Here's how Mrs. Gregoire congratulated herself on a recent Forbes article:
Under [Mrs.] Gregoire's leadership, business owners are using a more streamlined process for managing regulation. As Forbes also stated, "One of Washington's big strengths is reduced red tape. The Office of Regulatory Assistance helps individuals and businesses sort through the many layers of government regulation all in one place.Boy, what a stretch.
First of all, the ORA was established by Gov. Locke, not by Mrs. Gregoire.
Second, the state Legislature's audit group, JLARC, is skeptical about the ORA's performance under Gregoire's leadership [p.4]:
We found ORA complied with some, but not all, of its statutory duties. ORA's largest compliance problems are with tracking project information, identifying customer satisfaction, and reporting results to the Legislature. ... Absent the tracking of outcome data, ORA cannot demonstrate its desired performance targets have been achieved ... [ORA] should develop an implementation plan to remedy the agency's lack of information about its activities and report to the Legislature on the results of this plan to demonstrate its performance and compliance with statutory duties.Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 24, 2007 10:45 AM | Email This
This suggests that there may not be any substantive complaints about the way thing are happening in Washingston State.
Which is great news for residents...not so good for opposition party partisans who care not so much about anything more than getting elected.
Posted by: Bill Anderson on July 24, 2007 10:47 AMYou mean like how the Democrats have done the last 3 years with the booming national economy and low unemployment? Is Gregoire going to take credit for the nation's healthy economy too?
Posted by: Palouse on July 24, 2007 10:58 AMYou're exactly right, Bill. That's why this is the first thing that has been posted to SP in YEARS. No other postings by Stefan or the other contributors, 'cause there just hasn't been anything to complain about.
You libs really might want to rethink your position on Terri Schiavo -- that "lack of brain activity" argument could be turned against you.
Posted by: TB on July 24, 2007 11:55 AMThat's pretty weak, Stefan: Locke may have established the ORA, but, according to a leading business magazine, it was under Gregoire's watch that Washington moved up from 12th to 5th in the national rankings, and it was under her watch that Washington was the ONLY state to rank in the top 5 in all three of Forbes' business categories. It would seem that the Gov has reason to congratulate herself, though in this case it is a Republican magazine that's doing all the congratulating.
I mention this solely in the interest of fairness, and not from any excess of devotion toward the Governor or her party. Surely, as Michelle points out, there're other issues on which you can challenge the Gov.
Posted by: MJ on July 24, 2007 01:29 PMThat's pretty weak, Stefan: Locke may have established the ORA, but, according to a leading business magazine, it was under Gregoire's watch that Washington moved up from 12th to 5th in the national rankings, and it was under her watch that Washington was the ONLY state to rank in the top 5 in all three of Forbes' business categories. It would seem that the Gov has reason to congratulate herself, though in this case it is a Republican magazine that's doing all the congratulating.
I mention this solely in the interest of fairness, and not from any excess of devotion toward the Governor or her party. Surely, as Michelle points out, there're other issues on which you can challenge the Gov.
Posted by: MJ on July 24, 2007 01:34 PMAnd she did exactly WHAT to achieve that ranking?
1. Increase gas taxes by 33%? Check
2. Institute taxes on internet purchases? Check
3. Give huge raises to government employees? Check
4. Protect tribal gambling monopolies? Check
5. Make no decision on the Viaduct? Check
...may not be any substantive complaints about the way thing are happening in Washingston [sic] State
'scuuuuse me, for I cannot find any of the 440 new laws enacted yesterday that cut taxes, promote growth, or otherwise stem the systematic erosion or distortion of liberties. Thank goodness that the legislature was not successful in some of their more outrageous endeavours.
Ask anyone east of the Cascades if they have any substantive complaints!!
...for opposition party partisans who care not so much about anything more than getting elected
You've got to be kidding. Who is the party that re-counts at will until the desired outcome is achieved? Remember Florida and KCE?
Posted by: yadda cubed on July 24, 2007 01:51 PMDo either of you own a business?
Can you please explain to me the service that I get in return for the check I write to the DOL each year for the pleasure of having "LLC" in my business name. Explain to me the logic of $25 late fee if you don't file it on time (yes- only the mafia could extort a 40% penalty for late payment).
Exactly how does ME writing a check to DOL accomplish anything? How about this- I structure my business as an LLC at the start and NEVER write a check for the EXISTANCE of my company ever again....
I don't see Gregoire beating down that or any other red tape.
What a pleasure it is to cut a check so you can simply exist.
Posted by: Andy on July 24, 2007 01:57 PMLiberals belive that the roll of a business is to fund their social experiments and wealth transfer schemes.
Posted by: Obi-Wan on July 24, 2007 02:08 PMWhoops , Gregoire can't go there .
Face it , when this good economy goes away , when all the tax cuts are stopped , those filthy rich people , this spening will stop .
Now we have Governor Gregoire having to raise taxes , cut spending , or both . I wonder if she will blame herself , the democrat president or democrat Congress for that ?
In the mean time folks , if the democrats win the whitehouse as it looks like they will , start saving up for your own rainy day fund , the lefties spent ours in this state .
But 210 will be a banner republican year . This time , lets keep the scruitney on the DC power brokers , neither political party has a lock on integrity and honesty .
Posted by: Mick Sheldon on July 24, 2007 02:09 PMA fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
The Democrat regime in this state have the "fine and tax" drill down pat, and will not easily let go, not even when this state empties out and goes belly up. Even then, they'll blame it all on Bush or those evil conservatives!
Posted by: katomar on July 24, 2007 04:02 PMThat and the ever sliding dollar, soon we can be 1:1 with our friends to the south. Viva la Peso!!
Time to put us back on the gold standard.
Huge raises? Really? I'm getting just over 3%. Hardly any state employees are actually getting the 25% that's been mentioned in the press.
I'm not complaining about 3%, just getting sick of people thinking most of us are receiving "huge raises".
Posted by: cat on July 24, 2007 05:36 PM500 new regulations, most of them most likely going to hit everyone and every business in the pocketbook, pouring billions into the public treasury, are going into effect as of last monday.
This is what the Nanny's call Reducing Red tape.
Posted by: GS on July 24, 2007 09:33 PMI thought she invented the internet.
Posted by: Independent Voter on July 25, 2007 05:11 AMWell that's because you're not a member of the Queen's court. Her mininions have received a 16% increase in pay since 2003, averaging nearly $125,000 per year.
Posted by: Palouse on July 25, 2007 07:34 AMI voted for Rossi. I do not like CG for a number of reasons. I want to see two parties ......
BUT:
Rossi has to cut his ties to Guzzo asap. The things this old man says may be signs of sneitlity, but as long as Rossi is tagged with them, Dino's last name might have to be saur.
Rossi has to address the party melt down. Most independents WANT two parties but the remaining fans of Bushism are mostly living in Bahrain. While foreign policy is NOT the Governor's job, party unity is. What this means is real terms is
supporting moderates like Olympia Snow, coming out forecelfully against the Bushist favoritism, and separating his religon from his party.
The latter issue is a biggy. I admire Mr. Rossi for his beliefs even though I am fully in suport of abortion, stem cells, etc.
Rossi needs to portray his religion as a moral compass rather than some doctrinaire ideology. Some specific issues that would help:
1. Removal of the Gonzo the AG. He has lost the public trust.
2. Public bidding of the Vaderesque Veep.
3. Support for non-marriage alternatives for couples regardless of sex.
4. Support for real school reform including tax dollars to fulfill the constitution.
5. A State policy on the bhorder and on immigration .. open borders, encourage immigrnats for areas where we need more workers, calmp dopwn on employers.
6. A REAL effort to support the UW and WSU. The unmined loyalty of the Cougs and Huskies is vast. The state increasingly is leaving these premier school to their own deserts or encouraging the develoment of fourth rate branch campuses.
7. A Schwartznegger, BUSINESS like effort at tax reform instead of tax cuts.
More at SeattleJew
Posted by: SeattleJew on July 25, 2007 08:12 AMChrissy is a politician. I's her JOB to take credit for things that she had no impact on; it's her JOB to lie about how her involvement has accomplished anything.
I'm also having a tough time wrapping myself around the idea that the US AG has had any impact on anything concerning Chrissy; or that any political issue has made any difference here locally.
Nonsensical, bizarre idea like those advocated by fringe-leftists @29 will get us no where... except to disaster.
Posted by: Hinton on July 25, 2007 11:14 AMOh, you mean national Ds?
/crickets chirping.
State employees are lazy asses and don't deserve ANY raise. I bet you are posting from work too huh? Get back to work you lazy bum!
Posted by: ThomasJefferson on July 25, 2007 01:21 PMThe US AG should have sent in an outside prosecutor to investigate the election fraud. McKay is a personal friend of Gregoire (he told me he was) and they have similar political interests which would have been thwarted if Rossi had been elected; including the pro-homosexual agenda. It is possible that McKay would have been "outed" if he had investigated and prosecuted the election fraud that any reasonable person knows to have occurred.
If you don't think homosexuals dominate the local FBI and US Attorney's office, you are uninformed.
There is an ongoing bankruptcy case in AZ involving some additional litigation in WA in which a declaration has been filed that Bankruptcy Judge Snyder and attorney Craig Miller (of DWT) are/were involved in a homosexual relationship. Neither Miller nor Snyder have denied the allegation. What makes this even worse is that Miller was involved in a case in Snyder's court while they were involved in a "relationship".
Posted by: Don on July 25, 2007 09:32 PM