What the Seattle City Council Districts are, and are not

Districts are made of neighborhoods, the department of neighborhoods needs to be aligned by district and provide as a shared resource between legislative and administrative groups a facilitation focal point.

A responsibility would be to ensure continuity in communication of long term plans and short term goals that would likely extend beyond the time of a single term of a councilmember.

It is not in the nature of the way council gains and loses the job to sustain programs that could take a couple decades to fully realize (like the PSRC 2040 vision). 

http://www.psrc.org/growth/vision2040/
That's one item.

Department of Neighborhoods needs to align ASAP , and not in 2015. That's way too late for us [in district 5]

District offices are not political boutiques, they are direct service center points for the citizens of the given district.

We have been waiting on a decade long study to move the north precinct from a wetland to some place else.

How about the new north precinct move into a space large enough to accommodate the cop shop, the a department of neighborhood satellite office, and the city council satellite office.

Or, maybe use a much lighter footprint, and utilize the existing rooms at local libraries and community centers. Most are served by transit.

Back to the issue of the city council offices out in districts.
What these offices are not, they are not:
Campaign offices;
State, county, federal, legislative offices;
Private political party offices.

There has been a real rush my the local private political parties the latch on and gain control of these offices as part of their empire. The fact of the matter is that these districts are different than the politically (private party) controlled district seats (public positions) .

When redistributing happens there be no effort allowed by two majorly political parties the carve up the city to benefit their private party and an incumbent politician.

Washingtonians are so proud of the recent state redistricting map, it was so balanced, dividing the state that best serves the political parties.

It will by my goal to ensure that district independence remains free from the "party first" influence that plagues much of out state today.

Mike Baker,
Seattle City Council District 5 Citizen

McGinn describes why more people voted against him

The either/or false proposition that dictates a divisive approach. In opposition, you don't always have to be an a-hole. And sometimes, sometimes, people need actual facts to go along with an opinion (it's true).
McGinn, the land-hermit crab, emerges from his shell -

"I ran on change," McGinn said, and "the fundamental choice was, do I stand up for what I think is right ... or do I do the politically expedient thing? And if I did that, I would become like all of the politicians that drove me crazy as a voter and as a neighborhood guy. ... At the end of four years, I had to be able to live with myself." -

Unfortunately for Mike, Seattle couldn't live with him, even if he could live with himself.

Read the Seattle Met story here:

http://www.seattlemet.com/articles/mcginn-strikes-conciliatory-then-defiant-tone-at-concession-november-2013?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+seattlemet-home+%28Home+-+Seattle+Metropolitan+Magazine%29

It's time for Seattle to move on from that mentality.

Best of luck to Ed Murray, Mayor-elect of Seattle.

Tom Rasmussen fears Seattle is too selfish to have city council members elected by districts

This, in a nutshell, is what's wrong with the current thinking of the Seattle City Council voted into office in at-large races.

They assume that ordinary citizens are incapable of caring about other citizens of Seattle if they do not happen to live in their district, and would only elect people that were equally narrow minded.

THAT is just one reason to break up the at-large groupthink going on downtown, at the Seattle City Council.

The charter amendment also could attract more community activists who are well-known in their district or some current state legislators who might want a larger salary without the long commute to Olympia, said Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, one of three current City Council members to be the sole occupant of one of the new council districts.

But Rasmussen, a West Seattle resident, also sees drawbacks. He said the change puts the burden on council members to deliver for their own district rather than prioritizing projects and initiatives based on their importance citywide, such as mass transit and environmental sustainability.

"There may be very compelling needs throughout the city, but if those folks don't vote for you, you're not going to spend time on those issues," he said.

Rasmussen speculated that every district council member would want an accounting from each city department of how many resources are going to their district, from human services to parks to transportation to police. And he questioned whether there would be any incentive for other council members to support a West Seattle project, such as a new senior center.

"Why would the eight others care?" he asked.

Tom, I don't know about you, but I do care about the entire city. I manage to do so even though I am a lowly citizen.

Read the Seattle Times story here:

http://seattletimes.com/text/2022206750.html

Mike OBrien for City Council

The Seattle Times has a soft spot in their heads for anybody that opposes the SoDo arena, and will do anything, and I mean anything, to stop it.

Here, they endorse Albert Shen, why, what is their big selling point?
"Shen opposes putting a publicly subsidized basketball arena in Sodo,"

And why does the Seattle Times endorse Richard Conlin?
"He wisely opposed the proposed basketball arena in Sodo."

And why does the Seattle Times endorse Nick Licata?
"Like Conlin, Licata voted against the Sodo location for the proposed arena. Expect him to be a strong critic of the deal."

Seattle Times
http://seattletimes.com/text/2022022499.html

It's all about hating on the arena for the Seattle Times.
I'll vote for socialists before I vote for Conlin and Licata. I hate those two.

Conlin is locked into a failed idea that the city should not participate in ventures with for-profit companies all the while the Seattle Center's non-profit companies failed to pay rent, causing the city to "loan" the Seattle Center $3.5 million dollars to pay its bills. Wake up Richard, the vast plazas filled with non-profit "programming" killed the Seattle Center, and is the future death of the waterfront park.
He needs to go.

Licata straddles every fence until the politically safe vote is available for him to take.

Have a great day,
Mike Baker
Seattle, Wa

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Seattle Times Newspaper; Guest: Vote yes on Charter Amendment 19 to elect City Council members by district

This, in it's entirety, is the argument for Charter Amendment 19

By Faye Garneau and Julius Caesar Robinson Special to The Times

GOVERNMENT works best when it is closest to the people.

A yes vote on Charter Amendment 19 in the Nov. 5 election means you would have a Seattle City Council member living in, elected by and responsible for representing your area of Seattle. Instead of representing 617,000 people, as each does now, seven council members would represent 88,000 residents each and share deep knowledge of your community to the council.

The amendment is a simple proposal; it requires no new taxes to implement.

Currently, nine members are elected at large to represent the entire city. If Charter Amendment 19 passes, Seattle residents would elect seven council members from specific geographic districts and two council members to serve at large. This 7-2 hybrid system offers the best of both worlds — citywide and community-specific views at the table every day inside Seattle City Hall.

A yes vote on Charter Amendment 19 also guarantees that you would have at least one member of the Council working hard to make sure your community gets its fair share of resources, such as parks, community centers, pedestrian improvements, street repairs and public-safety resources.

It creates a balanced approach to Seattle governance. You would still be able to talk to all nine council members — that won't change. But when you have a problem, Charter Amendment 19 means you would have a specific member to call to help solve your community's problems.

Each Seattle City Council member now serves at-large, representing a city with a larger population than the states of Wyoming and Vermont.

It's an impossible task for at-large council members to know what concerns each neighborhood. It shows.

Ask any resident of any community in Seattle. He or she will likely tell you important needs are going unmet. In a recent SurveyUSA poll commissioned by KING 5, fewer than half of Seattle voters said City Hall is on the right track. It is far too difficult to get the council to pay attention to specific public-safety issues, sidewalks, traffic, badly worn streets, parks and community centers.

That is the reason all but three of the 50 most populated cities in the U.S. have district-based city council elections.

Districts make it easier for qualified candidates to run and the winners pay closer attention to regular voters once they are elected.

More than 45,000 Seattle voters signed Charter Amendment 19, placing the measure on the ballot to modernize how Seattle elects its council.

The district boundaries were created by University of Washington Professor Emeritus of Geography Richard Morrill to conform to state and federal laws. Each of the seven districts is equal in population and the boundaries follow geography as closely as possible.

The first elections under this system would be held in 2015. Just like our state and federal boundaries, these boundaries would be examined every 10 years to ensure their populations remained equal.

Charter Amendment 19 is a good-government proposal. Even though Republicans and Democrats agree on little these days, they do agree on Charter Amendment 19. Both parties in King County have endorsed it.

A yes vote ensures council members and future candidates will be more closely engaged with you, your neighbors and your community.

Faye Garneau is co-founder of the Aurora Merchants Association. Julius Caesar Robinson is a campaign organizer for Seattle Districts Now. Website: seattledistrictsnow.org

Guest: Vote yes on Charter Amendment 19 to elect City Council members by district | Seattle Times Newspaper

http://seattletimes.com/text/2022022508.html

Have a great day,

Mike Baker

Seattle, Wa

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This is the Seattle Times Editorial Board in a nutshell, ever the arena opponent

This is the Seattle Times Editorial Board in a nutshell. Dow Constantine done a good job, "even in the eyes of his opponents", but somehow failed the Seattle Times on the SoDo arena.

The Port of Seattle and Bellevue developers dug a hole, and the Seattle Times jumped in with both feet. They keep falling because that's the only direction they know when it comes to the SoDo arena, and that's down.

Seattle Times Newspaper Editorial: Dow Constantine for King County Executive

Editorial: Dow Constantine for King County executive 

Tuesday, October 8, 2013 - Page updated at 05:30 p.m.

Dow Constantine deserves to be re-elected — and no doubt will be re-elected — as King County executive.

He has done a good job even in the eyes of many who voted for his opponent. He has been an able administrator of county government during a time of prolonged economic weakness.

Because of his success, nobody of stature has run against him. His opponent, Alan Lobdell, is a man who has never held political office and has raised almost no money.

Voters should stick with Constantine. He should realize, though, that the political system is letting him off easy. He needs to continue to push for more reforms and be careful with the county's expenses, particularly for personnel, even as the economy grows. He should also take a more skeptical view of proposals to build sports stadiums in places where they don't belong.

Seattle Times Newspaper Editorial: Dow Constantine for King County Executive

http://seattletimes.com/text/2021993866.html

Have a great day,

Mike Baker

Seattle, Wa

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Publicola: Neumos Founder Says Meinert "Does Not Speak for" Nightlife Community (on Murray Endorsement)

Here is Dave Meinert's statement from Publicola's comments section. I underlined a broader complaint that some people have with Mike McGinn. The response from McGinn supporters usually is that McGinn's opponents lack specifics. I think Dave Meinert outlined his issues pretty well.

My issue is underlined. He is not an executive, he is an activist.

He could be both, as could any other person running for mayor of Seattle. But, he just can's deal with opposing views in an effective way, like an executive that deals with the entire city should do.

Meinert:

"A few things I want to respond to: 

1. I have never represented that I speak for the music community. No one does, as like every community, it exists of a multitude of individual voices. In this and the last Mayoral race, there are people on both sides (some nightlife leaders supported Mallahan last time around) However, 19 nightlife/ music community leaders came together and did a joint endorsement for Ed Murray. I speak only for myself, and I think, if you look at that list, you'll see 18 other very successful, intelligent, very independent people who would not want me speaking for them. Nor do they need me to. 

2. The folks endorsing Murray stated clearly that we appreciate the good work that McGinn did for the music community. We are not attempting to trash McGinn. We simply believe we should support the best candidate for all of Seattle, and that candidate is Ed Murray. 

3. I owned the Mirabeau Room with Jeff Steichen during the Nickels administration, and have booked and run venues, and worked with city and state government since 1992. 

4. I never 'attacked' my good friend John Roderick, nor have even commented on him to anyone. John and I speak regularly and spoke just after we both did interviews on this topic. Jerry's statement is purely 100% false. I would never attack anyone for supporting a position or candidate different that mine. We should all be able to express our opinions, and still be friends. I certainly hope this campaign doesn't change that. 

5. At least two liquor board members stated they did not pass the extended hours pilot because they did not believe the city was run well enough, especially the SPD. This was a direct critique of Mayor McGinn's inability to manage the city, and is a perfect example of why I feel we need a new Mayor. 

6. While Mayor McGinn has done some good, in fact, great, things for the music community, he failed to support our efforts to change or get rid of the Opportunity to Dance tax. He also botched an historic chance to reform the SPD, and has failed to come out with a plan for the waterfront redevelopment, the largest capital project this city has ever taken on, and one that is important the long term future of Seattle. The Mayor and his staff knew I was concerned about these issues when he announced his bid for re-election. Nothing he has done since changes my opinion on them. Ed Murray is better on these issues. The Mayor's response to a large number of high profile, active, music community leaders coming out to endorse his opponent is to try to make the music community look divided, and attack the people who endorsed his opponent. This in a nutshell is one of the the problems I have with the Mayor. His is truly divisive, and his campaign is mean spirited and dishonest. These tactics might make for a good activist, but they make for an ineffective government executive. 

End of the day, Jerry and I are friends, and I respect the hell out of him. He even helped me purchase my home. His statement here attacking me personally is bullshit though. And full of factual errors. But hey, we all have to shit sometime. PS - I love Kerri too, even if a year ago she did yell at me how she thought I was 'McGinn's boy" and that he was "ruining the city" because of his increasing the parking rates. But I guess we all have a right to change our minds!

Posted by Meinert about 1 hour Ago"

http://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-profiles/publicola/articles/mini-jolt-neumos-founder-says-october-2013

Yes,Mr. Meinert, we all have the right to change our minds. Good for you, and your reasons.

Some of us never changed our minds from 2009 that McGinn would not be a good executive.

Have a great day,

Mike Baker

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http://ManyWordsForRain.blogspot.com

http://gizmodo.com/the-nsa-makes-giant-social-network-graphs-to-track-ev-1417429006

From gizmodo:

NYT: The NSA Has "Social Network" Maps That Can Index Everyone You Know

The New York Times is reporting that the NSA is using all the data it's collecting on US citizens to make giant "social networks" of everyone their targets know.

At this point it is no secret that the NSA has been slurping up as much data as it can, but this is new information on exactly how it all fits together into a horrifying surveillance state, courtesy of our good friend Edward Snowden. From the New York Times:

Since 2010, the National Security Agency has been exploiting its huge collections of data to create sophisticated graphs of some Americans' social connections that can identify their associates, their locations at certain times, their traveling companions and other personal information, according to newly disclosed documents and interviews with officials.

According to documents seen by the Times, the data for these graphs comes from bank codes, insurance information, Facebook profiles, passenger manifests, voter registration rolls, GPS location information, property records and unspecified tax data, and more. And, as a bonus, there seem to be no restrictions on the use of any of this data to create these so-called social networks on US citizens. Delightful.

Of course, the fact that the NSA has been doing this for foreign individuals should come as no surprise, but it's the seemingly unhindered extension to US citizens that's particularly problematic. The NSA (naturally) declined to comment to the New York Times on how many US citizens were being mapped, or what databases are being used to get this data. But the documents indicate that at least part of the collection process is tapping directly into fiber optic cables coursing with raw internet.

Social networking doesn't sound as fun anymore, does it? [The New York Times]

From me:

You have to live like a celebrity at this point. Assume you are being suvailed by a government of adoring fans, that will get to know every useless detail of your life. 

It's not the real you, and, as will become obvious, false realities are destined to become tools to be used against you in an ever increasing and personal way.

I called the servailiance state the Technostasi in 2007, it becomes more true with each passing moment.

http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/2007/11/technostasi-surveillance-of-citizens.html

This reminds me, The Lives of Others was on TV last night. It's a study guide disguised as a well made drama.

Have a great day,

Mike Baker

Seattle, Wa

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http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/

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Seattle Times: Mayor McGinn suggests soft-drink tax for parks money

Wow, a sketchy idea from McGinn, well, that's new, right? No?

"While details were sketchy, McGinn said his plan would raise the city's business-and-occupation (B&O) tax on businesses that sell sugary drinks."
http://seattletimes.com/text/2021907255.html

The Washington State Food and Beverage Association will find this idea interesting, as well as any place the serves food and beverages.

Have a great day,
Mike Baker
Seattle, Wa

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How is everybody enjoying the Seattle Process right now?

The Stranger lists out six good reasons why the Seattle City Council should consider and potentially release a resolution denouncing the restrictive and destructive laws against being something equal to other than heterosexual. 

But, I think I know why they, and in particular Sally Clark, have not acted: we haven't had the Seattle Process yet. Pretty obvious, right?

First, let me help the Sally Clark's of the world by pointing out the actions of a place in the world that the city council obsesses over:

Copenhagen: 

Government and Prince Frederik speak out against Russia's anti-gay law

http://cphpost.dk/international/government-and-prince-frederik-speak-out-against-russia's-anti-gay-law

I've saved the taxpayers some travel expenses.

Next, a blue ribbon commission:

Look in the mirror, kiss each other's asses for an afternoon, order coffee, water (not bottled), and Plocky's hummus chips (Caramelized Onion).

http://www.plockys.com

Voice vote, yea or nay .

There, one day Seattle Process, you are welcome.

The Stranger: Sally Clark Speaks Up on Russia—Sorta

Seattle City Council president Sally Clark may be coming around: Whereas last week she had only a flat-out rejection of a resolution opposing the anti-gay laws and violence in Russia, now she seems to be moving toward a middle-ground. She wrote a long blog post today on the subject. Here's the section titled that "Now What?"

What's happening in Russia is deplorable. Let's also recognize that what's happening in 75 other countries not mentioned in the recent focus on Russia is equally deplorable (http://76crimes.com/). Instead of building conspiracy theories about why I didn't say yes to a resolution, why not come up with strategies to better educate people on what's happening in Russia and in these 76 countries, and give people real ways to be heard and make change. And do you want to talk about the situation for women in far too many parts of the globe? That can keep us busy with resolutions for a while, too.

If we need to do a resolution to make the point super clear, great, let's do it — and let's do it right. Let's use the Council's convening power and the platform made possible by Seattle Channel to get the best information we can about international human rights abuses against LGBT people in Russia and elsewhere, and let's identify constructive steps City government and others in Seattle can take to effect change. I think the City's LGBT Commission and Human Rights Commission can assist, but so can other Seattle-based organizations deeply involved in world affairs.

The resolution should mean something and shouldn't be the end of people's attention to what's happening around the world and the attacks that happen in our own city and country.

Clark is making progress, but still dodging and blaming "conspiracy theories." She appears to be saying the same thing Council Member Tom Rasmussen said yesterday: suggesting the city council needs to take its time and consider atrocities around the globe. I understand that argument, but the other council members should dismiss that excuse as punting.

Here are six reasons why the city council shouldn't put this off:

Follow the link to read the six reasons:
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/09/20/sally-clark-speaks-up-on-russiasorta


Have a great day,
Mike Baker
Seattle, Wa

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The Stranger: Joel Connelly Tells City Council to Denounce Anti-Gay Laws in Russia

What am I missing?

Who isn't right with this?

Absent any tangible leavers to enact change as there are, our voices in opposition something not to be left to atrophy, we express our free speech precisely because others can not. It is that seemingly intangible thing that is being thrown out on the world stage as an acceptable simptom of an indefensible structure of social norms.

The fact that our representative democracy doesn't "represent" in all its old community or old school ways is a travesty. It's an absolute failure of our system of governess if the only way our city council could voice the displeasure is if we have tangible, or "business" interaction.

WHAT THE FUCK, SALLY CLARK, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?

How the hell do you think you got where you are? Did somebody owe you a favor?
No, people of this city voted for you to represent us. Please try to do that.

The Stranger: Joel Connelly Tells City Council to Denounce Anti-Gay Laws in Russia

posted by DOMINIC HOLDEN on THU, SEP 19, 2013 at 4:32 PM

As everyone in the Slogiverse now knows, Seattle City Council president Sally Clark says standing up for bloodied gay Russian youth is off-topic (never mind all the other off-topic resolutions she's supported in the past). But three council members now say they support a resolution on Russia. Meanwhile over at the SeattlePI.com, Joel Connelly—who's no fan of resolutions himself—is coming down hard in favor of a resolution:

The Seattle City Council, a body known for silly and meaningless resolutions, ought to tell Putin what a previously friendly place thinks of Russia's draconian new anti-gay laws, enacted months before the Sochi Winter Olympics....

Seattle City Council President Sally Clark has apparently said that resolutions should be relevant to city business. It's somewhat surprising for a body that embraced the Occupy movement, advocated breaching Snake River dams and almost voted to ban the circus because of its treatment of animals.

We do, however, have another, overriding tradition in these parts — a commitment to human rights... If there is no Council resolution, we send another message: Silence gives consent.

Joel is right. Council Member Jean Godden is right. Council Member Nick Licata is right. Council Member Mike O'Brien is right. And both state senator Ed Murray and Mayor Mike McGinn, who are running against each other, are right. The city should back a resolution.

Sally Clark can be right, too. It should be easy for her, right?

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/09/19/joel-connelly-tells-city-council-to-denounce-anti-gay-laws-in-russia

Have a great day,

Mike Baker

Seattle, Wa

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Publicola - Wednesday Jolt: Another Council Endorsement for Murray

Today, Seattle City Councilwoman Jean Godden endorsed Ed Murray for Mayor of Seattle. That makes a majority of the city council endorsing Murray, and that majority was 5 of the 7 majority votes in favor of the arena.
Still waiting on Sally Bagshaw. I think Mike ÔBrien will endorse Mike McGinn.
Those are the 7 that voted "yes" on the arena. The two that voted "no" will not be named here, they don't deserve to have their names mentioned, even with disdain.

Along with council members Tom Rasmussen, Bruce Harrell, Tim Burgess, and Sally Clark, the mystery council member will bring Murray's support on the council to a majority—something the Murray camp says hasn't happened since at least the 1970s.
http://www.seattlemet.com/articles/wednesday-jolt-mcginn-on-the-defensive-september-2013?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+seattlemet-home+%28Home+-+Seattle+Metropolitan+Magazine%29


Have a great day,
Mike Baker
Seattle, Wa

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Arena opponents obtain signatures paid for by Seattle’s Chris Hansen - Arena Issue - The Sacramento Bee

"These petitions represent the will of 18,000 people who took the time to provide their signatures and express their desire to put this tax subsidy to a vote," Julian Camacho, president of STOP, said in a statement. "We believe it would be wrong – ethically and legally – to deny them that right."

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/17/5743650/arena-opponents-obtained-signatures.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/17/5743650/arena-opponents-obtained-signatures.html

Where Sacramento is going wrong on this is that they are addressing this one plan. They would have to rerun this kind of campaign again if the plan was replaced by another.

In Seattle we had one vote, once, I-91, that gave the Seattle City Council specific criteria for accepting or rejecting any plan that came along.

At no point would the arena subsidy proposed in Sacramento ever get to the Seattle City Council. 

So, here is STOP in Sacramento working one opposition effort at a time.

Have a great day,

Mike Baker

Seattle, Wa

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Seattle Arena faces another big week, NHL watching | KING5.com Seattle

NBA.com

From KING5.com

The Downtown Design review board will once again meet on Tuesday to review his proposed NBA/NHL arena complex.  Another public meeting, over the environmental review, will happen two days later.  They are both key meetings, as his project continues to progress, and evolve.

Sources with intimate knowledge of the situation, believe the NHL is now watching the status of the project, and gauging corporate and fan interest in a potential expansion franchise.  Hansen has been seeking a partner who could be a tenant in a new building.  Sources say NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has been quietly pushing owners to award a franchise to Seattle, perhaps as early as next year.  The NHL has denied that any talks have taken place, and sources suggest nothing has been finalized.

Read the rest here:

http://www.king5.com/news/arena/Seattle-Arena-faces-another-big-week-NHL-watching-223861871.html

Have a great day,

Mike Baker

Seattle, Wa

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Sonics Fans, the point it moot

The Seattle Times noted in a graphic way which candidates for mayor of Seattle thought the "NBA arena in SoDo" was a "Good idea". Both Ed Murray and Mike McGinn's faces appear in the "Good idea" section.

(Photo: Seattle Times)

[self-editing note 1: the fact that there isn't a clip on YouTube of Jesse Jackson on SNL doing "the point is moot" skit from Weekend Update is just wrong. Seriously, I'm cheesed off about it, because I could really use it right now.]

Both candidates for mayor in the general election, Ed Murray and Mike McGinn, support the arena. It's a non-factor in the general election. But, I believe Peter Steinbrueck's robotic repeating his opposition to the arena at every opportunity in the primary election was not only weird, but just not a popular message for him. A pathetic attempt to split the "I'm a Sonics fan" message from "pull the plug" on the arena was self-conflicting and weak. 

I don't See Ed Murray flip-flopping on the arena just to pick up votes that are simply not going to Mike McGinn anyway. 

What I think did Peter Steinbrueck in was the same issue this election as in 2009, Tim Ceis cornered the market on the folks most likely to donate to his campaign. The difference this go round was that I think Steinbrueck had been paid up front by the Port as a lobbyist to keep pounding that pathetic message. The first big weekend Murray released the bulk of his fund raising numbers Peter's goose was cooked. 

Campaigns are about money, it's true. Money matters. giving something of value also matters. People volunteering is the same as paying people to phone bank if the net result is that the calls were made.

Peter Steinbrueck's numbers peaked early, and he didn't have the cash or volunteers to do anything. So he flapped his gums about the arena (because all the people that live in warehouses would be drawn to his nimby message?). 
About as many people care about dead warehouses as do about the potential blocked views of one cube of people living in SLU by a proposal to build another big cube in SLU. And that was the other paid-to-talk issue Peter Steinbrueck had, his selective myopathy when it comes to density and blocked views. Seriously, he was in one giant cube of condos while complaining about those views being blocked by another giant cube of condos. Pathetic.

Nobody gives a shit about either f those "issues" to give Peter Steinbrueck campaign money in an individual level on the scale that could get him anywhere in this race. The old school media whores gave him every opportunity to parade his father's corps, and placed way to much value in name recognition in a port city that turns over 1/3 of its population pretty damn quickly. People love Victor Steinbrueck park, and Pike Place Market, but those are old and closed issues. Peter attempting to make the area and large buildings in SLU as campaign talking points were so sad and pathetic. Those are not enticing positions for Ed Murray to take on as his own.

Back to the arena.

It's hard to measure what the political influence the arena was among the general public, or how many Sonics/sports fans "moved the needle" in favor of Mike McGinn. The most help anybody got directly from Sonics fans, other than embracing the positive message about the arena to the point that it it was a non-issue, was actually volunteering at Mike McGinn's campaign. They could have been darn near anybody, but they weren't, they were motivated Soncs fans. I think that's where they made any kind of measurable difference. The rest is guesswork.

The top two candidates support the arena in the general election. Sonics fans, find another reason to vote for or against a candidate. The arena isn't the issue that turns this race one way or another, basic competence is.

I'm voting for Ed Murray for a variety of other reasons, and he supports the arena, and the arena process. At no point will you find me volunteering for the McGinn campaign.

[self editing note 2: I started writing this before the KING-TV poll was released showing McGinn getting crushed by Ed Murray.

http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/2013/09/mcginn-well-behind-murray-in-new.html 

Below is a photo from NBCNewYork.com from the NJ Boardwalk fire, somehow it fits this story, you decide where.]

NBCNewYork.com

Have a great day,

Mike Baker

Seattle, Wa

Follow me here:

http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/

@TweetMrBaker

Sent from my iPad

McGinn well behind Murray in new Seattle mayor poll | KING5.com Seattle

"The poll of 503 likely Seattle voters finds 52 percent said they would vote for state Senator Ed Murray over McGinn, 52 percent to 30 percent, if the election were held today. Eighteen percent were undecided.

The poll, conducted by SurveyUSA over the weekend, also found that 40 percent of 652 registered voters approve of the job McGinn is doing while 44 percent disapprove.

Murray has a 57 percent approval rating and 19 percent disapproval."
Read the rest here:
http://www.king5.com/news/politics/McGinn-Murray-Seattle-mayor-poll-223901461.html

That's a hole nobody climbs out of.

Good thing for Sonics fans that both candidates favor the SoDo arena process.

Have a great day,
Mike Baker

Sent from my iPhone
Visit me here:
http://ManyWordsForRain.blogspot.com

Chris Hansen, Adam Silver has a message for you

Good luck figuring it out.

Matt Taibbi's coming to Seattle on October 2nd

Matt Taibbi's coming to Seattle on October 2nd

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Emilio Garza"
Date: September 11, 2013, 5:09:59 PM PDT
To: me
Subject: Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Burien, Olympia...
Reply-To: "Emilio Garza"

			Home Donate Blog Events
			full-spectrum, hands-on, democracy.
		All Together Now Fun fact: Last year, 61% of all registered young people in WA cast a ballot. However, the young folks who registered with the Bus voted at over 81%. The biggest reason for the huge increase? Hundreds of Bus volunteers reminded them to vote. Simple, easy, hella effective. Also hella goofy. Be part of the magic and help make sure our generation is not just at the proverbial table, but taking an organic, free-range bite out of the election. We've got reminder parties going down throughout October. Democraseize the day (it makes more sense out loud) right here. State of the State The Bus will be journeying around the state to support an amazing line-up of forward-thinking candidates in some of our favorite Washington locales. Sign up for your dream location/candidates below! Gig Harbor - Nathan Schlicher (State Senate) Tacoma - Olgy Diaz (Tacoma City Council) Burien - Lauren Berkowitz and Joey Martinez (Burien City Council) Spokane - Jon Snyder and Candace Mumm (Spokane City Council) Olympia - Mary Hall (Thurston County Auditor)			Matt Taibbi You may know the suave gentleman above from his work as a Rolling Stone writer and editor. Or perhaps as the guy who once colorfully described Goldman Sachs as "a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity." Either way, Matt Taibbi's coming to Seattle. A prolific writer on topics ranging from money in politics, to income inequality, to student loan debt, he'll be bringing the goods for a rad evening. Town Hall Seattle Weds, October 2nd 7:30-9pm Tix High five to the hosts, Sightline Institute, defenders of real life vampire squids.
		The Washington Bus: of young people, by young people, for all people

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Washington Bus P.O. Box 20188 Seattle, WA 98102 USA Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy.

News Flash - "My kid is addicted to these.", Brian Robinson

Sources close to the candy confirm its deliciousness.
But the most direct of direct marketing may be to blame for its popularity.

The Seattle Times: About your future.

There isn't any money in printing and distributing newspapers on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday (except Thanksgiving, and those ads could be delivered on Wednesday), Saturday.
There isn't a daily paper anymore, they are just going through the motions.
ST will likely go to a three times a week paper. If they don't, someone else will.

The thing that newspapers online and plenty of web-only newsy sites don't do very well is be a fact aggregator. Rather than write a summary of a city council meeting a site should link through to agendas and schedules, maybe get a little reader feedback on what they want more information on an event they see on a calendar, and send Reporters (they are like journalists, only they use more facts) to those events.
There is a lot of free data out there, and I know that the vast majority of people are unlike me, they are not about to look at agendas and watch the video feed. But knowing that something is going to be discussed or decided is pretty useful information.

The ST cornered the market on columnists, but opinions are like assholes. Another dumb investment.
Going and getting actual news has actual value. Deliver it when it is profitable, like The Stranger.

Welcome to the future.

http://seattletimes.com/text/

Have a great day,

Mike Baker

Seattle, Wa

Follow me here:

http://www.sonicsrising.com/author/mike-baker/

Or

@TweetMrBaker

Sent from my iPad

Washington Bus Presents: "Candidate Survivor 2013"

Michael Baker has shared a video with you on YouTube If you want to know why I'm not voting for Mike McGinn then scroll to the 3 minute, 40 second mark, and watch the candidate make a joke out of his biggest weakness, working with others. Candidate Survivor 2013 by Washington Bus "It's a candidate forum, but it's super different than other candidate forums..." On July 16th, 2013, the Washington Bus, the Stranger, and the Showbox at the Market hosted the largest candidate forum in Seattle history for the Seattle Mayoral Primary Election. 750 young (and a few young at heart) Seattlites packed the room to hear from the crew duking it out to be Seattle's next Mayor. Candidate Survivor takes the best part of a candidate forum (critical policy questions, people power, a smorgasbord of candidates) and blends it with the best parts of life (talent shows, witty panelists, dance parties). To cap it off, three times through the night the live audience votes (via text message) for the winner leaving one final Candidate Survivor. Check out the video to watch how it all went down and discover the illustrious winner. Help center • Email options • Report spam ©2013 YouTube, LLC 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066