Seattle to Secede

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels' comments at Thursday's City Club luncheon were just another example of sandbox politics - the kind favored by five-year-olds who don't play well with others.

Ranting about how nobody outside of Seattle (state legislators, for example) should make any decisions that affect Seattle, Nickels declared the Puget Sound economy stronger and more important than that in any other part of the state. "Our region should declare its independece," he said.

So much for One Washington. The Cascade Curtain is back up, as is the Federal Way Firewall.

Politickers everywhere agree that plans to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the 520 bridge have degenerated into shouting matches, and that both require swift solutions and decisive action. But the lack of leadership to get that swift and decisive action is not the fault of some Pasco legislator or Spokane Valley voter, the fault rests squarely with Mayor Nickels himself and the entitled voters in enlightened Seattle. Maybe secession would force Seattle to recognize its solipsism, or, more likely, Seattle's self-importance would expand along with Mayor/President Nickels' ego.

He must not have been listening last week when the Dalai Lama asked for compassion and respect, then change.