Murray, Dicks Deaf on "Wild Olympics"?

A Wild Olympics "community workshop" coordinated by staff from Rep. Norm Dicks' and Sen. Patty Murray's offices drew a large crowd and considerable consternation in Hoquiam on December 4.

Twenty minutes after the "community workshop" was scheduled to open, an unidentified staffer "welcomed" attendees and thanked the large crowd for coming. He explained that six staff members each for Dicks and Murray were on site to "listen to what you have to say."

The staffer's "clarification" that the event wasn't really a "public forum," bur rather a write-down-your-comment and drop-it-in-the-box format drew angry responses

"I came here for open public testimony" said one man. "We want to speak our piece." The staffer responded, "Come talk to us," which was clearly not what most people had in mind for a "public forum."

A dozen or so "Water - Forests - Fish: Our Future - Wild Olympics" signs sprouted around the Central Elementary School gymnasium, but majority sentiment seemed squarely in the other camp. Several "Public Notice: Wild Olympics Kills Jobs" signs were on hand. Hand-lettered signage included:

"Enough government programs! We need jobs!"

"Wild Olympics? How about Wild Washington?

Let's make the whole state a park. Hello."

"Wild Olympics means higher unemployment."

Perhaps revealing more than she intended, one Wild Olympics proponent was heard to say, "All they care about are jobs. Logging jobs are all going overseas. I'd rather save our forests."

The controversy surrounding the Wild Olympics Campaign isn't likely to die down soon. Grays Harbor Republicans are on record as opposing the campaign.

Wild Olympics Forum - Why??

The Wild Olympics Forum sponsored by Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Norm Dicks held at Central Elementary School in Hoquiam on December 4 was confrontational and cantankerous at best. It was obvious that the structure of the presentation was not what was expected nor desired by a large number of the attendees. The result was chaos. This would be treated as a learning experience for the class president of any 8th grade class in the County; for a sitting U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative to be instrumental is unbelievable.

Without detailing all the pros and cons of the specific proposal, one cannot help but wonder why this proposal is being made at this time. With the country in a recession and Grays Harbor County having the highest unemployment rate in the state, it would certainly appear that there are more pressing matters that our elected officials should be addressing. In fact, Sen. Murray was actually the Chair of the so-called “Super Committee” which was charged by the Congress and President Obama to cut $1.5 trillion over a ten year period from the federal budget. With the current spending level of $3.5 trillion/year, this amounts to a reduction of 4%. How many Harborites have cut much more than that from their spending? She was unable to get any kind of agreement, in essence throwing her hands in the air, and then proposes expanding the Federal Government through the Wild Olympics Plans.

As for Rep. Dicks, he simply has not been heard from for some time until now. It originally appeared that he was a driving force behind the Wild Olympics proposal but it now appears that he has assumed a secondary role to Sen. Murray. Could that be because has to make a reelection run whereas Sen. Murray does not?

In an August 23, 2011 letter published in the Daily World, former Commissioner Al Carter, a paid spokesman, stated that some 1300 Harborites have signed a petition supporting the Wild Olympics. According to the 2010 census, there are 72,797 residents of Grays Harbor County. This means that the 1300 individuals referenced by Mr. Carter represent 1.79% of the County. In other words, while there may be 1300 supporters, there are well over 71,000 who are either opposed or have no opinion. Perhaps the 98.21% should “Occupy” the forest?

The Federal and State government currently own approximately 15,513,500 acres of land in the State of Washington. This does not include land used for office buildings, prisons, counties, cities, and other minor uses. This represents 36.41% of the total area of the State. Does the government really need to expand its holdings?

Why are Sen. Murray and Rep. Dicks raising such a divisive issue at this time? Wouldn’t their time be much better spent working to resolve the national debt issue and local unemployment? Are they trying to distract people from the current economic situation? How about something to bring people together in these difficult times?

Dicks, Murray Biggest Losers in Wild Olympics 'Workshop'

Thank you to Rep. Norm Dicks and Sen. Patty Murray for coordinating "community workshops" throughout the Peninsula to promote proposals related to Wild Olympics. The December 4 "workshop" in Hoquiam was as coherent as a cheese blintz. I've seen better organized riots. The write-your-comment-on-a-card and drop-it-in-the-box format wasn't what most attendees had in mind for a "workshop," and some said so. Vociferously.

Not surprisingly, Dicks and Murray were no-shows, as was the case in Port Townsend, Shelton and Port Angeles. So thank you, Norm, Patty, and company, for showing Harborites just how out of touch and out to lunch you really are!