-wing lobby will pay $12 an hour to canvassers willing to drop Rossi literature at doors in Eastern King County.

Those grassroots are looking a little bit like artificial turf to me.

When real support is lagging, the BIAW has plenty of resources to draw upon. The group has already given nearly $7 million to Rossi's campaign for governor, more than any other issue group.

The Seattle Times explains why the BIAW is putting so much dough into Rossi's campaign:

Its agenda is simple, says Tom McCabe, who in the past two decades has led the group from one room and two employees to a renovated Olympia mansion with 45 staffers.

The group, which represents 13,000 home-building contractors, wants lower taxes and fewer regulations, particularly environmental ones, McCabe says.

That's putting it lightly. From an earlier NPI story:
They despise regulation - everything from environmental laws to ergonomics rules. The BIAW has used the initiative process repeatedly to get voters to repeal worker and environmental protection legislation it opposes....

[In 2006 they sued] to prevent Puget Sound orcas from being listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Obviously the BIAW feels thwarted by Governor Gregoire's strong leadership on environmental protection, leadership strong enough to win her legions of unpaid volunteers, ready to spread the word without asking for cash.

Comments:

Blogger Bill R. said...

Just out, new Elway poll, Gregoire up by 12:
Gregoire 51, Rossi 39
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattlepolitics/archives/152135.asp

October 22, 2008 11:35 AM  

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