Michael Pellegrini's Blog and Rants and Stuff

It never fails to amaze me how politicians can manipulate the truth. But George Nethercutt stands out way above the rest.

This is a man who ran a campaign to unseat Tom Foley based on one single premise: that Foley was a Washington DC insider. Nethercutt‘s platform was that people who were elected to multiple terms in office always ended up tainted, and that the only way to correct this problem that was by installing term limits.

Nethercutt told us he would be a fresh face on the scene, a person not tainted by previous political experience. He’d do his two terms and then leave.

Well, oops…

By golly it didn’t quite end up that way. Why?

Because when old George had finished his second term, he told us, “Well, I changed my mind. Maybe it’s okay to serve more than two terms. Or I at least it’s okay for me!” And good old George ran again.

He didn’t do all of this for himself, mind you. He was very unselfish. He ran for his third term because it was the best thing to do for the really neat people in Spokane that he so wonderfully represents. It was all strictly for good of the people.

Well golly gee folks.

George Nethercutt Is A Lying Sack of [expletive deleted].

And now we have him in a race with Patty Murray, and there’s the Osama bin Laden commercial. We see Patty Murray (taken out of context) saying how the Muslim people like bin Laden because he does good things for them, like building schools and so on.

And because Murray says this, the Nethercutt add suggests very strongly that Murray likes bin laden and is a traitor, on and on and on…

George Nethercutt Is A Lying Sack of [expletive deleted].

What Murray said is absolutely true – bin Laden is viewed as a hero to much of the Muslim world. But her remarks were taken completely out of context and to use that and try to make it look like Murray is a friend of bin Laden and soft on terrorism is very much a lie – Nethercutt is trading on peoples fears of terrorism and 911to make Murray look bad – and this should be actionable in court.

If I were Murray, I’d be filing a lawsuit against Nethercutt right now. Sounds like libel to me. I’d be asking for big damages.

This whole thing is like having a tape of someone talking about pre-Second World War Germany, where they’re saying how Hitler was loved by the German people, because he reunited their country in the wake of WW I and brought them of the depression (which was true), and then, turning that around and calling the person a Nazi.

It’s asinine. Completely and unequivocally.

George Nethercutt Is A Lying Sack of [expletive deleted].

How anyone could ever think of voting for a man who would stoop that low is beyond me.

He ought to be barred from running for public office for the rest of his miserable life.

Washington state voters are getting ready to go the polls over an issue they’ve voted down twice in recent years: the issue of charter schools.

The legislature, in their infinite wisdom – and entirely against the will of the people – voted in a bill last session that would authorize charter schools (ESSHB 2295).

Alarmed at this sneaky circumvention, charter school foes circulated petitions collecting over 150,000 signatures and were able to get Initiative 55 certified and on the ballot. Now Washington voters have what will hopefully be the final time to reject charter schools.

So why are charter schools bad?

Because basically, they don’t work. Recent studies by the US Department of Education found charter school students lagging in reading and math scores.

Another example is that in 1999-2000, 80% of the children in Texas public schools passed the Texas academic achievement tests while only 37% of charter school students passed the same test. In a 2002 study by the Texas Education Agency, it also found the dropout rate for charter schools was significantly higher – 17.7% compared to 6.2% for all other public schools.

Then in another study recently released by Duke University, they found that students in North Carolina’s charter schools would have been better off if they had stayed in their traditional public school. http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/news/charter_0804.html

There’s been a lot of speculation over the causes of the charter school’s poor performance.

Many attribute the lower test scores to the fact that charter schools operate with less oversight and supervision than traditional public schools – they’re not held accountable like public schools. And then financial problems and mismanagement have been big issues for charter schools and may well have probably played a part in the poor performance.

As far as I’m concerned, that’s more than enough evidence to turn me off from charter schools.

But even so, there are several other provisions in the proposed Washington law that give me different, more pressing problems.

The first is that from the way the proposed law is set up, it strongly appears that the hidden agenda for charter schools is to circumvent unions.

One provision makes it illegal for a charter school bargaining unit to be part of a local school district bargaining unit for five years – even if the employees were to vote unanimously in favor of that representation.

Another provision states that in “conversion” charter schools – a former public school that is proposed to be converted to a charter school – the new charter school board may request “variances” from the old school district collective bargaining agreement to address “needs that are specific to the charter school.”

Combine that with the fact that there’s a provision that would allow the charter schools to use non-certificated teachers – as long as they’re generally supervised by a certificated person.

So what’s this all add up to?

I don’t know about you, but this tells me that the plan is for schools that use lower-paid, non-union, and quite possibly unqualified teachers – probably as a means to cut costs and “more effectively use your tax dollars.” I find this very disturbing.

It’s hard enough to find qualified teachers right now – the starting salary in Washington state for teachers fresh out of college is only a little over $30,000 a year. Spend that same four years in college studying for a computer science degree, and your average starting pay jumps up to $49,000. Or for a chemical engineering degree, $52,000. Or accounting $42,000 a year. Or for another example, with nursing it jumps to $38,000 a year.

Teacher’s pay is already at the bottom.

If you cut their pay more – which would almost certainly happen as a result of limiting the charter teachers bargaining rights – then the situation would become almost impossible.

What kind of “cut-rate” teachers would work for less money than they’re already getting? Perhaps the charters figure to hire illegal aliens as aides, janitors and secretaries to save even more dollars? Hey, it works for Wal-Mart. Maybe they’ll trim a few dollars out of the school lunch budgets, too?

It’s no wonder the test scores are down!

Clearly, charter schools are a very bad idea.

Our children are our future. Let’s not cut corners on their education.

I hope everyone votes to reject referendum 55.

A Puppet Government In Iraq Equals Disaster for the US

"The will of the people... is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object." --Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Waring, 1801. ME 10:236 A few weeks ago, President Bush put the interim Iraqi Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi, on public display. Allawi, for his part, in essence told us everything was just great in Iraq. Everything is under control; Iraq is returning to normal, he said. Well isn’t that simply wonderful? And just in time for the US presidential election, too. Not that the timing is more than providential, but what really amazes me is that some people are actually buying into the fiction of an independent “Iraqi Government.” Because that’s nonsense – what we have now in Iraq is a puppet government, pure and simple, completely controlled by the US. Nothing more, nothing less. As such, it’s extremely unlikely that things are even remotely “just great” and returning to normal in Iraq. Because puppet governments don’t work. They didn’t work, for example, in Vietnam, and they won’t work in Iraq. Why not? Let’s look at some facts: In Iraq, Shi’a Muslims comprise over 65% of the population; Sunni Muslims about 37%. Christians constitute a much smaller minority. Through the Ba’ath Party, Sunni Muslims have ruthlessly controlled Iraq, subjugating the Shi’a as well as all the other religious minorities since 1963. Much of that time, the Ba’ath Party worked hand in hand with the CIA, including during most of Saddam’s reign – Saddam really didn’t fall from grace with the CIA or the US generally, until after he invaded Kuwait in 1990. That, of course, precipitated the First Gulf War. Then came the current war. I won’t go into a discussion of the present war in Iraq. Let me say only that there was no just cause for invading Iraq. There are no weapons of mass destruction; no ties between Saddam and al Qaeda; there was no reason at all for going to war. None. Saddam Hussein was certainly a despicable, evil, tyrant, but he really wasn’t in a position to harm anyone outside Iraq. Since the start of this un-just war, the US has been careful to showcase the pretense of coalition building; and more recently, careful to not ostensibly ignore the Shi’a Muslims in forming the new interim Iraqi government. But the appointment of Allawi as Prime Minister is nothing more than a sham contrived as an attempt to placate the Shi’a. Because Allawi is clearly our man, bought and paid for.

I think it’s interesting to hear the cries of anguish by the Republicans over Christine Gregoire’s probable demand for a hand recount in the Washington state Governor’s race.

To hear the Republicans tell it, the whole state will come crashing down in an apocalyptic doom if Christine Gregoire goes ahead and asks for the hand recount.

Of course, if it was Dino Rossi that was 42 votes behind, the Republicans would never ask for a recount… Certainly not! Much too divisive!

Me, I’m not real crazy about either candidate.

Rossi’s one slick Italian SOB, who maybe plays a little fast and loose with the truth (hey: anyone remember our last Italian Governor? Al Rosellini? His big success was bringing corruption right out into the open where everyone could participate. Now thatsa Italian!).

Gregoire on the other hand, is a cold, faceless, bureaucrat who tried to reinvent herself as a human being, apparently without much success.

I don’t really have a feel for the politics of either one. There probably isn’t an awful lot of difference.

I voted for Gregoire simply because she’s a D.

Either way, I think the hand recount should go forward.

We deserve to conclusively know who won the election – not who probably won it.

Washington Governor’s Race

So now the King County ballots are in, and it’s Christine Gregoire by 10 votes? What a deal! Tomorrow, when King County includes the hundreds of disputed ballots – as they are allowed under today’s state Supreme Court decision – that lead may grow wider. So maybe it’s finally over… I guess Chris Vance can safely commit suicide now, or whatever it is he needs to do. He does need to do something. Over the past week or so, it’s become increasingly apparent that Vance and his Republican buddies have no interest at all in determining the real will of the people, and I find that truly appalling. The Republican’s bid to exclude ballots from King County that were mishandled by election workers has shown their true colors – their whole objective was to exclude the predominately Democrat ballots, thus unfairly stealing the election, though legalistic machinations. It’s clear that Vance’s only interest is in winning the election, no matter the cost – and no matter what the actual outcome of the vote was. I call bullshit. The true will of the people is the only thing that matters. Any and every ballot that was legitimately cast in the election must be counted. If ballots were mislaid or mishandled by election workers, and not counted initially – through no fault of the voter – then the ballot must still be counted now. The voter must not be disenfranchised for misconduct on the part of election officials. All legitimate votes must be counted. To do otherwise would be a travesty and make a mockery of our elections process. In the weeks since the election, the only issue of the recounts has been to determine the true outcome of the vote – the true will of the people. And now, that will has now been determined. Dino Rossi should have the grace to concede defeat. And if Chris Vance doesn’t have the balls to commit suicide, then he ought to at least move to Alaska or Florida or somewhere – some place no one knows him (Florida would be particularly appropriate). Chris Vance has made such a tremendous horse’s ass of himself through all of this – I can’t imagine how he could ever show his face in public around here again… What a disgrace!

Washington Governor’s Race

So Dino Rossi wants a new election? Give me a break! This guy has obviously been spending way too much time with Chris Vance (who is a world-class moron). Take note, Dino: There is no legitimate basis whatsoever for a new election. None, zero, zip. The election is over, and you lost! And that is all she wrote. It’s hard to imagine how the Republicans think they could justify a new election. Perhaps they’ve been smoking something? Stop the madness, Dino, and concede the election now!

Washington State Governor’s Race

The Saga Continues

In an election fraught with problems and strife, now new charges of impropriety have come to light.

The dead have spoken, seemingly, and their clear choice for governor is Christine Gregoire.

According to the King County elections manager, as many as 22 dead people voted in the election last November. These cases are under investigation and criminal charges may be filed in at least three of the instances.

That tidbit, problems with provisional ballots and also the fact that King County may have had several thousand more votes than actual registered voters all has the state Republicans throwing a hissy fit.

Chris Vance, state Republican Party Chair, and his cronies are now slinging thinly veiled charges of voter fraud and demanding a new election as a remedy. They also appear to be on the verge of filing lawsuits with the goal of invalidating the results of the election.

In that election, much to the Republican’s chagrin, Christine Gregoire won by 129 votes.

Unfortunately, when reconciling the votes last week, King County initially had as many as 3,500 more votes cast than there are actual registered voters. As of today, the un-reconciled number was reportedly down to around 1,200 votes.

King County officials have stated that a total of 1,200 un-reconciled ballots would be in-line with the results of previous elections and is nothing that would form the basis for a court to order a new election. While this may be true, apparently the votes from dead people may be more problematic.

The whole thing is a rather sticky wicket.

Personally, I believe we ought to settle for nothing less than 100% accuracy in our elections. In this day and age, nothing less is acceptable.

How would it play if your bank screwed up your account, and then told you, “Well, it’s 95% accurate! So we lost a couple deposits? What do you want? Perfection?” Or maybe if your employer only paid you for most of the hours you worked? I don’t think either of those situations would fly.

Elections should be no different. Anything less than 100% accuracy is intolerable.

Even so, I strongly believe that these current problems should not invalidate the recent Governor’s election.

If the Republicans truly want a replay of the Governor’s race election, that’s great, but we shouldn’t stop there. To be fair, each election in the state needs to be re-examined and in every instance where the un-reconciled amount of ballots is enough to sway the outcome of that contest, then those elections need to be redone as well.

It should be all or nothing. Either we accept the results of the Governor’s race, or we re-examine them all – replay the entire state election.

All races are equally important. That is the only fair and proper way to do this.

But like I said, I still do not believe that a revote is appropriate at this time.

Sam Reed, the Secretary of State – a Republican – has a much better idea, which centers around prospective reforms in the election process. This is the way we should go.

By harping about a revote, Dino Rossi and Chris Vance have damaged their credibility beyond repair. Through the course of this whole ugly saga, what’s become readily apparent is that the GOP truly cares very little about the wishes of the voters, much less determining the will of the people. What they care about is winning the Governorship – at whatever cost.

The whole thing is sour grapes, period.

And the sooner they admit that and move on, the better off the whole state will be.

Washington Governor’s Race

At right, Dino Rossi, at Today's Press Conference

Dino Rossi continues to plunge boldly ahead, working towards his dream of becoming Governor of Washington state. Too bad it’s all just in his mind. Although they won’t admit it, Republicans lost bigtime when Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges, ruled that he had no power to order a revote. The ruling means that if Bridges does eventually set aside the election, his possible options could then include either declaring the office vacant – which would mean Lt. Gov. Brad Owen could take over as interim Governor – or, Bridges could declare Rossi governor. Those options are, however, a long shot, and the Republicans know it. The standard of proof in getting the election results tossed out is very high. It’s unlikely that the Republicans have enough evidence to sway the judge. At a news conference today, Rossi downplayed the ruling, saying that if the Judge vacated the election results and appointed him Governor, he would not take the office, but would instead ask the legislature to call a special election.

Bush and an advisor in a stratgey session.

Looks like we’ll soon be headed into Iran.

The hysteria about possible nukes in the hands of the Iranians has been building and building in the past few weeks.

The Bush administration has been making a much more subtle case than they did with Iraq – drawing the “bad” news out slowly, trying to shape public opinion, making it so the public can only make one conclusion: that Iran has nuclear weapons and it’s the United States’ job to go in there and disarm them – to save the world from the Iranian menace.

Bush, a true schizophrenic, in one breath termed the idea of invading Iraq “ridiculous,” and then flatly stated the US was “keeping all options open.”

Talk about mixed messages.

One small problem with all this: can you say WMD? In the words of President Ronald Reagan, “There they go again!”

Terri Schiavo Should Be Allowed To Die

Bush the Savior

There you are, and the worst happens: your wife dies after a sudden heart attack.

Somehow, you get through the surreal nightmare of the funeral and all the rest, and begin the grieving process.

Several years down the road, if you’re lucky, your life has more or less returned to normal.

But not for Michael Schiavo. For him, the nightmare has continued for all of the last fifteen years.

As a side-effect of bulimia in February 1990, Terri Schiavo suffered a heart attack and sustained severe non-reversible brain damage as a result of prolonged oxygen deprivation during resuscitation.

The doctor’s diagnosis was that she was in a persistent vegetative state, with no hope of rehabilitation. She had almost no cerebral cortex left – it’s just gone, apparently as a result of the heart attack and oxygen deprivation. She could not feed herself; she had to wear diapers. She was, for all intents and purposes, “brain dead.” She had no cognitive abilities left; she was not self-aware.

Michael Schiavo disregarded the doctor’s advice and retained some hope she could get better. Against all odds, for the next eight years, different rehabilitation therapies were tried – but all to no avail.

So then after eight long years of torture, finally convinced his wife was truly not coming back, Michael Schiavo reluctantly petitioned the court to have her feeding tube taken out – allowing Terri to finish the process of dying.

But Terri’s parents opposed this in court, and she was kept alive, against the wishes of her husband.

And the un-ending nightmare for Michael Schiavo continues.

Terri remains today in the persistent vegetative state she entered fifteen years ago, with no improvements at all. Nothing has changed from 1990. The doctors all agree that barring divine intervention, there is no hope whatsoever for any recovery.

But her parents, the Schindlers, persist in their mindless quest to keep her body alive.

This is so sad.

I really and truly feel sorry for the Schindlers. I can understand the pain they are suffering; no parent wants to see their child die. It’s inconceivable a child should predecease a parent.