Dino, what is he hiding?

October 17, 12:05 PMSnohomish County Progressive ExaminerChad Shue

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Is Dino Rossi being dishonest or just plain clueless as he runs for governor? In an article from today’s Seattle Times, outlining the agenda of the BIAW (the GOP Party candidate’s biggest benefactor), Rossi’s spokesperson, Jill Straight,  is referenced as saying,

…the BIAW hasn't asked Rossi for anything, and she wouldn't speculate on why the group is spending so much on his behalf.

Huh? I mean, even I know what the BIAW expects from Dino Rossi. The same thing they got when he was in the State Senate:

This compels the BIAW to back Rossi, a commercial Realtor who consistently sided with the group when he was a state senator. McCabe says the BIAW has spent so much "because there is no one else" representing small business in the electoral arena.

Tom McCabe, Puppet Master?

So just what is the agenda of the BIAW? Well here is what Tom McCabe, the leader of the controversial group (currently under indictment over alleged violation of campaign finance laws) has to say,

Its agenda is simple, says Tom McCabe, who in the past two decades has led the group from one room and two employees to a renovated Olympia mansion with 45 staffers.

The group, which represents 13,000 home-building contractors, wants lower taxes and fewer regulations, particularly environmental ones, McCabe says.

Lower taxes and fewer regulations.  How many reading this didn’t already know that? Well, if we believe Jill Straight, I guess Dino would be in that group (assuming he is reading this).  So would that include fewer regulations on clear cutting or offsets for streams and rivers? Would the “fewer taxes” include mitigation fees put in place to compensate for damages as a result of overbuilding? I wonder if McCabe and his cronies are aware that many of the environmental regulations currently in place here in Washington are as a result of voter initiative or lobbying.  Maybe they just believe a Governor Rossi could simply chose to ignore those particular regulations.

Now Dino’s apparent ignorance of the BIAW agenda isn’t the only area where I have to wonder about his candor or lack of essential knowledge. As I wrote here, when asked where he would cut the state budget to keep his “no new taxes” pledge while increasing spending (from the general fund) on roads-roads-roads transportation, Rossi (former Chair of the Ways and Means Committee) said that it was too complicated and would require thousands of decisions. His only solid proposal so far? Cut the governor’s personal staff.

Rossi, clueless or dishonest?

Maybe he can just ask Tom McCabe what he would do.

Peace,
Chad Shue