Sound Politics: Clowncil lives up to its nickname

January 20, 2007

Clowncil lives up to its nickname

The Seattle Times reports on the circus that was yesterday's Seattle City Clowncil deliberations over the $1 million public vote on the Viaduct/tunnel, a vote whose outcome legislators have already dismissed as "meaningless":

Nickels missed a doozy of a council meeting, which included squawking feedback from malfunctioning microphones, an edgy debate over whether public testimony should be allowed, an offer by Councilman Peter Steinbrueck to give up his seat if that would stop a new elevated highway, and Councilwoman Jean Godden commenting on the "Freudian aspects" of tunnel claustrophobia.

And let's not forget Councilman Richard Conlin's resolution calling for city and state leaders to overcome a climate of "anger, mistrust and serious conflict" by convening in a "mediated summit to seek consensus" on how to move traffic along Seattle's central waterfront. The resolution passed.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at January 20, 2007 11:03 AM | Email This

Comments

1. $1M for a meaningless advisory vote? I'd demand that it be stopped before any more tax money gets wasted.

Perhaps it can be charged against the mayor and the council's operating budget?

Posted by: H Moul on January 20, 2007 11:43 AM

2. It was Mark Twain that said: "I don't belong to an organized political party; I'm a Democrat".
A person just has to watch Seattle's City Council all the way to Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi to realize what a visionary Twain was. Hence the term "Moonbats".

Posted by: Walters on January 20, 2007 12:36 PM

3. The term "dysfunctional" also comes to mind.

Posted by: katomar on January 20, 2007 12:46 PM

4. Compromise. Build the tunnel, but shut it down on weekends so the Sonics can play in it.

Posted by: Huey on January 20, 2007 01:22 PM

5. ...more like "Andy Hardy Does Politics"...or perhaps "Our Gang."

Developmentally truncated youths playing dress up. As I have often said, I've only rarely seen anyone amongst the Dem leadership that shows any indication of being capable of passing a course in economics. Or history, for that matter. Their long suit seems to lie more along the lines of fantasy role-playing. One can't help but wonder if any of them realize that "Field of Dreams" was actually fiction.

Posted by: scott158 on January 20, 2007 02:44 PM

6. I agree, if they have an extra 1 Million dollars to spend on a meaningless vote, then don't ask us for more money in this state.

Posted by: GS on January 20, 2007 04:51 PM

7. Seattle City Council and Mayor deserve an "EVEV" which stands for ENEMA VIA ELEVATED VIADUCT. Let's give them one on March 13, 2007.

Posted by: Alan Deright on January 20, 2007 06:50 PM

8. I say we repair the damaged portions and retrofit the viaduct... use the rest of the money to build a kickass arena for the Sonics! Go Green!

Posted by: Seattle Super Sonics on January 20, 2007 07:12 PM

9. That is life in the Secular Progressive world of Seattle. Meaningless election for a tunnel that is substandard or a retrofitted viaduct - ridiculous !! Clowncil is correct. Let's see, they can also waste money on trying to resurrect the Sonics, but if they get the money to stay - at least they will be out of Seattle.

Posted by: KS on January 20, 2007 10:29 PM

10. People on the east side of the lake, Pierce County, and Snohomish County need to wake up and smell the coffee. Nickels is trying to grab a huge chunk of the RTID money for the tunnel. That RTID money was supposed to be earmarked for funding road improvements outside Seattle.

RTID is the only option on the table for raising significant revenues for road improvements and congestion relief throughout the three-county area. Who is that loudmouth from Tacoma who posts here - JDH or something? That dude should be going ballistic over Nickels' tax grab scheme.

Posted by: Woodworker on January 21, 2007 07:18 AM

11. boy, we sure got an art park installed quickly.

it's been in the papers daily--Times writers are wetting their pants in joy and self-adulation. priorities, I guess.

(Seattle Council) "Hey--at least we're doing SOMETHING for our pay." Moral: all busy action is not constructive. Even predators in the animal world do not waste time on fruitless hunts or actions to conserve their life energy.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on January 21, 2007 09:59 AM

12. A million dollars? Chicken feed. Why that's hardly more that six public toilets cost Seattle taxpayers every single year.

Posted by: mykela on January 21, 2007 10:54 AM

13. Just fix the darn thing!! Okay?

Posted by: swatter on January 22, 2007 07:05 AM

14. While this topic may seem like easy-pickens to you all, you reveal your ignorance of the complexity of the project when you too-easily dismiss the political battle as simply disfunctional. If you think there's an easy answer to this debate, you're blissfully clueless.

Posted by: Timothy on January 22, 2007 12:44 PM