Seattle Now Officially a "Sanity Free Zone"

Now the Queen says it's an Alaskan Way Viaduct rebuild or else.

Gregoire is making John Kerry look positively statesmanlike.

Despite the Queen's royal proclamation, a meaningless "advisory" vote on the Viaduct in Seattle will proceed next month.

Seattle Mayor Greg "Spending Eastern Washington's" Nickels said, "If the voters say they do not want an elevated structure, we will take whatever action we think is necessary to put that desire of the voters in place." Senator Ed Murray chimed in, "If the state forces an elevated viaduct on Seattle and Seattle clearly has voted against one, there will be transportation warfare," on projects like the 520 floating bridge and I-405.

House Majority Leader Frank Chopp seemes to be the only Democratic adult by saying, "It's a state road. It's a state project. We are trying to carry out the promise that we made to the voters of this state when we raised the gas tax twice, so we are going with the one viable alternative and we are going to try to make it a lot better in terms of urban design."

I hope voters don't get fooled again.

Meanwhile, Washington Republicans must feel like Lazarus. After an old-fashioned whuppin' last November, the Governor's flip-flopping and distraction over the Viaduct, the internecine warfare, and the potential splintering of the Democrat's stronghold, are just what the doctor ordered.