Chris Gregoire is MAD
Posted on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 7:41 am by Brian Robinson
I hate to break it to you Chris but I am mad too.
I’ve said all along that the worst description anybody can give of a political movement is impotent. There is nothing worse than taking a firm stand on something and then showing that you have absolutely no ability whatsoever to do anything.
So when I look back at SonicsGate and I see Chris Gregoire speaking so strongly about how angry she is, talking about how she intends to do something, and seeming so passionate I get angry with her for being impotent. She can do nothing. She sat back impotently while the Sonics left and looked to pass the blame. She sat back impotently while Boeings headquarters left and looked to pass the blame. Now she is looking at the 787 line and she is mad. She feels lied to and she feels like somebody deserves the blame.
I talk every day to members of the democratic caucus. Chris Gregoire better start looking in the mirror because they all agree that she has no juice. She can’t get anything done. She is an impotent leader.
With just under a week left the NBA has become a huge hotbutton issue. Susan Hutchinson continues to up the ante at every step tying the loss of the Boeing 787 line to the loss of the Sonics. Her statement here:
In response to another question at the news conference, Hutchison asserted that she could bring an NBA team back to the Seattle area
“I will do what is necessary. We’ve got investors standing by … I will advocate for the 1.8 million people of this county at the state level to make sure a public-private partnership is approved. I will spend whatever time is necessary in New York to convince (NBA Commissioner) David Stern that a franchise needs to come back from whatever city is necessary.”
Would she use county taxes to help build a new arena, or to renovate KeyArena? “I don’t know what the package is going to look like,” she said.
Kaushik said Constantine is a “huge sports fan and has a strong understanding of the value that sports franchises bring to the community in terms of culture and the economy.”
Constantine was the first person to testify in the state Senate last year in support of a bill that would have allowed existing taxes to be used to renovate KeyArena, Kaushik said.
Go Susan!
In this election Joe Mallahan and Susan Hutchinson have really established themselves as the greatest supporters of an NBA return. While I was initially impressed with Mike McGinn and his willingness to listen to our issue I am turned off by the way his public commentary is so wishy washy and does not reflect the sincere interest he showed in a private meeting. More and more he seems like a candidate who tries to tell people what they want to hear and has grandiose dreams of universal concensus on very complex issues.
I am a big fan of concensus. I am the guy who reached out to Chris VanDyk to build concensus on an arena. I don’t however think that waiting for people to reach concensus is a demonstration of leadership. I get the sense that McGinn is going to be a guy who will have endless committees and dialogue looking for peaceful mediation. What we need is a leader who takes input and listens well to people, makes good decisions, and then works intently to recruit people in support of those decisions. If elected McGinn is going to get buried in Seattle Politics.
So if you cannot tell I am wholeheartedly endorsing Joe Mallahan for Mayor of Seattle. I strongly encourage sports fans and people who want a city that is functional, takes input from a variety of sources, and makes solid decisions to vote for him.
In addition to Joe Mallahan I am endorsing Jessie Israel for city council. I cannot stress enough what a major accomplishment it would be for Nick Licata to be voted out of office. The message it would send would be overwhelming. People need to understand that 5,000 votes would probably turn the tide in this council race. If sports fans get their friends and family to vote for Jessie Israel we will be able to send a statement locally and nationally that it is not OK to simply ignore the desires of a constituency because you happen to be too snobbish for their issue. I like beer and basketball. I have never been to the opera or the ballet. I support arts funding but demand that guys like Licata recognize that our cultural activities get some support as well.
In what is something of a personal stunner I find myself personally supporting Susan Hutchinson for King County Executive.
Many people know that I have close ties to some of the democratic leadership in this region and those ties extend to people very close to Dow Constantine. I think Dow’s commentary and his track record make him a fine candidate for executive and that we will be just fine if he wins. He has not however matched the intensity and commitment that Hutchinson has brought to the table. Her enthusiasm about bringing the NBA back has advanced this issue tremendously in the final weeks of the campaign and cannot be ignored. The loss of the Sonics was terrible. The loss of the 787 line much worse. At this point I find myself truly believing that we need some executive leaders who are not in the camp of Christine Gregiore. While Susan Hutchinson and I differ greatly on some social issues I do not believe that the King County Executive has jurisdiction over any of those issues. Susan Hutchinsons position on abortion is not important to me but her policy on county investment and infrastructure is. Her commitment to bringing corporations and jobs to the region is admirable and she has earned my vote.
I am wearing my Sonics sweatshirt for the second day in a row. I intend to watch the NBA today. Denver Portland at 10:30. I have a chance to meet Carmelo Anthony pretty soon and it would be embarassing if I haven’t watched him play for 2 years.
October 29th, 2009 at 9:20 am
She looks like a grynch
October 29th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Brian, I’m with you most of the time, but not here. Susan is a political neophyte with far right wing opinions that don’t mesh well in King County. So she fixed the symphony (even that’s debatable). She simply does not have the experience or acumen to succeed in the top job in the 13th largest municipality in the nation. King County is on the ropes with the budget crisis, and now is not the time to entertain Susan’s desire to start her political career at the top. Let her prove herself in the council or somewhere else before she ascends to the top job. Dow is surely not perfect, but he has a far better grasp of the overall situation that Susan does. No comparison Susan is cute and knows how to work the media, but she can’t hold a candle to Dow in terms of understanding how government works and how to get things done in the trenches. I believe Dow can be even more effective in helping secure a new NBA team here. Susan talks it up, and her desire may be there, but she is a rookie. WIth a minute left in game 7, do you want the ball in Stephen Curry’s hands or Derek Fisher’s?
October 29th, 2009 at 9:36 am
I already voted for Hutchinson. As stated by bobbywilbury44, she is a neophyte. Exactly. WE need a fresh face, and thats why if I lived in the city I would vote for Mallahan. Having entrenched politico that are infective, is what got us into this mess, not only with the Sonics, but Boeing. We need someone that can sell the region to corporations and or own ineffectual leaders in Olympia.
October 29th, 2009 at 9:59 am
I never imagined I would be voting for Hutchinson prior to last week for just the reasons you have described. I am just coming firmly around to the “we need a fresh face” camp. For better or for worse Dow just comes across as so heavily a part of the establishment. All of his claims and credentials are based upon his participation with a group in government that I despise. At this point I would rather have a neophyte than a part of the pack.
The thing about the county exec is that the are going to have a very liberal county council to deal with. I don’t think there is any shot of the exec pushing through some ultra extreme right wing agenda. If I did I would go otherwise.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Watch out, somewhere marco is feeling butt hurt that his beloved establishment is taking a beating here.
I said before the election Gregoire was the weakest sitting governor in the lower 48 … now she’s just the lamest. Great to see that even centrists and people on the left are finally becoming disgusted with what passes for leadership here.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:15 am
The King County Council, while officially non-partisan, is actually pretty split among Democrats and Republicans. There are about four members of the 9 on the council who identify as Republicans. This gives the Democrats probably about a 5-4 advantage on the King COunty Council. One Democrat, Bob Ferguson, is known to be very independent. Democrats likely have a very soft 5-4 advantage right on the King COunty Council. The King County Council is pretty balanced right now.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:20 am
If you’re a sports fan in King County I think it’s a win-win if either Constintine or Hutchison get elected. Although I like the fact that Dow has gone on the record supporting 6116 and is a sports fan. Good luck, with the mayoral and that key council position. I hope that Mallahan and Isreal can prevail, but all I can do is watch and read the Times a few days later. Kinda ironic that I’m more focused on the goings on up north instead of here in Tacompton.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Pearl Jam endorses Dow.
October 29th, 2009 at 11:15 am
We have no one to blame but ourselves for Gregoire we unbelievable re-elected her. I am just hoping when the proposal to move forward on a new renovation plan comes we don’t go to Olympia for the 100th time, haven’t we been fools long enough.
I would love to have Gregoires job do nothing and then when something of value leaves the state the Sonics and Boeing say”we did everything we possibly could” what an easy out, what an easy job. I just don’t understand this state sometimes.
October 29th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Vote Mallahan and Isreal that would be a huge step in the right direction
October 29th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Gregiore was re-elected only because her GOP (not Republican!) opponent was Rossi (again). Look at the past 4 GOP nominees for governor, Ellen Craswell the nutty Bible thumper, John Carlson right wing nut, and Dino Rossi right wing nut #2 (twice!). All the GOP has to do is give us voters a semi reasonable centrist who isn’t a right wing nut, and they will win. Alas, they can’t even do that. We need a Dan Evans type Republican so badly in this state, but the GOP (er, Republicans) has killed all those types off. All we get are Dinos and Susans (Palin clone) to chose from. The GOP (the War Party) is so busy hating on everyone that doesn’t fit into their (very) narrow ideology that they keep producing the same old hard core crazies that most of us centrist voters find repulsive and will never vote for. That leads to the Gregiore types winning again and again. The opportunity is surely there for the GOP, but something tells me they won’t seize it (again).
October 29th, 2009 at 11:51 am
i totally respect your endorsements Brian and we have talked recently about why you are endorsing Huchinson. apparently she went really hard for us in private meetings and equally hard in public statements. Dow has also made strong public statements of support for bringing the NBA back.
as i’ve said before, i believe SOS will have a friend in the KingCo Executive with either Dow or Susan… but my liberal conscience won’t let me vote for an inexperienced right winger when Dow is also a supporter and actually lobbied for SB 6116 in Olympia.
to each his/her own. SOS wins either way on this one. i agree on Mallahan and Israel.
October 29th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
There is something about Susan I don’t trust, but I do love the fact that she is really pushing for us to get an NBA team back… but I voted already two weeks ago when I first got my ballot and I voted Mallahan and Dow.
I think either way, as long as Mallahan is mayor we’ll get our team back.
Also, on a side note I need some help in a continuing part of the film competition that I just won. There is another prize to win. So I need to most views on my film.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Win7FilmFest#p/u/2/w-JqepdGllM
That is where you go, tell everyone and watch it through out the day…
Thanks guys!!!
October 29th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
in case anyone missed Dow and Susan’s KJR appearances, both podcasts are available at this link:
http://www.kjram.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=ian_furness.xml
October 29th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
haha great vid Kevin with a cameo by our very own Joshua Bell! congrats on the award!
October 29th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I think Dow will be fine on our issue. I have told a lot of people in recent years that I really personally hate the fact that I have become such a single issue guy and I try not to be. With Susan coming on as strong as she has however I really feel like I have to reciprocate. Nobody else has championed it in this way. It seems to be really sincere and really legitimate.
There does come a point where a person is advocating so hard for you single issue that you have to get on it. I was not there last night. The fact that she brought it into the Boeing article today pushes me over the edge.
October 29th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
I’m with you on Mallahan, but I will not vote for Sue.
October 29th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Hutchinson comes from a back ground in entertainment. If there is anyone who knows how to say what people want to say it is her. I don’t really know who the better choice is…but I would lean towards Constantine. He actually has polictical evidence that he supports the Sonics, Hutchinson is just as likely to be blowing smoke as she is to being trustwothy.
We shall see…
October 29th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Thanks Adam…. I got Josh willing to act for me now. And only me! lol
October 29th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Either Hutchinson or Constantine are fine with me, but Mallahan and Isreal have to be voted in . Lets get Licata out of there.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I agree with BR at 9:59 … well said - If some of Susan’s opinions on social issues are to far to the right for some I would simply say - in this positition it won’t matter. what does matter is getting something done - and shaking things up. Constantine is indeed right in the center of the entrenched group that has led this state nowhere.
Oh - and on Gregoire - We deserve her - we voted for her - but she is indeed a complete loser as a leader with no skills or integrity. She can’t get anything done - and she lacks integrity in the way she blames everyone but herself. Her handling of the Sonics situation was a disgrace - even if you don’t care about the sonics - because she was so hypocritical and two-faced about it.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Chris Gregoire Impotent??? I wish her father would have been impotent.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
“She sat back impotently while Boeings headquarters left and looked to pass the blame.”
Boeing moved its HQ back in 2001, when Locke was still governor and Gregoire was still state AG. What role did she play in allowing that to happen? [I'm not defending her or anything, I just don't recall the details of how that whole fiasco came about].
October 29th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/mobile/?type=story&id=2010156801
The above article shows loud and clear that Boeing had long ago decided to move to SC and the entire negotiations were just lip service. Read it and you will agree that Gregoire nor Dow nor Patty Murray nor the union itself could have done a damn thing to stop them. The union offered no strikes until 2020! And Boeing rejected. You do the math.
Boeing is like Clay Bennett - swearing he never intended to move the team. They were lying. And like Nickles - who lied for weeks before selling us down the river.
I have to take very strong issue with the notion that Hutchison, if elected will provide balance to KC Council. Thanks to whoever sorted that out above. Secondly her very conservative social views could easily have an impact on KC Health and Human Services programs.
I agree with Adam’s statement above; can’t personally support her for same reasons. I feel like anyone who shares similar beliefs will regret supporting such a political novice in such a complex and difficult political and beaurocratic environment. If she wins, and as an outsider / private sector type tries to make major changes in King County, the word retrenchment will take on a new meaning. The thought that she’ll get anything done towards fixing whatever she percieves as broken is really seriously mistaken.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
It came down to having to pay workers in SC much less then they do in a unionized Everett plant. As simple as that.. I dont blame boeing what reasons do they have to stay here when the union in the past decade has gone out of its way to delay and cause boeing more headaches. THis will teach the union a lesson that they can no longer demand all these riches with no consequences for there actions.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
BobbyWilbury44 Says: Susan is cute and knows how to work the media, but she can’t hold a candle to Dow in terms of understanding how government works and how to get things done in the trenches.
Yet Dow and his party who UNDERSTAND how everything works and how to get things done have yet to ACTUALLY do it. I understand how a nuke works but I can’t build one.
Continuously re-electing stagnancy simply out of party loyalty is not only stupid but is the reason we are where we are in this state whether its Boeing, Sonics, Tunnels, etc.
Liberals won the top job on CHANGE yet they only want change if its in their favor. That is sad.
And all this coming from someone who thinks both parties blow. They aren’t about leading they are only about votes.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
BobbyWilbury44 Says: The GOP (the War Party) is so busy hating on everyone that doesn’t fit into their (very) narrow ideology that they keep producing the same old hard core crazies that most of us centrist voters find repulsive and will never vote for.
Again, coming from someone without a dog in the fight (expression, not support of), this is nuts. It could easily be just as true if I said:
“The Dems (the Weak Party) are so busy hating on everyone that doesn’t fit into their (very) narrow ideology that they keep producing the same old hard core crazies that most of us centrist voters find repulsive and will never vote for.”
Sorry, I just hate hypocrisy from all sides.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
The biggest joke was Bobby trying to portray himself as a centrist. Ya ain’t foolin’ anyone, Bobby.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
I am a liberal who would vite for Dan Evans. Bobby is right. The repug ca,didates here of late have been f’n NUTCASES.
October 29th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
For those who believe that Susan Hutchison’s anti-choice beliefs are not important to this election - you have been duped by the Hutchison campaign. The King County executive plays a critical role women’s health care, particularly for low-income women.
Funding for family planning care: King County operates 9 family planning service centers that provide
contraception; STD testing; breast and cervical cancer screenings; pregnancy, adoption and abortion counseling; and maternity and prenatal care for the county’s most marginalized women and teens.
Support for school-based health centers: Through a partnership with the City of Seattle and other entities, King County runs 14 school-based and school-linked health centers, which are comprehensive primary care clinics providing medical and mental health screening and treatment for young people.
Comprehensive sexual health education curriculum: King County family planning health educators provide training and resources for teachers on a wide rage of sexual health topics, including sexuality, family planning and birth control. The county also provides a comprehensive sex education curriculum free of charge.
October 29th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Looks like I’m not the only one who believes that there wasn’t anything the unions, politicians or anyone else in WA State could have done to stop Boeing from setting up shop in South Carolina:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundeconomywithjontalton/2010162070_learning_the_right_lessons_fro.html
October 29th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Here’s more on that NUTCASE factor: Hutchison is a former board member of the Discovery Institute, which contests evolution and promotes socalled “intelligent design,” a re-branding of creationism. (Gee, that’s really a popular position in King County! LOL)
Her political giving has been exclusively to anti-choice Republicans, including George W. Bush, Dino Rossi, Mike Huckabee, and Dave Reichert. But no, she’s not a Republican… why, this is a “non-partisan race”. Therefore it doesn’t matter what her political views are, right? (gagging in my beer)
Her campaign manager worked on anti-choice Sen. Sam Brownback’s failed 2008 presidential bid, and then moved on to work for Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign. (Huckabee. The ultra-conservative. Really just like the rest of us in King County. Not.)
Hutchison has received high marks from the Reagan Wing, “an ultra-right faction of the GOP.”
(seattlepi.com, 6/4/2009) I wonder how this ultra-right wing crap actually fits in to the moderate/left leaning voter demographic in King County. Oh wait, we have a solution - we’ll just lie, and lie, and lie… then people will believe we’re pro-choice and that we actually support environmental concerns! Straight out of the Karl Rove playbook. Brilliant!
October 29th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I’m sorry speed, but that article reeks of the same arrogance and ignorance that sent the Sonics packing. Sure maybe it as inevitable that Boeing would leave, but why bash SC left and right? WA lost, SC won, no sense being a child about it. Instead we need to elect some business savvy, forward thinking, and nationally and internationally aware politicians.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I guess I am gonna add my “two cents”…because honestly, I am not getting paid for this, and that is what they are worth.
One, I look amazing on camera. There is no denying it! I should be running for office, because people would fall in love with my beautiful face and do what I SAY!! (Totally joking guys…maybe…seriously, you know me).
And yes people, click on the link, and get those votes in for “7 Beat”…I like winning, it’s fun!
Adam, still plugging Sonicsgate down here in Oly. How many hits we at right now?
Second, I am a Conservative Indepedent (and religious/LDS)….so that means that on Social policy, and some fiscal issues…most of you simply won’t agree with me on anything. Having said all that, I am tired of the liberal do-nothings. Personally, I think the Republicans and the Democrats in this state (and in the nation for that matter) are a flaming pile of horse manure and firmly off-base…but that is just me.
I can’t wait for the day when Seattle citizens Liberal and Right Wing take this City back. Right now the bigger issue, is that we have given our politicians too much power. They are doing enough to keep us away from taking it back, and not enough to enact change, and fulfill their responsibility as public SERVANTS…none of these people actual serve us.
Take Back Seattle. Get those elected officials in place who will roll up their sleeves, get into the communities, LOVE the culture and community that makes this City worth being proud of. Get men and women who lead by example, and are moral and just. Willing not to tolerate and compromise, but to work forward to a brighter future, no matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice! Someday hopefully we all put our pride aside and become the best City in the world on a political level. Serve one another, what more left is there if we can’t do that?
Oh…and GO SUPERSONICS!!! Let’s get em back so we can lay the beatdown on the Blunder. I miss basketball.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
speaking of Sonicsgate…is anything being planned for when Bill Simmons comes to town to do a book signing at Sport Restaurant. One and only time you’d get a captive audience with the guy.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Yeah you’re right Eric about the elitism in that article. But Talton is right about the fact that Boeing is going for a race to the bottom. It’s the bottom line versus excellence in engineering and meeting the market needs. The same excellence that Boeing began with and developed for decades and decades here in the Puget Sound region. The fact is in this region we do have the leading aerospace expertise and experience in the world. This is not really a disputed fact. It does cost more. But you pay for what you get.
The problem with the concept of “elect some business savvy, forward thinking, and nationally and internationally aware politicians” is that there isn’t any amount of taxpayer dollars we could have offered Boeing to keep the 787 here. They were out of here on a purely bottom line calculation, and no tax breaks would have helped enough to stop them from moving. Labor is always the biggest cost in nearly any industry, and the guys in SC make half what we do here. You do the math. This is not a political issue. This is an international corporation deciding that it needs to fill it’s coffers regardless of the implications on the long term excellence of it’s product.
I’m not saying that the unions don’t have some blame in the long-term picture in all this, of course they do. But really none of this is even the point of my post.
My entire point for linking that article was not whether Talton is an elitist, or whether Boeing was right or wrong in their decision, or whether or not we should bash SC, or who was right or wrong between Boeing and the unions. My point was that there wasn’t a gddmn thing that our politicians, the union, or anyone else in this state could have done to stop Boeing from going to SC. This decision was made in Chicago, and months ago. All of the public comments by the Boeing corp about how they were not yet decided were total lies. So Hutchison or her supporters’ attempts to blame Dow or Gregoire for this move are simply wrong. There wasn’t a damn thing Gregoire could have done, even years ago, to have stopped this.
This was between Boeing and the unions. And Boeing made their mind up a very long time ago, when they moved to Chicago, that their business model had changed. They are hard-core anti-union now; we’ll see how that affects the long-term quality of their product, and their long term market share.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I’m going to be there. I will pirate a copy of the DVD for him. But I think he needs to get a copy of the DVD and see if we can’t get him to review it in a column.
and Josh, you do look good on camera. It loves you!
October 29th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Joshua, you did look great in the film! But I didn’t realize that Kevin and y’all had to do a little soul-selling there for Microsoft. I thought it was going to be another indy film short; upon seeing the film my awakening was a bit sudden. Ack!
October 29th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
For the record, I am not affiliated with either of our “beloved” political parties and have considered myself an independent voter since my first election at 18. I’ll just say that the term “centrist” means different things to different people. In Europe for instance, our “liberals” would be nearly, if not right of the “center”. Those labels mean much less today than they did 30 years ago. BIG MONEY goes to both parties, and opinions are manipulated accordingly. Note that King David Stern is a lifelong Dem and the Clay/Aubrey OKC gang are hard core GOPer’s. They certainly had no problem working together for a common cause. The Boeing decision would likely have been the same no matter which party our governor belonged to. Boeing planned their move some time ago, because cheaper labor and even more tax breaks are irresistibly attractive. No one will build airplanes for $14 per hour here. I could give a rats a$$ if our leaders have a D or an R next to their name. I just want our city, county and state to thrive and be the best we can be because this is my home and I love it. And I want SONICS tickets!
October 29th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Speed, I actually love Microsoft…probably another thing we don’t agree on. Another thing that you will find interesting. 5 years ago my dad was at Washington Business Week (the business expo for high school students and what not), he works for State Farm and was talking to a Boeing Exec/Employee “In the Know”(I’ll have to confirm with him who it was) that was attending, and the guy pretty much stated that 5 years from then Boeing would be going through some tremendous changes, and would not look the same as it did when he was making the comments.
I think they had been planning this move for some time.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Joshua - we’re at 37,000 views and counting! you can keep track of this number by clicking the Vimeo link in the lower right corner of the movie, then add the number of plays from the ‘SD Full’ version and the ‘HD Part 1′ version (ignore the ‘HD Part 2′
Speed - nice info up there about KingCo powers. also i’m pretty sure this guy is talking about meeting YOU at the ‘08 NBA Draft at this SLAM Magazine review of Sonicsgate!!! –> http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2009/10/movie-review-sonicsgate/
i have no problem crossing party lines if it means getting rid of Chopp or Licata, but in this race both candidates are friends to SOS, so i just don’t feel it necessary here. remember that Dow actually testified in favor of SB 6116 in Olympia.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:31 am
oh ya Myk and Kevin — we have been in contact with Bill Simmons’ producer Kevin Jackson about setting up a meeting, but nothing definite yet. Bill’s silence has been conspicuous, but maybe he’s just getting his book promo together first. we will corner him at the signing with a DVD worst case scenario for sure!!
has anyone read his book yet? wonder how much mention of the Supes there is.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:36 am
Thanks for the link Adam - ya that was me at the 08 NBA Draft. Cool to know this guy blogs - I’ll have to hook up with him in NYC next visit. I’ll bring Eric along.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:39 am
Joshua, I am pretty deep into Microsoft technology at this point in my life, but I’ve never liked the way they do business. I do of course appreciate the huge benefit of such a company in our area.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:44 am
Joshua, I imagine Boeing has been pissed off about union labor and wanting to make major changes for more than just a few years. I believe this is the primary reason they relocated the HQ to Chicago so many years back. They wanted to isolate the bigwigs from their longstanding family ties with labor here locally, so painful decisions could be made without wifes’ friendships and BBQ picnics getting in the way.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:00 am
“has anyone read his book yet? wonder how much mention of the Supes there is.”
Most of the book is barroom conversation type stuff—ranking the all-time best players (he ranks them from No. 96 down to No. 1; this takes up more than half of the 700-page book), the all-time best single-season teams, the MVPs whom he thinks weren’t really deserving, the players from NBA history he would pick on his ultimate team, etc. A good chunk of it is really just recycled columns (like his last book about the Red Sox); some of it is him just quoting long passages from David Halberstam. The only chapters I really enjoyed were the first three (describing his sit-down with Isiah in Vegas, comparing Wilt vs. Russell, and a brief history of the NBA up to the 1980s). Of course it’s overloaded with shlocky Generation-X pop culture references/analogies, but you probably already knew that. Haven’t read it word-for-word yet, but I haven’t spotted anything about our situation thus far. I think he wrote most of it before things really hit the fan up here (in fact I know he did because, as I said, a lot of it is just recycled columns).
Anyway, I bought the book, but only out of a sense of obligation since he was so supportive during the Sonicsgate nightmare (though I kept the receipt). Otherwise I probably would have just waited to get it out of the library.
I appreciate what Simmons has done for us (and he’s thirty bucks richer for it), but I don’t think we can expect too much more from him in that regard, especially since he’s so in love with Durant. Unless you were directly affected by this, as we were, you probably have moved on at this point.
October 30th, 2009 at 6:37 am
Dow just added Ross Hunter to his advisory team which is a really good thing for SOS. Adam is right that we have friends on both sides of this thing. It is really exciting.
I’m not sitting here telling Speedcat how to vote. I just tell you all what I am feeling at any given moment. Extreme frustration with the establishment combined with awe at how hard hutchinsons come out in support. Her commentary has forced Dow to step up his. Having someone willing to do that is huge.
Hoping for lunch with Bill Simmons when he is here.
October 30th, 2009 at 9:03 am
I wish I could have lunch with Bill Simmons! A beer too. He’s just a fantastic writer, and I haven’t even read his latest yet. His article on the tragic history of the Braves/Clippers was simply awesome.
October 30th, 2009 at 9:09 am
“The problem with the concept of “elect some business savvy, forward thinking, and nationally and internationally aware politicians” is that there isn’t any amount of taxpayer dollars we could have offered Boeing to keep the 787 here. They were out of here on a purely bottom line calculation, and no tax breaks would have helped enough to stop them from moving. ”
What you’re leaving out is … Boeing has been asking for transportation infrastructure improvement for ages. The region put them through the wringer when they built the building in Longacres and at that time the company swore they’d never build anything else here.
Local ennui, union stupidity and moronic over-regulation drove them away.
All I hear out of this debacle is the same pitiful whining out of Detroit….here’s a hard fact: building cars and airplanes is not a $50,000+ a year job in the 21st century. Evolve or die.
October 30th, 2009 at 9:26 am
As great as Simmons has been……..he is going to be a Thunder fan sooner than later. He likes Durant more than I do.
October 30th, 2009 at 9:30 am
The reality is that it is expensive to do business in this area. There is a reason why tech companies are starting up in places like Boise, ID vs Seattle. Its a shame, but its really no shocker that companies would be looking to move from a financial standpoint.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Yes - Xteve it is also true that we’ve lost critical shipping business due to transportation clusterfks stopping heavy rail service. So yes, politicians like Gregoire have some blame in that. But in the Boeing case there is a balance to be struck as well; there’s only so much corporate welfare that really makes sense. We can’t afford to give Boeing everything they’ve asked for over the years; it just wouldn’t make fiscal sense. I think we probably should have done more on the transpo issue though.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Building cars and airplanes is not a 50k a year job? What is pray tell? I guess everybody is in a hurry to usher out the middle class these days, or wishing they’d just die.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Hey Adam,
I just got the book today, have yet to read it since I’m at work… but I’ll let you know.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
“building cars and airplanes is not a $50,000+ a year job in the 21st century. Evolve or die.”
Whoa
Xteve generally I agree with you but you sound like you don’t know anything about manufacturing
I would not consider airplane assembly unskilled labor . The stresses an airframe takes are pretty high. Passenger safety depends on that not failing. I don’t want some neophyte building those planes. The SC plant Boeing wants to expand has a multitude of problems.
Besides with the amount of overtime that Boeing requires from its workers it’s fairly easy to make $50k+ a year.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I never said or implied that it’s unskilled labor. The simple fact is that in the 21st century a company can pay someone in Washington State $48 an hour to do that job or they can pay someone in India $5 an hour to do it. Or they can pay a robot $0 an hour to do it and do it perfectly every time. Is it fair to a worker? No. When was business ever about fairness? It’s simple competition.
100 years ago we could have this same conversation about guys getting paid to shovel coal into a steam train to make it go getting laid off or replaced.
Ultimately what we all have to figure out is what makes this region unique among anywhere else in the world as far as incentives or advantages it can offer a business, and how do you sell that to prospective companies looking to move here? One way to start would be to first change the elitist perception that there’s something intrinsically so cool about Seattle that it’s worth having to deal with the do-nothing politicos, the rotten weather and the overloaded transportation system. Because that’s not going to be enough. I don’t know what that answer is … but they better figure it out soon.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
And 50K was a bad number to use as far as making my point. I should have just stated it in costs per hour.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Ultimately what we all have to figure out is what makes this region unique among anywhere else in the world as far as incentives or advantages it can offer a business, and how do you sell that to prospective companies looking to move here?
- Well, what makes any Region unique? I guess the question starts to be asked is if in America that always having the cheapest labor leads to the more efficient product. Granted, there is definitely some bloat in the workers contracts due to all the union disputes. But, we’re basically at a point where companies are just shopping around looking for the cheapest (i.e. poorest) locations to set up their shops.
Seems like that sort of leaves our Region out in the cold and will create an even more broad gap in the country between the lower class (manufactuers, which will end up being a quasi-transient community) and the upper class.
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Hey Brian!
I wrote a little bit about your endorsements for tomorrow election. Just helping spread our the word for Seattle sports fans.
http://seattlecitysports.blogspot.com/
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Hey Gang I’ve been gone for a while & just wanted to throw down some props to the green & gold faithful & the SC crew for creating, on this particular thread, something I thought had gone extinct: an incredibly balanced, detailed, and REASONABLE political dialogue.