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Tim Eyman: "The closest thing Washington has to a two-party system"
By Tom Forbes | 11/02/09 | 02:54 PM EDT | 8 Comments
Business writer Bill Virgin had a must-read column in yesterday's Tacoma News-Tribune . Virgin reinforced the argument that I have been making all along about Tim Eyman (my emphasis):
The voters, seeing little check on the state’s appetite for tax revenue or its fervor for spending, have turned to the only balance at their disposal.
That would be Eyman.
Ordinarily checks and balances are provided by opposing political parties. That system doesn’t work in Washington because of the long-standing enfeeblement of Republicans as a political force (voters might not have much faith in Republicans anyway, since they’ve exhibited an appetite for pork at least as voracious as that of the Democrats).
Tim Eyman is, to borrow a phrase, the closest thing Washington has to a two-party system.
And it’s a “party” with considerable clout, enough to make Gov. Chris Gregoire and legislative leaders tread carefully on the subject of taxes and spending, much to the irritation of their allies and backers. It’s enough to hold at bay the constant call for tax-system “reform” in Washington, a cause which to the ears of many voters sounds suspiciously like “increase.”
And while Virgin did not specifically address this next part of his column to the Mainstream Republicans of Washington, I will:
There’s one more reason why 1033 might win and why, win or lose on this one, Eyman will have sufficient public support to return to fight another day. As long as we’re in an era of discussing all the nasty isms, let’s deal with two more – classism and elitism.
When voters are lectured to about their foolishness in voting for Eyman initiatives, they catch more than a hint of their supposed betters lecturing the unwashed masses. The constant harping that a vote for Eyman is a vote against their own interests merely heightens the suspicion among those voters that whoever is looking out for them, it certainly isn’t the Establishment.
Some votes for Eyman initiatives are votes endorsing the merits of the proposals. Others votes represent an opportunity to tweak the noses of the elite. Whatever the motivation, the combination makes for a potent electoral force that will continue to perplex the Establishment, will continue to influence debates on government in this state...
The Mainstream Republicans of Washington represent the "Establishment," including presumptive 2012 GOP gubernatorial nominee Attorney General Rob McKenna, Secretary of State of Sam Reed, and Congressman Dave "Cap and Traitor" Reichert.
Apparently, the Mainstream Republicans are tone-deaf, not hearing the message coming loud and clear out of New York's 23rd Congressional District. Last week, they sent out a press release urging voters to to reject I-1033 because it is an "ill conceived and unreasonable proposal that will make already tough times worse in our state and our communities."
The only thing "ill-conceived" here is the Mainstream Republicans' rejection of I-1033. Thank God, the Washington State Republican Party endorsed I-1033 early on in the process. The Tea Party movement has demonstrated that people are sick and tired of the old tax-and-spend status quo. And as much as Republcians like to think the Tea Partiers' ire is directed solely at Democrats, it isn't. There is "a pox on both your houses" attitude that is part and parcel of this grassroots rebellion.
Former King County Councilwoman and Mainstrream Republican Louise Miller tod the Seattle P-I: "These people [the Republican State Central Committee] have never held office. They have never looked at a budget when you had to cut $53 million . . . They have never looked at a budget line by line and asked how do we prioritize."
Hello? There's that classism and elitism Virgin wrote about. The P-I article posed the question, "Is there a chasm between the business and right wing populist wings of the Republican Party?" Uh, yeah there is, and I-1033 has demonstrated it perfectly. If you wonder why conservatives are talking about leaving the GOP and starting a third party, look no further than the attitudes demonstrated by Miller and Dede Scozzafava. Instead of looking at a budget and asking "How do we prioritize?," how about looking at a budget and saying "WHAT DO WE CUT?"
But that chasm exists in just about every state. Larry Sabato, probably the best political scientist in the country, wrote this recently about the Virginia governor's race:
Party Unity: Republicans continue to show evidence of a permanent split between their conservative base and the moderate Republicans that used to dominate their legislative party, especially in the state Senate. But these moderate leaders are mainly out of office and in exile, sent to the conservative GOP's Siberia. On the Democratic side, former Gov. Doug Wilder's refusal to endorse Deeds was headline news everywhere, as was the defection of premier Kaine donor Sheila Johnson, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television. The real difference between the parties this year shows up in the enthusiasm being demonstrated by activists. Everyone agrees that Republicans are energized in 2009 as they seek to end their long losing streak, while Democrats appear blasé and disconnected from Deeds. Advantage Republicans.
By attacking I-1033, the Mainstream Republicans have irrevocably built their own gulag. Let's hope Rob McKenna's shot at retaking the Governor's Mansion in 2012 doesn't get frozen along with them.
TAGS: Mainstream Republicans of Washington, Rob McKenna, Tim Eyman, I-1033
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8 Comments | Related Topics »Whitman County (WA) | Snohomish County (WA) | Pierce County (WA) | King County (WA) | WASHINGTON
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Comments
http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2009/10/28/mainstream-republicans-dont-like-eymans-latest-initiative-1033/comment-page-1/
You should probably note that McKenna didn't sign the Mainstreamers open letter.
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|If Rob had signed the letter, then I would have been much harsher in my treatment of him. As it is, the Mainstream Republicans board has done no favors to Dave Reichert, McKenna, or any other future candidates closely associated with the Mainstream Republicans. Personally, I would be more than a little incensed with the board issuing a self-serving letter like that with no regard whatsoever to political reality as it exists in 2009.
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|Since you are so happy to cut services, I'll pose the same question I have for weeks:
Which social services are you in favor of cutting?
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|I guess it all depends on the word "social."
Do you mean cutting "social" services like the funding for the criminally insane to attend trips to the county fair?
Or maybe drama lessons for the criminally insane?
Or taxpayers settling Dept. of "Social" and Health Services lawsuits because Gregoire is inept.
Perhaps you mean the "social" aspect of an official state poet?
Or, if you live in King County, how about millions of dollars in contracts to the chair of the Public Arts Commission,
for providing public art?
Which part of these "social services" do you defend?
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|I guess it all depends on the word "social." Do you mean cutting "social" services like the funding for the criminally insane to attend trips to the county fair? Or maybe drama lessons for the criminally insane? Or taxpayers settling Dept. of "Social" and Health Services lawsuits because Gregoire is inept. Perhaps you mean the "social" aspect of an official state poet? Or, if you live in King County, how about millions of dollars in contracts to the chair of the Public Arts Commission, for providing public art? Which part of these "social services" do you defend?
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|Note the anti-1033 ads all say: "Tim Eymans I-1033". What's next: "The road to Hell is paved by Tim Eyman"? How is it that a citizen whose entire focus is on reducing taxes and government intrusion into private lives has become synonymous with anti-Washington sentiment? Seems to me he should be held up as a hero to the people of this state: he wants you to keep the money you earn and keep the freedom you deserve.
Evidently, the 'Moscow on the Sound' mentality is as corrosive as it is pervasive. I watch you Washingtonians throw away your rights, your freedom and (yikes!) your civic responsibility by knuckling under to 'business as usual' travesties such as the 2004 'election by selection' of Gregoire over Rossi (how many votes got counted after the vote was certified?). And how long did it take for her to go back on her 'no new taxes' pledge? But you rolled over, let her do it, and barely whimpered. What happened to the investigation of ACORN's involvement in signing up dead people, felons, children and illegal aliens to the voter rolls? Roll over; it's all too difficult to keep up with. Just sign over your paycheck to the Governor: she knows better what to do with it than you.
What social services to cut? All of them. Anything that isn't infrastructure or education. The purpose of government isn't to guarantee a lifestyle entitlement, it is to provide a system of roads upon which each citizen can succeed (or fail) by their own effort. Stop making all of us wage-earners pay for those whose choice is failure. Whatever happened to 'a hand up, not a hand-out'?
Want to get your state back? It'll be a long haul; it has had many years to become this disoriented. Start by voting 'YES' on I-1033. Fiscal responsibility breeds personal responsibility, which translates eventually to once again reclaiming ownership of your state.
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|Hmm.. not sure how setting DSHS cases can be blamed on Gregoire, any more than cases against, oh I don't know, any other state agency can be blamed on her. That's a long-shot and I think you know it.
Beyond that, the rest of your cuts come down to public art, and while we can debate on the merits of that, you really cut maybe $10 million from the state budget.... now if you wouldn't mind actually making cuts that would be needed to perpetuate the $8 billion gap our state is facing now and would continue to face if 1033 passes.
For the 2004 election, its time to move on, and to remember that the county with the highest percentage of votes found was NOT King County, but was in fact Pierce County, which went for Rossi in 2004.
Also, in terms of the purpose of government, I'm pretty sure it has to provide fire and police services, or should those be cut? As you state it has to provide education and transportation, and it has to ensure people aren't dying on the streets because they were laid off, or should all welfare go away as well? Once you accept those basic tenet you'll find you've got most of the state budget.
So I will ask again, what social services are you in favor of cutting?
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|First and foremost, Mr. Anonymous Democratic Troll, let's get something straight: I-1033 DOESN'T CUT A SINGLE PROGRAM!!!! It only places a limit on collections for the general fund. The various legislative bodies in Washington are more than free to raise taxes by 20% and spend all they want for any number of frivilous and wasteful government spending programs, BUT THEY WILL HAVE TO GET THE VOTERS OKAY FIRST What is wrong with that? You keep asking for what programs we would cut. I ask you, what is wrong with checking first with the people who actually pay the bills about how their money will get spent? But you want details of proposed cuts. Okay, here are some from my state representative, Joe Schmick:
And my state senator, Mark Schoesler:
And if you need even more ideas, check this out: Washington State Piglet Book: Connecting the Dots on How Government Wastes Your Money.
What are your party's alternatives? Oh, wait. There is no more fat to cut in the budget, right? Time to raise taxes, right? Otherwise, old people and kids will die in the street, right? The people in Washington are sick and tired of the all the lies and this business as usual attitude. 5,000 people showed up in Puyallup last week for the Tea Party Express. 5,000!! Who is out rallying to support higher taxes and reckless spending? Boeing is voting with its feet. Who's next?
Your party wants us to reject I-1033, but they moved all too quickly to restore Eyman's I-747 when the court struck it down. Do you think they will raise taxes in an election year to spare those social programs you mention? How does this make them better than Eyman in your opinion?
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