Sound Politics http://soundpolitics.com/ Sound Commentary on Current Events in Seattle, Puget Sound and Washington State en-us griswoldsp@gmail.com 2010-03-10T10:59:29-08:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 More "Tales in Government Efficiency!" http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013838.html So, Robert, you're sending me a letter to tell me that you're sending me a letter. How much did that cost? Oh, and thanks for translating it into Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese but I'm calling the ACLU and... 13838@http://soundpolitics.com/ National 2010-03-10T10:59:29-08:00 Give me a real answer, Zach Hudgins http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013837.html Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think "Thanks for your thoughts." is really an answer to any question. Zach, I know you're not Sen. Prentice but the question was really directed at anyone in Olympia who... 13837@http://soundpolitics.com/ Washington Legislature 2010-03-10T10:48:22-08:00 Gregoire pits her tax hikes against Idaho http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013836.html Governor Butch Otter of Idaho welcomes Washington raising taxes, which the Legislature did yesterday. He put out the welcome mat for businesses fleeing tax increases and bad environment for business. Was he ready for Christine Gregoire putting on the gloves?... 13836@http://soundpolitics.com/ 2010-03-10T08:08:09-08:00 Huge majority oppose Obama's health care takeover http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013835.html CNN Opinion Research found that 75% - 75 per cent - of adults surveyed don't support Obama's health-care takeover bill. Pass similar bill- 25% Start work on new bill - 48% Stop working on health care - 25% Other (vol.)... 13835@http://soundpolitics.com/ 2010-03-09T08:27:55-08:00 Not-so-fair trade http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013832.html Seattle Times: "Organic coffee: Why Latin America's farmers are abandoning it" The short answer: There aren't enough Uptight Seattleites willing to pay a high enough price for organic coffee to be a worthwhile crop for the Latin American farmers to... 13832@http://soundpolitics.com/ Business 2010-03-07T21:25:27-08:00 Your tax dollars at work http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013829.html Breaking news from the Colacurcio strip club / alleged prostitution trial. An attorney for one of the defendants claimed that:investigatory reports show one undercover officer spent at least $16,835 buying more than 130 lap dances without making a single arrest.The... 13829@http://soundpolitics.com/ Crime 2010-03-06T22:19:22-08:00 Draft Annie Oakley for the House http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013828.html First Sen. Pam Roach pulls a pistol on a legislative aide, now this: "Sen. Eide sticks to her guns on cellphone bill"... 13828@http://soundpolitics.com/ Washington State 2010-03-06T21:42:42-08:00 Flashback: "The Obama era of cool government makes Tim Eyman irrelevant" (II) http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013827.html Joni Balter, last January:Eyman is yesterday, 1990s, early millennial with government as the boogeyman.Tim Eyman, yesterday, 10:44am:"Democrats' State Income Tax Talk is Meant to Manipulate You. Don't Buy It"Is this a serious effort to get [the tax]? Of course not--it's... 13827@http://soundpolitics.com/ Local Media 2010-03-06T13:37:49-08:00 Obamafeld http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013826.html (At PJTV. Free registration might be required)... 13826@http://soundpolitics.com/ 2010-03-05T20:07:22-08:00 Deep Thought http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013824.html Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin shares the following quotation in his e-mail newsletter today, under the heading "Deep Thought" "Politicians like to panic, they need activity. It's their substitute for achievement." -- Sir Humphrey, character in "Yes Minister", Popular... 13824@http://soundpolitics.com/ Seattle 2010-03-05T15:41:11-08:00 Playing hooky for education http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013822.html The Seattle Times reports on yesterday's UW student protest over budget cuts. Concerned about their threatened "right" to a more (as opposed to slightly less) generously subsidized college education, the students shortchanged their own educations by cutting afternoon classes. Some... 13822@http://soundpolitics.com/ Education 2010-03-05T12:34:45-08:00 The Dems dream of an income tax http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013820.html The Senate had a hearing about their proposed income tax yesterday afternoon. But of course they don't call it that; they call it a sales tax reduction. Fooled you! You didn't know about the hearing because they gave less than... 13820@http://soundpolitics.com/ 2010-03-05T10:46:12-08:00 Democrats' state income tax talk is meant to manipulate you -- don't fall for it http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013821.html Total manipulation. Democrats in Olympia have done it for years. Here's their scheme: propose lots of tax and fee increases, tons of them, then float a state income tax bill, get everyone fired up, then pull back, drop the income... 13821@http://soundpolitics.com/ Ballot Measures 2010-03-05T10:44:14-08:00 Washington State Income Tax Bill http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013819.html It's a little hard to find -- since it's not yet on the bill's page -- but the proposed substitute for the income tax bill is available under that page's Committee Materials link. It's not an amendment, but a completely... 13819@http://soundpolitics.com/ Washington Legislature 2010-03-05T10:31:58-08:00 Change We Can Believe In http://soundpolitics.com/archives/013817.html Rep. Bill Delahunt (D., Mass.) will become the 18th Democrat to retire in advance of November elections."It's got nothing to do with politics," Delahunt told the Boston Globe. "Life is about change. I think it's healthy. It's time."... 13817@http://soundpolitics.com/ National 2010-03-04T21:28:04-08:00