Dancing the Sidestep

Johnny Walker

@KingstonJW on Twitter

One of my favorite movies of all time was a 1982 musical comedy featuring actor Charles Durning as the Governor of Texas. He was only one of many big names, like Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds, but Durning had the singular honor of dramatizing The Sidestep by Carol Hall in political song.

Fellow Texans, I am proudly standing here to humbly see.

I assure you, and I mean it- Now, who says I don't speak out as plain as day?

And, fellow Texans, I'm for progress and the flag- long may it fly.

I'm a poor boy, come to greatness. So, it follows that I cannot tell a lie.

Ooh I love to dance a little sidestep, now they see me now they don't-
I've come and gone and, ooh I love to sweep around the wide step,
cut a little swathe and lead the people on.

32 years after the original 1978 Broadway production of the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, we can look back and smile at the comedic stereotype and appreciate the humor. Less humorous; however, is knowing that at a time when our country is at the crossroads of social, economic, and political upheaval, the lie of the sidestep will likely have major consequences. I’m not talking about big institutional conspiracies like hiding UFO’s or something, but the small individual lies that reflect the health of a politician’s morality and core values; the stupid and unrepentant lies of avarice. Let me give you a few examples of sidestepping liars.

In the hotly contested race between 14-year incumbent Jay Inslee (D) and challenger James Watkins (R) for Washington’s 1^st Congressional District, Jay Inslee had been sidestepping arrangements to debate Watkins throughout the campaign. Inslee finally agreed to a single debate on the evening of October 18th on Bainbridge Island, a Monday night late in the season after mail ballots were on the way, and a ferry too far for most working constituents to take advantage of. Hosted by American Legion Post 172, it would be on his home turf to guarantee the friendliest audience plausible; “neighbors” as he put it. During the event, Inslee sidestepped a question about his probable bid for the 2012 governorship (again) and then further sidestepped into a lie. When asked to explain his absence from a ceremony he sponsored legislation for honoring Bainbridge High School graduate Bud Hawk, World War II veteran and medal of honor recipient, Inslee said he was in Washington DC “fulfilling his constitutional duty.” But it turns out he wasn’t there. According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, he was at Seattle's Convention Center hobnobbing with Ford Motor Co’s Alan Mulally. Why was it so important to lie about that?

34-year incumbent Norm Dicks (D) of Washington’s 6^th Congressional District did a little sidestepping recently as well. After not showing up to a September 20^th scheduled debate with challenger Doug Cloud (R) in Sequim, his campaign manager told the waiting crowd that Inslee was on his way to Washington DC to cast some important votes. But there was a problem with that. There apparently weren’t votes scheduled for that day or the next, and KOMO news placed Dicks in Everett, WA, attending a Boeing labor rally. Norm Dicks sidestepped into a lie. A debate between the two was finally cemented in Sequim on October 13^th, a Wednesday early afternoon in the cozy town 90 miles from the district’s dense populations centers; another sidestep I have reported on in some detail.

Just to be clear that dancing the sidestep is not a sport constrained to the Pacific Northwest, consider the campaign of Richard Blumenthal (D), Connecticut Attorney General campaigning for the Senate against Linda McMahon (R). You would think that a man of such legal stature would be careful about sidestepping lies but apparently not. Speaking at an event honoring veterans, Blumenthal told the audience he served in Vietnam. But the New York Times reported that just wasn’t so. Instead, Blumenthal received a series of deferments that allowed him to finish studies at Harvard and then he joined the Marine reserve in Washington to avoid deployment to Viet Nam. He also claimed to be captain of the Harvard swim team; not so.

Democrat Warren Buffett, billionaire activist, is quoted to have said this:

“Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. But if you don’t have the first, the other two could kill you.”

Over the decades, a number of politicians have let us down with sidestepping and lies from all parties. Dancing the sidestep is not nearly as funny in reality as it was in the movie. I think Bill O’Reilly would probably call them all pinheads. But I think we should just call them all "retired."

Vote for integrity in 2010. Know your candidates and vote smart. November is coming.

Doug Cloud Prevails in Sequim

by Johnny Walker

@KingstonJW on Twitter

As I rode my bike into the cozy waterfront town of Sequim, Washington, early Wednesday afternoon, I imagined that after 34 years in office and having carefully negotiated the venue, incumbent Congressman Norm Dicks (D) of Washington’s 6^th Congressional District would be feeling pretty confident for this one and only public debate with challenger Doug Cloud (R). Sequim is roughly 90 miles or more from the district’s most dense industrial population centers of Tacoma, University Place and Lakewood, and another hour’s travel from the port cities of Grays Harbor. Even Bremerton is 60 miles. The mid week early afternoon time all but cherry picked a limited audience, mostly senior voters who would remember his years of service. They would be a warm and polite crowd, almost friends who remembered “Norm” as always being there. But such was not the case. Yesterday’s titan of Washington politics crashed harshly against the reality of change and the failure of hope. With stark differences in style and content, Doug Cloud routed Norm Dicks.

The clues were certainly there. Norm Dicks stepped silently onto the stage at Sequim Community Church about 10 minutes before the 2:00 PM debate, sat quietly studying his notes and speaking occasionally with organizers. The League of Woman Voters had coordinated well for the moderated event and it showed. But then “the Cloud” arrived and a spectacle happened. Just moments before starting time, an enthusiastic and almost spontaneous applause erupted in the room as Republican Doug Cloud walked in. It was a rock star moment, and Cloud seemed almost surprised by the clatter; he turned toward the audience extending his palms out, smiled broadly and waved, thanking them from the stage. Game on.

If Norm Dicks had ever been confident coming in to the debate, this moment was his reality check. Staring almost blankly at Cloud, he melted into his chair and worked to ignore the din. This was not going to be easy and it wasn’t for him. Here are some “blog bites” of analysis:

• Doug Cloud ripped into Norm Dicks’ repeated claim of bipartisanship and proposed bipartisan solutions, noting that Dicks has voted with Democrat Nancy Pelosi 99% of the time. After 34 years, why would he change now? It isn’t likely.
• Norm Dicks earned an almost universal groan from the audience when he blamed the “prior administration” for the current deficit. While the Bush administration was culpable, Dicks hides his leadership role in a Democratic Party majority for the past 4 yrs. Norm Dicks was and is part of the problem.
• In consideration of earmarks, Doug Cloud wants Americans to stop relying on sugar daddies in DC, while Norm Dicks has historically used earmarks for patronage, even at some risk of ethics violations. Acknowledging, “Earmarks may have gotten out of control,” Dicks insists Congress should keep this selective power of the purse. Cloud called earmarks “a means of corruption” to buy votes and I agree. Earmark style initiatives should stand on their own merits with transparency.
• Norm Dicks’ approach to job creation is to federally fund infrastructure projects and to attack fraud, waste, and abuse. At first blush, this seems like a good idea but why hasn’t he been doing this all along? With 34 years in office, Dicks has not worked to build sustainable budgets that support critical infrastructure and now wants to use the unemployment crisis to pander temporary jobs. He has failed in his oversight position to proactively manage the money he was entrusted with. Doug Cloud is a bit more pragmatic about “make work jobs,” saying they “make people temporarily happy just long enough to vote.”
• Doug Cloud’s approach to jobs is to reduce taxes and cut federal spending. He has strong positions on how to dismantle and potentially eliminate both the Department of Energy and Education, reassigning necessary functions to other departments while eliminating overhead and putting self governance back in the hands of local citizens. Norm Dicks says this will cut jobs. Dicks is correct that it will cut government jobs but transfer necessary work to the private sector. And because it will allow business to keep more money, they can invest in job creation in viable markets that create wealth. I don’t think Norm Dicks grasps the value of reduced government spending to control the deficit, nor does he understand how to infuse dollars in a private sector that can actually create new jobs without taking it from someone else first. This is fraud, waste, and abuse.
• In a revealing discussion on taxes, Norm Dicks defined tax cuts as the same thing as government expenditures. Think about this a moment; Dicks is saying that not taking your money (taxing) is the same thing as spending it on you. Dicks has trouble reducing the budget because he thinks your money is the government’s already. “You can’t cut taxes without paying for it,” said Dicks. Yes, you can. You can reduce government and give it back to the people, stop spending money that you don’t have and you can stop borrowing .40 on every dollar you want to spend.
• On health care, Cloud was clear on expectations to repeal and replace (I always have to emphasize replace) with Norm Dicks defending the plan that nobody read or fully understands even today. Unintended cost increases, limitations in choice and services are already manifesting regardless of government promises and there is now open talk on rationing. A strong majority of voters now understand this is a bad idea. Does anyone remember Dicks being bipartisan on health care?
• The Second Amendment discussion was equally polarized. Cloud answered the question unequivocally in support of the Second Amendment and articulated why, including the defense against tyranny. Norm Dicks avoided addressing the Second Amendment directly and talked about bolstering budget for the National Guard. He did acknowledge that sportsmen had a right to get a license, but avoided discussion on the individual right to bear arms. He blinked. Don’t trust Dicks with your gun rights.

Of course there was a lot more to the debate and I have only chosen a few snippets here within my time and space.

If the 2008 elections were a time of “hope and change,” then the 2010 elections are an opportunity for “change and deliver.” I haven’t seen a lot of results from hope and change so far has put us even deeper in debt, stolen our liberties, and made us even more reliant on government than ever before. The government has even implied I am a racist for simply questioning their wisdom. This is the Norm Dicks, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi model of governance. It is progressive Obama-ism in the context of transforming America. The transformation has to stop.

After 34 years in office, it is time to say goodbye to Norm Dicks as a revered titan of progressive Washington politics and patronage that has stayed past his time. It is time for Doug Cloud.

Doug Cloud will restore individual liberties and government accountability; he will seek to reduce government spending to sustainable levels and narrow government power to constitutional levels. It is time to restore our house.

Ballots came in the mail today at many Washington homes. The time for change and deliver is now.

Know your candidates and vote. November is coming.