Election 2010 Summary

"You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds."
-- Abraham Lincoln

~~~~~~~~
"Voters see a bloated government riding in the wagon constantly bitching that the people aren't pulling hard enough. Governments need to stop taxing-and-spending and start reforming-and-prioritizing using existing revenue. But what I liked most about the voters' decision tonight concerns what resonated with people and what didn't:

"With all three initiatives, the voters rejected the argument that the business community and successful people are the enemy. Divisive efforts to demonize them backfired. They are allies, not enemies. They are heroes, not villains. They are the job creators who provide the fuel for our economy's growth. They are role models who deserve a pat on the shoulder, not a knife in the back. Voters rejected the ugly politics of envy, resentment, and class warfare -- that's just not how most Americans think or feel. Our state and our society benefits from appreciating and encouraging our entrepreneurs and risk-takers. Voters rejected stealing their earned achievements.

"Tonight, the voters embraced a positive, hopeful, we're-all-Americans attitude. And that's inspiring.

"The citizens of Washington are smart and fair -- they're perfectly capable of making decisions on initiatives. Attempts by the elite to belittle the people's intelligence and underestimate their interest in public policy have only energized the electorate even more.

"We ask everyone to join us in thanking those who helped with this year's various initiatives. Taxpayers appreciate your efforts and so do we."

(edited from Tim Eyman's remarks about Election 2010)