A legit challenge to McDermott?

[maplesyrup]

Here’s a potential non-nutjob, non-Republican alternative to McDermott. Good news for me anyway.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2009393341_danny28.html

You can do some of your own research on McDermott’s voting record here.

http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=27128

For me it’s not only about the voting record since I’ll never agree 100% with any candidate. It’s that he’s never once responded to a question or complaint I’ve written. Senators Murray and Cantwell respond. State Senator McDermott responds. State Rep. Cody responds. But I guess McDermott is confident that enough sheep will vote D no matter what, so he doesn’t have to respond to constituents.

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[KBear]

Whatever you may dislike about McDermott, he’s been there a long time and seniority is worth a lot in the other Washington. Think really hard before you vote to throw that away. As for not responding to constituents, I just heard from an ordinary citizen yesterday who had contacted Rep. McDermott to urge him to vote for the climate change bill that passed the House last Friday. McDermott’s office not only responded–twice–but the congressman changed his position at the last minute and voted in favor of the bill. I’m not suggesting he reversed himself because of my friend, but I’m sure the opinions of many other like-minded constituents weighed on his decision.

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[JoB]

this is interesting…

perhaps this is the first indication that democratic legislators are going to have to commit to their constituents agenda or face replacement.

Before that has always meant a republican… but i like this option better as long as it doesn’t dilute the democratic vote to the point where a republican wins.

Nader’s intentions may have been good but the results were devastating.

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[maplesyrup]

KBear he probably doesn’t respond to me because when I write it’s usually because I disagree with his position. At least the other candidates have the guts (or courtesy) to try and explain their stances. Heck even Jennifer Dunn responded to me and I wasn’t in her district.

I have a hard time buying he was really going to vote against the climate change bill btw. Do you know what his initial reluctance was?

And the seniority thing is a double-edged sword. Do you think he has adequately leveraged his seniority to our benefit? He’s been there 20 years already.

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[KBear]

“I have a hard time buying he was really going to vote against the climate change bill btw. Do you know what his initial reluctance was?”

He favored his own bill, but it didn’t have the support to pass. In the end, he decided the more popular bill was better than nothing.

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[JoB]

maplesyrup and KBear..

the bill currently being reworked in the house is actually worse than nothing.. it repeals parts of the clean air act:(

but i don’t get answers from him either.. and i write him regularly.

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[KBear]

The American Clean Energy and Security Act was supported by nearly all the major environmental groups. I don’t think they would have endorsed it if they felt it was a step backward. A few fringe groups chose to oppose it, on the grounds that it wasn’t good enough. But standing in the way of progress while waiting for the perfect bill to arrive on the floors of Congress for a vote is not a strategy for success.

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[maplesyrup]

There are a lot of questions about the bill. On the surface most of it looks good but the devil is in the details.

The main thing is that similar legislation in Europe isn’t really working to lower CO2 output. If we’re going to go through all of this effort to put these controls in place, they better make sure the system is going to work.

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[Ken]

If you need to locate Jim for a face to face in a public setting, look for him at any of the several district meetings that make of the 7th congressional district, when congress is not in session.

His office answers the phone. They often answer email too but the volume of BS and wingnuttery in congressional email apparently exceeds even the spam.

Also as usual, Danny Westneat slightly bends the facts to fit his stories cuteness factor.

http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/issues_healthcare.shtml

Jim might be willing to accept a universal insurance “coverage” system (which Obama seems to be pushing as well) but he has been advocating a single payer model for decades.

West Seattle’s Bill Hoffman is certainly welcome to run but I suspect he overestimates the number of primary votes he can buy using conventional PR/ mass media tactics when it is the party faithful who show up (or rather put a stamp on their ballots and return them)at the polls.

That said, if his real goal is to get in position to take the seat in 2014 or 2016, he would be advised to start getting his name and ideas out there now. Jim is too smart to let the job grind him up when he could be doing something more rewarding and with fewer frequent flyer miles involved. Jim will be 80 in 2016.

I might be cynical.. Wait. I know I am cynical, but I would like to see our own JOE McDermott slide smoothly into JIM’s current job around 2012 and my knowledge of human nature and the current level of political befuddlement in the electorate at large tell me it would be a smooth and cheap campaign.

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[Julie]

I wish I could vote for MORE Jim McDermotts.

But I do like the idea of Joe taking over when Jim calls is quits. (Not soon, I hope!)

I’ve always had responses when I’ve asked for them (I don’t expect them when I’m just weighing in), whether I agreed or disagreed with his position. I admit, I seldom disagree very strongly.

The climate change bill is, indeed, inadequate and seriously flawed, so now we have to push the senate for as much improvement as we can get. Contact Senators Cantwell and Murray and PUSH.

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[HMC Rich]

Julie, what improvements do you think it needs?

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[Julie]

Don’t give away carbon permits, for one thing. Under Waxman-Markey, companies buy only 15% of their carbon permits; they get the rest for free. So we give away a resource we hold in common (the right to pollute) to industrial interests for nothing. And it rewards the big polluters: the more pollution companies have produced, the greater their free allocation will be. Make them buy the permits, for heaven’s sake! They’ve already had a free ride.

Also, although it calls for an 80% cut by 2050, it’s only from a 2005 baseline, and most of the cuts come at the end–so the cumulative cut up to that point, which is what matters for reducing climate impact, is not anywhere near what’s needed. Moving the baseline back a few years, and front-loading the reductions schedule, would help much more.

Those are two problems. There are more, but I think I’d focus on those improvements.

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[Tonya42]

Well if Bozo the clown were running, I’d vote for the clown..

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[Ken]

If you were amused by the preceding comment, this will have you rolling on the floor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/science/30muse.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&ref=science

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[maplesyrup]

I knew McDermott was a church-going guy but I never knew he was a creationist.

Another reason not to vote for him. ;)

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[JanS]

creationist? did I miss something?

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[Julie]

Calling McDermott a creationist reminds me of Fox labeling Sanford a Democrat:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/24/16334/2286

And remember, he was almost tarred & feathered for omitting “under God” when he led the pledge.

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[maplesyrup]

It’s just that Ken appears to be some McDermott insider and then he goes posting links about the Creationist Museum for no apparent reason.

So I’m just wondering what Ken’s point might be.

BTW Omitting “under God” was one of the best things McDermott ever did. Too bad he let Pelosi whip him back in line so fast.

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[Ken]

Well if Bozo the clown were running, I’d vote for the clown..

It is not as funny if ya have to explain it :)

I was making fun of the above quoted comment.

I found it funny that the poster of that comment admitted that as a conservative, she would rather vote for a clown than for an effective representative. That was understood from the context of the whole thread. But as a stand alone comment, it implies the poster would like to see a clown represent the district.

The humor for me comes not only from knowing who the last several republican challengers were for Jim McDermott, but the confirmation of what we all know:

“Republicans are people who claim that government doesn’t work… then get elected and prove it.”

— Will Rogers

The creation museum was visited by 70 paleontologist on a day trip from a scientific convention.

If you don’t see the humor in this I have to question whether you understand what a paleontologist actually studies:)

Quote for the creationist (we know you’re lurking out there)

“Despite a full century of scientific insights attesting to the antiquity of the earth, more than half of our neighbors believe that the entire cosmos was created six thousand years ago. This is, incidentally, about a thousand years after the Sumerians invented glue.”

— Sam Harris

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[JoB]

Ken…

i know you think comedy isn’t your forte.. but you leave me rolling on the floor laughing ;->

thank you

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[Johnson]

A legit challenge (read: wingnut) to someone born, bred, & working in & for W. Seattle all his life

yeah, let’s vote for a Hollywood producer. Mebbe we can give Sarah Palin a run for her crazees.

’em'(this is a sarcasm alert for the brain impaired)’em’

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[maplesyrup]

Interesting tactic. Rather than listen to what he has to say, maybe put some pressure on McDermott to do a better job, you dismiss him as a wingnut and lump him in with Sarah Palin.

What is your connection to the McDermott, Johnson? Do you work for him?

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[JoB]

maplesyrup..

i don’t work for McDermott.. i don’t even like the man much. He hasn’t been responsive when i have written to him.

but i don’t have to like him to admire his commitment to West Seattle…

and i don’t have to be on his payroll to find reason in Johnson’s argument.

And… I don’t see anything in anyone else who is out there that would convince me they would do a better job.

One of the unfortunate side effects of outsourcing has been the loss of knowledge in those companies whose efficiency experts thought they could do the job as well.. or nearly as well.. for less… but didn’t know what the job was and outsized what turned out to be key positions to people who didn’t understand the issues any better than the efficiency experts.

Why would you replace legislator with a decent track record who knows how to get his job done for you with someone who doesn’t have a clue but has a lot of good ideas?

your comment about McDermott underscores why we need someone who knows what they are doing and can make a difference when and where it really counts…

“Omitting “under God” was one of the best things McDermott ever did. Too bad he let Pelosi whip him back in line so fast. “

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[maplesyrup]

JoB-

I agree with the majority of McDermott’s votes. And while I am not a Democrat I vote for them almost all of the time.

However, there are a lot of McDermott’s votes that need to be questioned. Why wouldn’t you be glad to have another alternative, especially if it’s someone from the party you already vote with?

What’s surprising (maybe disappointing is a better word) is that so many people seem to be closed to debate, content to go with the flow. And I suspect that it’s because the guy we already have is a Democratic incumbent.

Worse, people like Johnson dismissing a challenger as a “wingnut” and “crazee” without even hearing the debate demonstrate intellectual laziness and narrow mindedness. Asking him if he has a personal interest in the McDermott camp actually gives him the benefit of the doubt because I could have simply called him those things outright. But I don’t know him so I didn’t.

You say McDermott’s track record is decent. And when I review his voting record I see a lot of things that make me say, “ok, that was a good vote.” But there are also a lot of things that piss me off. I am not necessarily convinced he is doing a good job for me or the country.

For those reasons I wish people would at least be open to the debate. If after the debate you decide McDermott is your guy, great. Just don’t be sheep.

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[JoB]

maplesyrup..

let me try to understand.

McDermott is doing such a good job that even someone who isn’t a democrat thinks he sometimes gets things right?

he is a democrat. he represents his district which is heavily democratic. he does a good job of it.

Why would i want to fix what isn’t broken?

why would anyone want to replace someone who knows their job and is doing it well enough to satisfy even the minority interests in his district at times with someone without experience?

Why would i want to vote for a democrat who would better represent republican interests?

there are enough blue dog democrats in congress.. i don’t think adding to them is a good idea…

We would indeed be sheep if the label democrat was the only consideration when it came to our elected representatives.

it isn’t.

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