Posted Mon, Nov 21, 10:56 a.m.

The Port of Seattle has three cruise ship terminals that would appear to be largely unused from November to April. It would seem reasonable and effective to utilize these spaces as temporary or emergency shelter for homeless individuls and families in need.

Posted Sun, Jul 17, 4:42 p.m.

Hi, John. In a sentence: Classic strawman argument, John.

Posted Sun, Jul 17, 7:27 a.m.

Carlson Wrote: "...explain the economic illiteracy implied in blaming everything wrong on today's sorry economy on a presidency that ended 30 months ago." Okay, John. I'll bite. Let's hear your version of economic literacy.

Posted Sun, Jun 19, 7:24 p.m.

Quiller, I think it would be prudent to start paying attention to the Latino voter demographics on the east side. I believe they have been regularly ignored, but the population growth might suggest these folks will have clout in the coming election cycles. I do wonder if they are being ...

Posted Wed, Jun 1, 9:24 p.m.

talisker Wrote: "Sure, you don't need a fancy building to care for the sick, but you don't need the Vatican's priceless art collection and the Sistine Chapel to save souls, either." Non sequiter aside, thank you for confirming to all of us that healing the sick doesn't require a fancy ...

Posted Wed, Jun 1, 6:16 p.m.

Excellent article, ABR. I was completely stunned and when I read about this project in the local press. I find it utterly depressing.

Posted Fri, May 13, 5:45 p.m.

Interesting thought, Sarah90. This country spends billions every month defending it from from the perceived threats posed by Iraq and Afghanistan, yet it doesn't want to defend its own from the threats posed by disease and sickness. Is cancer a threat any less insidious than terrorism? Have a nice weekend, ...

Posted Fri, May 13, 5:45 p.m.

Interesting thought, Sarah90. This country spends billions every month defending it from from the perceived threats posed by Iraq and Afghanistan, yet it doesn't want to defend its own from the threats posed by disease and sickness. Is cancer a threat any less insidious than terrorism? Have a nice weekend, ...

Posted Wed, May 11, 8:52 a.m.

Absolutely amazing. A lot of teeth gnashing about the cost of entitlement programs, but not a serious discussion or concern regarding the third leg of the federal budget and deficit: defense spending. There is one issue Congress (and this article) has continuely failed to address: Revenue. Some of that revenue ...

Posted Sat, Apr 16, 3:29 p.m.

DrLemming Wrote: "How can a democracy adequately respond to increasingly complex and fast-moving challenges when our methods of discourse have become so dysfunctional?" Post the commentator's real name and address when they comment.

Posted Wed, Nov 24, 9:04 a.m.

Wrong, Chris. You ignored what I earlier pointed out. The GOP was elected without a coherent recovery plan, and there are real factional divisions within GOP. The US public elected a GOP majority in the House with the expectation they would fix the economy and growing government spending. The public ...

Posted Tue, Nov 23, 4:36 p.m.

C. Vance Wrote: "After the anti-Bush landslides of 2006 and 2008 we are basically back to parity." Not really, Chris. The GOP neither has the Presidency nor a majority of the seats in the Senate. The GOP can't override a veto. What is more of a concern and dangerous to ...

Posted Mon, Nov 22, 5:17 p.m.

Vance Wrote: "...they just need to do a little better among moderate voters." The GOP lost again, Chris. No matter how many "what ifs" one recites, it won't change the fact they lost once again. You and the state GOP don't appear to appreciate what an incredible confidence builder this ...

Posted Mon, Nov 22, 3:15 p.m.

TaylorB1 Wrote: "Here in Seattle, we just don't want GOPs" You are correct. In fact, I'd stretch that notion from Bellingham to Oly along the I-5 corridor, but I do think the GOP could effectively promote a successful candidate that would have appeal to the voters in greater Seattle region. ...

Posted Sat, Nov 20, 9:23 a.m.

As an aside to the comments regarding the Husky football, I'd like to follow up on what I consider the profound stupidity of spending $250 million refurbishing the stadium in Montlake. We have a perfectly good, recently built and very little used football stadium located in SODO which could properly ...

Posted Fri, Nov 19, 5:10 p.m.

Jeez, what a great win. The Huskies are playing a team reduced by injuries and having to hope their 2nd string, then 3rd and finally, their 4th position quarterbacks would provide the impetus to win the game. Hardly good football; junior college quality at best. The notion of the Huskies ...

Posted Thu, Nov 18, 9:29 p.m.

bkochis Wrote: "That people have decent wages, benefits, and pensions should be the norm that we call for in the private sector not try and deny in the public sector." That is an interesting proposition. A business generally gives the greatest benefits to those who provide the greatest benefits to ...

Posted Thu, Nov 18, 2:35 p.m.

PJS Wrote: "They do not have to worry about the risk that their employer may have lower revenue than the employer had hoped. (Don't get me started on "lower" revenue. That doesn't happen.)" Actually it does, PJS. If you had read my reply above regrading the King County Council and ...

Posted Wed, Nov 17, 10:03 p.m.

An example of Dr. Smith's concerns could be suggested by the recent King County budget discussions which had Councilmember Dunn walking out of the proceedings in an apparent fit of pique because the King County Sheriff's office was going to be required to reduce its staffing and patrols in non-incorportated ...

Posted Wed, Nov 10, 8:54 a.m.

The problem within the state GOP is that its base is small and likely not growing. It's hidebound idealogies have limited the choices of candidates acceptable to its base and the willingness to donate money to finance elections. At the same time, voter demographics are changing and the GOP is ...

Posted Tue, Nov 9, 7:18 a.m.

Chris Vance wrote: "No Republican can win if he/she alienates conservatives." I more or less stated that in a previous comment above. What is striking is the lack of desire on the part of the GOP to win. GOP idealogical purity is more important than fielding a winning candidate.

Posted Mon, Nov 8, 1:36 p.m.

Gary P. what you are suggesting is more likely to occur sooner than in ten years. I think a good example of this occured in Nevada in the Reid/Angle race. There was an almost 8-9 point difference in the point spread between pre-election polling and actual votes. The very early ...

Posted Mon, Nov 8, 11 a.m.

Chris Vance Wrote: "Any Republican who would appeal to a significant number of Seattle voters would never make it to the November ballot." You are absolutely correct, Chris. Read the Washington state GOP party platform, and you'll quickly see why a GOP candidate that appeals to the urban voter will ...

Posted Thu, Nov 4, 2:42 p.m.

TVD Wrote: "Unless the political climate changes, Republicans will get the Senate majority two years from now that they missed Tuesday night." That statement is unsupported and pure speculation, TVD. I think any political discussion of an election cycle to be conducted two years from now is frivilous at best. ...

Posted Mon, Nov 1, 9:49 p.m.

".....it will be because of Republicans in the suburbs..." Chris, that is utter speculation on your part. You should break it down by number of registered voter, legislative district, etc., etc. BTW, thanks for pointing out I transposed the 2006 ballot count for 2008's. The local GOP is apparently has ...

Posted Mon, Nov 1, 6:59 p.m.

Chris, I am always amazed how much you ignore in an attempt to validate your points. King County elections is estimating approximately 720,000 ballots to be returned this cycle. Only about 640,000 ballots were returned in the 2008 presidential election. That is NOT favorable for Mr. Rossi's. Remember Chris, it's ...

Posted Sun, Oct 31, 8:41 p.m.

A rout, Mr. Vance, is only a rout if you are able to make an advantage from one's gain. A Fifty-five seat gain is NOT a rout without a GOP majority in the Senate or ultimately the Presidency. Even you should admit the GOP has no plans, no ideas. The ...

Posted Sun, Oct 31, 6:59 p.m.

Chris, your last sentence was good for a laugh. It's always about turnout, money and power to control the money. A GOP landslide? I don't think you have studied too many polls lately. It's going to be a pretty average off-year election. Political science surveys of very recent polling indicate ...

Posted Thu, Oct 28, 8:10 p.m.

Herb, taxes aside, why are we allowing harvest of a public resource without receiving compensation from the harvesters? I don't believe we do this with public forest or mining lands.

Posted Thu, Oct 28, 3:08 p.m.

It is a very big ocean out there, Herb. Those sockeye are eating and being eaten. They aren't traveling in a school, and this makes studying the ocean phase of their lives prohibitive. The best and perhaps only way to determine estimated returns is to collect data on outbound migration ...

Posted Sun, Oct 24, 9:46 a.m.

Jan, the polls and reporting on the horserace are the only narrative the current form of GOP leadership can run on. It has become quite clear they have no viable ideas or solutions. I think even Mr.Vance would agree with that last statement.

Posted Thu, Oct 21, 7:45 a.m.

Chris, thanks for the link to the results. We are able to confirm there are posted results from the sample of the polling of registered voters and likely voters. The results are different and the link shows the reported results. The LV's reported results are NOT the only results that ...

Posted Wed, Oct 20, 1:04 p.m.

Chris, I still think you are incorrect, however please do us a favor. Please paste the link to the CNN poll results you found so we can all take a look at it.

Posted Wed, Oct 20, 7:50 a.m.

Chris, you are incorrect. There is a difference between likely voter polls and registerd voter polls. It is NOT the same poll. If you look, the sample size for the likely-voter poll was 850. I informed you in my reply above the sample size for the registered-voter poll of the ...

Posted Tue, Oct 19, 9:32 p.m.

Chris, thanks for the reply. The CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corp. (full name of the polling company) is one of the few pollsters that concurrently conduct both likely-voter AND registered-voter polls. The 08-12 Oct. CNN likely-voter poll you referenced has Murray with an 8% lead, however the results of the CNN registered-voter ...

Posted Tue, Oct 19, 4:32 p.m.

Chris, I presume you understand the difference between a likely-voter poll and registered-voter poll, however you don't distingish the two in advising us of your reliability of one poll over another poll. In particular you don't think CNN is credible, however you don't cite which CNN poll is the non-credible ...

Posted Tue, Oct 19, 3:46 p.m.

In reference to Lindy's piece, what disappoints me is that polls are considered "news" and subsequently used to support a narrative. It's lazy, stupid, jounalism. There is no longer any analysis of candidates positions, and much more importantly, the candidates understanding of those positions.

Posted Mon, Oct 18, 10:30 a.m.

Thanks for the link to the Pew Hispanic data website, Mr. Baker. I agree, California and Texas too will be interesting. There is little wonder why Bush and Rove and other smart GOP'ers were particularly eager to create a party friendlier and inclusive of Latino populations and their voters. So ...

Posted Sun, Oct 17, 4:12 p.m.

I 'suspect' it already has caused disprution, Mr. Baker. A reasonable estimate is north of 25% of adults in the US no longer have landlines, and that number is growing on a daily basis. As you rightly pointed out, this has prompted demographic considerations when attempting to create polling models. ...

Posted Thu, Oct 14, 6:51 p.m.

Whoops, my mistake. You did reference the CNN poll in the RCP link. I mistakenly described this in my post as the 12-14 October poll. RCP correctly cites it as the 08-12 October poll, however the CNN/Opinion Research registered voter poll dated 08-12 October wasn not included. It shows Murray ...

Posted Thu, Oct 14, 6:23 p.m.

What gains? The polling has been uncertain and too erratic to predict a GOP tide. I was surprised and curious why you didn't also reference the recent 12-14 Oct. CNN/Opinion Research poll for the Senate race which shows Murray ahead. The CNN/Opinion Research poll conducts BOTH a registered voters poll ...

Posted Tue, Oct 12, 7:47 p.m.

"Not news, simply pandering by the Times." Just curiousity on my part, however do church hierarchy, pastors, etc. ever pander to their congregations?

Posted Sat, Oct 9, 8:42 a.m.

Chris, I checked once again. I do believe you are wrong. The Rasmussen poll you were referencing was conducted on 06 October. It was included in the most recent 538 analysis of 07 October which shows Murray with a approximate 72% chance of being the winner in the election at ...

Posted Fri, Oct 8, 6:19 p.m.

Chris, I am assuming you are incorrect. The most recent Rasmussen poll I was able to find is dated 06 October. You might be referencing this L/V 06 October poll as the "08 Oct. poll" cited in the preamble of your Crosscut post. FYI, Oct 08 was the date Rasmussen ...

Posted Fri, Oct 8, 5:06 p.m.

538's most recent polling and demographic analysis update on the race was posted 07 October. Chris, if you go to 538 site, you might be able to confirm if the Rasmussen poll you cite was included in their analysis. As you pointed out in your reply, 538 does not appear ...

Posted Fri, Oct 8, 3:26 p.m.

I believe Nate Silver's 538 indicates an approximate 72% percent chance that Murray retains the seat based on polling and demographic data. Per their previous analysis, 538 has been a reliable interpreter of polling data, and it might not be prudent to begin to suggest Rossi has any sort of ...

Posted Thu, Sep 30, 2:51 p.m.

Nate Silver's 538 site shows only around a 24% chance of Murray losing her seat at this point in time in the election cycle. There is little doubt 538 has been accurate in its data analysis and forecasts.

Posted Mon, Sep 13, 8:02 a.m.

Tony, you are incorrect here. Boomers represent about 25% of the population. Approximately 90% have a high school eduction, and about 25% have a BA dgree or higher. That certainly doesn't confer dumbness.

Posted Mon, Aug 2, 9:05 p.m.

I have previously suggested referring to Nate Silver's 538: Politics Done Right website for interpreting polls. I think Silver's methodology is consistent and often accurate.

Posted Mon, Aug 2, 8:36 p.m.

Cleanhouse Wrote: "...and will end up paying a $750 tax penalty. All of these will still have healthcare the same way ALL uncovered people have coverage today, through emergency rooms..." I seriously doubt much will change. The $750 will be deducted from the individual as is any payroll tax is ...

Posted Sun, Aug 1, 4:46 p.m.

Cleanhouse wrote: "Our state government by law has to balance it's budget..." I don't think this is entirely correct. There is no law I am aware of that can prevent the state government from creating bonds (borrow money) to fund everyday government operating expenditures. It is the same as borrowing ...

Posted Fri, Jul 30, 7:21 a.m.

Interesting. I have a friend whose life was saved when pulled from a burning wreck by a person who was in this country illegally.

Posted Thu, Jul 29, 10:40 p.m.

Cleanhouse Wrote: "and secure our borders, something the feds have been unwilling to do." Have you been attacked lately, Cleanhouse?

Posted Mon, Jul 26, 5:44 p.m.

Cleanhouse, I read article in the link you provided and once again went over the discussion you had regarding the CRA. You ignored or are apparently unaware of a number of issues fundamental to problems building within the world credit markets such as Fed interest rate policies, rating agencies, CDO ...

Posted Sun, Jul 25, 9:13 p.m.

Let's say you have a kid who is thinking of becoming a Marine or boots on the ground Army grunt. Do you really want Dino Rossi or Clint Didler to be in a position to decide your child's fate? I don't. I want someone who has already demonstrated the resolve ...

Posted Sun, Jul 25, 8:19 p.m.

As a navy vet (and a drunken sailor on occasion) I appreciate and support Murray for her nay vote authorizing what turned out to be the invasion of Iraq. To date, the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost this country approximately $1 Trillion U.S. dollars, thousands of US killed ...

Posted Sun, Jul 25, 7:42 a.m.

I think what the author of this opinion piece and many other pundits tend to forget is that it was only eighteen months ago that we had a Republican administration and Congress that spent the previous eight plus years creating the environment that put us in the position we currently ...

Posted Fri, Jul 16, 9:07 p.m.

"Wouldn't you rather have a 30-homer, 100-rbi guy in right field, instead of Ichiro?" Honestly, Ichiro aside, I would appreciate having anyone on the Mariners who would keep their eye on the ball; watch it hit the barrel of the bat and not pull their head and look to the ...

Posted Mon, Jul 12, 10:12 a.m.

I seem to recall the Seattle firehouse build program went well over budget too. Can it be included in the overrun category?

Posted Mon, Jul 12, 9:36 a.m.

I suspect the SLUT would fall into the overrun category.

Posted Tue, Jun 8, 12:37 p.m.

And Rossi plans to do what to combat the federal budget deficit, Randy? Cut military spending? Reduce entitlements like Social Security and Medicare? Rossi apparently hasn't specified outside of the the usual GOP talking points and a desire to cut earmarks which is almost laughable considering their precentage of the ...

Posted Mon, Jun 7, 3:22 p.m.

Chris, I think Nate Silver's 538 site has a better approach, analysis and record of successfully projecting outcomes. I prefer it over RCP.

Posted Thu, May 27, 5:14 p.m.

Honestly, I don't understand the point of supporting this petition drive unless it provides for drive-thru liquor sales as well as home delivery. Like most attempts at crafting laws and regulations, this one apparently doesn't put much effort thinking thru the problem and benefits to the consumer.

Posted Sat, May 15, 8:54 a.m.

Fred, I am a bit disappointed in your reply. I can assure you that I have given this issue its due consideration as a Husky graduate and one who grew up playing in the Seattle city dump that was once located in the shadow of Husky stadium. What bothers me ...

Posted Fri, May 14, 10:11 a.m.

Why not tear down Husky Stadium and use the football stadium currently located in SoDo? Building a new stadium when one exists within the city is a complete waste of money. We should be utilizing funds that would be devoted to renovating the old stadium to support undergraduate and graduate ...

Posted Sat, May 1, 10:20 p.m.

Mr. Van Dyk, I am trying to get a sense of the importance of Mexico to Arizona outside of the issues of illegals and drug smuggling. I am surprised that you and others don't apprently consider it a critical consideration when attempting to come to understanding the parameters which will ...

Posted Sat, May 1, 4:44 p.m.

" Consider if maybe 1/4 of Seattle's population now consisted of illegals...." Mr. Van Dyk, I am trying to get a handle on this issue, and focus on the issues the people in AZ are concerned about. By your statement above, are you suggesting that 25% of the population of ...

Posted Sat, May 1, 4:22 p.m.

I am still trying to get an understanding of the size and amount of cross border trade between Mexico and the US that enters thru Arizona. In addition to that, how many vistors enter the US from Mexico via Arizona on a yearly basis? I presume there are millions of ...

Posted Fri, Apr 30, 9:01 a.m.

Many people supporting a law that is poorly crafted and likely unconsitutional does not validate such a law. One hopes cooler heads previal, otherwise the mess is going to continue and become worse. There are two separate but related problems. The first, is security at our borders. The second is ...

Posted Fri, Feb 19, 7:52 a.m.

dbreneman, I should have clarified in my post that I was referencing the mass of current conservative Repub's. I am a Republican...a very liberal one, and I am terribly disturbed by how the party in this state and nationally has been co-opted and controlled by very narrow interests and beliefs. ...

Posted Thu, Feb 18, 9:07 p.m.

I always have a good laugh when I see conservative Repub's appeal to the memory of St. Reagan in order to substantiate their position. Reagan was socially rather liberal and fiscally conserative. That is hardly what should be described as the patron saint of today's GOP. Actually the Senate was ...

Posted Thu, Feb 18, 7:53 p.m.

I think there is a lot of wishful thinking going on here. First, you ignore that GOP fundraising and distribution of those funds are still controlled at the national and state level by extraordinary conservative elements of the party. These are morally and socially conservative as well as fundamentally Christian ...

Posted Wed, Feb 17, 8:06 p.m.

"...Sure, the GOP has just as much to answer for, which is why it's the newcomers like Brown (and John Koster in the case of my district...) that are winning...." I am sorry, but for lack of knowledge I cannot speak about Mr. Koster. I have never heard of him, ...

Posted Wed, Feb 17, 9:35 a.m.

Tides also ebb. Sometimes very quickly. However I don't think we should view this as a tide. Nationally, the GOP still has a lot to answer for in its stewardship of the country during the Bush years. The GOP brand was and continues to be damaged goods with no coherent ...

Posted Tue, Feb 2, 7:25 p.m.

Sorry mhays, but a bridged bypass located along the eastern shore of Elliott Bay wouldn't necessiarily require its foundations be in deep water; it would certainly be high enough for ferries et al to pass under (ever heard of GPS navigation systems?); as far as views are concerned, build something ...

Posted Tue, Feb 2, 6:16 p.m.

Mr. Royer wrote: "The main reason the deep bore tunnel makes sense to our competitiveness is that it can be completed and oprerational before the viaduct is removed -- minimizing construction impacts." I did a double take at that statement. I hope you will clarify and expand on the real ...

Posted Mon, Dec 28, 1:01 p.m.

I have been amazed during the years of debate how little understanding there seems to be regarding the two competing issues we have been trying to resolve. The first is a transportation problem and the other is a land use issue. Both have should have been given separate and equal ...