I am right there with ya Dave Don't know YET!!!!

I don't think either candidate has a deep grasp of the fishing issues we all discuss but they both have done some homework and have the talking points down. It helped out to have the Sports Fishing PAC take Gregoire out fishing on a charter...I know she got some real info that day and remembered alot of it. Rossi seems to be attentive to our issues as well.

Both candidates atleast have us on their radar screens and either one would do a good job of listening to us and acting. Now the question I have is which one would help the economy recover so we have enough funding for the programs we argue that we need. The current administration and legislature has had a long run to get us where we are today which means budget shortfalls for WDFW and lack of funding for critical salmon restoration efforts. In an environment of unemployment soaring and businesses leaving town I don't see our fisheries funding moving to the top of the list.

Maybe we need to make changes higher up. I know Bush says the economy is doing just fine. It sounds like you disagree? Maybe with both cantidates talking about sport fishing, we need to go with the one who will be best at protecting our environment!

Yes , Dave, I think here locally we should give both candidates for governor a good look. I think the fishing groups will endorse both of them. Personally I don't know much about either one which is why I advocate educating ourselves. I don't say that in the sense of only looking at Rossi.

Gramps, YB and Dave, thanks for all the good info. It's a fascinating political season, both nationally and here, with massive ramifications. It's great to see both gubernatorial candidates have at least a grasp on sportfishing issues. It'll be a tough choice.

Wouldn't it be interesting if none of us knew which political party Rossi and Gregoire were from? Without the bias that knowledge would automatically bring our decisions might be easier.

EVERY SINGLE ONE has said just about the same and all failed to do what they promised.So either one to me wouldn't make any differance.They both have some good points and bad.

From what I've read about Gregoire (this is taking more into account than fishing) she seems to be more of the status quo. From the same vein as Locke and Lowry.

There are at least 3 areas in politics that are tough if not impossible to change. Primarily because the system is so defined with each side dug in.

Education- Teachers unions vs. Taxpayers

Environment- Business/economy vs. govt. and protection groups.

Taxes- citizens and business vs. govt and politicians.

You almost never see any movement in any of these areas and if you do it's minor or countered by a new law that negates another one.

So politicians are just telling you what you want to hear because there is not much they can do about it.

Regardless of the amount of $$$ sports fishing generates for the state ecomony, neither canidate will do much to help us because we are not "organized" like big business or the commerical fishing crowd. Until we do, & can speak in numbers, you are only kidding your self. This will probably never happen because sportsman romance in some fashion & always want to be independant. Look at the accomplishments the organization, Foundation of North American Wild Sheep(FNAW) put in place. When they speak, the States & Feds listen & act. I wish there was some other way, but alas! Raft-Cat

Raft Cat: Take a look at the Recreational Fishing Alliance. This is their first year in operation in the Northwest and yet they have already sponsored cantidates forums on sportfishing as well as gotten very positive commnets from both cantidates. See my recent post on what thier newsletter posted from Gregoir

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That's why Gregoire is endorsed by both Locke and Lowry. Even Ron Simms thinks she'll make a great governer.

Yo Rory - I always thought you was a politically savvy guy... OF COURSE Locke, Sims et. al. endorse Chris Gregoire... Ready for this... She's a democrat too! :p

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I can't get anything past you.

I vote Tom Nelson for Governor

Chris has got my vote - "We need a clear state policy, articulated by the legislature, to provide guidance to the state Fish and Wildlife Commission on an appropriate allocation of fishing for sports fishermen and commercial fishermen, in order to optimize the economic benefits of fishing." This is the one issue that really turns me on, and she is the only political candidate, other that Ike Eickmeyer, who has ever supported this issue.

I will be interested to ask Gregoire about the strong financial support she has received during this campaign from the commercial fishing lobby and also ask her what she says to the Eastern Washington interests like those who irrigate and the Bonneville folks.

I just can't sift through the "talking points" and always feel like I am being patronized by hearing what the candidate thinks I want to hear. It takes alot of effort to pierce this veil. That is why we had the Rossi forum and will host the Gregoire forum...try to meet in person and see if we can glean the information that really counts.

"I just can't sift through the "talking points" and always feel like I am being patronized by hearing what the candidate thinks I want to hear. It takes alot of effort to pierce this veil."

too bad we can't just tazor 'em and hook 'em to a lie detector:(
darn poloticians