Tuesday's Seattle Times profiles Sen. Tim Sheldon (D-Potlatch), dubbing him "the loneliest Democrat in Olympia".
Why is Sheldon lonely? He doesn't always vote as his caucus leadership instructs him to vote, and as a result some of his colleagues have anathematized him:
"It's very clear he is a Republican," said [Sen. Adam] Kline, D-Seattle.But what does this really mean?
Jim Chapin, chairman of the 35th District Democrats ... said the district has lots of people like Sheldon -- Democrats who sound more like Republicans ... "...if you're from this area, you have to say maybe he's right that he is representing his district."Although the state GOP was badly routed last year, this article points to a likely comeback. When even the Democrat leadership equates "acting Republican" with "representing one's district", it suggests that the GOP has the better ideas, and that its defeat was attributable only to poor execution. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at March 28, 2007 10:03 PM | Email This
He is truly a DINO...he even ran as an independent as a Mason County Commissioner.
And, he definitely does NOT represent his district...he clearly represents the interests of Tim Sheldon alone, especially in land use issues. If it doesn't increase his potential for inflating his wallet, he doesn't vote for it AND he actively fights against anything that doesn't increase his bottom dollar.
Perhaps that why he never mentions his truly Democratic wife, who actively protests against the war each week. Man, I feel sorry for her, having to live with such a hypocrite.
Which book did you write a report on?
When's your next meeting with the parole officer?
Posted by: Obi-Wan on March 28, 2007 10:33 PM1. On most any measure, Tim Sheldon votes much, much closer to the Republicans than the Democrats. It's not even bucking partisanship on big votes, from what I can tell. He just seems solidly, all-around conservative. Good on him.
2. John Kerry won the 35th, so I'm not exactly sure he is "representing his district" either (at least politically - local pork aside).
I'm not insulting the man...he's a shade too conservative for my tastes. Nor am I casting aspersions on his choice of party; obviously, he can belong to whatever party he desires, as it is a private choice. But, the truth of the matter is, he doesn't really have any especially compelling reason to be in the Democratic Party other than skating to General Election victories...
Posted by: Benjamin Johnstone-Anderson on March 29, 2007 01:56 AMOtherwise that read as a bit of a non-sequitur. Sorry :)
Posted by: Benjamin Johnstone-Anderson on March 29, 2007 01:57 AMnow shrewd for him, how nicely he represents, nothing
Posted by: John on March 29, 2007 05:28 AMIt makes me wonder what you Sheldon haters have to lose when he votes against something you want, like higher taxes. Hmmm. I bet your Olympia insiders. You no doubt gain by taxing the hell out of your fellow citizens. Your scum.
Posted by: REBEL on March 29, 2007 05:46 AMIt makes me wonder what you Sheldon haters have to lose when he votes against something you want, like higher taxes. Hmmm. I bet your Olympia insiders. You no doubt gain by taxing the hell out of your fellow citizens. You're scum.
Posted by: REBEL on March 29, 2007 05:47 AMWVH, you have good, as usual, and thought provoking comments. I would like to comment on a couple and feel free to add to them.
The time has long passed when the normal person will run for office. The campaigns are too long, filled with negative stuff (not unusual, but it is made worse by the press, blogs and TV- the instant news 24/7).
Second, the issue of what allegiance you must have to your party. The cost to run campaigns is too much. Because of that, candidates have to get 'big bucks' from the party and from special interest groups. Money, IMO, wins elections. Ideas don't anymore.
Posted by: rossi trey on March 29, 2007 07:07 AMWell, the fringe-leftist thugs here really have no idea. It's much like attempting to explain color to someone blind for life.
In addition to being a Senator, Sheldon is also a county commissioner in his district... as an independent.
So clearly, the more ignorant here (the sniveling leftists) are far more out of touch with Sheldon's political reality then those he represents and those he governs.
I sympathize with the man. It's GOT to be tough to be a part of a bunch of short-bus leftists that view government as their own personal play toy... and that he's pissing off Klein is one of the surest signs yet that he's on track and doing what's right for the people he represents.
But all of us need to remember: something like 90% of all legislative votes are unanimous.
Where the leftist scum get their collective panties in a bunch is when Sheldon refuses to go along with their "screw-the-people" agenda... when he fails to bend over for the unions or the WEA... when he opposes their efforts to reduce parental authority.
That stuff puts the d's into orbit... while putting the total lie to their oft stated, but never observed claims of diversity.
And that's just too damned bad.
Frankly, I hope the Castro-democrats running the party continue to waste hundreds of thousands to get rid of Tim. The more they waste on him, the less they'll have in races where that money could make a real difference.
Posted by: Hinton on March 29, 2007 07:49 AMThat was pretty much a landslide...against far left money.
He has also been a supporter of Shared Parenting-
Posted by: andy on March 29, 2007 08:30 AMAmerica is getting to see firsthand just how bad Liberal Democrats are and how easily they can wreck our country.
Having gotten a taste, the public will spit it out in the sink.
Posted by: John Bailo on March 29, 2007 09:33 AMHOWEVER, if the claim is that he does not represent his district then clearly he's being re-elected by nefarious means - voter fraud! But that means the same could happen throughout King County, and we can't have that...
What to do, what to do?
Posted by: Edmonds Dan on March 29, 2007 10:41 AMPoliticians being returned with a mandate of the people may mean they well-represent their district, or that their opponents are horrible, or a range of other things. Is Brian Baird particularly representative of the 3rd CD? I don't think so. Sheldon is probably vulnerable to a primary challenge not coming from someone who evaded their taxes, but he's also an institution. That does not mean that he is measurably further to the right than his district, which - really - he is. That is NOT a knock.
Posted by: Benjamin Johnstone-Anderson on March 29, 2007 12:15 PMIf it was still an open primary, I'd agree more with you. But since it's a closed caucus, well, the candidate in the general election really IS selected by the party!
Posted by: Edmonds Dan on March 29, 2007 03:17 PMI'm not saying he doesn't represent his district WELL - just that his politics are not at all in line with his district's, for the most part. The 35th is not the kind of place a liberal Democrat couldn't exist (although it's the kind of place where Tim Sheldon would have probably been in major trouble if he ran as a Republican in 2006 and had a good opponent).
Posted by: Benjamin Johnstone-Anderson on March 29, 2007 10:07 PMHe represents his constituents and even RESPONDS to them when we call or write.