Liberals all too often get in their own way

Wed, Oct 31, 2007, 6:19 am // Tip Johnson

I prefer to "label" myself radical, as compared with liberal. I struck upon the notion lobbying in Washington, D.C.

There, I painfully learned that liberals don't understand the basics of business: customer service, or in the vernacular, constituency services.

In Democratic offices I often felt my presence an annoyance to their busy schedule - whether or not I had an appointment. In Republican offices, I was usually welcomed with an offer of coffee, a place to sit down and the assurance that I would be seen as soon as possible - even when they already knew me!.

I wished that my likely allies would operate with more open minds than my presumed foes. I've seen the same, with less intensity, at the local level. Once only Doug Erickson bothered to reply to a request - and then followed up with actual help. I was shocked. He made an effort because the project made sense, locally and globally, regardless of ideology. Liberals all too often get in their own way.

This campaign season set a new low for quality of dialog. I wonder if the issues would have been better with a conservative in the race. It's too bad when a liberal paints another as a conservative or worse. It's worst when they stoop to innuendo, rumor or falsehoods. Having two reasonably like-minded candidates should afford a rare opportunity to take the adventure of ideas to another level - to steer the darn ship! They ought to be out there advancing their ideas.

I've chosen Pike because he comported his campaign in dignity, has demonstrated a sound understanding of the issues I feel are most important to our city's future, and because I have always seen him treat others' ideas with respect. And that's the best I can hope for mine.

Perhaps that's why the Building Industry Association supported Pike even after he declined their endorsement. It's all about respect.

Comments (0) To add a comment, click here to login or register.

Liberals all too often get in their own way

Wed, Oct 31, 2007, 6:19 am // Tip Johnson

I prefer to "label" myself radical, as compared with liberal. I struck upon the notion lobbying in Washington, D.C.

There, I painfully learned that liberals don't understand the basics…

0 comments

Low voter turnout?

Wed, Oct 31, 2007, 5:00 am // John Servais

With such heated campaigns is it possible we could have less than a 50% voter turnout? Well, at the rate of ballot returns as of Tuesday, we are…

0 comments

Ballots with incorrect bar codes

Mon, Oct 29, 2007, 7:34 pm // John Servais

Who is Royce Buckingham - and why does he think he needs to prevent democratic processes from taking place? This guy - a lawyer in the Prosecuting Attorney's…

0 comments

Forcing Elections Supervisor to protect voter identity

Sat, Oct 27, 2007, 6:20 pm // John Servais

Is the Herald in denial? Nothing in Friday's or today's Herald on the screwup of ballots by the Whatcom County Auditor. For a few hours Friday their website…

0 comments

Olympia urges Auditor to rethink counting process

Sat, Oct 27, 2007, 3:03 am // John Servais

Marian Beddill has posted a good technical description of what happened with our ballots. She uses this serious incident to explain why computerized voting has serious problems.

9 pm…

0 comments

Servais hasn’t endorsed Stan Snapp

Thu, Oct 25, 2007, 5:09 pm // Tip Johnson

V - Stan Snapp - Don't ask me why Servais hasn't endorsed Stan Snapp. Here's a guy that has worked his way up and tirelessly served his community,…

0 comments

My Vote; Bellingham Weekly

Wed, Oct 24, 2007, 5:13 pm // John Servais

Louise Bjornson got my vote. Yep, ballot is mailed. And I found myself at the moment of truth thinking that, you know, we will get at least three…

0 comments

I have issues

Sun, Oct 21, 2007, 5:18 pm // Tip Johnson

Personalities, not issues have dominated this election cycle. It's not that there are no issues to discuss. It's just that our democracy has apparently developed lazy habits. The…

0 comments

Today he announced.

Sat, Oct 20, 2007, 5:48 pm // John Servais

Seth Fleetwood has endorsed Dan Pike for Mayor of Bellingham. We have all been wondering if and who Seth would endorse. He also ran for mayor and had…

0 comments

Mayoral candidate forum

Thu, Oct 18, 2007, 5:49 pm // John Servais

Podcasts from the Oct 16 forum have been posted up at the KGMI website. As I reference in yesterday's post, listening to the mayoral candidates is very worthwhile.…

0 comments

Candidates and candidon’ts

Wed, Oct 17, 2007, 9:40 pm // John Servais

Podcasts of last night's forum will be posted online by KGMI about noon tomorrow. I will post links here when they go up. Meanwhile, you might check Sam…

0 comments

Candidate forum this evening

Tue, Oct 16, 2007, 6:04 pm // John Servais

Candidate forum this evening at the Courthouse. In the county council chambers - a great place with good seats, good sound system and easy to see all the…

0 comments

Agendums, City Council and personal

Tue, Oct 16, 2007, 1:00 am // John Servais

Well, it turns out the several days delay in posting the city council agenda was really an inadvertent side affect from a vacation by a city hall staff…

0 comments

Neighborhood planning process

Sun, Oct 14, 2007, 6:24 pm // John Servais

John Watts has posted thousands of words the past couple days about the neighborhood planning processes. I disagree with his analysis based on my four years of intense…

0 comments

My candidate preferences or endorsements

Sat, Oct 13, 2007, 6:30 pm // John Servais

For what they are worth, or not worth, today I am posting my preferences or endorsements for candidates. I describe myself as a progressive and those who know…

0 comments

Lois Garlick

Fri, Oct 12, 2007, 6:32 pm // John Servais

Lois Garlick has a 4-minute video on YouTube that is worth every voter watching. Please spread the word. I am strongly backing Lois for Whatcom County Executive. Many…

0 comments

A few observations on the city candidates

Thu, Oct 11, 2007, 2:30 am // John Servais

Basic-needs candidate forum this evening at the Cruise Terminal drew a standing-room-only crowd. I got down there late hoping they had attracted more than 10 people. Well, there…

0 comments

Joint city-county Lake Whatcom arrangement

Tue, Oct 09, 2007, 6:50 pm // John Servais

After years of no action and two weeks before ballots are mailed, our old do-nothing elective powers announce a dramatic decision to form a joint city-county arrangement to…

0 comments

Joint City-County Lake Whatcom Advisory Committee

Tue, Oct 09, 2007, 6:45 pm // Tip Johnson

Starting in the mid-eighties, when I was on the City Council, I sat on the original Joint City-County Lake Whatcom Advisory Committee, comprised of elected officials from both…

0 comments

Town Hall meeting with Governor Gregoire

Mon, Oct 08, 2007, 6:54 pm // John Servais

The well-rehearsed Town Hall meeting with Governor Christine Gregoire will take place this evening. Rehearsed, you ask? Oh yes. Democrats in power take no more chance with real…

0 comments

Neighborhoods and the dysfunctional Bellingham planning process

Sun, Oct 07, 2007, 6:57 pm // John Servais

Neighborhood organizations and the dysfunctional Bellingham planning process has finally made the Herald. It has been a year in the making - and the roots are in the…

0 comments

Park announcement overturns my vote for Dan McShane

Fri, Oct 05, 2007, 9:36 pm // John Servais

John Watts has posted a good response on his HamsterTalk to Mitch Friedman's guest opinion piece in yesterday's Whatcom Independent. Since Mitch had a kind word for John…

0 comments

Full firehouse for the candidate forum

Thu, Oct 04, 2007, 9:45 pm // John Servais

Full firehouse for the candidate forum this evening in Fairhaven. Some candidates are starting to ask trap-and-poison questions while some others are showing a fine respect for each…

0 comments

Candidate forum on Btv10

Wed, Oct 03, 2007, 9:51 pm // John Servais

The candidate forum this evening was a good one. It will be much better on Btv10 as it is rebroadcast many times this month. For the live audience,…

0 comments

Are all qualifying Herald letters printed?

Mon, Oct 01, 2007, 9:57 pm // John Servais

Letters not printed in the Herald that seem to meet their criteria has been an issue for years. Now, answers are coming to light explaining why some letters…

Bellingham Herald
Bham Herald Politics Blog
Bham Politics & Economics
Bhm Biz Journal
Cascadia Weekly
Ferndale Record
Friends of Whatcom
Get Whatcom Planning
KGMI
Latte Republic
League of Women Voters
Lynden Tribune
MikeatthePort
Northern Light
Sweeney Politics
Twilight Zoning
Western Front - WWU
Whatcom Watch

Choose 1 to 3 criteria for targeted search.

Articles By Date :: 10/2007

Recent Articles

Links

Liberals all too often get in their own way

Wed, Oct 31, 2007, 6:19 am // Tip Johnson

Wed, Oct 31, 2007, 6:19 am // Tip Johnson

0 comments

Wed, Oct 31, 2007, 5:00 am // John Servais

0 comments

Mon, Oct 29, 2007, 7:34 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Sat, Oct 27, 2007, 6:20 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Sat, Oct 27, 2007, 3:03 am // John Servais

0 comments

Thu, Oct 25, 2007, 5:09 pm // Tip Johnson

0 comments

Wed, Oct 24, 2007, 5:13 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Sun, Oct 21, 2007, 5:18 pm // Tip Johnson

0 comments

Sat, Oct 20, 2007, 5:48 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Thu, Oct 18, 2007, 5:49 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Wed, Oct 17, 2007, 9:40 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Tue, Oct 16, 2007, 6:04 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Tue, Oct 16, 2007, 1:00 am // John Servais

0 comments

Sun, Oct 14, 2007, 6:24 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Sat, Oct 13, 2007, 6:30 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Fri, Oct 12, 2007, 6:32 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Thu, Oct 11, 2007, 2:30 am // John Servais

0 comments

Tue, Oct 09, 2007, 6:50 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Tue, Oct 09, 2007, 6:45 pm // Tip Johnson

0 comments

Mon, Oct 08, 2007, 6:54 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Sun, Oct 07, 2007, 6:57 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Fri, Oct 05, 2007, 9:36 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Thu, Oct 04, 2007, 9:45 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Wed, Oct 03, 2007, 9:51 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Mon, Oct 01, 2007, 9:57 pm // John Servais

0 comments

Election Info

Coal, Oil & Trains

Local Blogs & News

Local Causes

Governments

Weather & Climate

Leisure

Good Web Sites

NwCitizen 1995 - 2007

Quiet, Offline or Dead