Here's how we keep our areas open...

[BrandonW]

This issue was what I was thinking about last night in the garage.

I think this argument is a testament of how stressed our political system is.

In my mind, I see somewhat of a "checks and balance" issue going on. In the past two presidential elections, the Electoral College has proven that the rural voters are heard, and the high density centers, located in the "blue states" have not elected the President.

Just imagine if "liberals" were stating what a lack of a voice that they have, and were trying to de-bunk that Electoral system?

In this state, we are 'bullied" by King County, so we are looking to excise ourself from that side of the state. Say that happens. How long until Spokane County is not listening to "us" and we excise them?

You cannot win them all. If the solution to losing was demanding change in the system or boundaries so that the next time you do win, we would live in a chaotic system. And each election winner would be most interested in un-doing what the last person did.

[Old_Man_Time]

This issue was what I was thinking about last night in the garage.

I think this argument is a testament of how stressed our political system is.

In my mind, I see somewhat of a "checks and balance" issue going on. In the past two presidential elections, the Electoral College has proven that the rural voters are heard, and the high density centers, located in the "blue states" have not elected the President.

Just imagine if "liberals" were stating what a lack of a voice that they have, and were trying to de-bunk that Electoral system?

In this state, we are 'bullied" by King County, so we are looking to excise ourself from that side of the state. Say that happens. How long until Spokane County is not listening to "us" and we excise them?

You cannot win them all. If the solution to losing was demanding change in the system or boundaries so that the next time you do win, we would live in a chaotic system. And each election winner would be most interested in un-doing what the last person did.

I don't think the problem is that simplistic nor do I think we want boundries changed because we lost an election. We want statehood because we are not represented by the West side. We are rural and farming and their economy is driven by totaly different factors than ours. Spokane county is located in the midst of a common enonomy with us.

We have had Governors from both sides of the fence and still the problem persists. Because the main force of the Governing body of Olympia is driven by what has become a technologicly based economy of the West Side. I have watched meetings where our representatives were publicly insulted and humiliated by the representatives of the West side. This was a couple of years ago now but when I saw and heard it, I knew the only answer for us was to be declared a separate state. (it had to do with some West side public transportation issues that needed more revenue)

What erks us is the west side did change the system in order to get a governor in who has no sympathy to our peculiar needs. To put it simply, we did not lose!

The Rossi issue is dead now. Because it will be decided by a liberal judge rather than the people. And Rossi could not have changed the real problems anyway. He only could have slowed down the pain of it all. Eventually we would still be crying out to become a separate state.

[BrandonW]

Looks like the push to seperate Washington has already susbsided.

Here is an article I found that is saying this group of Texans want independance! When Texan's go, they go big!

Texas Story

[Old_Man_Time]

Looks like the push to seperate Washington has already susbsided.

Texas Story

That may be true but the problems behind the dissatisfaction that MANY Eastern Washington folks feel is not going to go away. Because they can be swept under the rug doesn't mean they don't exist. When ever a people is taxed without true representation there is a recipe for trouble. People don't like being patronized. ? And that is the attitude of the Westside politicians toward Eastsiders. They think we are lucky to have them throwing us some crumbs. So why don't we feel lucky?

[BrandonW]

So why don't we feel lucky?

Because some people are never happy. I work with the City Council, and everybody coming through the front door has a great idea. Only thing is, some of them run totally counter to the last person who came through the door. You make the best decision you can, but 50% of the people are bound to think that you ignored them.

From what I can tell, Quincy is represented by Linda Evans-Parlette ® and Cary Condotta ®.

We are exporting "democracy" to the middle east right now. Back when I was in the military, at war, I spoke of home A LOT. I thought Washington was the cat's meow, because we had every thing! Most people I ran into thought of Seattle, and nothing more. When I told them we had deserts and rain forests, jagged mountains and ocean fronts, they were interested to know more about the various things Washington offered.

If I would have got wind over there that people here were trying to divide my home state, that would have really taken some wind out of my sails.

[MaxisDad]

I am not so sure about splitting the State, we do have a lot of rural area over here on the West side. But I "would" like to split out Seattle and maybe Tacoma (greater Seattle Tacoma area) and form a separate District like the District of Columbia. Then all the Liberals can rule their own little District and leave the rest of us in the State alone. But as it has in the last 10 years, like rats mulitplying and finding new places to nest, they are spilling out of the City and spreading out over the rest of the state. You ever notice you will find some greeny that spent all of their life living in the City, retire and build some big home in the middle of nowhere and now they inflict their urbinite values on the country folk. They will use or create laws for people to conform to their way of living.

[Old_Man_Time]

If I would have got wind over there that people here were trying to divide my home state, that would have really taken some wind out of my sails.

Why? you still would have been the same distance from all those things except that in the State of Eastern Washington a conservative common sense would let you enjoy your state a lot more. There is a reason why more and more Western Washington folks head over our way to ride. Their places to ride are being taken away fast. Now that the damage has been done on the West side they now are turning their attention to the East side. Bye Bye enjoying all those beautiful places you used to brag about. ?

[trav]

i personally think that although this might protect *some* areas on the east side, the overall, long-term effect would hurt our right to ride for the majority.

WA needs help from both sides of the cascades, just like our national issues need help from everyone.

besides, most of the popular *east-side* riding areas, taneum, sls, lake wenatcee, naches, etc., are all on national forest service land, so u will gain nothing there. i think even blm land falls under national, so saddle mountain and few others probably wouldn't be helped.

again, we all have to work together to make this state and this nation orv-friendly, IMO dividing this state is not the answer. if u want to protect your right to ride, than i urge u to be involved and focus on our fight instead of looking for the *easy* way out.

[dmthayer]

What erks us is the west side did change the system in order to get a governor in who has no sympathy to our peculiar needs. To put it simply, we did not lose!

The Rossi issue is dead now. Because it will be decided by a liberal judge rather than the people. And Rossi could not have changed the real problems anyway. He only could have slowed down the pain of it all. Eventually we would still be crying out to become a separate state.

Old Man Time, you have hit this topic dead-center IMO. I grew up on a farm on the east side, unfortunately, my dad and alot of the other farmers in the Quincy area weren't able to continue farming because of the idiotic taxes and land management practices imposed on them from Olympia. The west side is just so different economically and politically that the east side is not effectively represented.

And as far as economically supporting Eastern Washington as a seperate state, there are some real simple answers. One would be to put a large tax on Electricity going out of state. Can't you just hear the west side liberals screaming when their electic bills double because they have to buy power from those out of state Eastern Washington salmon-killing environment-destroying Dams ?

[Old_Man_Time]

i personally think that although this might protect *some* areas on the east side, the overall, long-term effect would hurt our right to ride for the majority.

WA needs help from both sides of the cascades, just like our national issues need help from everyone.

besides, most of the popular *east-side* riding areas, taneum, sls, lake wenatcee, naches, etc., are all on national forest service land, so u will gain nothing there. i think even blm land falls under national, so saddle mountain and few others probably wouldn't be helped.

again, we all have to work together to make this state and this nation orv-friendly, IMO dividing this state is not the answer. if u want to protect your right to ride, than i urge u to be involved and focus on our fight instead of looking for the *easy* way out.

Trav, as long as we are one state we have no choice but to fight together. It is a losing battle as long as the I-5 corridor is in control. The reason for dividing the state is not just to preserve our quality of riding as has been pointed out in this thread. We are a rural farm based community in Eastern Washington. Our interests are not represented but we are taxed. Taxation with out true representation. Our elected officials are helpless to help us. Every issue they take up in our behalf is dead before it's conceived.

Oh, and our quality of riding would be preserved everywhere on the Eastside. The West side is making decisions that will make our state like California. Red sticker/Green sticker bikes and noise level restrictions which will rival the lowest in the nation. So even riding in Taneum and other federal lands would remain more pleasant for the State of Eastern Washington since we would be very unlikely to imitate California as the West side seems so hot to do. ?

[trav]

how long before there are national green/red sticker policies? we've already seen recent legislation restricting cross country riding? my point is, u may *feel* protected with your new state, but it won't last unless we ALL work together.

as far as your misrepresentation, i was born in raised in packwood wa, a town of less than 1000 that is a logging based rural area that has been killed by logging restrictions, now live in monroe which is a small rural town in a farm based area (snohomish county), so i understand your feeling and in the same situation, but i do not believe dividing the state is the answer. as someone already mentioned, it's the populous of seattle/tacoma that have the say, and blaming the *west* side you are forgetting all the other rural areas that are in the same situation as you and i. but if u divide the state, how long before the population of spokane and other large towns in your new state start voting for anti-rural policy, then what will u do, divide into central wa? but it doesn't matter who u blame as there will always be something, no matter if the state is divided or not. the real answer is to fight smarter and make yourself heard and understood, thats what we have to do to secure a better quality of life.

[Old_Man_Time]

Well Trav, when I'm hot about the I-5 corridors power I do tend to forget about the rest of Western Washington. It seems that even in your rural farming areas the elected officials are often the liberals. That must really be tough to be surrounded by liberals even in the rural communities. I do feel for all you folks but am not convinced a new state wouldn't help for a considerable extended length of time.

It's true that the West has been settled and the corralling of the people into population centers is bound to happen. In fact that is a part of the liberal green agenda. It truly may be some day that our children will only sit around the house hearing stories of the freedoms Americans once possessed.

As it stands now we can unite to fight smart but we simply do not have the numbers to win in a state where the rules are changed by the ruling dynasty when we do win. The fact is we are close to turning the tide but the damage done in the next 4 years is going to be significant.

I'm not for sitting around letting it happen so we must go down fighting. When your right you must fight no matter what the odds.

Realistically I do not believe we have much of a chance forming a new state but if there is even a flicker of hope to keep the idea alive I will support it.