Very well stated, Jeff! And thank you for for eloquently stating our constitutional rights and why we have them. The DOGE WA meeting was opened to everyone. Mr. Morgan provided useful information to citizens who wanted to know more about local, state, and federal government operations. He also spent an hour taking questions during the meeting and after the meeting. Clallam County is becoming informed and sharing important and pivotal information about its local government. Too much money is wasted on frivilous programs and projects. I want to know where my money is being spent and why politicians keep asking for more! If people like Donna are happy to be oblivious, stay that way. And don't infringe on my rights to question everything.
I know the woman personally and she has always been a myopic troublemaker. It's as if the right side of her face was cut off, so she only sees left, never rational, never objectively, only leftist views. She was a Stanford nurse, who probably is still wearing a mask in public.
How can any rational person object to transparency. It just shows what we are dealing with-- irrational people. Yet, here and everywhere, we try to deal with them rationally. They are mentally defective and can ONLY think emotionally. It is a psychological fact that the primitive, emotional brain cannot function simultaneously with the more recently evolved rational/logical brain. These liberals surround themselves with other liberals who speak in emotional terms. Before long, the rational/logical parts of the brain functionally atrophies from disuse and they lose the ability to be rational/logical/objective.
If you've ever argued with a hysterical woman or an apoplectic enraged person, you will understand. Your words go in one ear and out the other (brainless hollow?), yet we try to be rational with them. We can't. They only understand scary, outrageous, sad, happy, touchy-feely, and other emotions. Until we realize that, our logical and rational facts only reach the proverbial choir, but go over the heads of the very people our messages are hoped to reach.
I don't know the answer to this problem other than to attempt to communicate with them in emotional terms, which may be a foreign language to many of us. We need to impress upon these liberals, how SCARY Marxism is (in gory detail) and how WONDERFUL Trump, RFK, jr, and others are in trying to improve OUR lives, and so on. Communicate in emotional terms to reach them.
Sadly a lot of folks have gotten to my way or the highway. They no longer even listen to someone who has a different view. Which is really sad in the grand scheme of things because they might actually learn something they didn't actually know before. Why we have 2 ears and 1 mouth :D
She just another offended liberal saying "how dare you disagree with me". Her tightly knit liberal group in Sequim is what's bringing WA state down. They scream democracy is under attack, and she's the very one attacking democracy! These people clearly have mental illness. Clallam County is becoming less tolerant of sharing differing thoughts and beliefs. To this woman, it's her way or the highway. I'm sure she's mortally offended. 😆
If I remember correctly, during the Covid epidemic, the then Governor of this state basically said to State employees "you don't like my work place rules regarding things like wearing masks, then resign, leave the state." Thinking that, and strong arming that attitude as the only way to live your life in Washington State has now filtered down to our local politicians and many voters. This is THE VISION you'd better have in our county and state! Enable the Freddy the Freeloaders (my apologies to Red Skelton)." We can see on our Sequim streets how well we are enabling people who want to spend their life on a permanent VACATION at TAXPAYER EXPENSE!
Sorry to belabor the events at the Sequim City Council Meeting on Monday. During the open comment time, one woman used her 3 minutes to say that, "this is a follow up to my being here and commenting at the last City Council Meeting. A group of us women hold our meetings at a building in downtown Sequim close to? adjacent to? that little park (Seal Street). The people that hang out there terrify us in part because they are using pot. It is so bad there I won't let my daughter come to downtown Sequim. I again, for the second time, ask that the Sequim Police department do something." 2 SPD officers were at the meeting.
You're right! I've seen quite a few new people on various corners with their signs in Sequim. Maybe these liberals want to see that, IDK, but it's sad to see what Sequim is becoming. PA has always had them, Sequim not so much..
Thank you, Jeff, for your well-written rebuttal to Donna’s recent letter. We also reached out to the Gazette to express our concern about the article, which we felt was unfair and potentially damaging to the reputation of the Elks — a longstanding and deeply charitable organization in our community. Unfortunately, we were told there would be no retraction since the piece was labeled as “opinion.”
Like many others, I had considered writing in defense of the Elks, but Jeff, your response truly captured the heart of the issue. Our organization quietly but consistently supports a wide range of local and national charities — including the Scouts of America, Boys and Girls Club, Sequim Food Bank, Lions Club, and many more. We are proud of the volunteer work we do and the difference we make in the lives of others.
It’s disheartening to see our efforts dismissed or disparaged by fellow community members. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and of course, people can choose whether or not to attend any given event. But to criticize an event without attending it — or to condemn the organization in which it is held without understanding the full picture — feels not only unfair, but uninformed.
The Elks have been, and will continue to be, a positive force in this community. We remain committed to service, generosity, and fellowship — regardless of the noise.
Only certain "opinion" types are published in our foreign owned and controlled rags!
There's "democracy" for you..."liberal progressive" style!
We are divided and because as NOI said, there is no reasoning with an unreasonable entity...we will remain divided and the gap is going to continue to widen.
So platitudes about Unity are false and hollow...we may be unified at the cosmic/spiritual level (a theory) but not in this realm!
Right now, the 'left' is destroying our cities, counties and states with their ideology...the commies have full control of WA and CC for now...it will be a hard and unforgiving 'turn' if we can turn it at all.
We need more such Classes as we know that Transparency and Accountability is critical for a Representative Democracy to work. I believe the budget is a moral document. Public spending must be understandable and defensible, with open data access, community dashboards, and clear outcomes tied to tax dollars.
I used to feel sorry for people like her. But not after all thats come to light in the last 4 years. These people are hellbent on destroying all that America stands for. A disease....
While being handsomely rewarded for it...Stanford nurse must be a pretty nice union pension, communist controlled...that is how 'they' "take us without firing a shot".
Infiltration, subversion, collusion, conspiracy, etc.
No corrupt voting process is going to correct this.😎
Here is the park advisory committee meeting that followed the park advisory committee field trip where they did a tour of the county parks, but they decided not to finish the tour out on the WestEnd because we aren’t worth it…Commissioner French’s advocacy for us on the WestEnd is much appreciated and I support him calling this district 1 “Sequim” member out: https://clallamcowa.portal.civicclerk.com/event/582/media
I also support that person using public comment to apologize to Commissioner French, now he needs to do a formal apology to the WestEnd and the Lyons club who basically take care of the Fred Orr baseball fields/county park without using tax payers dollars when the funds are for the whole county, not just Sequim or the EastEnd! Is the road from Sequim to Forks a lot longer than the road from Sequim to Forks?
CAUTION the Clallam county staff member running the meeting seems to be very upset and acting aggressive towards the advisory committee members, I don’t condone his behavior and I didn’t know the back story about their failed field trip during the time I originally watched it. I followed up with Commissioner French to make sure this wasn’t okay and that’s how I learned about the backstory. I am so glad we have our county business recorded for this reason. Thanks for your efforts to keep transparency alive!
The Sequim City Council has a money request in front of it from 6 different local groups in need of cash. The amount requested from the 6 totals more than what Sequim has available in its budget. The Council has requested additional information from each group (hoping the $s requested might be pared back!) It appears that the Council would like to review and make dollar dispersals at their next meeting in August. Currently KSQM has requested $109,000 in funding. Does KSQM give equal air time to differing viewpoints? And if not, should they receive any money from the available funds? One might want to look at the other 5 groups requesting funds. Its our money. Instead why not, maybe like the Co-op just send each person a check a check during the year - label it as Return On Investment.
No organizational leadership! WOW! how interesting!! Wonder who wrote the request? Wonder, who then determines whether one receives "air time" or not!!! Is there a written policy? or opposite of a very important value that the Elks Club holds dear!!!!
Maybe we pay too much for our electricity and they have ......
I always wondered why monopolistic entities like the P.U.D. spent ANY money advertising...I think they get grant money, rebate money for upgraded appliances and windows, etc. They are 'on the dole' as well, if that's the case.
Same as the hospital...why all the billboards and signs...the only signs we should see are how to get there quickly when needed. Something's rotten.😎
It is our right to have access to information which means public access to government records, budgets, contracts, and decision-making processes, often through laws like the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). I think it is a healthy approach to have forums like the one held on July 17th, we need more of those as well as pro and con debates on important issues for our City and Clallam County.
I've been enjoying your articles and podcasts for a few months now. I wanted to attend that seminar but had previous plans. I hope there are more offerings like that in the future. On today's article: I think it's unfortunate that Donna prejudged a seminar meant to teach attendees how to dig into the data and participate in their own governance. The article was well written and made great points. I always get the feeling you are looking out for the residents of this county, not Democrats or Republicans but citizens.
I also think it's unfortunate that commenters use terms like liberal and leftist as an insult. Liberals and leftists use terms like far right and MAGA as insults. People on both sides of this artificial fight between left and right are just falling for the parties' ploy to keep us mad at each other and not paying attention to what is really happening. I hope we can all get out of our information silos and realize that the people we disagree with might have only half the information, as do we ourselves most of the time. Dialog without judgment is going to be the key.
True, labels don't solve problems but we have to label things to try and understand them.
Mental Illness is a label but it's ubiquitous so what should we call it?
A misunderstanding?
We cannot reason with unreasonable beings...that is fact... so trying to find common ground with someone who is very well off who wants to tear down the very system that is coddling them is...insane.
Stick to facts and truth wherever they may lead, even if it's very inconvenient or uncomfortable or frightening.
Our country is unfortunately having a hard time thinking beyond Democrats vs Republicans, Conservatives vs Progressives, or whatever other binary terms we fall into. Brain activity ceases to operate proportional to how far on the outer fringes of the faction one sees the world.
It doesn't surprise me that the term DOGE results in this person's view being what was written, and that's unfortunate. A person or group could call the same local movement anything else where none of the words in the acronym exist, but the moment someone suggests it has a relationship to DOGE we'll be back to square one.
Hey is anyone willing to listen to minutes 56:00 to 1:03 on the second budget meeting with our assessor Pam Ruston’s statements about “not talking about” things the department isn’t doing? I am concerned that this was said in an open public meeting witnessed by our elected officials and the public, I feel like this is reportable but to who? Am I off here? Shouldn’t this be a concern? The commissioner’s didn’t say anything about it? Here’s the link: https://clallamcowa.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3571/media
Thanks for pointing this out, but I can't say I know what she is hinting at. This is a good listen for anyone curious about the actual impacts the commissioners' reckless spending is having on county departments.
During my short time on the Sequim City Council (less than two years) I received six FOIA requests from members of SGGL. There were no cries of division, no complaints whatsoever. I find that to more than a little bit hypocritical.
Very well stated, Jeff! And thank you for for eloquently stating our constitutional rights and why we have them. The DOGE WA meeting was opened to everyone. Mr. Morgan provided useful information to citizens who wanted to know more about local, state, and federal government operations. He also spent an hour taking questions during the meeting and after the meeting. Clallam County is becoming informed and sharing important and pivotal information about its local government. Too much money is wasted on frivilous programs and projects. I want to know where my money is being spent and why politicians keep asking for more! If people like Donna are happy to be oblivious, stay that way. And don't infringe on my rights to question everything.
I know the woman personally and she has always been a myopic troublemaker. It's as if the right side of her face was cut off, so she only sees left, never rational, never objectively, only leftist views. She was a Stanford nurse, who probably is still wearing a mask in public.
How can any rational person object to transparency. It just shows what we are dealing with-- irrational people. Yet, here and everywhere, we try to deal with them rationally. They are mentally defective and can ONLY think emotionally. It is a psychological fact that the primitive, emotional brain cannot function simultaneously with the more recently evolved rational/logical brain. These liberals surround themselves with other liberals who speak in emotional terms. Before long, the rational/logical parts of the brain functionally atrophies from disuse and they lose the ability to be rational/logical/objective.
If you've ever argued with a hysterical woman or an apoplectic enraged person, you will understand. Your words go in one ear and out the other (brainless hollow?), yet we try to be rational with them. We can't. They only understand scary, outrageous, sad, happy, touchy-feely, and other emotions. Until we realize that, our logical and rational facts only reach the proverbial choir, but go over the heads of the very people our messages are hoped to reach.
I don't know the answer to this problem other than to attempt to communicate with them in emotional terms, which may be a foreign language to many of us. We need to impress upon these liberals, how SCARY Marxism is (in gory detail) and how WONDERFUL Trump, RFK, jr, and others are in trying to improve OUR lives, and so on. Communicate in emotional terms to reach them.
Once, I tried to carry on a conversation with a person on LSD. Once.
I find rather close parallels to that experience in trying to have a conversation with a “progressive”.
GM thank you for the laugh ; )
ROTFL! I can only imagine! Like, far out, man! :-) :-) :-)
Sadly a lot of folks have gotten to my way or the highway. They no longer even listen to someone who has a different view. Which is really sad in the grand scheme of things because they might actually learn something they didn't actually know before. Why we have 2 ears and 1 mouth :D
That's why when I have a dinner party, I ban any discussions of politics or religion....unless they agree with me lol
Agreed 💯... You hit the nail on the head!
Another well written article. Thank you Jeff!
She just another offended liberal saying "how dare you disagree with me". Her tightly knit liberal group in Sequim is what's bringing WA state down. They scream democracy is under attack, and she's the very one attacking democracy! These people clearly have mental illness. Clallam County is becoming less tolerant of sharing differing thoughts and beliefs. To this woman, it's her way or the highway. I'm sure she's mortally offended. 😆
If I remember correctly, during the Covid epidemic, the then Governor of this state basically said to State employees "you don't like my work place rules regarding things like wearing masks, then resign, leave the state." Thinking that, and strong arming that attitude as the only way to live your life in Washington State has now filtered down to our local politicians and many voters. This is THE VISION you'd better have in our county and state! Enable the Freddy the Freeloaders (my apologies to Red Skelton)." We can see on our Sequim streets how well we are enabling people who want to spend their life on a permanent VACATION at TAXPAYER EXPENSE!
Sorry to belabor the events at the Sequim City Council Meeting on Monday. During the open comment time, one woman used her 3 minutes to say that, "this is a follow up to my being here and commenting at the last City Council Meeting. A group of us women hold our meetings at a building in downtown Sequim close to? adjacent to? that little park (Seal Street). The people that hang out there terrify us in part because they are using pot. It is so bad there I won't let my daughter come to downtown Sequim. I again, for the second time, ask that the Sequim Police department do something." 2 SPD officers were at the meeting.
You're right! I've seen quite a few new people on various corners with their signs in Sequim. Maybe these liberals want to see that, IDK, but it's sad to see what Sequim is becoming. PA has always had them, Sequim not so much..
One could only hope!🤣
Thank you, Jeff, for your well-written rebuttal to Donna’s recent letter. We also reached out to the Gazette to express our concern about the article, which we felt was unfair and potentially damaging to the reputation of the Elks — a longstanding and deeply charitable organization in our community. Unfortunately, we were told there would be no retraction since the piece was labeled as “opinion.”
Like many others, I had considered writing in defense of the Elks, but Jeff, your response truly captured the heart of the issue. Our organization quietly but consistently supports a wide range of local and national charities — including the Scouts of America, Boys and Girls Club, Sequim Food Bank, Lions Club, and many more. We are proud of the volunteer work we do and the difference we make in the lives of others.
It’s disheartening to see our efforts dismissed or disparaged by fellow community members. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and of course, people can choose whether or not to attend any given event. But to criticize an event without attending it — or to condemn the organization in which it is held without understanding the full picture — feels not only unfair, but uninformed.
The Elks have been, and will continue to be, a positive force in this community. We remain committed to service, generosity, and fellowship — regardless of the noise.
Perfectly said.
Only certain "opinion" types are published in our foreign owned and controlled rags!
There's "democracy" for you..."liberal progressive" style!
We are divided and because as NOI said, there is no reasoning with an unreasonable entity...we will remain divided and the gap is going to continue to widen.
So platitudes about Unity are false and hollow...we may be unified at the cosmic/spiritual level (a theory) but not in this realm!
Right now, the 'left' is destroying our cities, counties and states with their ideology...the commies have full control of WA and CC for now...it will be a hard and unforgiving 'turn' if we can turn it at all.
I wish us well!😎
We need more such Classes as we know that Transparency and Accountability is critical for a Representative Democracy to work. I believe the budget is a moral document. Public spending must be understandable and defensible, with open data access, community dashboards, and clear outcomes tied to tax dollars.
I used to feel sorry for people like her. But not after all thats come to light in the last 4 years. These people are hellbent on destroying all that America stands for. A disease....
While being handsomely rewarded for it...Stanford nurse must be a pretty nice union pension, communist controlled...that is how 'they' "take us without firing a shot".
Infiltration, subversion, collusion, conspiracy, etc.
No corrupt voting process is going to correct this.😎
Why do they all end up here? Do they advertise on cnn? Podunk coastal town in Western Washington. Looking for liberal losers. Ripe for the pickin.
Here is the park advisory committee meeting that followed the park advisory committee field trip where they did a tour of the county parks, but they decided not to finish the tour out on the WestEnd because we aren’t worth it…Commissioner French’s advocacy for us on the WestEnd is much appreciated and I support him calling this district 1 “Sequim” member out: https://clallamcowa.portal.civicclerk.com/event/582/media
I also support that person using public comment to apologize to Commissioner French, now he needs to do a formal apology to the WestEnd and the Lyons club who basically take care of the Fred Orr baseball fields/county park without using tax payers dollars when the funds are for the whole county, not just Sequim or the EastEnd! Is the road from Sequim to Forks a lot longer than the road from Sequim to Forks?
Wow, great backstory. Thanks for filling in the missing pieces.
CAUTION the Clallam county staff member running the meeting seems to be very upset and acting aggressive towards the advisory committee members, I don’t condone his behavior and I didn’t know the back story about their failed field trip during the time I originally watched it. I followed up with Commissioner French to make sure this wasn’t okay and that’s how I learned about the backstory. I am so glad we have our county business recorded for this reason. Thanks for your efforts to keep transparency alive!
Do you have an approximate timestamp to watch on the video link?
Haha, yes but it’s pretty early on starting at 2:46 minutes and goes as long as you can tolerate 🫣
Fireworks! Thanks for the link. Wowsers.
Seems longer going West...always has...I grew up (if that's the appropriate term) in Forks...where the wind doesn't blow...it sucks!🤣
The Sequim City Council has a money request in front of it from 6 different local groups in need of cash. The amount requested from the 6 totals more than what Sequim has available in its budget. The Council has requested additional information from each group (hoping the $s requested might be pared back!) It appears that the Council would like to review and make dollar dispersals at their next meeting in August. Currently KSQM has requested $109,000 in funding. Does KSQM give equal air time to differing viewpoints? And if not, should they receive any money from the available funds? One might want to look at the other 5 groups requesting funds. Its our money. Instead why not, maybe like the Co-op just send each person a check a check during the year - label it as Return On Investment.
Who is KSQM? Their website shows no organizational leadership structure.
I also see that Clallam County PUD advertises with them. Why is that?
No organizational leadership! WOW! how interesting!! Wonder who wrote the request? Wonder, who then determines whether one receives "air time" or not!!! Is there a written policy? or opposite of a very important value that the Elks Club holds dear!!!!
Maybe we pay too much for our electricity and they have ......
I always wondered why monopolistic entities like the P.U.D. spent ANY money advertising...I think they get grant money, rebate money for upgraded appliances and windows, etc. They are 'on the dole' as well, if that's the case.
Same as the hospital...why all the billboards and signs...the only signs we should see are how to get there quickly when needed. Something's rotten.😎
It is our right to have access to information which means public access to government records, budgets, contracts, and decision-making processes, often through laws like the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). I think it is a healthy approach to have forums like the one held on July 17th, we need more of those as well as pro and con debates on important issues for our City and Clallam County.
I've been enjoying your articles and podcasts for a few months now. I wanted to attend that seminar but had previous plans. I hope there are more offerings like that in the future. On today's article: I think it's unfortunate that Donna prejudged a seminar meant to teach attendees how to dig into the data and participate in their own governance. The article was well written and made great points. I always get the feeling you are looking out for the residents of this county, not Democrats or Republicans but citizens.
I also think it's unfortunate that commenters use terms like liberal and leftist as an insult. Liberals and leftists use terms like far right and MAGA as insults. People on both sides of this artificial fight between left and right are just falling for the parties' ploy to keep us mad at each other and not paying attention to what is really happening. I hope we can all get out of our information silos and realize that the people we disagree with might have only half the information, as do we ourselves most of the time. Dialog without judgment is going to be the key.
Thanks for all the excellent reporting.
True, labels don't solve problems but we have to label things to try and understand them.
Mental Illness is a label but it's ubiquitous so what should we call it?
A misunderstanding?
We cannot reason with unreasonable beings...that is fact... so trying to find common ground with someone who is very well off who wants to tear down the very system that is coddling them is...insane.
Stick to facts and truth wherever they may lead, even if it's very inconvenient or uncomfortable or frightening.
Compromising with insanity is just insanity!😎
I hope Donna reads this blog. She might learn something about her views?
Why would she?🥸
Because she might learn something!
Our country is unfortunately having a hard time thinking beyond Democrats vs Republicans, Conservatives vs Progressives, or whatever other binary terms we fall into. Brain activity ceases to operate proportional to how far on the outer fringes of the faction one sees the world.
It doesn't surprise me that the term DOGE results in this person's view being what was written, and that's unfortunate. A person or group could call the same local movement anything else where none of the words in the acronym exist, but the moment someone suggests it has a relationship to DOGE we'll be back to square one.
They want only one mob.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
For surtain!😊
Hey is anyone willing to listen to minutes 56:00 to 1:03 on the second budget meeting with our assessor Pam Ruston’s statements about “not talking about” things the department isn’t doing? I am concerned that this was said in an open public meeting witnessed by our elected officials and the public, I feel like this is reportable but to who? Am I off here? Shouldn’t this be a concern? The commissioner’s didn’t say anything about it? Here’s the link: https://clallamcowa.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3571/media
Thanks for pointing this out, but I can't say I know what she is hinting at. This is a good listen for anyone curious about the actual impacts the commissioners' reckless spending is having on county departments.
Okay, I will forward on to Commissioner French to see what he says about it.
She will get comped at the Dungeness golf course for that letter to the editor. Its the lefty elite hotspot.
The community....she is protecting Glen Morgan from.. she is helping hand back over to the tribes to heal a bad relationship.
Yeah, maybe with her pension she should have a 'guilty conscience'!😊
During my short time on the Sequim City Council (less than two years) I received six FOIA requests from members of SGGL. There were no cries of division, no complaints whatsoever. I find that to more than a little bit hypocritical.
You've been finding hypocrisy a lot lately. 😃
It would be hard not to.