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Spin Control archive for Jan. 1, 2010

TUESDAY, NOV. 30, 2010

McMorris Rodgers: Let's vote on tax cuts 

Speaking at the House GOP leadership press conference, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said today that Congress should hold an up or down vote on continuing all tax cuts before year's end.Democrats have been angling for a vote that extends tax cuts to everyone but those…

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Murray takes campaign job

Sen. Patty Murray has formally accepted the job as the head of the Senate Democrats's campaign operation.A statement from outgoing Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Menendez is congratulating Murray on her selection. It says all the standard things, such as she's the best choice…

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Today's fun video: Stewart takes on media punning

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cYou're Not Punnywww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorThe Daily Show on FacebookWhen he's right, he's right. Jon Stewart last night challenged the news media to stop using stupid puns in their stories.All in favor, raise your…

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DelBene new state Revenue Director

OLYMPIA -- Suzan DelBene, an unsuccessful congressional candidate in this year's election, was named today as the new director of the state Department of Revenue.DelBene takes over the state's tax-collecting agency at a time when Washington is facing revenue shortfalls for at least the next…

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Murray expected to lead campaign group

Sen. Patty Murray will be announced as the new chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee later today, sources in the other Washington are saying this morning.Roll Call, a newspaper and website that covers almost every move in Congress, says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid…

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MONDAY, NOV. 29, 2010

OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire explains that time is short, and the size of the budget gap is large, during a press conference Nov. 29, 2010 (Jim Camden/The Spokesman-Review)

Gregoire: Time of essence on budget fix

Gov. Chris Gregoire says the budget gap is large, but the options for closing it are small, during a press conference Monday.OLYMPIA -- Warning that every month is critical in solving the state's looming budget deficit, Gov. Chris Gregoire tried to prod legislators into suggesting…

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OLYMPIA-- Jim Bensley (left) and Wes Kline of General Administration direct the raising and securing of the Holiday Kids Tree in the Capitol Rotunda Monday, 11/29.2010. (Jim Camden/The Spokesman-Review)

Oh. Tannenbaum.

Jim Bensley (right) and Wes Kline of General Administration direct the raising and securing of the Holiday Kids Tree in the Capitol Rotunda Monday.OLYMPIA -- The Holiday Kids Tree was hoisted into its stand in the Capitol Rotunda at lunchtime Monday.At about 25 feet, it's…

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Kreidler: Limit insurance co. surpluses 

OLYMPIA -- Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler wants authority to limit the amount of surpluses insurance companies can amass when considering their requested rate hikes.He'll ask the Legislature for the authority to take those surpluses into account, and deny rate hikes of an insurance company had…

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THURSDAY, NOV. 25, 2010

May all your turkeys be the edible kind

We here at Spin Control wish all readers a Happy Thanksgiving, where blessings are counted as many and varied, and everything else fades away to nothing.While it's true that the year has produced its share of political turkeys, we hope Democrats and Republicans, liberals and…

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WEDNESDAY, NOV. 24, 2010

Obama pardons turkey and other T-Day readings

One of the great American Thanksgiving traditions occurred this morning, as President Obama pardoned a turkey presented to him from the turkey growers association.Actually, he pardoned two. The winner of a national turkey competition, Apple, and understudy Cider. They're off to Mount Vernon to live…

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TUESDAY, NOV. 23, 2010

State turnout record? Missed it by that much

OLYMPIA -- Turnout for the 2010 mid-term election will be about 71.18 percent of the state's registered voters, the Secretary of State's office said today.That's shy of the record in 1970, which was 71.8 percent, but higher than anything since, and better than the second…

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MONDAY, NOV. 22, 2010

FRIDAY, NOV. 19, 2010

E. Washington gets several GOP leadership spots 

OLYMPIA -- Members of the Eastern Washington legislative delegation were chosen for several Republican leadership spots today.Rep. Joel Kretz of Wauconda, whose 7th District stretches from Okanogan County to northwestern Spokane, was reappointed to the No. 2 spot, deputy leader of the House GOP caucus.…

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State wants to reopen union contracts

OLYMPIA -- Thursday's worse than expected revenue forecast prompted Gov. Chris Gregoire to order state employee unions back to the bargaining table to renegotiate contracts.With a proclamation, Gregoire invoked a state law that allows her to ask the unions to reopen existing contracts. A separate…

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THURSDAY, NOV. 18, 2010


Revenue down. Chance of special session up

OLYMPIA -- The revenue forecast is grim. The chance for solving the problem with across-the-board cuts is almost non-existent. The chance of a special session of the Washington Legislature is growing, by the day if not the hour.You can read about it in today's report…

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Supreme Court ponders: Who is the state?

OLYMPIA -- The federal lawsuit in Florida over health care reform raises many interesting questions about state's rights and federal mandates. But it also sparked some interesting debates today in the Washington Supreme Court over who represents the state in a legal dispute, and even,…

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Today's fun video: The case for un-friending

Wednesday was National Unfriend Day (who knew?). And Spin Control feels bad about missing it.In an effort to make up for this holiday observance faux pas, we present the holiday song which may convey some broadly held feelings about Facebook friends...Not our Facebook friends, of…

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WEDNESDAY, NOV. 17, 2010

Gregoire: Quit making some of those rules 

OLYMPIA– Washington state agencies will stop making so many rules that affect the daily lives of its citizens and businesses under an executive order issued Wednesday by Gov. Chris Gregoire.The order exempts some rules still in the making, such as those necessary for public health…

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Gregoire named NGA head

OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire was elected to fill the opening as the chairwoman of the National Governors Association, her office announced today.Gregoire will step into the job left vacant when West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin was elected to the U.S. Senate this month. She…

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TUESDAY, NOV. 16, 2010

Health care reform keeping lawyers busy

OLYMPIA – As Attorney General Rob McKenna prepares to convince the state Supreme Court why he can fight federal health care reform, a state legislator joined a group trying to tell a federal court that he shouldn’t.McKenna is scheduled to be in the state's highest…

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Brown says seat Harper, fix campaign law

OLYMPIA -- The winner of a disputed Senate election in Snohomish County should take his seat despite questions over how he won the primary, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown said today.Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt suggested Monday that Democrat Nick Harper not be seated until…

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Bragging rights go to Washington Poll

OLYMPIA -- Remember all those polls in the U.S. Senate race that were all over the place in the last week of the election?Democrat Patty Murray was up by 4. No, Republican Dino Rossi was up by 3. No, they're tied.Turns out the most accurate…

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The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.



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