Island Politics

“Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise”: a brief look at student testing and teacher accountability in our government schools 29 years after the “A Nation at Risk” report

BillB — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:16:31 +0000

Our state teachers’ union, the Washington Education Association, has long-opposed using student test results to evaluate the performance of teachers in any way, shape, or form. Our own Oak Harbor Education Association president, Peter Szalai, is on record opposing merit pay for teachers based on student performance, and now he further insists that “Supposed bad teachers and their [...]

THIS WEEK IS A GREAT WEEK IN DEMOCRAT HISTORY

Bill — Sat, 19 May 2012 15:31:59 +0000

This is a very special week in DEM history and a reminder to all my DEM friends how fast time flies by! Happy Birthday Monica… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K0qOb3JO6A

Jill Johnson Files For The District 2 Island County Commissioners Race Running Against Angie Homola

Publius — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:54:18 +0000

Johnson Files for Commissioner as Campaign Momentum Builds. “Island County’s faith in local government will be restored when we elect leaders who have faith in us, not leaders who look for every opportunity to restrict and over-regulate.” Those were the first words spoken by Jill Johnson as she filed for Island County Commissioner District 2 [...]

Did Homola Replace Her Flier with Statements of Questionable Legality Against Commissioner Emerson with a New One Trying to Focus on Accomplishments?

Bill — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:00:21 +0000

Just a few weeks ago Homola was handing out political fliers that included bogus quotes about Commissioner Emerson, saying Emerson wants to “Obstruct and destroy…bring government to its knees”. Homola recently started distributing a new brochure. She obviously knows law prohibits attacking another candidate per RCW 42.17A.335, which states, in part “…communication that contains a [...]

Phil Collier Registered May 14th as an Independent Candidate Island County Commissioner District 2 replacing Homola

Publius — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:44:55 +0000

Phil Collier notified us that he registered Monday, May 14th, with Island County to run as an Independent Candidate for County Commissioner District 2 to replace Commissioner Homola. He included the following picture with no explanation, but we suspect it’s a group of his supporters either giving him a big send off for the trip [...]

Candidate Close Up- Jim Campbell, Island County Commissioner candidate – District 2

Publius — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:32:58 +0000

When Jim Campbell is asked why he’s running for County Commissioner, District 2, he is quick to answer. “I believe there is room for improvement in the way things are being handled and the people who live here deserve better than they are getting.” Campbell wants the opportunity to put his extensive experience and [...]

Candidate Close up- Phil Collier, Island County Commissioner Candidate District 2

Publius — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:02:50 +0000

Phil, a local boy who graduated from Oak Harbor High School class of 1975. The same month after graduating, Phil opened his own business Hilltop Auto Service and Express Lube. Phil turned the $5,200 investment into a multi-million dollar business employing 12 skilled workers to date. Candidate Phil Collier is the only candidate who has [...]

Island County Precinct Committee Officers- One week to file as candidates– May 14 – 18, 2012!

Publius — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:46:21 +0000

By now, you should have received a new Voter Identification Card in the mail sent by the Island County Auditor showing: Your Voter ID No., The date you first registered to vote in Island County, and Your new Precinct Name and No. The reason for the changes are recent redistricting of our state that took [...]

Jim Campbell Officially Registered Monday May 14 as Republican Candidate for Island County Commissioner District 2

Bill — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:22:28 +0000

We need at least one more “Zero Tolerance” policy in K-12 public schools: to keep our kids safe from the teachers, administrators and support staff – and other students

BillB — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:14:10 +0000

It’s way past-time for zero-tolerance policies in our public schools that prohibit school staff and/or already-identified juvenile sexual offenders from being alone with children. Across the nation, in WA State, and even in our own local school district, we’ve latched upon zero-tolerance policies in our K-12 public schools as a means by which to decrease the potential risk to [...]

ALEC’s activities, reports and newsletters are truly the work of the boogeyman, but only if you are truly a radical leftist

BillB — Sat, 12 May 2012 19:00:42 +0000

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) itself does a pretty good job of explaining that it is run “by and for state legislators”, specifically by “more than 2,000 Republican and Democrat state legislators.” Wikipedia delineates that ALEC proudly claims “300 corporate, foundation, and other private-sector members”. Apparently, ALEC’s precepts of “Limited Government · Free Markets · [...]

Imprimis: The most influential conservative publication you’ve never heard of…

BillB — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:43:34 +0000

Tip O’Neill’s most famous quote was “All politics is local”. My agreement with that premise was again bolstered in reading a recent article in Imprimis, a publication which Rush Limbaugh has described as “one of the best and most important publications that I read.” The particular Impiris article which I like so much is titled “What [...]

“If I wanted America to fail…”

BillB — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:43:19 +0000

…I would do exactly what Island County Commissioners Angie Homola and Helen Price-Johnson did: support President Obama’s plan to triple and quadruple the rate at which the Federal Government raises the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) for passenger cars and light trucks. Angie and Helen have clearly bitten hard into the global warming scam sandwich, but analysis of the [...]

An informative rant from a Progressive Democratic Socialist and Environmental Whacko part IV

Ken — Wed, 09 May 2012 06:43:35 +0000

An informative rant from a Progressive Democratic Socialist and Environmental Whacko part IV “Yes, Commissioner Price-Johnson floated the idea of reducing Conservation Futures in order to save people a small amount on their property taxes. And those same property tax paying citizens rose up and said “NO, do NOT do away with Conservation Futures. This [...]

Is Angie Homola in violation of RCW 42.17A.335 for making a false statement of material fact in her campaign advertisements?

Cliff — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:48:11 +0000

Obviously Angie Homola is not schooled in the new laws as they pertain to political advertising. In Angie Homola’s latest campaign flyer she has included several statements made against another commissioner that are of questionable legality. RCW 42.17A.335 states: (1) It is a violation of this chapter for a person to sponsor with actual [...]