June 22, 2007 by Stuck In Spokane.

I want to start this post with an apology. I realize that I haven’t properly posted a blog in a week and only two others have been posted. I’ve had some things come up this week that have kept me away from writing, but they are over now and I’m back for good.

Every year, State Reps send a “Report from the Legislature,” I’ve had the opportunity to read a few of them from the various different districts from around the area. The 4th Districts Reps stood out above the rest for their clear lack of intelligence. The fourth is represented in the State Legislature by Larry Crouse and Lynn Schindler, both of whom are members of the do nothing Republican Minority.

They gave their regular update, how it was hard for them because the big bad Democrats had control… Blah, Blah, Blah. For the most part the update has been the state Republican’s mantra for the last couple of year, that Democrats are taxing and spending this state into the stone age and that we are wasting money.

On page three however, it starts getting juicy, Crouse and Schindler really start showing their true colors with articles with titles like “Alert to parents: state-mandated sex education on the way!” and “Mandatory paid family leave.” Oh my god, I think these must be some of the scariest things Republican’s have ever heard in their life. That their children might have to learn about safe sex, so that when the inevitable happens they know how to use a condom, and you know, maybe prevent a teen pregnancy or two. Unfortunately Repuglicans think of this as “graphically sexual” education. I’m sorry Lynn, Larry but this just doesn’t cut it, read the numbers, check your facts, “abstinence only” education does absolutely nothing, except increase the likelihood that teenagers will have unprotected and unsafe sex. Thanks for working to increase teen pregnancy!

The two Repuglican’s don’t stop there, they prove not only do they want more kids on the street, but that also hate families. They complain that a bill passed by the legislature forces companies to provide five weeks of paid leave when a family has a child or adopts, at $250 a week. It doesn’t stop there though, it forces the company to hold their job open for them. That’s a hardship right? Forcing the good companies of Washington to keep jobs open for those evil little family loving people? Schlindler and Crouse go on to talk about how this is a “very expensive plan that only benefits relatively few workers.” Wait, families don’t work? How do they support their families? The only people I don’t see this benefiting are CEOs who will have to pay out $1250 for a kid and leave a job open so the family can continue to support the child. Lynn, Larry, I don’t know where you guys stashed your mother ship, but you might want to just head back to Pluto.

Posted in 4th LD, Spokane GOP, Washington, Spokane | 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 »