Want to Quell Seattle's Adoration, Barack Obama?

Do Not Want. Mayor Greg Nickels with Barack Obama, photo courtesy of the AP.

Seattle is undeniably Barack Obama country. However, if for some reason, Mr. Obama would like to nip that affection and respect right in the bud, he should go forth with this unsubstantiated rumor: Greg Nickels for absolutely any position in his administration. A search for "Greg Nickels + Obama Cabinet" reveals these disturbing possibilities: Greg Nickels as Transportation Secretary, Greg Nickels at the new Office of Urban Policy, and Greg Nickels at the EPA.

Barack Obama and his vetters only need to look at the current state of transportation in Seattle to make a decision. See: total cluster f*ck. Or they could take a peek at the state of "urban" life under Nickels as mayor, which has been good if you were a bio-tech company or condo developer, but not so good if you were, say, anyone else.

Sure, a place in the new administration would mean Nickels might be off our hands as mayor, which would doubtlessly be nice. However, he'd move from being our problem to being the nation (and the administration)'s problem...which is just about the last thing Barack Obama needs, considering the mountainous pile of shit he already has to deal with after inauguration. That's not to mention the rest of the nation, which is dealing with that mountain-sized pile right now. So to them, we say: let us handle Nickels. We hope to have a competent non-developer candidate against him in the next election. Until then, we're hoping Nickels will improve his lackluster performance.

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By Abbey in News on November 22, 2008 4:25 PM

Comments [rss]

GroundedGirl

I think Nickels would actually be more effective nationally, where he would have a competent staff of professional bureaucrats to hash things out, than he is here-- which is not to say that he doesn't have good staff here, but rather that he'd be more insulated from doing any damage there. Go to meetings, talk shit? Yeah, he's good at that. He couldn't mow his lawn in West Seattle for a while, but on the whole, I say a year less with Nickels is just fine.

Better still, his getting appointed to a D.C. position would mean a guaranteed election without Nickels on the ballot or the threat that Seattlites would vote for continued asshattery. As long as Nickels is on the ballot, the possibility of a continued reign remains.

Troy Morris

This is the Transit Cluster fuck I blame partially on Nickels. The monorail.

We voted for it repeatedly, but when it became more expensive he asked us one more time. Anyone being asked repeatedly if they want a glass of water and saying yes every time will eventually just shout "No." to get the questioning to stop.

He didn't have the balls to just go forth and take the flack.

The reason I only partially blame him: Seattle is a bed of whiny, in-decisive people that feel their opinions need to be heard for every decision.

Glasses

Nickels simply does not have an adequate grasp on urban poverty to be qualified to head the WH Office of Urban Policy. Homelessness will only increase in our cities in the coming years, and Nickels has demonstrated nothing but his commitment to the classic, dysfunctional policies that reinforce the cycle of violence that is poverty.

Obama is a community organizer and has first hand knowledge of the success (even while unsupported by large agencies and state/federal budgets)a community finds when given the chance to generate its own solutions. I will be ridiculous upset if any of these rumors comes to fruition.

Abbey

Not insane, and not blaming all 100 years of transportaion f'ups on Greg Nickels. But compared to the promises Greg made as a mayoral candidate and the results and fuckery that's gone on during his 6 years in office--do leave lots of room for dissatisfaction.

mark_anon

Are you insane? You're blaming a hundred years of bad transportation planning on Greg Nichols? I certainly don't agree with every decision the man makes, but the guy has been mayor for six years and that makes everything that's wrong with transportation in Seattle his fault?

Also, you seem to be forgetting that the recently passed ST2 bill, which will massively extend light rail, owes its entire existence to Greg Nichols.

arrogantb

take him please!

he might do more total damage nationally - but would probably still be a net benefit for seattle.

given the opportunity - I strongly suspect he'll take it - knowing his prospects locally aren't that good.

Yuppers

I know little of Seattle's transit issues, only having lived here for about a month, but if you think Seattle's transit is a clusterf&*k, then don't visit NYC. This is paradise in comparison.