Bill-O flipping out… not that unusual until you get a gander at what a complete jackass he is.

This one goes out to my good friend Mike who’s channel never seems to leave Faux News unless it’s a Mariner’s or Seahawks game. (h/t - Slog)

Sure it’s fun… but the roads suck!  Scenery doesn’t though.

Goldy makes an arguement about class sizes that makes about as much sense as reducing school funding…

It has been said that a child’s mind is a terrible thing to waste, but the same is true of a child’s body. I have been assured by culinary experts in several obscure internet chat rooms, that in flavor and texture, a school-age child compares quite favorably to pork, and is equally versatile and nutritious. Properly prepared, it would be virtually indistinguishable in a taco filling or sausage patty… or perhaps as a substitute ingredient in “turkey” tetrazini.

And with one third of students now qualifying for free or reduced price lunch, it only seems fair that overburdened taxpayers turn toward the student body to help offset the cost of this growing public subsidy.

Fortunately, thanks to the WASL test, a mechanism for culling the herd is already in place. For example, if only those students scoring in the bottom 10% of the WASL were harvested to supply the school lunch program, per-student funding would instantly be restored to 1993 levels.

Mr. Todd would be proud.

Because the national economic failure has nothing to do with republicans like Doc Hastings…

REP. DOC HASTINGS, (R) WASHINGTON: Why should American taxpayers who are making their mortgage payments each month or who are paying rent, have to come along and fund billions of dollars in giveaway grants and zero interest loans for those who speculated, gambled and lost.

Ahhh… “Compassionate Conservatism”.

I’m just sayin!

One of my complaints with most newspapers is the lack of local perspective outside of the editorial board and the traditional 200 word letters to the editor.  For one, letters to the editor provide barely enough content to make a valid point, and editorials are littered with either too much idiotic political slant or pathetic attempts at portraying a lack of bias.  That’s why I’m pretty encouraged about the Tri-City Herald’s effort to bring local voices to the forefront.

The Tri-City Herald’s editorial page editor, Chris Sivula recently started an editorial blog and explains some new changes coming to our local paper.

One of our goals on the Herald’s opinion pages this year is to publish more letters and columns from local contributors. We think readers are as interested in the opinions of Mid-Columbia residents — whether they agree with them or not — as they are in the ruminations of nationally syndicated columnists.

Its and effort of necessity for dead tree news to remain relevant in the increasingly online world and a smart move.  And the if the Herald’s move into this format is genuine, it will serve them well and that is good.

It is hard… no… damn hard to get good information from opinion.  I’m sorry but I’m not exempt.  My bias, and I wear that on my sleeve, goes without saying.  And opening the discussion, to me, is a passion. It’s why I blog.  And I’m certainly don’t fear angry nut headed comments on any of my posts.  Frankly, most of the time they validate any point I’m trying to make.  And if I’m wrong well… that happens and I’m open to that as well.  Such is life.  Bring it on:

Wednesday’s Voices page features a Mid-Columbia Voices column by Jim McCabe, arguing that Dino Rossi’s transportation plan would be a bad deal for Eastern Washington.

Rossi has a lot of Tri-City supporters and I expect to hear from them. I’m looking forward to publishing some responses to McCabe’s opinion.

You see, that is how it works.  The problem, as Chris so aptly describes, will be when the response to local writers cannot get the appropriate response/response it deserves.

We’re happy to run an opposing view, but dealing with dueling readers can be one of the trickiest challenges for the Herald’s opinion staff.

Letter writers, and sometimes local columnists, want to hold a slow-motion argument on our pages. If you write a letter, and a second writer runs your opinion through a meat-grinder, the urge to reply can be overwhelming. Truth is, we relish a good exchange between letter writers and think readers do too. If people are moved to respond — positively or negatively — by something they’ve read on the Opinion or Voices pages, then we’re succeeding in our mission to foster a dialogue.

But these disputes are also an opportunity for hurt feelings. We try to draw the line on name-calling or other ad hominem attacks, but it’s not always clear where that line ought to be.

Difficult?  Oh yeah.  But I still will applaud Chris’ effort and I look forward to more of the print version changes.

I want our print media to remain relevant.  The danger of losing that is losing the local perspective and is precisely the threat that media consolidation poses.  For instance, Imagine the Tri-City Herald gone and our only printed news source was USA Today?  Or perhaps even a local entertainment guide spiked with Ken Harvey’s Tri-City Citizen carefully folded inside (labeled as “free”)?  That’s not news folks… it’s not.

So I look forward to the Herald’s vision of more local voices and encourage rational thinking folks to contribute!  It’s a good thing.  My only hope for the Herald’s effort is that it will not devolve into something that resembles the religious diatribes on abortion and God issues as the LTE’s have.  It will be hard.  There are factions around the Tri-Cities that are devoted to writing LTE’s and that clouds the more important issues facing us each day.

Anyway… enough of me, and more of… me!

As Dino Rossi has campaigned for governor around Eastern Washington, he always has been quick to bring up the proverbial “Cascade Curtain,” the metaphorical divide that so seemingly splits Washington state politically.

Many Washington voters would like to do more than metaphorically tear that curtain down, but with the recent release of his transportation “plan,” Rossi appears to be holding up at least one end of the curtain.

Read the whole thing on the Tri-City Herald HERE.

Cheers!

It’s just too bad we have to talk about Top Ramen….

Ahh… the weather is here!  Unfortunately… but it’s just a little windy and 70 degrees.  Cloudy…  but we have officially entered “Deck Season” at Drinking Liberally in the Tri-Cities.  We might get chased in side but that’s OK!  Indiana Results are still coming in!

Drinking Liberally in the Tri-Cities

O’Callahans - Shilo Inn

50 Comstock Rd.

Richland

7pm till?

In a press release today, Areva Corporation announced it’s nuclear reprocessing facility will go to Idaho.

In a press release today, Doc Hastings blames Democrats…

“Idaho welcomed them with open arms while Olympia’s response was lukewarm at best,” Hastings said, adding he fears losing 600 existing Areva jobs in Richland, Wash.

Uh huh…

I don’t know what Hastings was basing that on considering at the Governor’s recent visit to the Tri-Cities, Areva’s then pending decision was forefront in the discussion.

So maybe Idaho was a better match for Areva? Perhaps lower wages (Larry Craig should be proud), or better transportation? Who knows. But Hastings is projecting here. A more honest approach might have been to acknowledge the collective dropping of the ball that losing this opportunity was. Hastings, who is nothing but eager to ride the coat tails of Sens. Murray and Cantwell in so many “bipartisan” issues and claim himself as the champion should be careful. Because while Doc Hastings has been out shooting (er.. um) chasing sea lions, losing this opportunity provided another example of his ineptitude. And probably why Hastings is ranking on the lower south end of congressional power rankings.

How long will the Washington’s 4th CD keep this guy around?

Update: Press Release from the Governor’s office…

Office of Governor Chris Gregoire
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 6, 2008
Contact: Governor’s Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gregoire’s statement on AREVA facility

AREVA selects Idaho as the site for its new uranium enrichment facility

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire’s statement on AREVA NP Inc. decision to locate a new uranium enrichment plant in Idaho:

“I’m disappointed that AREVA chose not to locate its new facility in Washington state. The company is a valued corporate citizen of our state. Yesterday, AREVA executives expressed to me their desire to continue our partnership and indicated they will consider Washington state for future renewable energy projects.”

In a letter to the governor explaining the company’s decision, AREVA President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Murphy complimented Washington’s efforts to land the facility in Washington.

“Indeed the strengths of Washington include the tremendous enthusiasm demonstrated by the local community and the political leadership’s support at federal, state and local levels,” Murphy said.

“While today’s news is unfortunate, we will continue to work hard to attract innovative companies like AREVA with this type of high-quality business and good-paying jobs for our state,” concluded Gregoire.

I have a new word to describe Doc Hastings. Ressentiment:

Ressentiment (pronounced /rɛsɑ̃timɑ̃/) is a term used in Psychology and Philosophy derived from the French word ‘ressentiment’ (meaning ‘resentment‘: fr. Latin intensive prefix ‘re’, and ’sentire’ “to feel”).

Ressentiment is a sense of resentment and hostility directed at that which one identifies as the cause of one’s frustration, an assignation of blame for one’s frustration. The sense of weakness or inferiority and perhaps jealousy in the face of the “cause” generates a rejecting/justifying value system, or morality, which attacks or denies the perceived source of one’s frustration. The ego creates an enemy, to insulate itself from culpability.

A term imported by many languages for its philosophical and psychological connotations, ressentiment is not to be considered interchangeable with the normal English word “resentment”, or even the French “ressentiment”. While the normal words both speak to a feeling of frustration directed at a perceived source, neither speaks to the special relationship between a sense of inferiority and the creation of morality. Thus, the term ‘Ressentiment’ as used here always maintains a distinction.

Gas prices could reach $10 a gallon in the not-so-distant future…

Food prices are rising dramatically!

Barak Obama’s crazy uncle is running loose in the streets!

Fortunately, beer prices have remained fairly stable and the good folks at Drinking Liberally are not stark raving mad!!! So come on down and fill yer tank!

Drinking Liberally in the Tri-Cities

O’Callahan’s - Shilo Inn

50 Comstock Rd.

Richland

7pm till?

For those of you who didn’t see the Sunday Tri-City Herald’s write up on Drinking Liberally in the Tri-Cities, here is the online link just published today right HERE.

Seems to be working as well as outsourcing business…

Lots more over at Hominid Views with Darryl’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza.

Lots and lots has already been said about Dino Rossi’s transportation plan. Here, here, here, and… awe heck, just go Google it yerself.

Anyway, it’s pretty clear Rossi is attempting to make a grand appeal to voters inner “heck ya!”, but Washington voters aren’t stupid. They’re going to look around the corner of this delusion and notice it isn’t all that realistic. Many in the media have already reported that. And if Rossi’s keeps playing the Cascade Curtain card in his speeches he better back off the rich rewards in his transportation plan for west side projects (his only east side project is the North Spokane Freeway from I-90 to US 2) because it’s pretty clear he’s underestimated the costs, and dollar for dollar, his plan would cut into other vital state services.

The west side isn’t buying it, and Eastern Washington doesn’t really have a dog in the west side transportation fight. All we would get is cuts in services. That should appeal to our inner “heck no!” just dandy.

And now for your viewing pleasure:

“Roads Fairy”… that’s rich.

[Update] I just have to update this. I’d forgotten about this quote:

We can build an eight-lane 520 bridge for less than a six-lane bridge.

Back during the I-912 campaign, I checked with our regional WSDOT Project Engineer, Moe Davari about what it would costs to replace the Blue Bridge that connects Kennewick with Pasco in the Tri-Cities.

According to Moe, two spans recently constructed across the Yakima River cost roughly 22 million. The spans were 690 feet. I asked Moe what he thought the Blue Bridge would cost to replace. While he couldn’t quote a figure, as an example he suggested costs could be from $150 - $300 per square foot of deck.

That was 4 years ago. I want this guy to build me an 8 bedroom house for the price of 6 room house…

It’s a sign of the times folks. Democrats in Washington’s 4th district are energized and we could very well be getting a early preview of how this contest will match up in fund raising.

From today’s Tri-City Herald:

Pasco Democrat George Fearing out-raised U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Pasco, during the first quarter in his bid to unseat the seven-term incumbent but still lagged far behind in overall fundraising and cash on hand.

Fearing raised more than $38,000, bringing his campaign total to over $102,000. Fearing had about $36,000 on hand as of March 31.

Hastings raised almost $33,000 for his re-election campaign to bring his campaign total to over $272,000. He had about $227,000 on hand as of March 31.

While Hastings has a large cash on hand advantage, that gap could quickly be closed. Fearing’s early fundraising netted over $100k before the end of last March… and that was just to get the campaign on the map with the state party and gain more national attention. But the most promising aspect of the Fearing Campaign’s March report was the fact that those dollars were raised from individual donors. Much like the Obama campaign, individual donor’s are making a huge difference to the bottom line with many smaller donations.

While the FEC report only shows donor’s of $200 or more, of the 37 donors to the Hastings campaign, just nine were individual donors… the rest were either business or PAC. Those donations accounted for nearly $31k of the $33k reported.

Of the 97 who gave to the Fearing Campaign during that same reporting period, all 97 were individual donors.

Democracy is a wonderful thing when people get involved.

No doubt this is good news. But the Fearing Campaign will need a serious presence in name recognition at the polls. To get that recognition, George will need to close the gap. We can make that happen. Individual, small donations are key. There are more of us than there are PAC’s. You can make a difference on my Act Blue page right freaking here!

Hey all… I know I been slacking on the blog but I had a reason.  That should change soon but hopefully your feedreaders bring you back for this reminder…  Drinking Liberally in the Tri-Cities is tonight!! 

After last weekend’s location change to meet up with the Candidate Forum and Governor Gregioure’s visit we are back at our normal location.  Show up!  Be there!  Do as I say and everything will be OK.

Drinking Liberally in the Tri-Citis

O’Callahan’s Shilo Inn

50 Comstock Rd.

Richland

7pm till?

ps.  There is a rumor that some media will be there with a camera.