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.