Washington 2020: The Calm Before the Drizzle

[Alcon]

There were some places that supported gay marriage more than pot, but were there places that were against pot more than they were against gay marriage?

In other words what locations voted more No for R72 than No for R502?

Good question.  There weren't many places where this happened.  Some subdevelopment precincts.  Parts of Richland.  Some seniors-only communities.  No significant geographical area did this consistently, but the outer-ring Vancouver subdevelopments rejected both by about the same margin, and pot didn't fare much better than gay marriage in the Eastern Washington Hispanic enclaves.

[bgwah]

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019857998_voters08m.html

Local conservatives display a mind-boggling amount of ignorance and arrogance in response to the legalization of gay marriage and marijuana.

But hey, why should I be bothered? If they want to give me another 32 years of Democratic victories, then I won't complain.

[Meeker]

NPR reporter tweets:

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sigh

[krazen1211]

http://mynorthwest.com/174/2135457/2-Dems-to-work-with-GOP-to-control-state-Senate

Two Democrats in the Washington state Senate abandoned their caucus Monday, vowing to work with Republicans to control the chamber and push conservative budgeting principles.

Democratic Sens. Rodney Tom of Bellevue and Tim Sheldon of Potlatch said the bipartisan cooperation would drive better policies. Under the new plan, Republicans will chair six committees, including the panel that controls the state budget. Democrats will control another six committees while the parties will co-chair three others.


Good news.

[Meeker]

It happened: Rodney Tom will be Majority Leader, Tim Sheldon will be PPT. 6 Republican Chairs, 6 Democratic Chairs and 3 co-chairs.

Democrats get to appoint their own six chairs (Natural Resources, Agriculture, Trade and Economic Development, Financial Institutions, Higher Education, Environment)

Republican chairs are:
- Andy Hill, Ways and Means (gets to write the budget)
- Janéa Holmquist Newbry, Commerce and Labor
- Steve Litzow, K-12 Education
- Pam Roach, Government Operations (!!!)
- Mike Padden, Law and Justice
- Randi Becker, Healthcare

Co-Chaired committees are Human Services (Mike Carrell and a D), Transportation (Curtis King and a D) and Energy and Telecommunications (Kirk Ericksen and a D).


Awful. Just awful.

[Alcon]

- Pam Roach, Government Operations (!!!)

hahahah oh god oh god oh god

[Seattle]

- Pam Roach, Government Operations (!!!)

hahahah oh god oh god oh god

Of all committees, why would they give her that one!? In fact, how in the world does she have enough power to get herself on as a chair?

Poo. That's all I have to say. I forsee gridlock in Washington's future.

[Holmes]

But krazen said that's good news.

[Meeker]

I think it was just as wrong back then as it is now, but this has actually happened once before: After the 1962 elections Democrats held 50-48 majority in the State House. Dan Evans and Slade Gorton, who were members of the State House at the time, convinced a half-dozen or so Democrats to join with Republicans and installed a conservative Democrat from Spokane as Speaker of the House.

Then began the epic redistricting battle between Gorton and a young Democratic State Senate aide named Dean Foster, a battle which would continue for the next 50 years...

[Meeker]

Thinking about this more, I suspect Roach threatened to bolt unless they gave her that chairmanship. She also got her caucus privileges reinstated. By giving her both of those things, there's nothing the Democrats could realistically enchant her with to draw her to vote with them (unless she wanted to be Majority Leader or PPT, but that was probably too unpalatable even if majority control hung in the balance).

Perhaps the Democrats should see if Steve Litzow wants to be Majority Leader though

[bgwah]

Thinking about this more, I suspect Roach threatened to bolt unless they gave her that chairmanship. She also got her caucus privileges reinstated. By giving her both of those things, there's nothing the Democrats could realistically enchant her with to draw her to vote with them (unless she wanted to be Majority Leader or PPT, but that was probably too unpalatable even if majority control hung in the balance).

Perhaps the Democrats should see if Steve Litzow wants to be Majority Leader though

Roach even talked about being the 25th vote earlier this year when the Republicans took over the budget and how she used it to let make them let her back in.

[Meeker]

Thinking about this more, I suspect Roach threatened to bolt unless they gave her that chairmanship. She also got her caucus privileges reinstated. By giving her both of those things, there's nothing the Democrats could realistically enchant her with to draw her to vote with them (unless she wanted to be Majority Leader or PPT, but that was probably too unpalatable even if majority control hung in the balance).

Perhaps the Democrats should see if Steve Litzow wants to be Majority Leader though

Roach even talked about being the 25th vote earlier this year when the Republicans took over the budget and how she used it to let make them let her back in.

Ah, now that you mention it I do remember that.

[LastVoter]

Can't democrats get one of the Republicans to caucus with them? Like the one from Walla Walla, she voted for gay marriage.

[Meeker]

The few suspects who might be vulnerable to something like that were given plum committee chairmanships in the coalition. They have no motivation for switching over.

The one from Walla Walla is in the State House.

[Meeker]

President and Governor results by LD: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsXAV_drKEX_dHBjSmRLV0JYTFIyanBOX0k3eEdXenc

Not a whole lot of surprises here. Obama outperformed Inslee by the most in the Eastside LDs (the 41st by 11%, the 45th and 48th by 9%, the 5th by 8%). Inslee didn't outperform Obama anywhere but came closest in the Tri-Cities and the Yakima Valley (less than 1% under Obama in the 8th and the 16th and less than 2% in the 9th and the 15th). 

[Meeker]

Republicans in Obama/Inslee LDs: Rep. Linda Kochmar (30)

Republicans in Obama LDs: Rep. Jay Rodne and Rep. Chad Magendanz (5), Senator Barbara Bailey, Rep. Norma Smith and Rep. Dave Hayes (10), Sen. Bruce Dammeier and Rep. Hans Zeiger (25), Rep. Jan Angel (26), Sen. Mike Carrell and Rep. Steve O'Ban (28), Rep. Drew MacEwen (35), Sen. Kirk Pearson, Rep. Dan Kristiansen and Rep. Elizabeth Scott (39), Sen. Steve Litzow (41), Sen. Doug Ericksen, Rep. Jason Overstreet and Rep. Vincent Buys (42), Rep. Mike Hope (44), Sen. Andy Hill (45), Sen. Joe Fain and Rep. Mark Hargrove (47)

Democrats in McKenna LDs: Sen. Mark Mullet (5), Rep. Dawn Morrell (25), Derek Kilmer's replacement in the Senate and Rep. Larry Seaquist (26), Rep. Tami Green (28), Sen. Tim Sheldon and Rep. Kathy Haigh (35), Rep. Marcie Maxwell and Rep. Judy Clibborn (41), Rep. Hans Dunshee (44), Rep. Roger Goodman and Rep. Larry Springer (45), Rep. Pat Sullivan (47)

Democrats in Romney/McKenna LDs: Rep. Monica Stonier (17), Rep. Chris Hurst (31)

For reference, the Obama/McKenna LDs are: 5, 10, 25, 26, 28, 35, 39, 41, 42, 44, 45 and 47

[bgwah]

I think it was just as wrong back then as it is now, but this has actually happened once before: After the 1962 elections Democrats held 50-48 majority in the State House. Dan Evans and Slade Gorton, who were members of the State House at the time, convinced a half-dozen or so Democrats to join with Republicans and installed a conservative Democrat from Spokane as Speaker of the House.

Pfft, I already mentioned that.

And after the 1980 election, Democrats had a 25-24 majority, but Peter von Reichbauer switched parties, giving Republicans a one seat majority. I don't think he managed to become majority leader, though.

[Meeker]

I thought Sen. Jerome Delvin (R-8th) was going to do the Tim Sheldon routine of serving in both the State Legislature and the County Commission simultaneously, but apparently not. He's resigning which means there will be two solid R vacancies (the other in the 7th): http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/11/13/2168948/jerome-delvin-to-serve-in-legislature.html

Kilmer also resigned a few days ago.

[bgwah]

I thought Sen. Jerome Delvin (R-8th) was going to do the Tim Sheldon routine of serving in both the State Legislature and the County Commission simultaneously, but apparently not. He's resigning which means there will be two solid R vacancies (the other in the 7th): http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/11/13/2168948/jerome-delvin-to-serve-in-legislature.html

Kilmer also resigned a few days ago.

Just out of curiosity, how much money does Sheldon make by being a county commissioner?

[Meeker]

I thought Sen. Jerome Delvin (R-8th) was going to do the Tim Sheldon routine of serving in both the State Legislature and the County Commission simultaneously, but apparently not. He's resigning which means there will be two solid R vacancies (the other in the 7th): http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/11/13/2168948/jerome-delvin-to-serve-in-legislature.html

Kilmer also resigned a few days ago.

Just out of curiosity, how much money does Sheldon make by being a county commissioner?

About $80,000 a year.

[bgwah]

I thought Sen. Jerome Delvin (R-8th) was going to do the Tim Sheldon routine of serving in both the State Legislature and the County Commission simultaneously, but apparently not. He's resigning which means there will be two solid R vacancies (the other in the 7th): http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/11/13/2168948/jerome-delvin-to-serve-in-legislature.html

Kilmer also resigned a few days ago.

Just out of curiosity, how much money does Sheldon make by being a county commissioner?

About $80,000 a year.

In addition to his State Senator salary, eh? haha, I can't imagine a liberal getting away with that.

[Meeker]

The Pierce County Council gets $108,000 a year. Local government salaries are absurd.

[Ogre Mage]

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/nancy-lanza-had-considered-moving-with-her-son-to-wash-state-friend-says/2012/12/16/9c9da4b6-47f3-11e2-ad54-580638ede391_story.html

I feel bad for the people of Newton, but thank goodness for us Mrs. Lanza did not do this.

[Jackson]

Looks like we dodged a few bullets on that one!

[bgwah]

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019965978_rodneytom23m.html

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lol