Thomas Shapley in today's Seattle Post-Intelligencer opinion section. "This is no time to be slow-dancing on voting reform"
Election reform is a hot public issue, and the interest is not limited to sore-loser Dino Rossi fans or rabble-rousing bloggers. Constituents are saying, you want to do something for us; you want to fix something? Fix this.Uh, if election reform is such a hot issue and the public is demanding that things be fixed, then it's because the public understands that Dino Rossi fans aren't merely sore losers and that Gregoire's "victory" wasn't legitimate. Most people outside the P-I editorial board seem to understand this anyway.
I see that Chris Muir has also been reading the P-I
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at January 16, 2005 10:49 AM | Email ThisSaw the same article by Shapley this morning. Wish I could take it seriously enough to get exercised by it, but I can't. I keyed in on the two points he saw as reforms, moving the primary date up and mailing the ballots earlier. Maybe they've learned to reduce the scope of their expectations by now.
The PI called for reforms two years ago, and left it at that. I am sure that they are doing the same thing now. It's the typical 'topical punditry' that has no longevity, accountability, or desire for actual activity to support their words.
I certainly don't expect our self styled defender of rights, process, fairness, and the people to do anything beyond their little spouts. Particularly at a time where they won't even acknowledge calling for reforms for years past.
It's interesting to me in seeing the near daily commentary, editorials, and assorted pieces they are publishing on the election/aftermath. A sense that they are going to keep doing it until they get the 'last word' is not unreasonable to conclude.
But, alas, Shapley, Trahant, Connely, etc. are little better than annoying 'commentators.' Wrapping themselves in the cloak of Murrow, Franklin, Paine, and others in American History.
Posted by: Steve on January 16, 2005 11:00 AMFrom the article:
"There are some people," Reed has said, "who have been dismayed that I wasn't a Katherine Harris who took the position, 'I'm a Republican, and by God that comes first.' "
How disgusting! He needs to go!
Posted by: J.C. on January 16, 2005 11:03 AMRon Sims, I recall stated some logic that indicated that the dramatic revenue cuts hit the county and created a poorly funded Elections office, due to Tim Eyman, of course. This, in response to Julie Anne Kempf's firing and turning over the reins to Dean Logan.
I really am surprised that no one had blamed Eyman so far in this series of events. But, now that *I* have said something, I am sure some troll will take it an pass it along. (Would beat any of them doing their own research and dot connecting)
Posted by: Steve on January 16, 2005 11:14 AMDon't misunderstand. Reed is an honorable man who has handled this troubled election with commendable even-handedness.
"There are some people," Reed has said, "who have been dismayed that I wasn't a Katherine Harris who took the position, 'I'm a Republican, and by God that comes first.' "
Katherine Harris did her job and followed the law...Reed can't be accused of being partisan. Rather, he's been passive.
Posted by: South County on January 16, 2005 12:16 PMThe Ds will not provide those things. How could they? After all, according to Paul Berendt, this was "the most accurate election in state history." I don't imagine the local fishwraps will hold their feet to the fire to do so, either. I expect any reform process, as led by the donks, will be a farce. Expensive, showy, dramatic, emotional, well-publicized, fawned over by the press, and ultimately ineffective. Seattle nice at its finest.
I do expect that any involvement by Rob McKenna (our new AG) in improving the election process will raise the likelihood that we'll see worthwhile changes. I hope he'll have time to participate. As Attorney General, it seems reasonable for him to have a voice in making laws that are enforceable and making sure the laws are enforced.
Posted by: Boonie on January 16, 2005 12:39 PMWhile my digging through the Washington State Register turned up a couple of good things Reed put into the election regulations prior to the last general election, it seems that as a matter of principle Gregoire the Pretender wouldn't put the state's chief election officer in charge of a task force whose job it is to recommend reforms to the state's election laws. Reed has already had ample opportunity to recommend reforms -- now it's time for a less stale look at the matter.
Oh wait: Did I say "as a matter of principle"?
I should've said "...as a matter of principle or at least because it would make Gregoire the Pretender look better, she wouldn't...."
Posted by: Micajah on January 16, 2005 01:22 PMhttp://www.strategicvision.biz/political/washington_gov.htm
Posted by: niceville on January 16, 2005 02:34 PMOK, now I'll turn the sarcasm toward the PI off. Folks, you really ought to look at the poll niceville linked. Now I know why the Ds inside and outside the press are portraying the re-vote supporters as foil-hats and trying themselves to appear calm and reasonable in the process. More than 50 percent of the public smells a rat. That's a lot. It will take a lot of Prozac on Newsprint from the Times and PI to make all those people feel nice again and stop thinking that Rossi really won.
Incidentally, the local paper I've been subscribing to, the King County Journal, called for a revote about a week ago.
REVOTE.
Posted by: Boonie on January 16, 2005 03:08 PMWere any of the things we have witnessed enough of an impropriety that an active AG may have ordered some intervention? If so, or if not - would there be any different responsibility on the part of the SoS?
...More than one in four voters in Milwaukee registered the same day. There were problems with 12% of those registration cards. Duplicated cards I can understand and suspect that was a very small problem. What worries me are the thousands of unreadable cards. The validity of about 3.6% of the total vote from the City of Milwaukee is in question. And this doesn't include the voter verification cards that will be returned in the mail because of a nonexistent or incorrect address.
Before the election the Wisconsin GOP put together a list of 37,000 questionable addresses. The Milwaukee Election Commission reached an agreement with the party but didn't seem to care how well it was implemented. The party is still waiting for the Milwaukee Election Commission to give them a list of who voted in the election.
Posted by: Sandy P on January 16, 2005 04:00 PMHa!
Get ready for defeat - You can't Cheat!
GO ROSSI SUPPORTERS! It will be a great week for Democracy!
Posted by: GS on January 16, 2005 04:43 PMNow my only fear is that she and the Dems in Olympia will push through an income tax during this session!
I think you will see some attempts to generate laws at warp speed. Make hay while the sun shines. That is, I would think, one of the main reasons for the Ds to try to delay the court proceedings.
Posted by: Boonie on January 16, 2005 04:53 PMThe federal deadline for overseas military ballots is 45 days prior to the general election. That would have been September 19, two days before the primary election.
The deadline he must have been referring to was the date to forestall a lawsuit by the Feds.
Posted by: north clark county on January 16, 2005 06:37 PMHere's a tip: people can feel there is a need for electoral reform, and STILL believe that Rossi and revote backers are just sore losers.
Posted by: torridjoe on January 16, 2005 07:51 PMPosted by torridjoe at January 16, 2005 07:51 PM
I don't get the double standards - Gregoire and the Dems weren't sore losers when they paid for a 2nd recount? Am I the only one not seeing the logic in this statement? I doubt it.