I can't help but think that the hundreds of thousands of dollars the GOP is pumping into the Satterberg campaign are a dumb investment. Sure, he has more experience and is more level-headed than his whiny opponent. But it's not Republicans who would be the main beneficiaries of Satterberg's election. At least half of his job is to be Ron Sims' in-house counsel. And both Ron Sims and Christine Gregoire are tactily backing Satterberg. Partly, I think, because he has been an effective supporter of his "clients" in King County government. And partly because having a house Republican in that role furnishes a fig leaf of "bipartisanship" to help cover-up the County Executive's abuses. The former isn't Satterberg's fault as much as it is the nature of the job. But the necessary allegiance to the Executive ties the hands of the prosecutor on criminal matters, especially government corruption.
My modest proposal is to change state law and split the County Prosecutor's statutory duties -- putting the "civil division" under the County Executive (this is a function that is inherently subservient to its client agencies, has no indepedent discretion and makes no sense to be elected); and leaving the publicly elected Prosecutor to prosecute crimes on behalf of the people, including crimes committed by county officials. (This is how counties in other states are administered, e.g. Los Angeles -- an elected District Attorney to prosecute crimes, and an office of county counsel to represent county government in civil matters). Lobbying for that change or even running an initiative for that change would be a better use of conservative resources than helping Ron Sims and Christine Gregoire elect their preferred choice of in-house counsel.
I don't expect my commentary Dan Satterberg to change the outcome of this race. My goal is simply to inform my readers. If Satterberg wins, he should take my criticism as a kick in the pants to do a better job. And if he loses, Republicans should console themselves by recalling that Maleng/Satterberg weren't the greatest thing since sliced cheese.
My fantasy outcome in this race would be for Satterberg to prevail in a recount by a whisker-thin margin, and for the Democrats to challenge his election. Let the chips fall where they may!
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 05, 2007 11:08 AM | Email ThisThis country needs uniters such as Satterberg. Men and women who can be elected under a true Conservative banner -- the definition of Conservative meaning using the least amount, and preserving the status quo.
Posted by: John Bailo on November 5, 2007 11:45 AMYOUNGER GUY, WOULD HAVE A GREAT POLITICAL FUTURE. TOO BAD.
Posted by: George on November 5, 2007 11:51 AM(This is how counties in other states are administered, e.g. Los Angeles -- an elected District Attorney to prosecute crimes, and an office of county counsel to represent county government in civil matters).Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 5, 2007 11:56 AM
Gresham police chief promises action after elderly man beaten with baseball bat at MAX station
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=119418869052299300
Here's an excerpt:
Trimet management is squarely to blame for this elderly person being pounded with a bat. Crime is rampent on MAX and riding it is a huge disregard for your own safety. The good citizens silently sit by as criminals and punks break all the riding rules. In fact MAX doesn't even post the curtesy rules anymore. To sit on MAX and watch drug dealing, assaults, pan handling and disorderly people is more than I can take. I now drive and ride a bike to work. MAX officials claim you can ask for help or call the police, are you kidding me?? So when a group of punks are disrupting and scaring people you are supposed to get up and tell on them with no cover. What a joke! There needs to be police and fare inspectors on the trains at all times. I hope an attorney picks up a law suit for this elderly person, maybe we could then force Trimet to do the responsible thing here.
Satterberg and Meleng provide the cover of bipartisanship. With all the election issues, they could just sit back and breath a sigh of relief. Do you think they could have if the Prosecutor were an R during the last election fiasco.
Something to think about, Satterberg. Are you a dupe or a true Prosecutor?
Posted by: swatter on November 5, 2007 12:28 PMStefan, you just might be a Reagan Winger!
Posted by: Michelle on November 5, 2007 08:37 PMWe are the men who freed the slaves by building a political party on moral principle
and standing up to a corrupt Supreme Court that found the right to Choose...
Slavery in the Constitution.
We're the ones who broke Stalin's machine
in Nicaragua, Afghanistan, El Salvador and Congress.
We're the men who built this great nation
for the love of our families
by the sweat of our brow
through our faith in God
and the sacrifice of lives.
We're the ones who won't sit while they desecrate our nation.
Falsify its history in public education,
pillage our futures with endless taxation,
erect a culture of sexual perversion,
ruin our cities with illegal immigration and
seduce helpless women to kill their own children.
But since we won't fall silent when they take the name Republican,
We endure the slanders and vilification
For the sake of a goal that transcends base ambition
To restore our great Republic and the Constitution.
It's a compliment.
Did you really imply Teddy Roosevelt, the man who literally split his own party by running independently, a "uniter"?
Wow. Just wow. Both on the above count and on thinking that partisanship was less in the "good old days."
Posted by: Marc on November 8, 2007 10:03 AM