Politics and Policy A Test for Mike McGavick (August 30, 2006) * Background: In a blatant politically-motivated move, the Republican House of Representatives pushed to the Senate a “tri-fecta” bill which (a) gradually raised the national minimum wage, (b) repealed the federal estate tax, and (c) continued the “state sales tax deduction” from federal income taxes. The idea was to provide cover for embattled Republican incumbents, who could then claim that they had voted in favor of the minimum wage bill, while knowing that it wouldn’t stand a chance of passage in the U.S. Senate, and never go into effect, because of opposition to the repeal of the Estate Tax. The one-year continuation of the “state sales tax deduction” was a late addition to the mix, specifically aimed at Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, as a “we dare you to vote against this one” measure. But the Republican House got even greedier: tucked away in the Minimum Wage portion of the bill was a provision which allowed employers to REDUCE the minimum wage for persons receiving tips to $2.15 per hour, even if State law said otherwise. Cantwell predictably opposed the bill and helped defeat it, pointing out that she could not vote in favor of a bill which actually reduced the minimum wage for Washington workers. Mike McGavick, a Republican candidate for Senate in Washington State and Maria’s presumed opponent in the general election, has recently said he was sorry for his participation in a previous campaign when he knowingly continued airing adds claiming that the Democrat (Mike Lowry) favored legalized marijuana, a claim he knew to be false. But even while claiming to be contrite on this issue, McGavick's current ads claim that Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, his Democratic opponent, voted against the continuation of the sales tax deduction from federal income taxes. He is continuing to air those adds, even while knowing that Sen. Cantwell was a leader in the Senate in pushing for a continuation of the state sales tax deduction, and the author of a bill which actually continued the state sales tax deduction which has passed the Senate, but the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has refused to take action on it. Mike McGavick has refused to pull the ads, insisting that Cantwell has voted against the interests of Washington State taxpayers. McGavick stands by ad hitting Cantwell over vote on tax bill (Seattle Times, August 29, 2006). Even Seattle’s more conservative paper has urged him to pull the ads, calling them misleading and saying: “Mike McGavick's latest radio ad is a politician's version of highway robbery.” Pull the Ad, Mike The Test: I’ve got a simple test for Mike McGavick. H ave him call Sen. Bill Frist (Senate Republican Majority Leader), and tell him that it is vitally important to the Washington taxpayers, and to Mike McGavick personally, that the House adopts the Senate bill previously authored by Cantwell which will make the state sales tax deduction permanant. If he is such an effective problem-solver, surely McGavick could convince HIS OWN PARTY to do this, in that it would benefit Sen. Frist’s home state of Tennessee, also. After all, he convinced Safeco directors to pay him 28 million for only two months of part-time work! This should be a walk in the park for McGavick, who must be an incredible negotiator. Of course, if McGavick doesn’t at least make the call and support the bill, then it proves that he really doesn’t care about the Washington taxpayer, and just wants to try to create a misleading campaign issue. Let’s see which McGavick shows up - the partison hack, or the “moderate conservative” who cares for Washington taxpayers. The Call from McGavick to Frist: Crashing through boundaries of space and time, here is how I foresee the conversation between McGavick and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (if McGavick bothers or dares to make the call): Frist: “Hello?” Mike: “Uh, Sen. Frist, Sir, this is Mike McGavick.” Frist: “Mike? Mike who?” Mike: “Mike McGavick. You know. Mike! The Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Washington Sate.” Frist: “We have a Senate candidate in Washington State?” Mike: “Uh, Yes Sir, we do. It’s me.” Frist: “Isn’t that Cantwell’s seat?” Mike: “Correct, Sir.” Frist: “Oh, sorry, buddy. I didn’t realize we had found a sacrificial lamb, err, stooge, err, candidate to run for that seat.” Mike: “Well, yes Sir, we did, and its me. Frist: “Oh, I remember now. You’re the guy that got all the Safeco money. It took Rove and a team of lawyers a month to figure out how to turn that campaign contribution into a ‘bonus’. “ Mike: “Yes, Sir, that’s me. And I intend to earn the money when I get to the Senate, Sir.” Frist: “Well, Mike, that’s what was intended. Make sure Safeco gets it’s money worth. Got to keep the big contributers happy, don't we? Now, what can I do for you? Make it quick. We’re going out to dinner, and I intend to stiff the waitress on the tip….” Mike: “Well, Sen. Frist, that’s kind of what I was going to call you about. “ Frist: “Oh?” Mike: “Well, you see, I was making the whole minimum wage/sales tax deduction/estate tax repeal a campaign issue against Cantwell. You know, telling voters that she voted against the sales tax deduction bill, and it will cost them money.” Frist: “Well, that’s why we did it! It’s a win-win proposition for us. We knew that there was no way in hell the minimum wage bill would pass with the estate tax repeal added to it, so it gave us a free pass to toss in a few more “hand grenades” while we are at it. This one was aimed right at Cantwell. We already had the ads scripted before the bill even made it out of the house”. Mike: “Yes Sir, and I appreciate it. But see, now I’m in a bit of a bind. Frist: “How can you be in a bind? We gave it to you on a silver platter! What could be easier?!” Mike: “Well, see, when I was working for Slade Gorton, I was his campaign manager, and I made this misleading negative ad about his opponent….” Frist: “So? That’s what you were expected to do!” Mike: “Well, I kind of apologized for it….” Frist: “YOU WHAT???!!!!! WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DO A STUPID THING LIKE THAT????!!!!!” Mike: “Well, they told me that I needed to be “more human”, and that if I apologized for some minor things, it would make it more difficult for my opponent to criticize me for it….” Frist: “Well, I hope you didn’t do something stupid and apologize for anything else, like getting arrested for drunk driving in another state where nobody knows about it…” Mike: “Well, Sir, I know you are busy, so instead of getting off on that tangent, I’d better get right to the point. Frist: “Please do (getting impatient).” Mike: “Well, it seems that since I apologized for one misleading ad, I’m getting a lot of heat from the papers about running the current misleading ad. What with Cantwell being the main sponsor of the legislation to continue the State Sales Tax Deduction and all, it IS kind of misleading to argue that she voted against it in the bill we loaded up with poison pills….” Frist: “Well, screw the papers! Most of our voters don’t read anyway. Just keep hammering away with those ads!” Mike: “Well, its been pointed out pretty clearly that if I really wanted the state sales tax deduction, all I had to do was ask you to have the Republicans in the House vote for Cantwell’s bill, which has already passed in the Senate.” Frist: “So? I’m not sure I like the way this conversation is heading….” Mike: “So, if I ask you to have the House Republicans approve the Senate bill, and they do it, then I can take credit for saving the Sales Tax Deduction!” Frist: “You IDIOT! We don’t give a rat’s ass about the sales tax deduction! It doesn’t really affect our base anyway, it’s pocket change to them. The income tax is the only thing that concerns them! If we extend the sales tax deduction, then it might make it harder to get more income tax cuts for our rich contributors! Hell, even my own state is going to be hurt by the expiration of the state sales tax deduction, but you don’t see me trying to save it, do you????” Mike: “But, I don’t think I can win if we don’t do it….” Frist: “Look, Mike, I thought you were smarter than that. There is no way in hell you are going to win anyway. I’m surprised you even took the job. But just keep hammering away with those ads. Like I said, most of our supporters can’t read newspapers anyway, so it is bound to have some effect. Even though it won’t get you elected, it might bring in more contributors from Washington state we can add to our database for national fund-raising. Just like that election challenge to your governor’s race. We knew it was all bogus, but we got our folks so riled up by blaming the Democrats for vote-stealing, the money is just pouring in! It was well worth the money we spent on it. Hell, now when somebody catches us stealing elections anywhere in the country, we just start blathering about King County, and even the newspapers get tired of it and move on. Well, Mike, I’ve gotta go! Good Luck!” “Click”. (Posted by RHP6033)   Sponsors        Copyright 2006-2007 - Brookridge Associates Inc. All rights reserved.