crosscut.com : Seattle

Nickels peeks under the Cascade Curtain and gets pissed off

Crosscut — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:06:01 PDT

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Joel Connelly, blogging from the Democratic National Convention in Denver, had a nugget from Seattle's strongman mayor, Greg Nickels.

Sausage Links, 'piece of cake' edition

Crosscut — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:00:01 PDT

So. What did you think about Hillary Clinton last night? Most opinion writers in the media say the former first lady's speech at the Democratic National Convention was one of her finest moments. As Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist Joel Connelly put it, the speech "erased the bad blood of a lengthy nomination battle ... and raised the party's blood for the fall campaign." Eli Sanders at the Stranger said she was "magnanimous," also calling it her "best, most selfless moment." I'm not sure I buy it. But I'll leave it up to you. Discuss. ...

Extreme Seattle

Crosscut — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:00:01 PDT

New demographic figures make clear what a statistical outlier Seattle is, with few families, few kids, high education, and rapid gentrification. Only San Francisco can compare.

The Olympics, Seattle-style

Crosscut — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:00:01 PDT

Maybe what we need around here, to unstick our sluggish planning and get some major projects built, is a Summer Olympics. Or, better, a Phantom Olympics that delivers the benefits but without the Olympics. Calm down, and let me try a mostly-in-jest thought-experiment.

Sausage links, Clinton overkill edition

Crosscut — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:01:01 PDT

Michelle Obama's speech last night at the Democratic National Convention has the pundits praising — and rightly so. Like Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial cartoonist David Horsey wrote: She "hit it out of the park." But as Camp Clinton prepares to take the stage in Denver tonight and Wednesday, the convention buzz has turned to back to speculation about Hill and Bill. And I'm getting tired of it. ...

The mayor's block party weekend

Crosscut — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:00:01 PDT

Greg Nickels is putting on a series of car-less Sundays in Seattle. The first one on Capitol Hill was rained out, and many cars were ticketed and towed. Infuriating? Yes, but you know what you can do ...

Sausage Links, convention caucus edition

Crosscut — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:33:01 PDT

The Democratic National Convention (DNC) starts today, and the nation's focus will turn from the Olympics in Beijing to Obama in Denver. But if you're not into Obama-palooza, there's plenty of local political news to keep your whistle whetted. ...

The greening of Greg Nickels

Seattle Metropolitan — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:00:01 PDT

Seattle Mayor Nickels' Climate Action Plan brought him global glory as "America's green mayor." But is it civic transformation or eco-opportunism? Or how about both?

Crosscut's 2008 election predictions, UPDATED

Crosscut — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 05:00:01 PDT

We asked our pundits to weigh in with their predictions for the general election, considering what can be discerned from the primary vote earlier this week in Washington state. Composing the Crosscut Index for this survey were Knute Berger, David Brewster, Jim Compton, Clark Fredricksen, Pete Jackson, Jerry Grinstein, Floyd McKay, Jeff Reifman, and Ted Van Dyk. We give you their consensus predictions in key races, and some reasons from the pundits. More votes have come in since the first post, changing the prediction for the governor's race.

The funny thing about Seattle ...

Crosscut — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:00:01 PDT

Our humor writer shares the top ten jokes he's collected in a not very funny city.

A tribute to eccentrics

Crosscut — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:00:01 PDT

Our garden writer shares why those who refuse to follow the herd can best teach us.

Sausage Links, Obama waiting game edition

Crosscut — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:00:01 PDT

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Has Barack Obama texted you yet? He sent me a text message two days ago that read: "Barack Obama is proud to announce Wash. Sen. Patty Murray will be his VP nominee in the November elections. Yes We Can." But it was not to be. ...

Northern fights

Crosscut — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:00:01 PDT

Next in the Alaska scandals roundup: An errant senator's son and Troopergate. Part 2 of 2

Sausage Links, 'be nice to reporters or else' edition

Crosscut — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:18:01 PDT

The Seattle Times editorial board slams Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi today for what it calls "artfully misleading" campaign ads. At Horse's Ass, liberal blogger David Goldstein says the ads reflect "Rossi's artfully misleading personality." But as Democrats bemoan the tactics of the Rossi campaign, Republicans say there's a new liberal bully in town — and this one is taking more than just lunch money. Chris McGann at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports the newly formed Evergreen Progess PAC has "emerged with more than $2.4 million in spending power" and is giving "Rossi a drubbing." Eric Earling at Sound Politics has a breakdown of that story. ...

The real games are in Alaska

Crosscut — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:00:01 PDT

How to keep up with all the scandals rocking Alaska's government? A veteran Juneau politics reporter offers this primer. Part 1 of 2

Lake Union Park: a first assessment

Crosscut — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:00:01 PDT

Only a small part is done, and there are some missed opportunities. But the way South Lake Union opens up from the edges of the park is stunning and bold. The design pulls off the difficult trick of incorporating a working waterfront with a public park.

Sausage Links, primary hangover edition

Crosscut — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:00:01 PDT

So, who were the big winners and losers in last night's inaugural "top-two" primary? On the winning side were incumbent Supreme Court Justices Mary Fairhurst and Charles Johnson, who virtually guaranteed their re-election by winning more than 50 percent of the vote. Along with incumbent Justice Debra Stephens, they'll run unopposed in the general election. Last night's losers, however, were easier to spot. ...

The post-partisan electorate

Crosscut — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:00:01 PDT

Reform of King County county government is popular but is almost always painted as a Republican plot. Nevertheless, the generally liberal electorate has embraced change. Last night, they gave the nod to I-26, which would allow a vote in November on whether or not to make county elected positions non-partisan. It will join another measure passed last year as I-25, which will ask whether or not to make the superintendent of county elections an elected post.

Sausage Links, 'Pledge Allegiance to the Top-Two Primary' edition

Crosscut — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:39:01 PDT

Today is the the "top-two" primary, and everyone expects the polls to be packed. But before casting your ballot, take a moment to remember our failed state primary formats of the past. As the editorial board at The Seattle Times writes: "Pause now for a moment of silence in remembrance of the state's defunct blanket primary, which served Washington's voters well for almost 70 years" — that is, until federal courts declared it was unconstitutional. After the blankie went bye-bye, Washington state tried the "Pick-a-party" primary, but voters didn't feel the vibe. Today, we've been blessed with the oft-litigated, much deliberated top-two primary, a format some people say is doomed to fail. But dammit, we might as well try it out. ...

A cure for congestion that's simple and cheap (and doomed)

Crosscut — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:00:01 PDT

Most cures for congestion come in billion-dollar packages, since it's easier for politicians to evade hard choices by instead throwing lots of money at the problem. An example of a simple, cheap (but politically radioactive) cure for congestion is to start replacing curbside parking with lanes for buses, bikes, and pedestrians. A pithy case for doing just that, as New York is trying to do, is "No Parking, Ever'" by Hope Cohen, deputy director of Manahattan Institute's Center for Rethinking Development. It's full of common sense.