Dino Rossi And The Road To 51

Is the third time a charm for Dino Rossi?

In 2004, he lost an election for governor of Washington to then-state attorney general Christine Gregoire by 133 votes out of more than 2.8 million cast.  He was ahead after the original count.  He was ahead after the first recount.  On the final recount, Gregoire was declared the winner, and Republican Party attempts to challenge the results were tossed out.
In a rematch four years later, he fell short by less than 200,000 votes out of more than 3 million cast in a brutal year for Republicans.
He’s back again … this time taking on Democratic incumbent Patty Murray for her seat in the U.S. Senate.  And the race is, not surprisingly, extremely close.  He’s down by less than a point in the Real Clear Politics polling average, but an Oct. 6 Rasmussen poll had Rossi up by three points and political handicapper Charlie Cook rates the race a “Toss Up.”

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/08/gops-road-to-51-washington-state/#ixzz11utcfbnT

Politico Frets: Rossi Putting Serious Pressure On Murray

The Politico is seriously worried that Patty Murray might be appearing on an upcoming report on first time claims for unemployment.

After weeks of trailing Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, Republican Dino Rossi appears to have rebounded in the pivotal Washington Senate race. 

Two recent polls show Rossi taking the lead, and the Republican announced he’s raised more money than Murray in the last couple weeks of the campaign – a cash haul that will be helpful in the final stretch of the midterm elections.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43344.html#ixzz11sTdi5nX

Vote No On I-1098, For Your Own Good

A wise man learns from his mistakes. But the really wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Part of the genius of federalism is that the states can serve as “laboratories of democracy,” from which the country as a whole can learn. And so before Washington embarks on the disastrous course of imposing the worst possible version of an income tax on itself, it should take lessons from other states’ experiences.

Economist Arthur Laffer has a record that distinguishes him from economists who advise today’s leaders. He was right. They have all been wrong. Recall that the Democrats’ greatest assembly of minds predicted that Obama’s $867 billion stimulus plan would prevent unemployment from exceeding 8% and that this past summer would be a robust “recovery summer.”

They were wrong. As Sarah Palin asked: “How’s that Hopey Changey stuff working out for you?” Unemployment is stuck at just under 10% and the real unemployment rate, the one that takes into account those who have given up looking for work, is actually about 16 or 17%. And there’s nothing on the horizon to inspire optimism.

Arthur Laffer advised Ronald Reagan in 1980 that reducing the top marginal income tax rates would stimulate an economic boom. And he was right. Except for a couple of brief corrections, the United States economy grew rapidly for nearly three decades, until Bill Clinton’s final exploding cigar, the housing bubble, burst.

And so Arthur Laffer has the sort of credentials that, while not now in vogue, should certainly make his counsel worthy of attention. He composed a very concise article for the Wall Street Journal this past week in which he examined the experiences of states that imposed income taxes upon their economies and compared them to states that have not. If past experience predicts future results, then should Washington pass Bill Gates Senior’s initiative 1098 this November, it can look forward to a permanently sluggish economy.

Initiative 1098 wouldn’t just impose an income tax on Washington, it would impose the worst possible version of an income tax. The federal government has been corrupting its own income tax code for more than a century and still hasn’t come up with anything this bad.

But aside from the moral degeneracy of imposing a tax on a small proportion of the populace (which is free to leave by the way), the tax would almost certainly smother an already feeble economy.

Arthur Laffer performed the simplest possible analysis of income tax results. He found that states with the highest income tax rates, a group that Washington would immediately move into, experiences about 30% slower growth than states with no income tax, a group that still includes Washington.

Who in his right mind would want to move his state from the healthy category into the unhealthy? Well, Bill Gates Senior and several members of Washington’s Democratic leadership who pushed this idea in the last legislative session do.

In addition, personal income in the income tax-free states grew 26% faster, meaning that there were wealthier, more productive people in the income tax-free states generating revenue for the state coffers through other revenue streams. Meanwhile faster growth means fewer people require state assistance.

It’s one thing to compare one state to another state, but how about the experience of states before and after imposition of an income tax? It turns out that in the last 50 years, 11 states have chosen to impose income taxes and without exception, all have experienced slower economic growth since the tax was enacted.

For example, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana’s annual growth rate declined by 31% after imposing the income tax. Pennsylvania’s growth rate slowed by 32%. And the big winner among the economic auto-castratos is Michigan, which managed to pull its growth rate down by 47% with its income tax.

Personal income showed similar declines.

Initiative 1098 is written in a way that appeals to the basest instincts of resentment and envy. But anyone who thinks they’ll feel satisfaction in the knowledge that his rich neighbor is paying more should consider that his own income and standard of living will likely decline as well. It’s like the old Russian fable. A man is met by an angel who offers him anything, on the condition that his neighbor gets double. The Russian considers for a moment, then asks the angel to blind him in one eye.

That’s Initiative 1098 in a nutshell.

Dino Rossi Gains A Little More Ground On Patty Murray

Rasmussen Reports has Dino Rossi leading Patty Murray by 3 points in its latest poll. Meanwhile, in spite of their own reporting that shows Murray's shameless corruption (see here and here), the Seattle Times editorial page has endorsed Patty Murray.

Republican challenger Dino Rossi has edged slightly ahead of incumbent Democrat Patty Murray in Washington’s U.S. Senate race. 

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Washington shows Rossi with 49% of the vote, while Murray’s support stands at 46%. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and two percent (2%) are undecided.

Nancy Pelosi Explains Democrat Economic Theory

Food stamps and unemployment benefits stimulate the economy.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Wednesday strongly defended her party's support of the federal food stamp program - a day after former Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich argued that GOP candidates should use the growing number of people on food stamps against Democrats on the campaign trail. At a press conference in her home town of San Francisco, Pelosi explained that the program's multiplier effect –the amount of money generated in the local economy as the result of the subsidy– far exceeds the nearly $60 billion spent this year by the federal government and is a sure-fire way to stimulate the economy. For every dollar a person receives in food stamps, Pelosi said that $1.79 is put back into the economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture cites an even higher figure of $1.84.

"It is the biggest bang for the buck when you do food stamps and unemployment insurance. The biggest bang for the buck," she said.

Patty Murray (D - K Street)

In the US Senate, only Harry Reid pulls down more lobbyist bucks. Mom in tennis shoes my butt!

Lobbyists have given $666,000 to Sen. Patty Murray's reelection efforts since 2009, making her the second-highest recipient of the industry's political contributions among all members of Congress, according to a new analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Only Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took in more money from lobbyists during the current election cycle, the analysis found.

As we reported previously, lobbyists are the biggest donors to Murray's campaign and to M-PAC, her leadership political-action committee. Lawyers are a close second, with $664,000 in contributions. Through end of July, Murray has raised a total of $13.1 million for her reelection and PAC.

Republican Party Invests Heavily Into Dino Rossi

Maybe this poll, showing a one point lead for Rossi gives them hope. But, whatever the reason, the RSCC is spending $4 million in the Washington senate race.

A week ago, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray looked like she might be running away from Republican challenger Dino Rossi in the Washington Senate race. But that was before the GOP launched a nearly $4 million fusillade of TV advertising.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has begun running $3 million in ads that will last until the Nov. 2 election.

And Crossroads GPS, an outside group that is part of a rising infrastructure of new conservative political groups built by Republican operatives such as Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie, announced Tuesday they will pump an additional $780,000 into the Evergreen State.

It’s a sign that for all their talk of a Senate takeover being a two-cycle project, Republicans think they have a chance at doing it this fall. Washington could potentially be the 10th pickup for the GOP that would push them over the top in their quest to regain a majority.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/05/republicans-use-4-million-to-yank-washington-back-into-their-crosshairs/#ixzz11VQyj3uz

Can Dan Griffey Running for the State House in the 35th, see his Mother's Support?

Another great article by Dinah Lee Griffey on Patriotic Resistance

Not if he is touring the Historical Societies old school house where his mother worked as a volunteer this weekend at Oysterfest.

Barb Griffey was asked to remove her small Griffey 4 State House pin this weekend by staff at Oysterfest. She complied but not before asking about her freedom of speech being impaired by doing so. She was told that it was not just her and that workers were out in the parking lot removing any political signs they saw on cars. The gentleman who approached her let her know he was helping her out by not demanding she remove her t-shirt supporting her son Dan, as well. He was able to let her off because she had a coat to wear.

The real concern came when Barb was told that Candidates and their families or associates who did this sort of thing "would feel the pinch come election time if they continued this sort of behavior." Barb, not knowing exactly what that meant was noticeably upset at the open threat.

"I came here as I have done for decades to support our community and offer children and adults a glimpse into Mason Counties past though our Museum. I am not promoting anything here but our rich history. I am however, a very proud mother, and if you knew Dan you would know why" said Mrs. Griffey.

Needless to say, these sorts of threats and bullying do not represent Oysterfest which is a time honored and loved tradition in our community but it is a reminder of just how fragile our freedom of speech can be if not carefully guarded. When was the last time you were questioned or threatened about the t-shirt or button you were wearing or asked to remove it?

Voters See Red in 1st Congressional District - Sign & Counter-Sign

by Johnny Walker

@KingstonJW on Twitter

Washington State voters in the 1^st Congressional District are likely to see more red today. Designed in part to pry out entrenched and evasive candidate Jay Inslee to directly debate critical financial positions, the James Watkins for Congress campaign deployed hundreds of new red signs this morning challenging Inslee for his support of high taxes and out of control spending. The signs, pictured above, are graphically similar to typical Inslee signs but evoke a starkly different message.

Bankrupting America, Jay Inslee since 1992

According to a press release, the Watkins campaign is calling this new sign tactic issues based “insurgent campaigning” and is the first in a series of new signs he expects will serve as a catalyst for more open debate of the issues.

“Today, volunteers for the Watkins for Congress campaign deployed the first wave of hundreds of new issues-based signs across Washington’s 1^st Congressional District in Kitsap, Snohomish, and King Counties. The signs are vivid and highlight one of the issues critical to voters – out of control government spending by long-term career politicians in bankrupting the United States and putting our future at risk.”

While the press quote seems a mouthful, it challenges some important realities of the Inslee campaign. Jay Inslee has been in office 14 years and has voted with Nancy Pelosi 98.8% of the time – he hasn’t done much to proactively manage financial distress but has instead exasperated it. According to James Watkins, this is non defensible and probably why Inslee is avoiding debate.

• Government-run health care that has increased insurance costs, threatens to reduce the number of physicians the U.S. has in the industry, and robed Medicare
• Ineffective stimulus spending and bailouts that have cost nearly a Trillion dollars
• Rising energy taxes while failing to leverage sustainable energy resources the country has access to now.

More information about this release will be available on the Watkins campaign web site at 1:00 PM today, including a 17 page comprehensive issues guide that will detail and resource Jay Inslee’s voting record.

“It’s not an attack ad if it’s true,” responded Watkins to concerns that the new signs could be portrayed as dirty tactics. Acknowledging Inslee supporters are likely to be “livid” over the new signs, he said the campaign needed “to do something different” that would draw out Jay Inslee to debate his record. Watkins expects the new sign campaign to be a catalyst for more informative debate, including this evening's Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum in Edmonds, Washington.

Know your candidates and vote! November is coming.

Observations at a Tea Party, Olympia, WA

by Johnny Walker

@KingstonJW on Twitter

It was a comparatively small assembly organized by the Pierce County Tea Party, perhaps under attended due to the competition of customary campaign activity so late in the political season, but for those few hundred who showed up in Olympia yesterday it was as if there were thousands. They were passionate about their beliefs, some calling it “principled”, proud to be there, and eager to hear guest speakers talk about the dangers of a big government that has gotten out of control. And so, for a few hours in the middle of a clear but cool northwest day, it was all grass roots politics on the Capitol steps.

Off to the side near a cluster of small booths, I saw the 6^th Congressional District challenger Doug Cloud (R) and his team welcoming everyone within reach, working hard to get out his conservative message of fiscal responsibility, accountability, the economy and jobs. No sign of incumbent Norm Dicks (D), who has apparently earned a reputation along side so many other Democrat incumbents this year to avoid their challengers. The Campaign for Liberty folks were present, as were some from the Freedom Advocates and Constitution Party of Washington, all with their unique windows to the definition of American liberty. It seemed at the moment that Democrats didn’t like tea very much…

Present among the regional celebrity talent was Keli Carender, nationally known for organizing the first 2009 tax protest in Seattle that later became know as the Tea Party movement. She buoyed the crowd with a morale boosting speech that focused on the values of self-government. She introduced her ideas about how “self governing solves most of the problems.” “Government will steal your life, liberty and property,” said Carender. “If we have no money left because taxes are too high, how do we teach our children to be good neighbors?” Big government “breaks the bonds of civil society…” leading to reliance on government and not each other. “We will be generous, we will be charitable, but we will do it in our own way!” Don’t be surprised to increasingly hear Carender speak and refine her views as time goes on. 2010 is the matter at hand but 2012 is just around the corner.

Across the drive and away from the crowd, I introduced myself to Thomas, a 40-year-old Spanaway man who with a friend was watching and taking photographs from a distance. An African-American, I wanted his thoughts on Tea Party “extremism.” I found Thomas to be an articulate, educated, and self-described historian. Slowly warming up to the unwanted attention, he acknowledged that he didn’t really know if Tea Party activists were extremists or not but was there to check it out. Waving his hand broadly across the crowd, he remarked, “There is nothing there.” That bothered him. “There aren’t any people of color.” In further discussion it seemed as if Thomas wanted to get involved but was constrained by skepticism and what he didn’t know. Describing the U.S. Constitution as a “brilliant” document, he observed it was essentially the same today as it was in 1857 when the United States Supreme Court decided in Dred Scott v. Sanford that no person of African ancestry could claim citizenship in the United States (simplified). What Thomas didn’t explicitly say was clear to me in context; neither he nor his companion could yet tell if the overwhelmingly white Tea Party activists were of same mind with the 1857 court, or not. He only knew they were advocating the same Constitution.

Later, I spoke with Nilda, a 45-year-old Olympia resident and Philippine-American (of color?), who was with her family. “They are full of baloney,” she said about people who accuse the Tea Party of extremism. Neither she nor her husband, Jimmy, could recount any extremism during several Tea Party events.

I asked 57-year-old Michelle from Lacey a more direct question; “Why do you think there aren’t more people of color here?” She didn’t know but told me a story about how she invited an African-American friend to be with her at the rally but had declined. Michelle said her friend “thought she would be tarred and feathered” had she shown up. I trusted the sentiment of her remark more than the letter. Michelle went on to wonder whether or not people were so indoctrinated to focus on color that it was hard to overcome to just be an American.

I sought enlightenment once more leaving the rally, asking Rosemary from Lacey about her background. “I’m an American,” she said. Sweet.

I still find myself thinking, “What does all of this mean?” Does a lack of racial diversity in Tea Party organizations somehow mean they are inherently racist? No, I don’t think that is the case at all. But I do think that the lesson of Thomas and Michelle suggest there could be greater outreach and education that Tea Party values equally apply to all flavors of Americans. While I don’t subscribe to any conclusion that a failure to have leaders and speakers “of color” make Tea Parties racist or extreme, it is probably true that greater inclusion of diversity communicates they aren’t. That might be something worth chewing on.

Know the issues and the candidates before you vote. November is coming.

Photos: top center, family sits together with flags at on the Capitol building steps; Left side descending; author Johnny Walker; Keli Carender aka Liberty Belle speaking to the crowd; Olympia resident, Nilda; Lacey resident, Michelle.