Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Dino Rossi for President!

...a number of us Washingtonians (State of) have been perplexed...puzzled over the lack of public pronouncement from the Republican candidate for Governor of the great State of Washington in 2005, Dino Rossi, regarding the Initiative I-912, the repeal of the gas tax enacted by the State Legislature.

As you may or may not recall (or may or may not give a shit), the Democratic candidate, Washington State Attorney General Christine Gregoire won a tightly contested race over Mr. Rossi that ended up as a lawsuit in the hands of an Eastern Washington court with allegations of voter fraud being leveled at the King County Elections Department. The fraud allegations and the lawsuit were dismissed with prejudice (smacked down essentially) and Mr. Rossi and the Washington State Republican Party, led by Chris Vance, party chair and abetted by Kirby Wilbur and John Carlson (right-wing radio hosts and agit-proppers)...ahhh, slipped off into the sunset to lick their wounds and plot.

So along comes the Washington State Legisalture. They...charged with the moral imperative of enhancing the safety and economic and social well-being of the citizens of the State of Washington...they move to address the State's failing tranportation infrastructure and traffic congestion needs by enacting a (graduated) 9.5 cent per gallon gas tax (before gas prices REALLY went nuts) with a bi-partisan coalition in the State House and Senate AND broad backing from the business community (featuring the likes of the Boeing Airplane Company and a little outfit in Redmond, Washington called...uh...Microsoft? Yeah..Microsoft).

NOBODY disputes that these roads and bridges projects are needed. Necessary. But some folks just don't seem to want to pay for such anymore. I guess it has something to do with the virtual torrent of dollars directed to EVERY State by the ever generous Bush Administration. I don't know.

Anyway...Wilbur and Carlson, they have NO idea why ANYONE would disagree with THEM and their THOUSANDS of listeners about unproven and discredited allegations of King County election fraud and the failure of the frivolous and mean-spirited lawsuit (endlessly touted by them of the radio) which lead to the defeat of their candidate soooo...they did what any reasonable citizen in the same situation would do...THEY LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE TO REPEAL THE GAS TAX AND (therefore) DE-FUND THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS THE STATE SO DESPERATELY NEEDS. Any reasonable person would do the same thing. Don't YOU agree? Sure you do!

So comes the question...where does Mr. Rossi, titular standard bearer of the Washington State Republicans stand on this important and contentious question? The State Republican Party has come out in FAVOR of the repeal...pissing off their freinds in the business community who worked hard to get this through.

This issue...as the election looms, is starting to get some play (Seattle PI column here). The most humorous being a "vigil" being held by blogger David Goldstein (affectionately known as "Goldy") at Horsesass.org. The cause of the vigil is a request by Mr. Goldstein to Mr. Rossi for Mr. Rossi's stand on the gas tax repeal initiative. Mr. Rossi's endorsement...either way...could and probably would be enough to ensure passage, or if not failure...at least an extremely close vote. To date...Mr. Rossi has kept his counsel.

Our own Mr. Goldstein recently caused a stir (and an entry in the Congressional Record) by exposing the (lack of) qualifications of former FEMA director and Bush political crony Michael Brown. The story was eventually picked up by the Main Stream Media and the rest...is history.

Sooooo...here's something about Goldy's "vigil" (here and here) and an invitation to delve further into this entertaining and informative blog which boasts LIVELY comment threads. Folks stake out positions left and right and defend them by any written means necessary. VERY LIVELY!

Which brings us FINALLY to the point.

Goldy's post today (link here) prompted a comment that got me thinking (ALWAYS dangerous!).

The comment went that Rossi won't run for Governor in 2008 ("Some Other" Republican will defeat Gov. Gregoire in the writers opinion) because Rossi has "bigger fish to fry".

Now WHAT MIGHT THAT BE? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?????????
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Oh GREAT!!!!!

Again HA serves up BREAKING…HOT…POLITICAL…NEWS!!!!!

(un)Reliable sources reveal that Dino Rossi, failed Washington State gubenatorial candidate, allegedly sleazy real estate practitioner, racontuer and bon-vivant (not), and SORE LOSER…is set to “fry bigger fish” in his quest for higher electoral office.

After “careful” review of the stalwart Republican’s recorded public statements and (lack of) qualifications…this correspondent concludes that Rossi will soon announce his intention to run for President of these United States. It is the opinion of a (dis/un)respected veteran political observer (me!) that Rossi has the main characteristics necessary for a Republican seeking higher office:

1) A strong (or at least frequently and publicly pronounced) belief and/or faith in “God". The more fundamental, rigid and vindictive the better (never mind the Gospel message).

2) NO identifiable or verifiable record of public service at any level. Also helpful…no record of publicly verifiable pronouncements or statement of position on ANY matters of public policy…real or theoretical.

3) An uncanny ability to shift blame to others for the candidates legal or ethical transgressions. THIS IS THE REAL LITMUS TEST RIGHT HERE. And our Dino probably can pass that test with the flyingest of flying colors.

4) And the VERY most important part of the political equation…friends in high places willing to bankroll the campaign with the quid pro quo that they get protection for their agenda…regardless of what consequence that agenda may have for the great unwashed who “just don’t have the juice".

Based on the CLUE dropped by the astute “Libertarian” we HAVE to draw the ONLY possible conclusion…and welcome Dino Rossi to the sweepstakes EVERY American Boy hopes to win…being the country’s Number One Man!!!!

Dino Rossi has EVERY possible qualification for a Republican Party run to seize the highest office in the land! Therefore ‘Ol Rujax will jump RIGHT IN FRONT OF THIS BUS…and declare my support…my ENDORSEMENT!!!

Dino Rossi for President, 2008!!!! (thank you! thank you very much!!!)
Comment by rujax206— 10/4/05 @ 9:27 am

comment posted at horsesass.org

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...you heard it here second!

Monday, October 03, 2005

Something For All Us..uhm..."Recovering Catholics"...

...lets compare and contrast, shall we(?!):

Top Cardinal Plays Down Priest Shortage (from Salon.com)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press Writer

October 03,2005 VATICAN CITY -- A senior cardinal played down the shortage of clergymen that has left many churches without priests to celebrate Mass, saying at the start of a meeting of the world's bishops Monday that access to the Eucharist was a gift, not a right for Catholics.

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SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Archbishop lights way for today's leaders
Monday, October 3, 2005

By JOEL CONNELLYSEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER COLUMNIST

Raymond Hunthausen was a hopeful, humble man when uprooted from his beloved Montana 30 years ago by the Vatican to be pastor to 350,000 of the faithful as Catholic Archbishop of Seattle.

He was the antithesis of an autocrat-bishop, whether riding atop the big lawn mower at St. Edward's Seminary or being known simply as "Ray" at weekly meet-ups where religious leaders plotted ecumenical cooperation.

Back from Montana, the retired Hunthausen was honored last week as another 30th anniversary was observed by the Washington Association of Churches. The ecumenical group does grunt work lobbying for those least influential of Americans, the working poor.

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What a bunch of weasels. THESE are the guys Jesus would throw out of the temple.

(from the Boston Globe)
"An effort by the Vatican to look for evidence of homosexuality in Catholic seminaries is alarming gay rights advocates but is pleasing conservatives, who are hoping that Pope Benedict XVI will soon issue a ban on gay men as future priests."

(snip)

"The chairman of the Boston College theology department, the Rev. Kenneth Himes, sharply criticized the review yesterday, saying that if the bishops really want to understand what caused the sexual abuse crisis, they should investigate their own offices."

Not THIS guy:

"The Vatican once investigated Hunthausen for alleged sins of tolerance and inclusiveness. An outpouring of support from priests and the pews stopped plans to strip the archbishop of his authority."


..."whatever you do to these...the least of my bretheren, you do to me." JC

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Please Lord, I'll Be Good. From Now On. Honest!

What if this really IS true?

Source to Stephanopoulos: President Bush Directly Involved In Leak Scandal

(from Think Progress via BuzzFlash)

Would this be the beginning of the end? I mean really and seriously.

I asked a question once in the comments on Horsesass.Org. There are a LOT of righty's who populate the comment threads and the question was "What would you guys do if the stuff about Bush and Company is REALLY true?" They did not take the question seriously and I did not get an answer. But...the question asks itself:

What kind of Governmental and/or constitutional crisis are we lookin' at here?

What about the reaction from the true believers? How 'bout the middle? TWO Presidents that got caught lying. This one worse than the first.

Man...the implications BOGGLE the mind.

...more will be revealed.

CRAP!!!!!!...

...Seahawks snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

What do we need out there? A REAL shut-down corner? A REAL sack specialist? A REAL big NASTY linebacker? SOMETHING to get the defense off the field with 3rd and long.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...20-17 Redskins in OT...Rams next.

...oy veh... 'skins 13 of 18 on third down. madman martz is lickin' his chops.

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Welcome To My...

...sparring buddies from horsesass.org.

I also appear with the group at BlogReload.

Feel free to hang around...but put your dishes in the sink when you're done!

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