October 25, 2009
TWO FAIR NEWS STORIES ABOUT I-1033, SAYS EYMAN

You wouldn't think it was even legal to have fair news stories concerning I-1033 -- it would seem to violate some unwritten code by the news media to constantly bash I-1033.

But that wasn't the case today.

Sunday's Seattle Times story "Similarities don't add up in Colorado comparison" shatters the sacred cow by opponents of I-1033. For further contrasts between I-1033 and Colorado, there's also my post on Friday.

And Sunday's Tacoma News Tribune news story reports on Washington DC's most powerful government unions pouring millions of dollars into opponents' campaign coffers. Here's an excerpt:

The opposition has raised $3.4 million to wage a campaign against I-1033, and as of last week $2 million remained to be spent on an advertising blitz the final two weeks before the election.

Eyman raised $650,000, including a $250,000 loan he got by taking out a second mortgage on his home. But virtually all of that money went into the signature drive to get the measure on the ballot. He relies mostly on newspaper, TV and radio news stories - not advertising - to get his message out.

On the other side, the main contributors are the public employee unions, some of whose members would be laid off, be furloughed or have their benefits cut back if I-1033 were to pass.

Unions for state, city, county and school workers have chipped in well over $2 million.

On Monday night from 7-8:30 pm, I'll be doing an I-1033 town hall meeting at Edmonds Community College (it was originally a debate between me and Governor Gregoire but she said "Gawwwwd no" and then Aaron Reardon, Snohomish County Executive, said 'yes' but then backed out -- so now it's just me).

The organizers are trying to pack the event with I-1033's opponents so I'd sure appreciate it if big supporters of I-1033 can attend.

Email me if you can make it -- tim_eyman@comcast.net

Posted by Tim Eyman at October 25, 2009 06:57 AM | Email This
Comments
1. To me I am always curious when so much money is behind a measure that would hold government accountable for being efficient and wasteful.
I see waste every day, fight it, but I am ignored.
I thought about blowing the whistle but THEY all end up fired and I need my job. I have thought about leaving, however I refused to let the 90% of inefficient, wasteful government employees run me off.
So I stay and fight, and I am treated as if I do not exist.
What I hope happens is the the voters realize it is time to hold politicians and government accountable. That means getting rid of programs that favor only special interests that hold the meal ticket for politicians, and fire many of those 90% that are incompetent or behind the cover of unions that allow non-performance.
It is time for a change which is why I stay with the hople that an entire new group takes over my government.

Posted by: local government employee on October 25, 2009 09:02 AM
2. Put the squeeze on government officials and they threaten to cut police, fire, schools and parks rather than curtail bureaucracy and public contributions to private (leftist) special-interest groups.

We the people need to send the perpetrators home and replace them with elected officals who pledge to work for the people...not the machine.

Posted by: Saltherring on October 25, 2009 12:04 PM
3. Saltherring,

As long as the choices are "Democrat" or "Republican" on our ballots, we'll stay mired in the swamps of big government and waste.

I urge everyone to vote for ANY candidate who is not a Democrat or Republican.

Posted by: Politically Incorrect on October 25, 2009 01:27 PM
4. Gee, all those cricket chirps from out local lying leftist contingent are echoing and re-echoing around the board.

Maybe they all overdid the bong or perhaps drank a little too liberally last night.

These articles show that there is no lie these scum won't tell, no exaggeration, no deliberate falsification these worms won't use to keep their unfettered access to the government trough.

Leftist scum.

YES on I-1033!

Posted by: Hinton on October 25, 2009 01:27 PM
5. The Seattle Times/Andrew Garber story is very well done, but ought to have come a week ago. Many have already voted.

The TNT piece is fine, but barely a start on the campaign spending angle. I want much more details and analysis on where the money is coming from, why there is such a disparity, etc.

Years ago one of the big three anchors--I think it was Peter Jennings--said that the media does not so much have a liberal bias as a bias for the 'little guy' who is going up against the big guy. Well, here is a little guy vs. big guy ($3.4 mill) in the extreme, and it is almost completely ignored by the media. Why?

Posted by: travis t on October 25, 2009 02:20 PM
6. Politically Incorrect,

I agree. I've had it with Republicans too and no longer identify with either party. The Republican Party has turned its back on its conservative base and expects us to hold our respective noses as we vote for limp-wristed moderates. Just say no to wishy-washy, milquetoast moderates and the Republican party of Michael Steele and John McCain.

Posted by: Saltherring on October 25, 2009 04:36 PM
7. Saltherring,

Keep up the good fight, and leak when bad things happen. Anonymous tips are about the only way we can keep our Government in check.

As far as the GOP goes, I agree - it is too moderate. But remember the old political adage of vote for the candidate you like best in the primary and the candidate you hate least in the general. McCain was a far leap from the best candidate, but I'd gladly take him right now over Obama...

Posted by: Shanghai Dan on October 25, 2009 06:15 PM
8. Virginia Mason Medical Center is officially advising their employees to vote against I-1033. Executive Sue Anderson is a large contributor to Democrats. Coincidence?

Posted by: Factoid on October 26, 2009 02:46 AM
9. Shanghai,

I indeed held my nose when voting for Sarah Palin last November. Not because of Sarah...but because of the grandstanding Democrat collaborator she shared the ticket with. Republicans will never learn unless they keep losing....and perhaps not even then.

Posted by: Saltherring on October 26, 2009 05:39 AM
10. the fact that the opponents of I-1033 haven't spend the bulk of their money is encouraging to me since, as some of you have pointed out, a lot of people have voted already due to our absentee voting system. I sure hope that the 2 mega-bucks they have held back will be too late to make a difference and I-1033 passes.

the thing I'm most looking forward to in an I-1033 constrained government is how the squeeze will separate the real leaders from the politicians. in truly tough times, real leadership becomes obvious and the professional politicians just whine.

my prediction is the I-1033 will pass and during the next legislative session, they will pass a law that guts it.

Posted by: blindman on October 26, 2009 07:47 AM
11. The Kent City Council passed a measure officially stating their position against I-1033. Most of the politicians on the council, and the mayor for that matter, try to curry favor from the public sector unions when running for (re-)election. Coincidence?

Posted by: blindman on October 26, 2009 07:52 AM
12. so are conservatives going to stop buying microsoft since the gates, ballmers, and microsoft donated almost as much as dunmire?

what about these companies?
pemco
weyerhauser
BP
AT&T
tmobile
the mariners
costco
vulcan
regence
group health
children's
swedish
virginia mason

Posted by: mike on October 26, 2009 08:49 AM
13. @12 mike - those of us who care have to take the good with the evil that comes from M$FT.

Posted by: Crusader on October 26, 2009 11:10 AM
14. @11 The Spokane City Council has come out against I-1033 and isn't trying to curry any favor with unions like you accuse the Kent City Council. Simply put 1033 will severely hurt city budgets even when they haven't been spending out of control, much like Spokane.

Posted by: Tyler on October 26, 2009 12:00 PM
15. I got family in Spokane. I grew up in Spokane. Spokane certainly HAS been spending out of control.

Posted by: pbj on October 26, 2009 06:19 PM
16. Now Tyler will ask "What out of control spending?"

- Money wasted on the Cowles garage project.
- Money wasted buying the site of the old Black Angus at a premium and selling it to Salty's for LEDD than what they paid.


Just two examples of the wasteful boobs in the Spokane City Clowncil.

Vote YES of I-1033!

Posted by: pbj on October 26, 2009 08:08 PM
17. EYMAN, EYMAN, EYMAN, EYMAN, SAYS EYMAN
Ballot Measures News
by Tim Eyman, 6:57 AM

Eyman Eyman Eyman Eyman Eyman, (oh, and btw 1033).

ugh. I held my nose and voted yes. The measures, fine. Tim Eyman, ugh.

Posted by: AD on October 27, 2009 06:02 PM
18. This measure is sure better than the continual spending!

Posted by: Laurie on October 30, 2009 11:45 AM
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