For those of you looking for a snapshot of what the shape of things to come might be like with the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives all controlled for far left wing ideologues, the WSJ Opinion page has some hints:

- Medicare for all: The commitments would start slow, so as not to cause immediate alarm.
But as U.S. health-care spending flowed into the default government
options, taxes would have to rise or services would be rationed, or
both. Single payer is the inevitable next step, as Mr. Obama has
already said is his ultimate ideal.

- The business climate: The financial industry will get an overhaul in any case, but telecom,
biotech and drug makers, among many others, can expect to be
investigated and face new, more onerous rules.

- Union supremacy:  The “Employee Free Choice Act” would convert workplaces into union
shops merely by gathering signatures from a majority of employees,
which means organizers could strongarm those who opposed such a
petition.

The bill also imposes a compulsory arbitration regime that results
in an automatic two-year union “contract” after 130 days of failed
negotiation. The point is to force businesses to recognize a union
whether the workers support it or not. This would be the biggest
pro-union shift in the balance of labor-management power since the
Wagner Act of 1935.

- Taxes: Taxes will rise substantially, the only question being how high.

- The green revolution:  Huge chunks of GDP and millions of jobs would be at the mercy of Congress and a vast new global-warming bureaucracy.

- Free speech and voting rights:  One early effort would be national, election-day voter registration.
This is a long-time goal of Acorn and others on the “community
organizer” left and would make it far easier to stack the voter rolls.
The District of Columbia would also get votes in Congress –
Democratic, naturally.

Felons may also get the right to vote nationwide, while the Fairness
Doctrine is likely to be reimposed either by Congress or the Obama FCC.
A major goal of the supermajority left would be to shut down talk radio
and other voices of political opposition.

These are just the highlights, you need to read the whole thing for yourself.

Tags: Obama, Socialism, Unions

We are happy to announce the Official American Empire Election Recommondations for residents of Frederickson, Washington (note: Fredericksonians in not the official term, but is sounds much better than Fredericksonites or Fredericksoninnis).

To make it easier for those playing at home, we will take this in order of presentation in the Voters Pamplet.

Initiative 985:  YES

I am convinced this initiative will be a positive step towards reducing traffic congestion.

Initiative 1000:  Yes

The key word in the ballot title says it all for me: Competent. If someone is mentally competent, I have no real ethical or moral grounds to force them to suffer.  I am more than happy to discuss this issue in more depth, and may do so in the future either way.

Initiative 1029: Yes

This in counter intuitive for me, as I typically run against more regulation and government interference in our lives.  However, it is obvious to me, as someone on the downslope of the average life expectancy chart, and due to past issues with family members, that elder care in this nation is far below what most of us should consider a reasonable standard.

US President/Vice President:  McCain/Palin

Once again, I find that I have to vote for President with my nose plugs in.

I am not voting for McCain so much as I am voting against Senator Obama.

I have stated before, and stand by, my position that, while I have tremendous respect for McCain’s service to this nation, that alone does not qualify him to be President.  I have serious reservations about many of his stands.  However, in all reality, it is doubtful that any but the most liberal of Republican candidates (and NO conservative) would have had a chance in this years election.

And, I think it’s important to note that my opposition to Senator Obama is not a knee-jerk anti-Democrat reaction.  It is a reaction to his far left background, activities, and associations.  He was the only credible candidate from the Democrat primaries that made Hillary Clinton look moderate, and that takes some work.

In the end though, what it comes down to for me, at the core, is two issues:

1) Judicial Nominees.  This is exacerbated by:

2) Far left leadership in the House and Senate.

So what we are facing, if Obama wins, is a far left President, Senate President, and Speaker of the House.  Even if Obama wanted to move to and govern more toward the center, he would be inexorably pulled to the far left by the legislative leadership.  This means more far left judges, who serve for life, with no recourse short of impeachment to remove them when the fail to adhear to the constitution, and legislate from the bench.

US Congress, District 8:  Dave Reichert

Once again, with my nose plugs on.  Congressman Reichert has been far too careful to walk a thin political line, with a slight rightward lean.  I understand the the 8th district includes Bellevue and some other heavy Democrat infestations, and that no candidate could be a solid conservative, and still carry the district.  But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

And Darcy Burner is still a joke.  Is she seriously the best the Left could come up with?

Governer:  Dino Rossi

He won before (until {as some suggest} King County decided to keep “discovering” votes, to see if they could really steal an election and get away with it – yes they could being the answer), and after four years of the Queens lackluster-bordering-on-MIA management, its time to Re-Elect Rossi.  Hopefully, this time by a margin too big for King County to explain away their election conduct incompetence.

Lt. Governor:  Marcia McCraw

Brad Owen has done a decent job as Lt. Governor, and I would be voting for him again, except that he has been in this office since 1996.  I think 12 years in a single office is more than enough.  He should run for Governor, or some other office, or go back to the private sector for awhile, to get back in touch with the world outside of Olympia.  And yes, I probably would vote for him for Governor, or US Senate, unless he took a turn to the far left.

Washington Secretary of State: Jason Osgood

I think Osgood has a strong background for this job, and the technological challenges facing it right now.  And Sam Reed has done absolutely nothing to impress upon me that he is taking his job of cleaning up the voter roles, and election integrity, as seriously as I would like, and we all deserve.

State Treasurer:  Allan Martin

Far more balanced background thant his competitor.

State Auditor:  Dick McEntee

While Sontag has done a decent job, like Sam Reed, I don’t think he has been as proactive as the job calls for.

Attorney General:  Rob McKenna

Back to holding my nose.  If I hadn’t suffered through John Ladenburg’s tenure as Pierce County Executive, I probably would have voted for him.

Public Lands Commissioner:  Doug Sutherland

Sutherland has done a good job, and his a solid background for the job.  Goldmark’s resume is not as solid, and endorsements from Senators Murray and Cantwell are big negatives.

Superintendent of Public Instruction:  Randy Dorn

While Bergeson has not been an unmitigated disaster, she has not turnd around our schools.  Time for some new blood, and a fresh view on reforming our educational system.

Insurance Commissioner:  John Adams

Come on, he’s named after one of the Founding Fathers!  But seriously, I just don’t see any solid improvement coming from the incumbent.  Adams has a ton of industry experience.

Legislative District 2/State Senator:  Randi Becker

Marilyn Rasmussen has simply been in office too long.  Becker is a novice in Politics, but has a solid history as a productive citizen and knows the challenges facing regular people in Pierce County today.

Legislative District 2/State Representative Position 1:  Jim McCune

Jim’s done a good job representing the district, but this will be the last time I vote for him, becuase I have a serious issue with elected officials “camping” in an office.  Christenson simply did not persuade me that she could do a better job, but I hope she runs again next time.

Legislatve District 2/State Representative Position 2:  Undecided

While Tom Campbell has done some good in this position, he has been in this position far too long.  He should have run for State Senate.

Micheal Powell has a very impressive background, considering the heavy military and asian makeup of his constituency.  I like a lot of what he has to say.  Really, the one thing that really worries me, is the fact the he was an Obama Delegate to the DNC convention.  If I didn’t know that, it would have been a slam dunk for Powell.

So, on this one office, I will do some more reseach, and get back to you.

UPDATE:

From Micheal Powell’s website:

Michael has received the sole endorsement of the 2nd Legislative District Democrats. He has also received the personal endorsements of State Representative Dave Upthegrove of the 33rd Legislative District, and State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles of the 36th Legislative District.

That’s a deal breaker for me.  The Jeanne Kohl-Welles endorsement, I mean.  She is, without a doubt, one of the furthest of the leftists in the state legislature.  The Obama Delegate thing makes a lot more sense in that light.

So now it’s either vote for Campbell, or write in None Of The Above…

Tags: Election