general election endorsements
November 2004 Voter’s Cheat Sheet
Nic’s endorsements for the General Election
Statewide Initiatives:
In general I think that citizen’s initiatives are a terrible way to make laws and generally undermine the functioning of representative democracy. The effect of recent Washington initiatives has been to render the state hard to govern. My inclination is to say no to all citizen’s initiatives unless they really represent the right solution to a problem that cannot be solved otherwise. That said:
I-872 – No
(Louisiana Primary) This would not be an improvement over the current system. It would effectively eliminate minor parties and independents from the general election ballot, which would reduce, not increase democracy.
I-884 - No
(Additional 1% sales tax dedicated to education.) Sales taxes are very regressive. We do need to adequately fund education, but this is done in a way that hurts the poor.
I-892 - No, No, No
(Slot machines throughout the state to fund a property tax reduction) This represents a taxing idea more regressive and uncompassionate than a sales tax. Preying on gambling addicts and desperate people is not a responsible way to fund the public good (and the idea behind I-892 is not to benefit the public good, but to appeal to personal greed).
Referendum 55 – No
(Charter Schools) Taking money out of public schools to fund charter schools has a poor record in creating improvements in public education.
I-297 – Yes
(No new toxic waste disposal at contaminated sites) Specifically this is designed to stop the Feds from dumping more toxic sludge at Hanford until they clean up the existing mess. Sounds like a darn good idea to me.
Federal Races:
President and President of Vice – I hope I don’t need to spell this one out, you can vote for Voldemort and Gollum, or not.
I enjoyed reading the voter’s pamphlet to see if any of the candidates could be worse than Bush/Cheney. The Constitution Party comes close, but even they don’t think that the occupation of Iraq is a good idea. Reading about the minor party and independent candidates is refreshing not just for their honest expression of ideas, but you also see that you do not have to be a white mail multi-millionaire to run for Pres and Vice (you can be: a woman, Hispanic, Arab, Black and even a pacifist).
US Senator – Patty Murray (D)
US Representative (7th District) – Jim McDermott (D)
The Republicans decided to make a bold play for all the evangelical Christian Conservative, anti-choice, anti-mass transit, anti-gay rights, Zionist, gun nuts in the 7th District. Apparently none of her supporters has yet told Carol Cassaday that the US House of Representatives has no vote on Federal Judgeships.
Statewide Races:
Governor – Christine Gregoire (D)
Lieutenant Governor – Bern Haggerty (Green)
Secretary of State – Laura Ruderman (D)
State Treasurer – Mike Murphy (D)
State Auditor – Brian Sonntag (D)
Attorney General – Deborah Senn (D)
I am tempted to vote for Paul Richmond of the Green Party, but I have this nagging suspicion that Rob McKenna would try to lock people like me up if he gets elected.
Commissioner of Public Lands – Mike Cooper (D)
Superintendent of Public Instruction – Judith Billings
Insurance Commissioner – Mike Kreidler (D)
State Supreme Court
Position 1 – Mary Kay Becker
Position 6 – Terry Sebring
State Representative:
43rd District
Position 1 – Ed Murray (D)
Position 2 – Frank Chopp (D)
King County Races:
Superior Court Judge
Position 23 – Andrea Darvas
Position 42 – Chris Washington
Charter Amendments 1A and 1B – Vote No and for 1B
This is a weird two-part vote. It is hard for me to imagine supporting any idea of Tim Eyman’s in which he invokes the memory of the scary late County Councilman Kent Pullen. Even without that factor I think that reducing the number of districts is a bad idea. King County districts are already huge making them bigger will only reduce the connection between representatives and constituents. If it passes, option 1B will provide a better transition.
Advisory Measure 1 – vote for an increase in the local gas tax
This is another weird vote. Chose your medicine to pay for transportation projects and you get to vote for one of 5 options. I think that a general sales tax and a flat tax on motor vehicles are the most regressive. I don’t like the tax on vehicle miles as small fuel-efficient vehicles will subsidize gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks that have a bigger impact on roads and air pollution. The excise tax on vehicles is at least not regressive, but I think that we need to have taxes that reward people for not driving and for using newer less-polluting vehicles when they do.
City of Seattle:
Initiative 83 (recall the Monorail) -
I am not taking a position on this Initiative. This is not because I do not have an opinion, but I am currently the Chair of the Monorail Review Panel (a sub-committee of the Seattle Design Commission). As such my role is to work for the best possible design quality for the project and taking a public position on the initiative will compromise the ability of our panel to be seen as an objective arbiter of design quality.
Nic’s endorsements for the General Election
Statewide Initiatives:
In general I think that citizen’s initiatives are a terrible way to make laws and generally undermine the functioning of representative democracy. The effect of recent Washington initiatives has been to render the state hard to govern. My inclination is to say no to all citizen’s initiatives unless they really represent the right solution to a problem that cannot be solved otherwise. That said:
I-872 – No
(Louisiana Primary) This would not be an improvement over the current system. It would effectively eliminate minor parties and independents from the general election ballot, which would reduce, not increase democracy.
I-884 - No
(Additional 1% sales tax dedicated to education.) Sales taxes are very regressive. We do need to adequately fund education, but this is done in a way that hurts the poor.
I-892 - No, No, No
(Slot machines throughout the state to fund a property tax reduction) This represents a taxing idea more regressive and uncompassionate than a sales tax. Preying on gambling addicts and desperate people is not a responsible way to fund the public good (and the idea behind I-892 is not to benefit the public good, but to appeal to personal greed).
Referendum 55 – No
(Charter Schools) Taking money out of public schools to fund charter schools has a poor record in creating improvements in public education.
I-297 – Yes
(No new toxic waste disposal at contaminated sites) Specifically this is designed to stop the Feds from dumping more toxic sludge at Hanford until they clean up the existing mess. Sounds like a darn good idea to me.
Federal Races:
President and President of Vice – I hope I don’t need to spell this one out, you can vote for Voldemort and Gollum, or not.
I enjoyed reading the voter’s pamphlet to see if any of the candidates could be worse than Bush/Cheney. The Constitution Party comes close, but even they don’t think that the occupation of Iraq is a good idea. Reading about the minor party and independent candidates is refreshing not just for their honest expression of ideas, but you also see that you do not have to be a white mail multi-millionaire to run for Pres and Vice (you can be: a woman, Hispanic, Arab, Black and even a pacifist).
US Senator – Patty Murray (D)
US Representative (7th District) – Jim McDermott (D)
The Republicans decided to make a bold play for all the evangelical Christian Conservative, anti-choice, anti-mass transit, anti-gay rights, Zionist, gun nuts in the 7th District. Apparently none of her supporters has yet told Carol Cassaday that the US House of Representatives has no vote on Federal Judgeships.
Statewide Races:
Governor – Christine Gregoire (D)
Lieutenant Governor – Bern Haggerty (Green)
Secretary of State – Laura Ruderman (D)
State Treasurer – Mike Murphy (D)
State Auditor – Brian Sonntag (D)
Attorney General – Deborah Senn (D)
I am tempted to vote for Paul Richmond of the Green Party, but I have this nagging suspicion that Rob McKenna would try to lock people like me up if he gets elected.
Commissioner of Public Lands – Mike Cooper (D)
Superintendent of Public Instruction – Judith Billings
Insurance Commissioner – Mike Kreidler (D)
State Supreme Court
Position 1 – Mary Kay Becker
Position 6 – Terry Sebring
State Representative:
43rd District
Position 1 – Ed Murray (D)
Position 2 – Frank Chopp (D)
King County Races:
Superior Court Judge
Position 23 – Andrea Darvas
Position 42 – Chris Washington
Charter Amendments 1A and 1B – Vote No and for 1B
This is a weird two-part vote. It is hard for me to imagine supporting any idea of Tim Eyman’s in which he invokes the memory of the scary late County Councilman Kent Pullen. Even without that factor I think that reducing the number of districts is a bad idea. King County districts are already huge making them bigger will only reduce the connection between representatives and constituents. If it passes, option 1B will provide a better transition.
Advisory Measure 1 – vote for an increase in the local gas tax
This is another weird vote. Chose your medicine to pay for transportation projects and you get to vote for one of 5 options. I think that a general sales tax and a flat tax on motor vehicles are the most regressive. I don’t like the tax on vehicle miles as small fuel-efficient vehicles will subsidize gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks that have a bigger impact on roads and air pollution. The excise tax on vehicles is at least not regressive, but I think that we need to have taxes that reward people for not driving and for using newer less-polluting vehicles when they do.
City of Seattle:
Initiative 83 (recall the Monorail) -
I am not taking a position on this Initiative. This is not because I do not have an opinion, but I am currently the Chair of the Monorail Review Panel (a sub-committee of the Seattle Design Commission). As such my role is to work for the best possible design quality for the project and taking a public position on the initiative will compromise the ability of our panel to be seen as an objective arbiter of design quality.
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8:32 AM
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