James Na’s column in today’s Seattle Times gives a take on Seattle’s blogging scene, focusing on the work of many of the diligent bloggers on Sound Politics--Stefan Sharkansky, Andrew MacDonald, and Matt Rosenberg, in particular. Be sure to read it!
Na, a Senior Fellow on Foreign Policy at the Discovery Institute (where I happen to be a staff employee), discusses the work of local think tanks, such as the Washington Policy Center, and then goes on to discuss the impact of the Pacific Northwest's own pajamahadeen:
...bloggers have joined the fray and turned Seattle into a major center for an underground conservative movement and alternative media.
Na mentions his attendance at the recent bloggers bash, graciously hosted by the MacDonalds—and which I also had the good fortune of attending.
One comment I have in response to Na's column is that the Seattle area's center-right blogging scene has more of a positive vision motivating it than one might believe from reading the column. Leaders like Dino Rossi, AG Rob McKenna and others have FINALLY provided Republicans in this state with a viable vision for positive reform and economic prosperity that is much badly needed, and which has appeal to those traditionally outside Republican ranks. Despite the current makeup of the state legislature and the questions surrounding the election for Governor, the Republican Party has real potential to make gains in this state and improve the business climate.
The blogosphere is here just in time for Washington State Republicans. As Michael Barone notes in his new "Blogosphere Politics" article, the blogosphere has helped President Bush nationally. While not necessarily helpful to the President in this region, I nonetheless foresee the blogosphere as having a positive influence on politics in this state for the future.
James Na runs the Guns and Butter Blog.
(Cross-blogged at Seth Cooper's personal blog.)
Posted by Seth Cooper at February 14, 2005 05:04 PM | Email ThisThey spew hate and envy, but claim it is the R's that are the bad guys. What a joke.
The point that he somehow missed is that blogs represent what that huge area of opinion that the PC MSM avoids like the plague.
Posted by: DeadManVoting (aka Iguana) on February 14, 2005 07:15 PMThe point that he somehow missed is that blogs represent what that huge area of opinion that the PC MSM avoids like the plague.
Posted by: DeadManVoting (aka Iguana) on February 14, 2005 07:16 PMKeep up the good work!!!
Posted by: No Phony's Allowed on February 14, 2005 07:23 PMKerry, through Teresa, inherits the Heinz "food" fortune. Bush's family invests in "WMDs", the fuels to propel them, Remington Arms, other heavy armament, and covert activies that lead to warfare.
Just speaking the oft-censored truth about the Bush Dynasty. In 1950, Prescott Bush lost his first bid for Senate in Connecticut when voters learned he'd been a prominent member of the American Eugenics Society during the rise of Hitler, the world's most prominent Eugenicist at the time. So much for the party of "high moral values".
Posted by: Artie on February 14, 2005 08:47 PM
True, becasue his wife was previously married to the inexhaustibly wealthy Republican - John Heinz III.
Some things get me really riled up, and screwing up "because" is fightin' words...
Okay, not really...
Posted by: marks on February 14, 2005 08:47 PMI'm sorry that your argument against the moral values party is based on someone who is dead. I almost wish you had something real to work with.
Iguana:
Covering all the points possible is about as easy as Mr. Na having all our views at the same time. Oop, that's same thing :) I don't think it really matters that he approached it differently than I would because I still agree with what he said.
No, I enjoyed his piece because it was more about his personal experience with something a little new even to him.
Posted by: Mark on February 14, 2005 09:29 PMRepublicans, influencial or rank-n-file loyalists, cannot forever conceal the malicious, manipulative deceit that determined the election. Bush did not win honestly, no matter how the votes were counted.
George Bush Sr, as congressman in the 1960's, was a vocal advocate for nuclear bombardment of North Vietnam and an alarmist about the so-called 'population explosion' - the same eugenics philosophy professed by Prescott Bush. George Sr did not publicly disavow abortion until his bid for Vice President in 1980. Decide for yourselves whether it was a matter of conscience or convenience.
Posted by: Artie on February 14, 2005 10:05 PMI am gratified that you have the opportunity to get your information from more than one source (courtesy of the free-market economy), and that (unlike many who are unfortunate enough to be members of the DNC) you are free to express your opinion any way you so choose without fear of retribution. That comes courtesy of the United States Armed Forces.
You're welcome.
Posted by: ERNurse on February 14, 2005 10:26 PMIt started with my husband serving me breakfast in bed. Later, after a day of work, we went to see a movie, as we always do on this day. Who did we run into? DINO ROSSI, having a quiet Valentine's evening with the woman of his life.
I am a very 'down to earth' person and consider the hoopla about celebrities a silly thing but, just to see this ordinary citizen, a humble man, without body guards recommended by the State Patrol, being so much like every one of us, enjoying the simple things in life - the whole thing made me smile for hours. It was an honor to meet him.
We need more people like Dino Rossi in our Government, in our everyday life, we need someone we can connect to.
I was so 'star struck' (who, me?) that I didn't know what to say. We didn't want to impose on his private time. My husband said 'enjoy the movie and keep going, please' - I just repeated the same. I wanted to say 'thank you for the Christmas Card', I wanted to say 'Soon we will turn this state around - the goodness must prevail', but I didn't, the words failed me.
Thank you Dino for fighting on. You are the voice behind the conservatives and the moderates.
Thank you Stefan for keeping the awareness alive.
Thank you all who, by your posts, are giving me hope for a way out of this WA style socialism.
As a former citizen of Eastern Europe I know Socialism by its face - Luckily 'RED' in USA is the GOOD THING.
Keep up the good work. Do not listen to Erik, Headless Lucy and others like them. If they felt powerfull they would not bother to post here. They are afraid because they know the end is coming.
Posted by: E.W. on February 14, 2005 11:19 PM--Bush did not win honestly, no matter how the votes were counted.--
So, what you are saying then, is that you will disbelieve any evidence *before* it is presented to you? And you don't see any problems with this?
I wasn't all that impressed with Na's piece. I think it was sort of smug and contrite with regard those of us that keep a blog.
I keep a blog too. The piece was meant to be light-hearted and self-deprecating (indirectly anyway). In fact, my original tagline was: "Validate him at -----@.com."
The point that he somehow missed is that blogs represent what that huge area of opinion that the PC MSM avoids like the plague.
I didn't miss the point at all. I quote (from my own piece!):
Nonetheless, what seems to motivate many bloggers in the region is their opposition to the near-total domination of the mainstream media ("MSM" or "legacy media" in blogspeak) by what they consider to be a leftist orthodoxy...
Local blogs with provocative titles like "The Mulatto Advocate" and "Pajama Jihad" abound. One area blogger works for the Department of Homeland Security. There are active-duty military officers who engage in "mil-blogging" and maintain civilian blogs. It goes without saying that they provide views and insights that are often missing in the mainstream media...
Unlike traditional media networks, which are in reality hierarchies that push news from corporate headquarters in New York to smaller outlets, the blogger community appears to be a true network, in which information flows organically from node to node. Instead of top-down feeding of the news, Ballard, Bellevue and Bellingham can feed New York and each other as effortlessly as the reverse.
And so on.
By the way, Iguana, I am still puzzled about the remark you left on my blog. Were you suggesting that I copied your site or something?
Posted by: James J. Na on February 15, 2005 09:58 AMYour "revelations" about Prescott Bush have about as much relevance as "relevations" that Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood) was a racist and Joseph Kennedy (father of Teddy Kennedy) was an anti-semite and a panderer to Hitler. That is to say, absolutely none.
That said, do you have any idea what you are talking about? This is a thread on the seattle blogosphere--left and right. Do you have any relevant thoughts or are you just the cyberspace version of the nutcakes that yell on the corner?
I am certain that some rightwingers are innocently led astray by the biased propaganda, stretching of the truth, the deceit, the mud-slinging and character assassination. These, I am hopeful can be reached. Iconoclast, you may be a lost cause.
Prescott and George HW Bush's history in Eugenics is disgraceful, and should never be forgotten nor forgiven nor dismissed lightly as irrevelant, especially by those who claim to hold high moral values. Elected officials should be judged by their history, not by their current sales pitch.
ERNurse, forgive me for not joining you in obeisance to the 'free market economy'. Nor can I show our military the respect they deserve under the leadership of a Commander in Chief who regularly displays contempt for our soldiers.
Psuedotsuga, you supposition is presumptious.
The cutting replies my post drew were as nasty as I expected. I've had discussions with rightwingers that began and ended respectfully, but this blog is inhabited by obstinant, rightwing attack dogs. There is little chance that Sound Politics will ever emerge from its closed-minded bias and truly represent the ideology of liberty and freedom.
Have a nice day.
Posted by: Artie on February 15, 2005 11:51 PMArtie:
Still don't know what "Prescott and George HW Bush's history in Eugenics" has to do with the integrity of their descendant. Unless you're simply trying to say "like father, like son..."
Dubya is not his father, nor is he very much like him--which is a good thing. He makes mistakes; after all, he's not Reagan either.
Posted by: Mark on February 16, 2005 12:05 AMSo, my belief that they continue to practice a eugenics ideology is defensable. I do not trust the Bush's.
Anyway, I'm going to follow the monorail string now. SMP is not building the best project they know they could. I take a Moderate stance on transportation issues.
Posted by: Artie on February 16, 2005 11:42 AM