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Vote For Me!

Rather than continuing to endorse "Congressman for Life" Jim McDermott, an elected official with whom the constituents are tired (and who, by [author Geov] Parrish's admission, is lazy), I believe it time to effect change. Despite McDermott's ranking by a few organizations (e.g., NARAL), the reality is that the majority of residents don't know who their elected official is, and are certainly unaware of anything he has done to resolve the problems facing the district and the nation. Geov stated it nicely, "...he doesn't really do much of anything." And that's the type of individual and behavior Eat the State! is endorsing?

We have serious problems which cannot and will not be resolved if we continue to do the same things--clearly it has not worked this far. If we want positive change we must elect new leaders. It's that simple. To again elect McDermott despite his inaction and lack of leadership is an egregious error, one which will further exacerbate problems, not resolve them.

As for my qualifications, it's true that I do not have prior experience as an elected official. However, given our present elected official, it's evident such experience is not so valuable. He's got 18 consecutive years of experience (plus a previous stint as Congressman) and yet he is lazy and doesn't do anything. Would you not agree we're better off without that kind of experience? While I lack elected experience, I believe I have the precise types of experience necessary to effect positive change in DC.

We need someone with integrity willing to stand up on issues, not merely acquiesce to the politicians more concerned with votes and popularity than fixing the problems. We need vision and leadership to Empower the People--of which McDermott has demonstrated neither. We need leaders familiar with the US Constitution, its powers and, perhaps more importantly, its restrictions. We need someone willing to work hard, who understands the critical nature of the work and is determined to persevere, to observe the Constitution and thus preserve and protect citizens' rights. We need a leader who will emphasize and focus on fixing the problems, not uselessly point fingers.

Character. We need a leader, not a career bureaucrat. McDermott offers the epitome of the latter, the ineffective, lazy, and disinterested official that merely fills a seat. I offer the former as qualification and preparedness.

If we want positive change we must elect different people. We can't expect things to get better if we complacently elect the same people.

Errata: I am not a graduate of AMU, I am currently enrolled in a Masters program there. I obtained my undergraduate degree from CSU San Marcos. I will revisit my biography as it's apparently unclear.

Sincerely,

--Joshua Smith, candidate [Democrat], 7th Congressional District, Seattle

G.P. replies: Joshua, with all due respect---and I mean that, as I admire anyone willing to run for office whether I agree with them ideologically or not---I did, yes, endorse Mr. McDermott even though I'm dissatisfied with his performance. In some cases, we will, in fact, endorse an individual who "doesn't really do much of anything." And one of those cases is when it's unclear what, if anything, his primary opponent would do, either, but at least we know the incumbent generally casts good votes and at times takes strong, principled public stands.

Attend to those things, try again, and I hope you take another, stronger, more experienced run at McDermott. He needs it.

And We Didn't Like Your Cartoon, Either

I appreciate Ben Smith's sentiments in his cartoon "Remember 9/11"--except for his depiction, in the last frame, of the people being duped by the propaganda. The signs are unmistakable: bad haircuts, bad teeth, bad make-up, bad nutrition, and bad grammar all point to stereotypes of lower-class "rednecks" or "trailer trash."

Does Smith really believe that working class or poor people are less politically astute than people with middle-class haircuts and orthodontia? More, does he think the Left can rebuild a strong base through class snobbery? And what is this image doing in ETS!?

Yours,

--Ruth Hooper, via e-mail