This thread is a crack! Maybe the reason that fishermen can't get the representation they want is because fishermen are woefully ignorant when it comes to politics. One Republican governor since 1957? Try Dan Evans, 65-77; and John Spellman, 81-85. Slade Gorton was state Attorney General and then a U.S. Senator in case anyone thought he was once our governor.

Bern Shanks was appointed by the WDFW Commission after the old WDF and WDW (formerly WDG) were merged. The governor always appointed the WDF director. The wildlife commission appointed the WDW(G) director, except during part of the term of Booth Gardner, when he appointed Curt Smitch as director of WDW. After the merger, voters decided by initiative that the director of the merged agency would be appointed by the fish and wildlife commission. They've appointed Bern Shanks and then Jeff Kaenings. Bern's heart was in the right place for fish conservation. Unfortunately, he was a lousy manager, having lost track of millions of dollars of the department budget. That made it easy for the legislature that didn't like his conservation policies to insist that the commission get rid of him.

It seems like guys here who have basic political facts bass ackwards think maybe they could do a better job in politics and running government. Gotta' admit, there's entertainment in this thread. But not much information. Yeah, I suspect you just want to rant and don't expect the hot air to ever really do anything constructive. If so, you're right. It won't. So have your fun.

Oh, and timber policies in WA state have never been in the control of either political party. The timber industry controlled the policy. They wrote the first forest practices act in 1973 (there were no significant forest regs before that). 1988 was the first time anyone else began to influence state forest practices. Of course, over 90% of the old growth was gone by then.

Sorry for any bashing, but you guys know it's my nature to replace fallacy with fact when I can.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.