First I want to set the record straight, I never claimed to speak for the whole group. I used the word "I" many times. There were a few "us" thrown in there but if you listened attentively then you'd hear I corrected myself several times. I never said I was a "leader" I said I was a MEMBER. Get that straight before anyone else comes in here half-cocked, pun-intended. Go listen to the recording and you will hear this.
You also heard what I thought of Inslee and my reservations about him, like for instance, the fact that we might not be able to trust anything Inslee says. The problem is, at the very least some of you will have to admit by your past statements on this thread that in order to cast himself as 'more moderate' that McKenna was trying to distance himself from the traditional GOP base in order to get elected by appearing to be something he isn't. So what? He's trying to fool anti-gun people into voting for him? Does that make you guys proud? Does that make you happy to declare your support for him? This is politics of deception, and McKenna was trying to cast himself as honest. Honest is NOT pretending to be something you aren't, and ignoring your supposed supporters. Believe me, it has nothing to do with my own ego, I gave that campaign over 2 and a half months, they wouldn't even bother telling me to "go away." I even asked them if they'd like me to stop trying to contact them and they kept saying "no, no, we want you to contact us but we'll get back to you." What was really going on was "tactical delay" to avoid having to make a public statement within three months of the election. I pleaded with them to say something, say ANYTHING about pre-emption and what McKenna would do as governor should cease-fire come in and lobby to change the law, and they refused to tell me anything. They also refused to make any statement to any of you about that specific issue in the context of McKenna using a veto if necessary. I wanted McKenna to get my vote, but he would not reach out to me and get it. The graveyard of politics is filled with the corpses of campaigns that spurned different groups of voters, and believe me, it is not ego for a voter like myself to want to hear from candidates. Do any of you think it's unreasonable for someone to vote against a candidate if that candidate ignores that person? Let me put it this way, the governor is my employee, how would you react if one of your employees ignored you when you were asking them a business related question and needed an answer to make a decision? The politicians are there to serve the people, not the other way around.
Also, my points about Schwarzeneggar and Romney were valid, and ignored by everyone, including Carlson. He tried to argue that McKenna was an attorney, guess what, so is Romney. Face the facts: RINOs often sign gun bans, it's what they do. McKenna himself says he hasn't shot a gun in years, how important do you think gun rights is for him say, compared to getting his tax or education plans passed? If McKenna needed to compromise and give something to the legislature to get what he wanted, what do you think he would offer up? Do you guys pay attention to history and politics? We've seen this EXACT situation play out in other states like Massachussets and California. Do you want it to happen here?
My prediction, if Inslee keeps his lead and wins, is that you will see no change at all in gun legislation since he didn't run on it and the democrats won't be asking for it. If McKenna wins, the democrats won't ask for changes but I think McKenna would be happy to offer them up in trade for funding charter schools once it's passed or passing his whole education agenda. WA Cease-fire isn't stupid, hell, THEY would probably approach McKenna with the idea themselves, knowing that this could be their inroads on it. Feel free to bump this thread any time over the next four years if I'm wrong and point it out.
If the legislature here had been republican, I would have voted for McKenna even if he said he was against guns, as it is, you can't trust republicans who try to portray themselves as more "moderate" in the campaign, because you have no idea what they will give up come their election.
As for showing up, you better believe I will be coming to OC meetings, I might even start hosting a few myself. I probably won't make the one this weekend, in part because I'll most likely be busy and in part because I'm sure tempers will be hot and I'd prefer a little time for everyone to cool down and think about things.
Edit: As for those who are suggesting that as voters we shouldn't have the right to be addressed individually by the candidates, or that we aren't worth responding to and if we complain it's an "ego problem," please go retake your highschool civics class. There is nothing wrong with freedom of speech and nothing wrong with calling out a public figure if they refuse to take a position on something. For those advocating "shutting me up," try to fathom how hypocritical you sound.
