This thread is for readers to nominate the year's best and worst in local politics. A non-exclusive list of suggested categories, with a few non-exclusive suggested nominees to spark your input --
Best and worst local journalists and editorial writers (Best local editorial writer: Bruce Ramsey? worst -- Joni Balter? Ryan Blethen?)
Best state legislator who won't be returning to Olympia next session (Toby Nixon? Steve Johnson?)
Worst new member of the state legislature?
Worst candidate who lost his/her race (Kyle Taylor Lucas? Darcy Burner?)
Worst move by Mrs. Gregoire (No decision on the Viaduct? Darcy Burner fundraising dinner at the Governor's Mansion?)
Best move by Mrs. Gregoire (give credit where due)
Best/worst Democrat/Republican elected officials?
Best/worst members of the Seattle City Council?
Let's hear your nominations. Use the above categories or suggest your own.
(Stay on topic. Off-topic comments will be mercilessly deleted).
Best legislator not returning to Olympia: absolutely Toby Nixon
Worst candidate to not win: Kyle Taylor Lucas, with the venomous Burner coming in a close second
Worst move by Gregoire: Not doing a darn thing about the continued unfair B&O tax structure which forces service businesses to pay more than 3 times the rate of all other business categories! (it adds up fast, folks!)
Best move by Gregoire: This is actually from '05,but deserves mention yet--her signing of the law which overrides neighborhood rules barring display of political signs (thanks to whoever highlighted this info for us in the public blog, sorry i forgot who)
That's all for now.
Sen. Dave Schmidt from the 44th. He was one Republican who could work with the dems to get stuff done for his district while in the minority.
Posted by: Chris on December 18, 2006 01:22 PMAccording to this site I don't believe there is such a thing as a bad Republican. You guys even stuck up for that sex offender guy who embezzled campaign funds from Norm Maleng. He was scum, but sure enough he was a Republican so he could do no wrong.
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on December 18, 2006 01:56 PM
Possibly the "Rainy Day Fund". It was originally proposed by Senator Zarelli of the 18th, but with the help of the media, she made it her own idea.
Posted by: Susu on December 18, 2006 02:15 PMHis ChimpyHitler screeds aren't worthy of a high school paper, let alone an organization that considers itself a serious news source.
The two columns on September 11, 2006 were the last straw. Haven't read a word of that paper since, and my blood pressure thanks me for it.
Worst member of Seattle City Council - Nick LiCata
Worst moves by Gregoire - (tie) non-decision on viaduct, pay raises for top state employees, multitude of tax increases following her campaign pledges not to do so.
Worst move by legislature - unnecessary legislation creating another victim class (sexual orientation).
Worst move by city of Seattle - ridiculous strip club regulations (stop wasting money on strip club rules!)
Worst move by Seattle police - craigslist raids and ridiculous strip club arrests (stop wasting time and money on this!).
Worst WA Supreme Court Justice who got reelected - Susan Owens.
Worst WA Supreme Court decision - (tie) upholding unSound Transit taxes and monorail land grab
Worst misguided initiative that passed anyway - (tie) I-937 and I-91
Worst Monopoly(tm)-like move by Ron Sims - trading an airport for a railroad
Worst major political campaign of the year - Mike McGavick
Worst newspaper editorial board - Seattle P-I
Best political blog - SOUND POLITICS!
Best initiative that did not pass - (tie) I-912 and I-920
Best initiative that passed - I-900
Best decision by WA Supreme Court - upholding DOMA
Best King County Council member - Reagan Dunn
Posted by: Palouse on December 18, 2006 02:30 PMWorst local politicians: The rest of the city council for their decision to change the city auditor to report to them so they can hide all kinds of mistakes and double dealings. And for seeming to be unable to make any decision that makes sense. And for acting like the council is some sort of high school clique and they are the "In" group and the rest of us who pay their salaries are irrelevant.
Worst local politician: Greg (Don't confuse me with facts, my mind is made up) Nickels for his blind obsession about the tunnel.
Worst local politician: Ron Sims for his abominable overseeing of every departent in the county, starting with elections. And for his attempts to bring everyone down to his own low class standards. And for his "whatever it takes" philosophy to stay in power.
Pretty much every local politician is in a tie for worst.
Posted by: patriciaab on December 18, 2006 02:42 PMBest Major Daily Newspaper - King County Journal (soon to RIP?).
Best Slap in the Face - The long-since completed toll booths for the still-long-off new Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
Stupidest idea - Trading Boeing Field for some trails.
Best community upgrade - Bremerton Waterfront.
Best (worst?) Discrimination in Public - Cantwell/Obama rally @ BCC.
Tiniest Wrist Slap - For Jim McDermott's illegel divulgences.
Dumbest Proposal - Spending $?? billion for a new 520 bridge that only nets one extra HOV lane!
Posted by: Seabecker on December 18, 2006 04:27 PMBest Blog--Sound Politics
Worst Blogers--liberal left wing nuts who forget they have a home at the Stranger--nominee Blah-Blah who changes his screen name everytime he posts.
Worst Politican--Queen Chris G. With runner up Pork Maria!
Gosh this is fun!
Posted by: Old Sgt on December 18, 2006 05:02 PMWorst new member of the state legislature?
Rodney Tom
Worst candidate who lost his/her race?
Darcy Burner (worse by a wide margin)
Worst move by Mrs. Gregoire?
Not deciding the best alternative for replacing the viaduct. It is, by the way, a STATE HIGHWAY!
Best move by Mrs. Gregoire (give credit where due)
When she leaves the state and goes to a foreign country on a a trade mission. :-)
Best/worst Democrat/Republican elected officials?
Worst: Jim McDermott
Best: Norm Maleng
Best/worst members of the Seattle City Council?
All of them are the worst, but McIver is the worstest (sic).
Worst local columnist: Joni "I NEVER let facts get in my way" Balter
Worst political cartoonist: Horsey
Worst elected official: Ron Sims for his arrogance. He's worse than a spoiled 2 year old. He has no problem whining about his need for penthouse suites while basic county services are underfunded (or unfunded) or stealing people's land without just compensation. For his appointment of Dean Logan. For rewarding incompetence with promotions (payroll computer system mess, for example). For advocating overpriced, underused transportation projects while he gets chauffered door to door because "my position requires it". And for leading the stonewalling that allowed Fraudoire to get into office.
Best elected Republican officials: Kathy Lambert and Reagan Dunn for battling against the tide on a regular basis. Kudos to Kathy for pointing out to King Sims you can't let tent cities sprout up on public land otherwise we would have several more encampments of these freeloading bums. Dino Rossi for leading the way in Olympia on balancing a budget without the usual threats of cuts for the widows and orphans. Jim Noble for not only shutting down the monorail disaster, but for also doing it ahead of schedule and in the black. (Hey, Jim, want to run for city council?)
Worst things Fraudoire has done: Mandatory unionization of state employees. Whining about the contraints of living in an all expenses paid mansion. Announcing yet another stupid, expensive, won't-fix-the-problem "education" program.
Posted by: Burdabee on December 18, 2006 05:24 PMBest journalist: Eric Pryne, Seattle Times
Worst journalism: The King County Journal - lately
Best legislator not returning: Bill Finkbeiner
Worst new legislator: TBD
Worst candidate who lost: Mike McGavick
Worst Move By Gregoire: Last year's state general fund budget.
Best Move By Gregoire: Stepping up on transportation and beating back the do nothings in both parties.
Best GOP elected official: Rob McKenna
Worst GOP elected official: Val Stevens
Best Dem elected official: Lisa Brown
Worst Dem elected official: Maria Cantwell
Best member Seattle City Council: Richard McIver
Worst member Seattle City Council: Nick Licata
Or is that too obvious?
Posted by: Daniel K on December 18, 2006 11:20 PMMost unfortunate non-returnee to legislature: My guy, Dave Schmidt, and Toby Nixon. Lets just clone those two common sense, get it done guys, throw in my old childhood bud M-M Haugen for balance, and get rid of the rest.
The Geez
Posted by: The Geezer on December 19, 2006 07:49 AMWorst new member of the state legislature: As with the rest, I'm willing to give him a chance, but I was most disappointed to see Eric Oemig win the 45th seat.
Best/worst Democrat/Republican elected officials: Bob Ferguson, best Democrat; Larry Phillips, worst Democrat; Sam Reed, best Republican (sorry, Stefan); Val Stevens, worst Republican, no contest.
Best/worst members of the Seattle City Council: Peter Steinbrueck, best member; Dick McIver, worst member.
Posted by: TMW on December 19, 2006 11:02 AMPosted by: jimmie-howya-doin on December 19, 2006 10:50 PM
...but then, y'all are pretty irrational about her, aren't you?
Posted by: Fred on December 19, 2006 11:09 PMAP: Man who aided Taliban is back in court
Arrest of James Earnest Thompson aka Ahmed Bilal aka James Ujaama outside a mosque in Belize for illegal flight from the US; violating terms of his probation. Seems his newest name is Ramirez Ramirez. Double name, reminds me of that guy, what's his name? Oh yeah, Sirhan Sirhan.
The same Thompson, no make that Bilal, wait - Ujaama, now Ramirez who Ron Sims and Larry Gossett defended. According to Sims what's-his-name and his brother, Mustafa "These two gentlemen are community activists, not terrorists." According to Gossett "Both of these cats have had a positive, contributing role in the African American community here."
Does that include a bank run by Norm Rice?
Posted by: Tyler Durden on December 20, 2006 01:13 PMwhen Lynn Chenney asked CNN's Wolf Blitzer if CNN even wanted the US to win the War on Terror.
Best columnist:
Brad Shannon of the Olympian. He at least had the honesty to point out that even though his papers editorial board did not endorse Messmore for Congress in the 3rd CD he felt that Messmore was a much better fit for the 3rd CD than Brain Baird is.
Worst election result: Stephen Johnson not getting elected to the State Supreme Court.
Worst Government office: State DOC
Posted by: TrueSoldier on December 20, 2006 01:45 PMBest state legislator who won't be returning to Olympia next session: Toby Nixon
Worst new member of the state legislature? Rodney Tom
Worst candidate who lost his/her race: Darcy Burner
Worst move by Mrs. Gregoire: No decision on the Viaduct?
Best move by Mrs. Gregoire: All of her gaffs that will assure she is a one-termer.
Best/worst Democrat/Republican elected officials?
Best Repub: Rob McKenna
Best Dem: Tim SHeldon
Worst Repub: Norm Maleng
Worst Dem: Christine Gregoire
Best/worst members of the Seattle City Council? All of them are bad. There are a few that are better than others, but that's putting lipstick on pigs.
Biggest waste of Tax Dollars: SayWA and Metronatural slogans
Biggest continuing Puget Sound folly: Sounder trains and other very minimally useful rail schemes.
Biggest possible mistake: Building a tunnel in place of the Viaduct.
Worst continual display of profanity as a substitute for substance: David Goldstein
Most surprisingly good thing to come from the Mainstream Media: David Postman's Blog.
Posted by: Jeff B. on December 20, 2006 02:00 PMBest Puget Sound Loss: Dean Logan.
Worst Puget Sound Loss: The 2006 Superbowl.
Posted by: Jeff B. on December 20, 2006 02:02 PMWorst Editorial Writer - Just about all of those lefties at the Kitsap Sun
Best legislator staying home - Bev Woods from the 23rd.
Worst new legislator elected - Larry Seaquist -from the 26th
Worst candiate who didn't make it - Kyle Taylor Lucas from the 35th - a carpetbagger for sure.
Worst new elected official - Josh Brown - Kitsap County Commissioner - a 24-year old Democrat who graduated from Berkeley and has never had a job before now.
Worst move by Gregoire - stealing the election and pretending to be Governor
Posted by: Tool Man on December 20, 2006 02:36 PMBest "fake-high-speed-pursuit" (or psuedo-pursuit and soft handling) of 'pc' leaders who trashed fannie mae, freddie mac or other banking institutions: hmmmmm...
"Waitress...can I get some RICE, please?"
"YOU WHITE SHITBAG"
Shrieked by Washington State University Associate Professor John Streamas, Phd, who can be contacted directly via email: streamas@wsu.edu
Worst new state legislator -- Rodney Tom
Best editorial writer -- Bruce Ramsey, Seattle Times
Worst editorial writer -- Joni Balter, Seattle Times
Best columnist -- Bill Virgin, Seattle P-I and Peter Callaghan, Tacoma News Tribune (tie)
Worst columnist -- Nicole Brodeur, Seattle Times
Posted by: stu on December 20, 2006 07:01 PMBest state legislator who won't be returning to Olympia next session: Steve Johnson, who was the smartest guy on the Senate Judiciary Committee (including Adam Klein)
Worst new member of the state legislature: Let's see...there are so many. Probably the worst would be Chris Marr, who was publicly accused of sexual harassment just one day before he was endorsed by the Spokesman-Review.
Worst candidate who lost his/her race: Ms. Burner
Worst move by Mrs. Gregoire: Jacking up the state budget by 36 percent (no joke) since she took office.
Best move by Mrs. Gregoire: Sucking up to the press by throwing swanky parties for them at the mansion.
Best/worst Democrat/Republican elected officials?
Best D: Tim Sheldon
Worst D: Brian Weinstein
Best R: Joe Zarelli
Worst R: Tom Campbell
Best state legislator who won't be returning to Olympia next session: Jan Shabro
Worst new member of the state legislature?
Jamie Pedersen
Worst candidate who lost his/her race: Darcy 'Burnt Toast' Burner
Worst move by Mrs. Gregoire: Oh there are so many to chose from, but #1 would have to be the viaduct non-decision.
Best/worst Democrat/Republican elected officials?
Best Republican: Rob McKenna
Best Democrat: Brian Baird
Best/worst members of the Seattle City Council?
Best: Jan Drago
Worst: Nick Licata
Best initiative that did not pass: I-933 (by a wide margin)
Best political blog: SoundPolitics.com (of course: no contest)
Worst WA Supreme who got reelected: Susan Owens (easy call)
Worst WA Member of Congress: ''Baghdad Jimmy'' McDermott
(strong contender for worst member from ANY state)
Best WA Member of Congress: Rep. Cathy McMorris (MY Congresswoman)
Best (D) member of the Legislature: Sen. Tim Sheldon (no contest)
Best State-wide elected official (either party): Rob McKenna (obvious call)
Best (D) State-wide elected official: Brian Sonntag (easy call)
Best State Party Officer (any party): (R) National Committeewoman Fredi Simpson
Worst State Party Officer (any party): (D) Chair ''Cuba'' Dwight Pelz
Best WA MSM political reporter and blogger: David Postman
Best WA TV reporter: Robert Mak
Worst pretender to ''journalist'' title: Joel Connelly
Best small-town newspaper reporter: Chris Thew, The Omak Chronicle
Posted by: Methow Ken on December 21, 2006 12:31 AMSeattle, 4 stations KVI, KTTH, KOL, KLIFE!
Worst radio show:
John Carlson & Ken Schrammmmm
Posted by: my2cents on December 21, 2006 10:50 PM