Opinion
Xmas Stocking Analysis
What they want for Xmas vs. what they're going to get.
Last Christmas, we rolled out a batch of 2012 predictions.
For example:
What Tim Burgess wants for Xmas: Voters to forget he oversaw SPD as chair of the Public Safety Committee
What Tim Burgess will get for Xmas: Liberal State Sen. Ed Murray passing a gay marriage bill
The year 2012 is just about over (it was nuts), and indeed, both Burgess and Murray (who did pass that gay marriage bill) are rivals in the pending 2013 mayor's race—along with outspoken former Seattle City Council member Peter Steinbrueck and reinvigorated incumbent Mayor Mike McGinn, while city council member Bruce Harrell and perhaps former King County executive Ron Sims wait in the wings. (There are a couple of other candidates in the race already as well, McGinn's former Greenwood Community Council nemesis, Kate Martin, and real estate broker, Charlie Staadecker.)
With the 2013 mayoral race food fight in mind, plus: a brand new governor, a renegade state senate leader, and an extra $1 billion K–12 education bill hanging over the upcoming legislative session, here is this year's Xmas stocking analysis.
With that food fight in mind, plus: a brand new governor, a renegade state senate leader, and an extra $1 billion K–12 education bill (courtesy of the Washington State Supreme Court) hanging over the upcoming legislative session, here is this year's Xmas stocking analysis.
1) What Tim Burgess wants for Xmas: Not to be seen as Mark Sidran
What Tim Burgess will get for Xmas: Fewer votes than Mark Sidran
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2) What Peter Steinbrueck wants for Xmas: To remind voters of his dad, Victor Steinbrueck
What Peter Steinbrueck will get for Xmas: Voters reminded of Charlie Chong
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3) What Mike McGinn wants for Xmas: His liberal base back, so he can get through the primary
What Mike McGinn will get for Xmas: Through the primary—after a pile-on of opponents cannibalizes his liberal base, leaving him the rest of the necessary 21 percent
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4) (Or) What Mike McGinn wants for Xmas: 2009
What Mike McGinn will get for Xmas: 2009. Greg Nickels-style.
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5) What Ed Murray wants for Xmas (now that he's not the Senate Majority leader): Credit for leading the righteous liberal opposition in Olympia against Rodney Tom's budget
What Ed Murray will get for Xmas: Blamed for Rodney Tom's Republican budget
•••6) What Sen. Rodney Tom wants for Xmas: To be the Senate Majority Leader
What Sen. Rodney Tom will get for Xmas: Republican Sen. Mark Schoesler's grocery list, dishes, and laundry
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7) What Sen. Mark Schoesler wants for Xmas: Republican control
What Sen. Mark Schoelser will get for Xmas: Frank Chopp
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8) What Ed Murray wants for Xmas: Democrats who actually vote like Democrats
What Ed Murray will get for Xmas: Democrat Jay "No New Taxes" Inslee in the governor's mansion
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What Statewide Voters want for Xmas: No new taxes/ What Statewide Voters will get for Xmas: No social services, crummy roads, and a failing public school system
9) What Vulcan wants for Xmas: A SLU rezone
What Vulcan will get for Xmas: A glaring spotlight on the SLU upzone during the mayor's race
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10) What the State Supreme Court Wants for Xmas: Full-funding for K–12 education
What the State Supreme Court Will Get for Xmas: No funding for K–12 education becuase the State Supreme Court fails to overturn the requirement that it takes a two-thirds vote to raise taxes
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11) (Or, it could go this way) What Republicans in Olympia want for Xmas: A State Supreme Court ruling that says requiring a two-thirds vote to raise taxes is totally fair
What Republicans in Olympia will get for Xmas: Not enough votes for a Constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court decision throwing out the two-thirds rule. (You need a two-thirds vote to pass a Constitutional amendment)
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12) What Statewide Voters want for Xmas: No new taxes
What Statewide Voters will get for Xmas: No social services, crummy roads, and a failing public school system
