The idea of a part-time city council might be in the public interest
somewhere - say, for a hamlet. But it will never work for Spokane. The
Council is too unrepresentative, and that flaw is baring its ugly teeth
as the living wage issue grinds through the current council's mill.
There is not a single member of what is commonly called the working
class sitting on the council or as mayor. Nor is it likely there will
ever be under the current charter, other than as a fluke. Instead, we
are overburdened with attorneys and business people, loyal as ever to
their class. .

It is often said the present set-up is a good one in that we don't have
"professional politicians" to contend with. Oh, yes! Beware of
someone who devotes her professional life working to dispense public
goods such as progressive taxes, adequate public safety, and steps to
combat global warming, instead of private favors such as property tax
abatements for millionaires, fast tracks for their favorite developers, and excuses
for renegade public servants.

If we raised the council annual salaries and reduced the term to two
years, perhaps we would find a council composed of hod-carriers, former
Wal-Mart employees, landscape workers, baristas, and the like. In other
words, a real cross-section of Spokane. That is much more the American
way than what we have now.

Bush in Iraq

Bush's surprise visit to Iraq was another of those unintentional blunders that shows what fools he and his advisors are. I put it in the same category as Cheney's shoot-'em-in-the-face fiasco. Now think, how would Russia or Britian react if Bush showed up to see Putin or Blair with a fifteen minute notice? Very disrespectful, they would say. The visit simply underlines the fact we intend to have Iraq as a puppet for a great many years. In fact, I see us as in the process of dropping an "iron curtain" around the oil producing middle east and central Asia. My apologies to the ghost of WC.