If you listen to THIS crazy scary interview, I'm not so sure...

I was overjoyed to get my ballot this afternoon. Upon examining it I was most excited about the inclusion of Prop 1001, the Koala Hunting initiative.

As you may know it allows for the wholesale hunting to extinction of the Western WA Koala without a license or limit. There is no age restriction nor a restriction on weapons that may be used- or geography exploited in the hunt.

This long overdue solution to the Koala Problem is our only hope to bolster the Western WA economy in these trying times.

First, it will spur the re-growth of the Western WA Eucalyptus tree. This tree was once the largest eucalyptus species in the world- ‘till it was plundered to make cough drops and sinus mists. This will give the Eucalyptus a fighting chance.

Second, it will be a boon for tourism, generating untold dollars in sales to people from outside the region who come here to bag that perennial pest, the Koala.

Third, it will bring in gourmets to the state, and allow the start of a packaged and frozen food empire. Once a man has eaten Koala he is spoiled for all other manner of flesh. It was Teddy Roosevelt who said that and he knew the taste of Koala, hot and cold.

Please vote yes on this important initiative.

Well, we just received our ballots in the mail, so it's time to start putting pen to paper and bring this long, long election cycle to a close. I just wanted to share some of my thoughts, and begin a thread that folks can use to discuss specific candidates and initiatives.

First up, the biggie: President. Anyone who's been reading OlyBlog for a while knows that I favor Obama. I think he's got the skills we need at this time, both in terms of academic credentials to understand the issues we face, and the ability to communicate with constituencies, other politicians, and world leaders. He's cool when it's important to be cool, he's flexible when it's important to be flexible, and he's strong when it's important to be strong. I vote for him not as the lesser of two evils, but with some modicum of expectation that he will make significant changes in how things run at the federal level. I think it's going to get interesting in Washington, D.C., if you're part of the status quo, and I'm looking forward to reading about the discomfiture of many lobbyists, hacks, and pundits in the near future.

Just as strongly, I am convinced that McCain is completely wrong for the job. He has not articulated, to my satisfaction, one coherent idea about how to deal with either the economy or foreign policy. Frankly, he's all over the map, doesn't do the background work necessary for the job, and appears to hate (viscerally) those who have the temerity to disagree with him. I cannot imagine how he could possibly develop and maintain the kind of delicate personal relationships that are required with partners, both internal and external. Finally, his philosophical position -- never met a deregulation bill he didn't love -- is the exact opposite of what we need now. We need someone who understands how governments can set the rules for markets so that the energy of capitalism is harnessed, without the excesses and inefficiencies.

Next up: Governor. This is a no-brainer. Say what you like about her, but Gregoire is an effective politician who knows how to run government and get things done. Her priorities have largely focused on education, social services, and attracting business to this state. Some are angry that she hasn't been more forceful about transportation. I think she can do that job in her second term, and perhaps it's better as a second-term project. In order to get movement, she's going to have to bang some heads, something that is easier as a second-term Governor (with more of a mandate than she started with in her first term). On the other hand, Rossi isn't skilled at anything except selling his thin resume. Again, I really can't imagine him doing anything positive for this state. He doesn't strike me as a public servant -- too much entitlement in is attitude, and not enough humility.

The other one that I'll mention now is Initiative Measure No. 1000. As someone who's lost both parents to lung cancer, I have to say that this it is very important to pass this initiative. It is hard to imagine, unless you've witnessed it up close, the degree of helplessness people feel in the grip of a serious (and potentially terminal) disease. This initiative will give them some small sense of control that I feel with empower them as health care consumers in lots of ways, even those not concerned with end-of-life decisions. It will also make explicit the question of how end of life should occur, instead of leaving it to the doctors, or ignoring it altogether. I'm for this initiative with no reservations.

OK. Your turn. Who (or what) are you for and why?