Rob McKenna weighs in

THURSTON COUNTY: McKenna weighs in on commissioner contest

THE OLYMPIAN BLOG

State Attorney General Rob McKenna endorsed fellow Republican Pat Beehler in the Thurston County commissioner race, echoing a similar endorsement by the Thurston County Republican Party.

Beehler, a Tumwater surveyor, is running against Democratic appointee Karen Valenzuela and Democrat Dan Venable for the District 3 seat, which represents the western third of the county.

Technorati Tags: pat beehler,thurston county,commissioner

Pat Beehler has a positive outlook

This letter to the editor appeared in The Olympian August 5, 2009
I am writing to encourage voters of the 3rd District to support Pat Beehler’s candidacy as Thurston County Commissioner in the upcoming August primary.
It is obvious that the economic storm has reached the people of Thurston County at several levels: employment, services, public safety and recreation. But our county is uniquely positioned to weather this downturn and restore its viability with the right leader.
After speaking with Pat and the other candidates, Pat is the only candidate to have expressed a positive outlook for our county which aims to improve government efficiency and preserve the local citizens’ priorities. And given his professional background and public service, it is promising that Pat’s approach will be thorough, proactive and responsive. Now is a critical time for our county that calls for a leader to make sound judgements which reflect the voters’ needs. I want responsible solutions to the current issues challenging our public safety and economic development. I am voting for Pat Beehler.
CHAD SUTTER
Olympia
Learn more about Pat Beeler by visiting his website: http://www.patbeeler.com/

Karen Valenzuela launches her smear campaign

Postcards landed today that were authorized by Jim Lazar, and Walt Jorgensen. Their political action committee is called 'Citizens for Integrity in Government' and is set up solely to smear candidates that they don't like.

The postcard is a ho-hum message saying that local candidates are bought and held accountable to certain special interest groups such as the Realtors.

I have some news for these attack mongers: This is local politics, it's not Washington DC. We're talking about a few hundred dollars that these groups donate. Hardly enough to buy votes.

On the other hand, if Jim Lazar and Walt Jorgensen were wanting to disclose special interest donations, they would tell everyone the people that are 'buying' Karen Valenzuela's votes. Since they didn't, here you go:

Diane Parish, Black Rock Investment Manager $500 -- Interesting note: Diane Parish is from Sausalito CA, has donated to Howard Dean, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton's campaigns. What is a big donor from California doing contributing to a local candidate in Thurston County? Now that is odd.

Gail Sheikhizadeh, State Farm Insurance $500

Thurston Conservation Voters, a special interest group $500. This is yet another out-of-town group supporting Karen. They are from Seattle. What is Seattle's interest in our commissioner's race?

Mariella Cummings, Results Incorporated

Hey, and look at that. Jim Lazar shows up contributing money to Karen's campaign as well, er or is that buying votes Jim?

Here is Karen Valenzuela's complete donor list if you would like to see who has been "buying" her votes according to Jim Lazar's logic.

Jim Lazar is the significant other of City of Olympia's Karen Messmer. It's hard to believe that a city councilmember's household would be involved in such obscene smear campaigns. How's that for Integrity of Government? I would have thought a council member was just a little more upstanding. Not that I think you have to be married to have a solid relationship, but perhaps even Karen thinks Jim is too toxic to take on his last name, hmm??

If I was a donor to Karen's campaign, I would have second thoughts about getting too close. Perhaps I would be considered buying votes by Lazar. I wonder if her campaign is falling apart if at least one of her contributors is already having to resort to a smear campaign.

Sorry Karen, my vote is going to candidates that don't campaign from the gutter.

More about 'Integrity in Government'

Here is the contact information as reported:
CIT FOR INTEGRITY IN GOVT
Address:
PO BOX 1423
OLYMPIA WA 98507

Phone: 360-786-1822

We've Figured Him Out

The American SpectatorJuly 24, 2009

By Ben Stein

Why is President Barack Obama in such a hurry to get his socialized medicine bill passed?

Because he and his cunning circle realize some basic truths:The American people in their unimaginable kindness and trust voted for a pig in a poke in 2008. They wanted so much to believe Barack Obama was somehow better and different from other ultra-leftists that they simply took him on faith.

They ignored his anti-white writings in his books. They ignored his quiet acceptance of hysterical anti-American diatribes by his minister, Jeremiah Wright.They ignored his refusal to explain years at a time of his life as a student. They ignored his ultra-left record as a "community organizer," Illinois state legislator, and Senator.

The American people ignored his total zero of an academic record as a student and teacher, his complete lack of scholarship when he was being touted as a scholar.Now, the American people are starting to wake up to the truth. Barack Obama is a super likeable super leftist, not a fan of this country, way, way too cozy with the terrorist leaders in the Middle East, way beyond naïveté, all the way into active destruction of our interests and our allies and our future.

The American people have already awakened to the truth that the stimulus bill -- a great idea in theory -- was really an immense bribe to Democrat interest groups, and in no way an effort to help all Americans.

Now, Americans are waking up to the truth that ObamaCare basically means that every time you are sick or injured, you will have a clerk from the Department of Motor Vehicles telling your doctor what he can and cannot do.

The American people already know that Mr. Obama's plan to lower health costs while expanding coverage and bureaucracy is a myth, a promise of something that never was and never will be -- a bureaucracy lowering costs in a free society. Either the costs go up or the free society goes away.

These are perilous times. Mrs. Hillary Clinton, our Secretary of State, has given Iran the go-ahead to have nuclear weapons, an unqualified betrayal of the nation. Now, we face a devastating loss of freedom at home in health care. It will be joined by controls on our lives to "protect us" from global warming, itself largely a fraud if believed to be caused by man.

Mr. Obama knows Americans are getting wise and will stop him if he delays at all in taking away our freedoms.

There is his urgency and our opportunity. Once freedom is lost, America is lost. Wake up, beloved America.

Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes "Ben Stein's Diary" for every issue of The American Spectator.

Supporters gather this morning underneath Pat Beehler's new billboard to wave signs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Email: pat@patbeehler.com
Website: http://www.patbeehler.com/
PHOTOS: Local Supporters stand below new billboard located at intersection of Harrison and Division.
Freedom of Speech: Pat Beehler and supporters sign wave under new billboard Olympia, WA, July 28 2009
Honks and cheers sounded at the busy Westside intersection early Tuesday morning, as supporters of Thurston County Commissioner GOP candidate Pat Beehler gathered to wave signs and celebrate the campaign's biggest sign yet - a billboard that reads "Elect Pat Beehler". Pat Beehler, a long time, local land surveyor, stood proudly with his family among the crowd of local supporters, beneath the billboard made possible by contributions from local homebuilders. "It is humbling to be supported by people who live and work in this community. My family and I appreciate the support of the Olympia Masterbuilders, and respect the contributions they make to this county…Afterall, they [builders] have built this county. " Beehler said.
The Olympia Master Builders officially announced their endorsement shortly following a candidate forum held a few weeks ago. Both Pat Beehler and Dan Venable received favorable support from the Affordable Housing Council.
"We are proud to support candidates who respect the importance of a balanced budget and reasonable county policies,” Laura Kimbrough said. Kimbrough is the Executive Officer of the Olympia Master Builders, who have 1,000 members, and provide jobs for 50,000 people.
"This campaign is gathering support from small business owners and the people they employ," Beehler noted. "This billboard represents a major step in our campaign, and we're proud to accept the help." "Those of us who know Pat, know that he will bring common sense to the County Commission, and a refreshed sense of balance and leadership to the table . We're glad this Billboard is up to help spread the word", said Chad Sutter, a local supporter and business owner.
"Signs have always been an integral part of campaigns in this county, an example of freedom of speech, cherished by most of us. This bill board is but our way of saying we think Pat Beehler should be elected to the County Commission, and we're confident voters will join us in supporting Pat," said Jim Hagland of WH Pacific.
The only GOP candidate, Beehler will face Democrats Dan Venable and incumbent Karen Valenzuela in the August 18th primary for Thurston County Commissioner of District 3. The top-two candidates will advance to the General Election in November.
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Karen Valenzuela thinks she can operate the jail better than the Sherrif.

There are some things that just go together, biscuits and gravy, salt and pepper, bees and honey ... and Sheriffs and jails.

I don't know about you, but I feel much better when I have a trained officer of Law and Justice running a correction facility than a California transplant who is more interested in restoring Puget Sound than the county budget.

Having Karen Valenzuela run our jails is a formula for disaster. Karen Valenzuela said, "bringing our law and justice expenditures (uh) down as much as possible" ... "removing our county jail from the (uh) sheriff's department and bringing it under the control of the commissioners".

Does government employ breed this type of narcissistic behavior? Wow, she can do it better than the trained professionals!

Click here if you would like to see the complete interview.

Who is Christine Gregoire listening to? Is she in touch with WA or DC?

If you remember back to this past Legislative session, SB 5138 was defeated. SB 5138 was titled "Creating an integrated climate change response strategy."

Christine Gregoire couldn't get this bill passed through the legislature, so she decided to create a climate change policy with an executive order. It is now known as Executive Order 09-05.

You know the legislature costs the state of WA quite a bit of $$ each year. Why don't we just do away with it? And why not do away with the Judicial branch as well. It sounds to me like all we need is Christine Gregoire to dictate to us what we need. Welcome to a new WA complete with Cap and Tax.