RSSTuesday's election-- What we recommend
Yakima Herald-Republic Editorial Board
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More 'Opinion'
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This editorial roundup appears Nov. 1, 2009, in the Yakima Herald-Republic.
During the past few weeks, the editorial board for the Yakima Herald-Republic has provided its opinion on a number of races for public office, a countywide criminal justice sales tax and two statewide measures. Here's a rundown on those endorsements, with excerpts from our editorials, which might prove helpful to voters who have yet to cast their ballots for Tuesday's election:
State and county measures
Initiative 1033
Vote NO
"We find (Tim) Eyman's passion for spending restraint laudable but not his initiative. It overreaches and puts an unfair shackle on cities and counties, as well as on public services, that is unacceptable."
Referendum 71
Vote APPROVED
"It's about granting the same rights and responsibilities of married couples to same-sex couples and to senior domestic partners. We have no argument with this, given the state and federal constitutions' clear guidance on equal rights."
Proposition 1: Yakima County Criminal Justice Sales Tax
Vote APPROVED
"Those in law enforcement and the judicial system are there when we need them. Now it's our turn to be there when they need us."
Yakima City Council
MAUREEN ADKISON
Paul George
"While George has received our endorsements in the past, this time we see virtue in supporting Adkison in her first campaign for public office. She has strong leadership qualities as evidenced by her solid background in community organizations ... ."
MICAH CAWLEY
Mary Place
"But in terms of building a compelling argument for her return to public office, Place brings few fresh ideas to the table. While Cawley still has to iron out a few wrinkles in his council-performance portfolio, we see no reason to send the one-term councilman packing."
SONIA RODRIGUEZ
Dave Ettl
"While Ettl likes to get in the last word, this time we're not giving him that opportunity. Instead, we are using our final words to endorse Rodriguez. She indeed has forged the beginnings of a solid record of accomplishments in public office and deserves a full four-year term on the council."
BEN SORIA
Bill Lover
"We prefer someone who sets his sights on the future, and that's why our preference is for Soria. The former superintendent provides a disciplined and rich background in planning and goal-setting that should serve the city well in the years ahead."
Union Gap City Council
DAN VANOVER
Delta Vincent
"We find Vanover a well-versed and level-headed councilman. With difficult decisions ahead, Union Gap needs a candidate of Vanover's skills to be in office."
ROGER WENTZ
Aubrey Reeves
"We find the incumbent (Wentz) knowledgeable about the budget process and committed to seeking a solution to the city's intractable sewer and water problems."
Selah City Council
JOHN GAWLIK
Allen Schmid
"We are impressed with Gawlik's thoughtful answers to questions about Selah's future. We also think his streak of independence may serve him well on the council."
Yakima School Board
JIM SCOGGINS
Raymond Navarro Jr.
"While Navarro is also a strong candidate, we believe Scoggins is a better fit on the board as it takes on the challenges presented by diminished revenues and impending construction at the two high schools."
WALT RANTA
Earl Lee
"(Ranta) has the skills to help deal with the budget difficulties that confront the district and will provide guidance as the district prepares to embark on its multiphased construction project."
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.
Who really cares what the editorial board of the newspaper recommends for office?
(This comment has been removed by a Yakima Herald-Republic moderator)
As a general rule, I look at what the YHR recommends and I vote the opposite way.
Report Violationjsuan - if you are not going to think about it, your system is as good as any. You only have to hope there are enough like-minded people to offset the people that respect the research and reasoning that went into those choices.
But then if you are not going to think about it, why not just make choices at random. Statistically, you'll be right 50% of the time.
So, you'll be voting for Mary Place, sjuan?
Report ViolationAt this point, I am thoroughly disgusted with the juvenile stle with which the YHR conducts itself. How can any of their "recommendations" be taken seriously. I am certainly not inspired by their opinion.
Best of luck to all the candidates, in spite of the YHR's mighty "two cents".
"While Ettl likes to get in the last word, this time we're not giving him that opportunity"....
Sounds like something a spoiled teenager would say. Whats next...kicking Daves crutches out from under him? Geesh!
I posted:
Who really cares WHO the editorial board of the newspaper recommends for office?
(The post was to correct the use of WHO in place of What as used in the post above it.)
It was removed for violation.
Am I missing something here ??
I was merely asking the readers who really cares WHO the editorial board recommends for office.
I would expect an answer from people that adhere to those people that follow the recommendations and also those people that oppose the recommendations and the reasons they give for their actions.
Just Bob,
"But then if you are not going to think about it, why not just make choices at random. Statistically, you'll be right 50% of the time."
If you vote the opposite way that the YHR recommends, you'll be right about 75% of the time.
Obviously my comment was tongue in cheek, but if a conservative person knew nothing about the issues and the candidates, they could guess the correct way to vote by doing the opposite of what the liberal YHR editors suggest.
For example:
YHR says vote yes on R-71. Conservatives will reject it.
YHR says reject I-1033. Conservatives (and most tax payers) should approve it.
YHR says vote for liberal Sonia Rodriguez. Conservatives will not.
YHR says vote for the bureaucrat Ben Soria. Conservatives will vote for the proven conservative Bill Lover.
The YHR editors didn't want to make their liberalism too obvious so they threw conservatives a bone by endorsing a couple Republicans (Cawley and Adkison) who destroyed their competition in the primaries and will obviously win no matter what the YHR says.
It seems that these groupees that endorse candidates and think people should follow their thinking are out of touch with the voters. I would say that 100% the time I will vote oposite of what the media sayings. And I feel most people with any brains do the same !
Report ViolationReferendum 71 - Reach out and Hurt Someone
R-71 is your opportunity to reach out and hurt someone in real terms because you hate or do not understand them. You can damage them financially, legally and spiritually - just because you can. It is your right under the law. You can wrap it in religion if that makes it easier, but what the heck you can just do it because you don't like them.
Be clear, the duly elected legislature established/recognized these rights - without R-71 they would have been in place for 4 months now. So you are actually taking them back. Pretty hard to argue that you aren't actually harming anyone. So go for it - show the world what kind of American you really are.
The real beauty is that for the other 90% of us, it costs us nothing either way. We can reach out and hurt someone for free and support a long tradition of discrimination.
I think someone is confusing fundamentalists with conservatives. I know many "conservatives" who have voted for Ref 71 - before you get your panties in a bunch, I am referring to "conservative" family and friends. You can be a conservative without being a homophobe.
Report ViolationYakrob,
Real conservatives will reject R-71, regardless of what liberal homosexuals label them.
People who believe we are all equal in the eyes of God will vote to approve 71. People who believe in marginalizing and discriminating against a minority based on their narrow interpretation of the Bible and God won't.
Report ViolationThis is why the subscription rate continues to drop. Maybe these people with the unpopular (but oh-so politically correct) opinions should retire.
Report ViolationI wonder if the Herald is taking any bets on this ? I would think some booky should be pushing this this !
Report ViolationEach day I see the paper getting thinner, weaker stories that are filled with less journalism and more opinion and those stories that ARE reported are what the YHR is interested in reporting rather than topics that would interest a wide variety of people. Give us straight facts in your reporting and let us form our own opinions and make our own decisions. Believe it or not you are not in the business of guiding us to support your beliefs. I pay for a subscription and have purchased advertising that pays for your existence and quite frankly I don't like paying for your opinion!
Report ViolationSJUAN - I think you need to adjust your thinking on I-1033. I'm a conservative that believes in holding the government accountable on their spending of my tax dollars, but I also read I-1033 and believe it is a poorly written initiative. It goes too far and I voted gainst it. Be carefull when you try to represent others.
Report ViolationSJUAN - I think you need to adjust your thinking on I-1033. I'm a conservative that believes in holding the government accountable on their spending of my tax dollars, but I also read I-1033 and believe it is a poorly written initiative. It goes too far and I voted against it. Be carefull when you try to represent others.
Report ViolationMikeK,
How does I-1033 go too far? It allows for govt. revenue to increase every year and it allows the govt. to additionally increase taxes with the permission of the tax payers. Sorry, I think you need to adjust your thinking and quit pretending that you're a conservative.
P.S. I suppose criticizing the tea party movement is also what "mainstream" conservatives are supposed to do?
http://www.yakima-herald.com/discussions/13677
Posted by MikeK at 10/16/09 09:08AM Post ID#: #15340
The people who attended this "convention" should not be confused with mainstream conservatives, which I count myself among.
"What we recommend"??? This is a fine example of the world we live in today. People no longer know how to think or believe for themselves and look to anyone around them to make those decisions for them. Any voter who is making their decision on who to vote for from a newspaper is wasting their intellectual capacity. This newspaper does not have the best interests of YAKIMA COUNTY residents in mind, let alone any resident east of the Cascades. I encourage you to look at the last few years of this newspaper and see the shrinking news content and breakdown of support for the interests of our county. This is strictly the Seattle Times with a different title.
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