June 13, 2007 by Bravo.

Looking for a change, former Walla Walla County Democratic Party Chair Nina Roth has turned her position over to retired dairy farmer Bill McCaw. Roth will continue to serve the state party as the committee woman for the county, with Conrad Cavazos serving as the county’s male party rep.

Tom Schmerer, an IT contractor, has assumed the role of chair of the 16^th Legislative District, a position formerly held by Pasco’s Roy Dehart. Schmerer lost a state senate race against Mike Hewitt of Walla Walla in 2004.

Roth did a fabulous job during her tenure as county chair in organizing party efforts, including recruiting volunteers, turning out voters at rallies and distributing yard signs. The party has worked hard in this county to make itself heard. And it has had to. The Rs in the county hold such a numerical advantage that they seem to have become lax about such distasteful political activities as door-to-door canvassing.

Finding good Democratic candidates to run in this district is another challenge. In fact, Democratic candidates sometimes feel they can do better running away from the party than with it—some go so far as to say that being hand-picked by the party is, in this county, the kiss of death. So the party doesn’t have much real leverage in enticing good candidates to run.

The strength for the WW County Dems in 2008 may be in the work they have done to encourage grassroots activism among the party faithful here. They have a base to build from, experienced volunteers, and more than a few voters dissatisfied with the direction of the country.

Posted in Rural, Fifth CD | 2 Comments »

June 13, 2007 by Stuck In Spokane.

This just in! Well not really. This news came in about two months ago, and I wasn’t blogging back then, but apparently John Ahern thinks the people of Spokane are idiots. If you read his press release from March 26th (found here), he has statements from “area residents,” who are none other then party leaders for the Spokane GOP. He mentions Curt Fackler “of Spokane” who just happens to be the Spokane County Republican Party Chair. Gee, that’s real concern in the Spokane area for Washington State’s budget, a partisan politician quoting concern from a partisan party leader. What comes next? Robin Ball, a gun store owner, who according to her employees (right before I got kicked out for mentioning Peter Goldmark) is personal friends with Cathy McMorris.

Curt Fackler, the aforementioned Spokane GOP chair, is so far out in right field that he invited the founder of the Minuteman Project, Jim Gilchrist, to Spokane for the local GOP Lincoln Day dinner. Gilchrist told local Repuglicans that “It’s OK to say ‘rapist,’ ‘robber’ and ‘murder,’ and it’s OK to say ‘illegal alien’ – not ‘undocumented worker.’” (Source: Spokesman Review). Who in their right mind tolerates this racist, hateful rhetoric?

Thanks Curt! Thanks for trying to make Spokane such a tolerant and nice place to live.

The comments Ms. Ball made however are so terribly inaccurate it’s sickening. Unfortunately, I think some of these poor folks have been so brainwashed that they can’t even form their own opinions. While Robin does mention the typical tax-and-spend Democratic mantra that Republicans love, she fails to mention that the REPUBLICANS for the last 6 years have allowed free-fall spending and budgeting in this country, putting the United States further into debt then it has ever been. So instead of “tax-and-spend Democrats” (which is a myth) we had borrow-and-spend Repuglicans.

So what do you take us for John Ahern? Idiots? Half-wits? All it takes is an occasional glance at the Spokesman Review to know who these people are. If you are trying to represent concern in the community regarding the state budget, try and use anonymous Republicans, not your own party big whigs. This will make you slightly more believable, but only slightly.

So, in the long run, which option is really better for this country?

**In an update Shannon Ball is also the former county GOP Chair, she served during the 2004 election cycle.**

Posted in Spokane GOP, Washington, Spokane, Cathy McMorris | 8 Comments »