Last week's Downtown Seattle Republican Club panel discussion on I-25 (the King County initiative for electing the Elections Director) is now available on TVW. The online video is here. It will be cablecast today at 11am and at other times in the coming days. Check TVW for details.
My earlier write-up of the event is here.
A telling admission: After taping the segment with Robert Mak last Friday, David Goldstein remarked about I-25: "there aren't any good rhetorical arguments against it". No, there aren't. That's because there aren't any good sensible arguments against it, as the bipartisan panel discussion helps make clear. For the most part, the only people who oppose having elections run by an official who is directly accountable to the voters are the tight band of insiders who currently get to appoint the elections director, and their fact-averse profanity-spewing shills
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at May 24, 2007 10:13 AM | Email ThisWhen I said there aren't any good rhetorical arguments against I-25, I specifically pointed out that it is hard to argue against more democracy. It just doesn't make for a compelling campaign theme. But there are plenty of good, sensible, rational arguments against electing an elections director -- as difficult as they may be to wrap in an attractive sound bite.
That you would conflate rhetoric with reason speaks volumes.
Posted by: Goldy on May 24, 2007 10:42 AMHow about the majority of counties our size across the US, who mostly appoint professional election directors? Maybe they're wrong, but every time I've asked Stefan to address this obvious issue -- say, by comparing their experience with the minority of large counties that do what Stefan wants -- I've been met with silence.
Bruce, herein lies the problem....King Kounty fails to appoint "PROFESSIONAL" Election Directors. Was Dean Logan a "PROFESSIONAL"??? Look at all the OOOOOOOPPPPS's under his watch.
Is Huff a "PROFESSIONAL"???
Please define "PROFESSIONAL" Election Director.
Cuz King Kounty ain't had one in many moons.
Indeed it does. The only rhetoric I engage in is grounded in reason. (Okay, I sometimes employ humor and satire, but that's easily identifiable as such. My serious rhetoric is always reasoned). Goldy, on the other hand, specializes in rhetoric in its most pejorative sense, hollow propaganda that borrows little from reason and facts.
Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on May 24, 2007 11:14 AMBut...I will concede your point about opposition being greater than Stefan's original assessment. So...without his permission, let me amend his statement as follows:
"the only people who oppose having elections run by an official who is directly accountable to the voters are the tight band of insiders who currently get to appoint the elections director, and their fact-averse profanity-spewing shills" and their sycophant fellow-traveler, some guy named Bruce.
The Piper
Posted by: Piper Scott on May 24, 2007 11:19 AMnow that's a classic! well said stefan..may i assume that you are talking about goldyroger being their king?
Posted by: christmasghost on May 24, 2007 02:00 PMIf someone wants to make an exception from that approach -- especially where most comparable counties haven't made that exception -- I want evidence that it is likely to make things better, not worse.
Posted by: Bruce on May 24, 2007 02:55 PMPer your theory...nobody gets elected save board of directors.
And for years in King County we've tried it the appointed way and it can't get any worse. With an elected, it can only get better.
We've suffered under political cronyism for too long...Time to elect, baby, elect!
While you're at the comparison game...how many counties in the State of Washington elect and how many appoint? No fair Googling!
The Piper
Posted by: Piper Scott on May 24, 2007 03:15 PMOccasionally, Goldy wants to be taken seriously. It's then that the Tourette's-like outbursts on his blog become a real liability to his credibility.
Posted by: Jeff B. on May 24, 2007 09:54 PM