INMATES TAKING OVER THE ASYLUM

I know it's a cliche, but our public discourse as reported in the columns and letters of the Spokesman-Review is truly a case of insanity in charge, with a fair share of mendacity thrown in to boot.

In the 2/27/07 letter section we have a letter writer attempting to make his case against man made global warning on the back of a petition circulated by the totally discredited Frederick Seitz to a list of "scientists." Before he reached his dementia, Seitz was the man who (mis) directed a major tobacco company's research into the harmful effects of tobacco.

A couple weeks ago the syndicated columnist Thomas Sowell tried to say Toyota was outbattling GM because they were non-union, completely ignoring the fact Toyota pegs their wages to the union wages at GM, only differing by pennies. This is the sort of phoniness in which Sowell regularly engages. Any fact that contradicts his biases is ignored, twisted, draped with obsfucation, or otherwise violated.

I want to start a list of a certain type of word. These will be words that are too little understood by many of those who use them. The thought behind them is quite fuzzy but the words reek of importance or erudition. The first word I put on the list is democracy. The second and last for today is parameter. Each of these words is in a different category of fuzziness. For democracy it would take a long essay to explain but take it from me it fits our definition. For parameter it is when the word is used informally that it fits. I'm still trying to come with a word or phrase to describe these words - and there are a lot of such words.

As the media attacks on Mayor Hession and his clandestine ways pick up, and the election campaing gets into full swing, it becomes even more clear that Spokane's strong mayor system is a bust. The architects of the change from the prior system were mostly looking to create a job for themselves. Al French worked mightily on the change and he is now running against Hession. And there may be more from the group of "founders" who will toss the old dunce hat into the ring. Power and the spotlight are quite magnetic.

Finally!!! A public official is speaking out against this tax increment financing dodge. Spokane County Treasurer Skip Chilberg is threatening a lawsuit if that form of theft of public property is used to help finance the Kendall Yards thing. This racket is just like the 10 year tax property tax abatement in that most developers lie and say it is essential to their project. How can you prove them wrong? And who even tries ? The developer and the decision maker are usually buddies, linked through campaign contributions, future jobs, business connections, and such. It's a network. And by the way, why aren't all the Spokane city council members who are professionals be required to make public a current list of those past and present clients and business associates who benefit in any way from city decisions?