Just as Rush Limbaugh has seized the soul of the national Republican Party, professional initiative sponsor Tim Eyman seems to set the Republican agenda in this state.[snip]
In this Washington, Eyman holds sway. He has set the Republican agenda: Cut taxes even if local government gets axed, ferry passengers see fares skyrocket, and worthy state health and education programs get handcuffed.
To which a fair response might be a valley girl-esque: "whatevs..."
That's a nice myth, but totally untrue if one actually looks at the 2008 agendas of prominent statewide Republicans Dino Rossi and Rob McKenna, or those of GOP legislative candidates who bucked nationwide trends by gaining seats last year. Those wins including running on proactive agendas for education, healthcare, and transportation in suburban districts. Is that the stereotype of Eyman's sway as Connelly portrays?
No, but the myth makes him feel better so let's leave it at that.
More importantly, Connelly says:
The public is coming through with its message in polls: The era of free market ideology and welfare for the rich is over.An NBC News/Wall Street Journal national poll found 51 percent supporting a bigger role for government, versus 40 percent opposed.
A new CNN/Opinion Research survey found 72 percent in favor of increasing government's role in health care; 27 percent disapproved. Even a poll by Fox News -- yes, "Fixed News" -- showed Americans, by a 66 to 30 margin, support raising taxes for those earning more than $250,000.
We may actually solve some problems in our state and country, leaving behind those on the right who would sabotage America, and those on the left who demand but will not deal.
Good Lord.
Putting aside the partisan hyperbole for a second, let's dig a little deeper on the claim that polls support what Connelly claims they support (sidenote: if Connelly is saying Fox's standard-fare media polling is partisan, does he embrace the idea that polls by ABC/WaPo & CBS/NYTimes are liberal?)
A recent poll by SurveyUSA on the topic of tax increases in Washington state had these results:
1) only 22% of adults thought it was a "good idea" to raise taxes "to help balance the state budget"
2) 70% thought it a "bad idea"
3) Neither "smaller class sizes in schools" nor "childrens' healthcare" as the beneficiary moved the numbers a great deal - 28% saying they'd be "more likely" to support the former, 26% the latter (and higher numbers of adults saying it would make them "less likely" to support such a hike in each case).
That doesn't seem to make the case for raising taxes here in the Evergreen State anywhere near as convincingly as Connelly implies.
Posted by Eric Earling at March 05, 2009 09:11 PM | Email ThisI think Connelly is the spokesperson for the Atheist Democrats.
The P-I shutdown is good timing for Joel. Retirement will free him from the burden of making stuff up for his column.
Posted by: Jeff B. on March 6, 2009 12:19 AMSomeone should call Tim and give him the news.
Posted by: Medic/Vet on March 6, 2009 06:14 AMYa gotta admit there are similarities; they both are extremely obnoxious personalities who made their careers out of right-wing wackisms. If only Tim were as visually repulsive as Rush...
Posted by: Unkl Witz on March 6, 2009 06:35 AMGuess we all missed the memo from Joel about the Eyeman initative passing, I-000, making Tim the king of King County. Damn, now we gotta change the signs again. Where's Goldy? Doesn't he have experience in this area?
Posted by: BrassTax on March 6, 2009 06:46 AMToday was not one of them
Joel is unfortuneately in a death spiral and unable to pull out
Tim Eyeman is basically the taxpayers' union rep working to stop fraud & waste in OLY
Joel's registration of nonresidents at his 700 ft cabin on Whidbey is distasteful but typical.
"The rules apply to everyone but me"
Posted by: Green Lake Mark on March 6, 2009 07:24 AMHoping the Fairness Doctrine will bail him out?
Posted by: swatter on March 6, 2009 07:36 AMWhat will be fun to watch will be with whom the big "O" demonizes a figure internationally to keep his failed domestic agenda off the table. Any bets on the timing of a "Wag the Dog" scenario?
Posted by: Balkstar on March 6, 2009 08:24 AMFriday, March 06, 2009
Forty-one percent (41%) of voters nationwide have a favorable opinion of the $3.6-trillion budget proposed by President Obama in the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. But 46% hold an unfavorable view, and 13% are not sure.
Posted by: Medic/Vet on March 6, 2009 09:17 AMScratch a leftist, find a fascist.
Posted by: jimg on March 6, 2009 09:30 AMRE: Supreme Court unanimously rejects challenge to I-960's 2/3's for tax hikes requirement
As sponsors of Initiative 960, approved by voters in 2007, we are very pleased that the State Supreme Court unanimously agreed with us that Democrat Senator Lisa Brown's anti-taxpayer lawsuit was bogus. The voters have repeatedly expressed their support for making it tougher to raise taxes and the Court properly stayed on the sidelines in this dispute. This is a political tug-of-war between the people and the politicians and any judicial intervention would usurp the power of the people to pull the rope in favor of taxpayer protection.
From today's Spokesman Review: If the two-thirds requirement had been lifted off the Legislature, Eyman said, "I haven't got a doubt in my mind that they would have jacked up taxes right there on the spot." Here's a link to a short news story about the ruling: http://news.opb.org/article/4442-wa-supreme-court-dismisses-challenge-vote-requirement-tax-hikes
Taking the lead for her Democrat colleagues, especially Governor Gregoire, Senator Lisa Brown tried to get the Court to take away critical taxpayer protections approved by the people. The state Constitution rightly protects voter-approved initiatives from legislative interference within their first two years to respect the will of the people. But because I-960's policies have been repeatedly approved by the people, and on several occasions been revalidated by the Legislature itself, I-960's policies should remain untouched for all time. There is simply no reason for Olympia to make it easier to raise taxes.
Tax increases must always be an absolute last resort but if pursued must always be put to a vote of the people for final passage. That's what the voters have said over and over and over again and our representatives should and must respect the people's decision on this.
But to put an exclamation mark on the people's previous taxpayer protection decisions, we are vigorously pursuing the qualification of this year's Initiative 1033 which protects taxpayers even more. I-1033 substantially reduces property taxes by controlling the growth of government. For decades, citizens have told their elected representatives that property taxes were out-of-control - and yet there's never been any substantive legislative action by Olympia to reduce our state's crushing property tax burden.
The Lower Property Taxes Initiative I-1033 is the initiative that our supporters have waited 10 years for us to sponsor. We are working super hard to give the voters the opportunity to vote on it this November.
Every initiative we've done since 2002 has survived court challenges - it's clear that we've learned from our earlier efforts and hired more experienced attorneys to help draft our measures. But it's also undeniable that the Court is realizing that these political disputes are best resolved legislatively, not judicially. And that's the way it should be.
We will continue to work very hard to provide the voters with more choices at the ballot box with our taxpayer protection initiatives.
Regards, Tim Eyman, Jack Fagan, & Mike Fagan, Lower Property Taxes Initiative co-sponsors, ph: 425-493-9127, email: tim_eyman@comcast.net, http://www.VotersWantMoreChoices.com
Posted by: Tim Eyman, I-960 co-sponsor on March 6, 2009 09:35 AMWinnah!
Posted by: Hinton on March 6, 2009 10:10 AMThat has to get into Connelly's craw; that their belief of living in a liberal blue state utopia is upsurped by the fact the voters of Washington tend to lean to the right when it comes to their collective pocket books.
What Connelly and the rest of the PI fails to understand is that when they attack Eyman, they are by extensio attacking the collective voters of the state who overwhelmingly pass these initiatives.
And then Connelly, et al, fail to understand why the Seattle Post Intelligencer has steadily been losing readership and is shutting down in less than a week.
Duh... I wouldn't want to pay to get insulted!
Posted by: Chicken Sock Puppet on March 6, 2009 12:39 PMHere's to a real LardAss..Joel "The SLUG" Connelly!
Posted by: dude on March 6, 2009 01:13 PMand all the other personal attacks against Connelly or any other liberal need to stop.
WE are conservatives. WE do not act like the liberals and leftists attacking in such a manner. WE are above that. Do NOT mimic their tactics!
If we cannot argue our points without resorting to name calling then we don't have any points to argue.
Posted by: Chicken Sock Puppet on March 6, 2009 05:21 PMBut alas, Joel's only joy comes out of get accolades from the Fringe Lunatic Left.
Never, ever feel sorry for a left-wing lunatic who has and abuses the power of the pen.
PS--
Connelly is a lard ass!
Look at him!
He's disgusting.