November 10, 2006
It's in the P-I
Today's P-I editorial is a "Memo to Dino"
Take note of the trouncing your party took in this state on Election Day. Not only did voters shift dramatically the balance of power in both houses of the Legislature, but the ballot initiative you came out to promote -- I-933 -- was roundly defeated.
...
So, carefully temper any dreams of comeback in '08 with the realities of '06.
There's nothing thoughtful, no analysis, no constructive advice. These are mere partisan fighting words: we won, you lost, take us on again at your own peril. The P-I is "journalism" only in the sense that party propaganda organs in one-party states like
Cuba,
Zimbabwe and
North Korea are journalism.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 10, 2006
11:56 AM | Email This
1. I think when the local opinion writers and editorial pages openly rejoice for their candidates, and party of choice, it calls into question their credibility. But then to poke the eye of your opponent with inane garbage like this--that's crosses the line from "liberal cheerleader" to "partisan foot-soldier."
2. Whine Guppy whine, how low can you go?
3. Isn't the P-I a part of Charles Foster Kane's media empire? Isn't this par for the course?
4. The arrogance of these people is astonishing.
Get ready for a state income tax, gay marriage, more growth "management," and more traffic problems.
Oh, and PLEASE give me Hillary as the D's presidential candidate in a year when Dino and the Queen re-engage in the election that Christine lost it before she won it.
The Ds are so ignorant that they don't understand that their base will have to move out of the Puget Sound area because they can't afford housing or taxes. Maybe that is their real solution to traffic problems...fewer people who can afford to live here....fewer businesses and jobs, etc. If everyone would just go away.....
5. When I read this editorial at breakfast today my impression was that the P-I is terrified of another Rossi run.
6. The P-I needs to attack Rossi now because the paper probably will gone before election 2008.
RobK1967, the real question is how low can the P-I go. Shark is right for bringing this to our attention since many of us do not read the trash from the P-I.
7. Fascinating...a thoughtless, analysis-free blog post complaining about a thoughtless, analysis-free editorial. Keep this up, and the intellectual vacuum will, well, suck.
Is there some reason you can't put together a thoughtful analysis of how Dino Rossi might actually win the Governor's office in 2008? Rather than complain about the void, fill it.
8. It really is time to ignore the P-I., even online because that counts as "readership". If we just boycotted the thing it would hasten their demise. They just preach to their choir anyway. Attempting to refute or deny their wild charges and editorials only gets you an upset stomach and wastes your time. Let's help them be one click away from crashing!!!
9. The PI won't be arount too much longer anyway.
Jim
10. NWconservative #4
1) No one is going to stand for an income tax in this state, no one is that dumb.
2) Gay Civil Unions, sure. Gay Marriage, maybe in 20 years. I don't have a problem with gay civil unions.
3) More growth management...yeah, I could see that happening.
4) more traffic problems...yeah, think if I-933 had passed how great traffic would have been. Traffic comes with growth, it's usually better to build up than out.
If everyone would just go away.....
No one's stopping you from leading the charge. I hear Idaho is nice, and as an added bonus it's quite conservative. Although they voted to killed their I-933 clone, so no unrestricted property rights for you.
11. I actually like editorial boards when they tell it like it is to them. It invokes more discussion and more discussion is good.
I hate the vanilla editorial board comments that really don't give an opinion. This one is definitely out there. That one came out of the blue.
Maybe 933 went to far? Maybe it didn't? But it got swallowed with all the other noise. Maybe next year, instead when we have the low turnout local races.
Three days after the election and they throw out a governor's race potential candidate as fodder. There is still a lot more meat out there.
Nationally, the Ds put up middle of the roaders like Heath Shuler- prolife and progun. Hillary needed this for her '08 run. Rahm Emanuel, the architect of the national Representatives, is a former (or should I say, current) Clintonite.
Local state races, I am not so sure of. Seems just an anti-R mood. But, I will save some opinions for some post-mortems when Stefan posts them.
12. What a ridiculous thing for the PI to say. What they really want to do is intimidate an excellent candidate out of getting rid of their 'girl.' Because Dino is still a huge threat to them.
It won't work. Dino isn't scared of silly editorials . See you PI guys in '08.
13. Cata - why is it "better to build up than out"? If everyone is in one confined place, and the utopia is extended to getting rid of cars (who can afford one in the city anyway), how would anyone one be able to enjoy the natural habitat. And just because you think it is better you are free to live on the 35th floor of an 80 story apartment building where children can play in the elevators and car free streets.
Let others have 'freedom of choice' where they want to live.
14. There's nothing thoughtful, no analysis, no constructive advice...
You could program a hot key on your computer for that and label it, "P-I."
15. Ha ha... you have "Seattle P-I" and journalism in the same sentence. Shows you how much you know.
16. BTW...there's a greater likelihood that Dino will be here in '08, compared to the P-I...
17. Right said Fred, I have no problems with freedom of choice. Some people like the burbs, some people like the outdoors.
Just don't come crying to me when you knowingly built your subdivison on a flood plane and your house looks like this. I don't want my tax dollars bailing your stupid pro-933 ass with FEMA money.
18. This would have been a difficult election for Dino (if he had run again for Gov. in 2006). There was big anti-Republican sentiment that he would have had to run against. Now the Democrats are in the spotlight, which will change the dynamic. The premise in the P-I is that 2008 will have the same mood as 2006, which is highly unlikely, both Nationally and Statewide.
It's up to what happens over the next two years. If Dino decides not to run, Rob McKenna would be an excellent candidate - in the battle of AG's. I would also give McKenna an excellent chance.
19. Cato - or my taxes bailing your earthquake. I assume you don't want to pay for Katrina either.
20. or my taxes bailing your earthquake....Touche' =)
I assume you don't want to pay for Katrina either.
Normally I'd say no. Unfortunately the city was there in the 1800's before they had such things as land regulations. Building a city below sea level seems like a dumb idea in general, although the Dutch seem to have figured out how to do it properly.
21. Cato . . . Ever heard that short person on TV shout to Ricardo: "Boss, de plain de plain"? Probably not. A plane is that thing that flies (also used to be a contraction for "aeroplane" but now is just "short"). A plain is the thing that floods.
22. The P-I's "memo to Dino" comes down to "Na na na na na. We won, you lost." Grade school stuff.
The P-I should carefully temper any dreams of still being in business five years from now
23. I've read one of the differences between Richard Nixon & Ronald Reagan was that Nixon CARED what the NY Times wrote about him. Dino reminds me of Reagan!
24. The reason the P.I. is on the verge of imploding (only being propped up by the J.O.A. at this point) is because of this type of childish non-reporting. You can almost hear the cascade of subscription cancellations. But this is par for the course. Liberal Socialism is a childish, naive ideology so one would expect "Nah, ha, nah, na, nah, nah" to pass as reporting or opinion. Be glad to see the old gray b*tch go.
25. Cato --
Thanks for your...uh...thoughtful response. Why wait 20 years for gay marriage? Oh, and, there are are plenty of discussions going on about a state income tax. Queen Christine and her Dem followers are talking about it behind closed doors with input from your boy Bill Gates, Sr. Even a few pubbies involved, so don't discount it out of hand.
And what is that about building up being better than building out? Seems to me the building up model in Belltown will get you an entire 600 sq ft home for only $249K. Is that the new definition of "affordable housing?"
26. A Sound Politics regular reader, I responded to the provocative Memo a short time ago: "The Memo does seem gratuitously mean-spirited. Who knows--read two years from now, will the piece look plain silly? As for "rational questioning," on November 30, 2004, on the front page of this same paper there was the following headline: "Reed to certify Rossi as winner." Just why did the good Secretary plan to do that? And did he? You bet he did. And, one would suppose, the P-I would claim that "rational questioning" followed. For Senator Rossi was the Governor-elect--less than two years ago. Here's a rational question: "Where's Dean Logan?""
27. NWconservative....I can't imagine you having something against supply and demand / Free market economy. As more people are willing to pay $294k for that 600 sq ft space, the more developers will be happy to provide it for them.
I unlike others here don't have a problem with Gay Marriage. I see it as a civil rights issue not a moral issue. Gay's are not hurting anyone by getting married, in fact their likely boosting the economy. Again, I'd settle for Civil Unions.
So NWconservative, you saying that you're in favor of subsidized housing?
Talk is one thing, action is another. I'd be up in arms if they imposed a income tax in this state. As I'm sure most other people would.
28. When Rossi is elected, he should propose eliminating the sales tax exemption for newspapers.
29. The bill to allow the Constitution of the State of Washingotn to be amended to allow for a State Income Tax can be found under SJR 8211. Sponsers are Franklin, Kline and Kohl-Wells. How's that for a start.
30. STATE TAX REVENUE BELOW ESTIMATE
State tax revenue collections totaled $1.2 billion between Oct. 11 and Nov. 10, $16.4 million below the estimate for the month. The shortfall was due to weaker than expected Revenue Act tax payments -- including retail sales, business and occupation, use and public utilities -- property tax and unclaimed property transfers. Revenue Act collections were $15.5 million less than expected this month, but remain $28.9 million above the estimate for the two months since the last forecast.
Non-Revenue Act General Fund taxes were $1.1 million below the estimate for the month and are $8.2 million less than expected for the two months since the September forecast. Real estate excise tax payments were above the estimate for the month. Despite this month's shortfall, collections remain above the estimate since the last forecast. Although collection growth was a little slower than expected this month, the economic fundamentals are still positive and the forecast remains on track.
Recent economic news has been mostly positive but continues to reflect a slowing economy. Nationally, only 92,000 new jobs were added in October, however in September 148,000 new job were added, up from the initial report of 51,000. The state unemployment rate increased in September, rising to 5.3 percent from 5.2 percent in August, but the September 2006 rate remains below the year-ago rate of 5.6 percent.
Tax payments by firms in the retail trade and food services sector increased 9.1 percent. Last month, retailers reported an 8.7 percent increase. Tax payments from the auto sector, the largest retail trade category, was up 7.2 percent for the month, after increasing only 1.1 percent last month. Only two of the 12 major retailing categories reported double-digit increases this month.
Consultants, computer service providers and others in the professional, scientific and technical services sector reported a year-over-year decline in tax payments this period, down 8.3 percent. Although only one major sector reported a decline in tax payments, two other important sectors reported weak gains: manufacturing at 3.1 percent and wholesaling at 2.7 percent.
31. When I read this editorial at breakfast today my impression was that the P-I is terrified of another Rossi run.
That's just what I was thinking.
It's mindboggling that they would actually say something like this. Do they have any idea how petty and stupid they sound? This is without a doubt the first time I've ever heard of a major newspaper attacking a former Politician who isn't currently running for anything, 2 years away from when he'd even have a chance to run.
I'd be very interested in seeing a poll based on average people's reaction to this piece. It's in such bad form it boggles the mind.
32. Nobody EVER buy the PI. Let it fold. Looks good on them. This paper has been on life supports forever. There is no sign of brain activity and they should be let go,cuz we already have a lefty paper, so why should we have two?
They have basically been on welfare for years so how do they get off justifying their existence?
33. Nobody EVER buy the PI. Let it fold. Looks good on them. This paper has been on life supports forever. There is no sign of brain activity and they should be let go,cuz we already have a lefty paper, so why should we have two?
They have basically been on welfare for years so how do they get off justifying their existence?
34. Hey Cato, this isn't the first session that the Dem's have proposed a State Income Tax amendment.
How about that SJR 8211? Are you up in arms yet?
It was introduced in the short session and has been promised to be brought forward in the upcoming full session. Show us you are a person of honor (In keeping with your words above) and lead the charge to have it removed from the Democratic agenda in Olympia. Just for laughs, copy us on the response from your legislators when you ask them not to support a State Income Tax.
35. Well, hey. We got a call from the PI this evening, asking us to subscribe. What wonderful timing! Biased reporting and interrupted evening family time ... what's not to like?
36. If falling numbers is cause to make one pack up and leave, why is the P.I. still around?
37. The "lefty paper" left standing, thatch, will be the one that did, IN FACT, endorse Rossi for Governor in 2004. So be it.
38. PC: The Times is carrying it.
39. Why is the LackofIntelligencer hammering Dino Rossi, a private citizen who holds no elective office, who is not accontable to the voters, who does not hold an official position within a major political party in SayWA? I have heard, although I don't believe it is true for the NoIntelligencer, that the function of the press is to be the "watchdogs" (or maybe just dogs, or 'Rats) of society over the government. Last I checked, Dino Rossi is not in government service. So why are they hounding him? Shouldn't they be doing their jobs and sniffing out people who are in government, people like Sims and Fraudoire? Oh, I forgot, they don't exercise any "oversight" of those people, because they are 'Rats, they just endorse and protect them. Lousy, rotten scumbags, the lot of them...
40. Hehe, funny, I keep getting mailers in the mail from the (Incredible Shrinking PI) asking me to subscribe. If they only reported the news, but that won't happen, I don't think they'll be around by 08, their daily subscription numbers are hovering below the 123,000 mark, yikes.
