Unfortunately, voters took out much of their anger on even moderate Republicans. However, voters — and Democrats — should consider that old axiom, “Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.”

With no Republicans left to blame anything on, hopefully, Democrats will be forced to govern from the center, or risk the wrath of voters two years from now if they succumb to the blackmail (read spending and social engineering demands) of liberal special interests that got out the vote for them. I also don’t believe America’s sense of fair play will stand for patently vindictive, heavy-handed retribution against political enemies either.

I’ve tried really hard to like newly elected commissioner Josh Brown. But in my view, with the blatant help of the Kitsap Sun, he ran what I consider a genuinely dishonest campaign — and that’s made it tough for me to respect him. In meetings and candidate forums I personally moderated and participated in, I regularly watched him talk out of both sides of his mouth, telling environmentalists he was absolutely opposed to NASCAR while telling the business community he was very open to it, but thought we could cut a better deal.

The Sun adamantly refused to question Brown’s qualifications, residency, or confront the ethics issue after his duplicity was repeatedly brought to its attention.

In one forum, I asked Brown to detail his qualifications to be county commissioner. He answered that Norm Dicks and the four mayors — all Democrats by the way — endorsed him. Did I miss a bona fide job qualification outlined in that answer?

Now that’s he’s been elected, several questions come to mind. Will Josh Brown be Chris Endresen’s new lap dog? What kind of payback do Norm Dicks and those mayors expect in return for their support? Will Brown’s statements that he’ll be a moderate ala Patty Lent turn out to be true, or will things shift decidedly leftward?

We’ll be watching Brown’s voting record very closely.

One thing is certain — we’re stuck with him for the next four years. Let’s hope he’s really the quick study he promised — and that promise isn’t as hollow as the opposing ones he’s made to the environmental and business communities.

Welcome to the real world, Josh. You’re not in Berkeley anymore.

Local Republicans are supposedly “reorganizing” after their recent election debacle. Perhaps they should throw out everyone in any position of authority, and start completely over. The ultra-conservatives and Christian right have ruled the party for far too long, making it difficult — not to mention down right embarrassing — to be a centrist Republican in Kitsap County. There’s absolutely no room for diversity of opinion, which has chased most moderates over to the Democrats.

The party’s total dysfunctionality is exemplified by its inability to even attract candidates to run for $100,000 a year courthouse positions — jobs like Auditor, Clerk, Treasurer, etc.

Will the Christian right and the other ultra-conservatives who are directly responsible for their party’s pathetic situation willingly step aside so reason and pragmatism can prevail? It’s highly doubtful.

If local Republican moderates want their party back, they’re going to have to take it by force from the people who screwed it up — and will continue to — while the party becomes even more irrelevant than it already is — if that’s even possible.

With the highly vocal, red herring of “no public funding for private enterprise” where NASCAR is concerned, it’s puzzling why the very same people opposing NASCAR for that reason would so strongly support the SEED project. SEED is specifically meant to attract private enterprise — and is gambling with our tax dollars attempting it.

I want to make it very clear that we strongly support SEED and want it to be successful.

But doesn’t “no public funding for private enterprise” mean just that? Or is alternative energy politically correct enough for NASCAR opponents to make an exception?

Am I the only one who thinks opposing NASCAR over “public funding,” while supporting SEED, is just blatantly hypocritical?

Finally, an unexpected number of people have contacted both my wife and I, concerning the blurb last issue regarding my recent health incident. In spite of the rumor circulating, I did NOT have a heart attack — or anything even remotely like that. In fact, there are some people who believe that would be an impossibility.

Long story short… My grandson’s daycare called saying they thought he was coming down with chickenpox – a disease I never had as a child. I called my doctor who told me to go to the Health Department immediately and get a vaccination, which I did.

I suffered a brutal reaction, including several days of severe flu-like symptoms, resulting in a temperature of 106 and being unable to breathe. My wife called 911 and South Kitsap Fire-Rescue took me to Harrison, where I spent several days being treated for that reaction as well as severe dehydration and a massive kidney infection.

We’re still not sure if I received the wrong vaccination or if the vaccine was somehow contaminated. The technicians at Harrison — where I received excellent care by the way — sent a blood sample to the CDC in Atlanta to find out.

I’m fine now, but that experience taught me the importance of being certain all the people in my life who I care about know they are loved.

And once again, I extend my sincerest “Thank You” to the folks at Harrison, but especially to the people at South Kitsap Fire-Rescue. They saved my life.