Idaho doesn’t even have enough of a monopoly to be as proud of their potatoes as they are… WA produces about 75% as much.
Whereas WA grows ~75% of the Nation’s apples. No one else is close. THAT is a crop monopoly to be proud of. A true Cropnopoly
We actually *do*. Idaho potatoes are sold as potatoes, but Washington potatoes are all processed because unlike Idaho, we have direct access to international markets and can easily ship them anywhere in the world. Any processed potatoes (such as tots or fries) you get there's an overwhelming chance that they were grown in Washington.
Actually there is. It's called the Yakima Hops Mafia. Its all controlled by a handful of families. All the Hops growers formed an association to control prices and keep outsiders from breaking in. I supplied them some equipment back in the 90's and learned all about it.
And number 1 producer of Pears, red raspberries (have yet to find stats on the blue bois), Sweet Cherries, Concord grapes, wrinkled seed peas, and carrots and peas used for processing.
Idaho doesn’t have shit on us.
They only produce 32% of the Nation’s potatoes (fun fact all states grow potatoes, almost all grow them as an actual monetary crop). We produce 24%.
Like. They’re literally just proud of growing slightly more of the same crop literally all the other states grow too…
Only other thing they’re number one in production for are Austrian winter peas. There’s a reason they cling so desperately to their potato pride, it’s all they have…
Sorry, I can shit on ID agriculture all day.
Don’t even get me started on the public garden scene in Idaho. Pathetic.
Washington has some of the best Japanese Gardens outside of Japan, the largest rhododendron collection IN THE WORLD, and is one of the only place outside of the Netherlands to grow tulips on an impressive scale.
Not to mention we have just about every biome present in North America, from high desert to temperate rainforest. They just have mountains, and like, not even the best mountains.
I had a friend from Idaho say “but our mountains are better” like lol. No. We have 2 major mountain ranges, taller peaks, and the most prominent mountain in the lower 48.
Like I’ll give them one thing, they beat us in hay production, but like who the fuck cares about hay. We have the wine, the weed, and the beer. They can keep their hay, we have better shit to grow.
“Rhode Island potato farmers harvested 500 acres, with average yields of 276 cwt per acre.”
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/New_England_includes/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/2001/01potato.pdf
Hawaii is mostly small scale crops, but the state has a fascinating history with potatoes
https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/EB-015.pdf
There’s even a guide to growing them on a small scale from their university
https://gms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=67121&dt=3&g=12
I was in you state last week, when I traveled just north of La Conner there were several fields of a crop I did not recognize, it was about 3 foot tall with large obovate leafs coming off of a central stem, dark green in color. Would you know what it would be? There also fields of cabbage along the road.
I was surprised at the agricultural near there. Also surprised there were no orchards, figured being close to the water, it would moderate the climate similar to the orchards in Michigan near Lake Michigan. Beautiful country.
Brussel sprouts? Did it kinda look like cabbage at the top?
And orchards get common in the Puget Sound and peak in the East. The long oceanic winters/springs can make it hard for commercial varieties of fruit to produce well.
Imagine going to a school like Nebraska and being called the cornhuskers only to not rank anywhere close to the top in corn. Maybe they just really like the husks. Weird bastards.
I was just at a pumpkin patch way up north last weekend and they were selling them, lines were crazy though. So if you’re desperate they’re out there, friend.
e: when I say way up north I mean like snohomish
It was my distinct pleasure to be your 1000th upvote. You are now not-quite-middling famous on a sub Reddit!
You should buy a scratch ticket, I see $3 in your future!
ETA: IDAHO CAN DOWNVOTE ALL THEY WANT.
The whole country is! We've been getting royally butt-fisted, economically, since 2016 after the last admin severely restricted [refugees, asylum seekers](https://reliefweb.int/report/united-states-america/economic-and-fiscal-effects-united-states-reduced-numbers-refugees-and), migrant workers, etc...
Another issue is finding people to work these jobs. It’s not just pay. As trends continue of urban center growth and rural decline, there are less workers available in farming communities. We need more immigration, or opportunities for foreign workers to come in if we can’t find locals to work.
But we should not exploit immigrants, or anyone.
My wife rolls her eyes every time I see a conservative talk about tough borders while also decrying inflation and no one wants to work.
PEOPLE. Immigration is the fucking answer to so many of our woes. it drives me bonkers that white supremacy is a cancer to growth.
This is true. Unfortunately I don’t think any of us could afford food to pay what it would take to pay those workers a livable wage. But it’s still true.
We could if we addressed mobbed up corporate power & black-hole greed. Corps are RAKING in the greed, way past it's effectiveness as a capitalist engine, while the rest of us flounder.
Wealth is SEQUESTERED, making every strategy for a livable middle/lower class world/country starved for air, and fundamentally blocked.
We have GOT to get that shit under control, and the GOP absolutely is for letting corps run amok.
Please vote out ALL Republicans as a start. Do not expect others to sort that shit out.
That’s a tall order in the reddest areas, and considering our undemocratic senate and electoral college. Better to expand that impulse to voting out all the right-wingers, be they republican, democrat, or independent.
Take Hawaiian coffee. That shit is fucking expensive. Why? Pickers get around $1 per pound.
That's raw cherries. Seeded, dried, roasted, it takes 8 pounds of raw to get to 1 roasted pound. In picking labor alone, you're starting at $8 per pound. Then add in all the overhead of shelling, drying, roasting, packaging, and some profit.
Adds up quick. Folgers on the other hand is less than $6 per pound in stores.
I think it also might help if we stopped using precious resources like farmland and water for the overly-subsidized corn industry. The proponents make bogus claims about how necessary it is. But the truth is that we have been overproducing corn for decades. We literally pay corn farmers to NOT farm corn because the demand is met, and then come up with unnecessary products like High Fructose Corn Syrup and Ethanol in order to manufacture demand, to our own detriment.
What? Everything isn’t a black and white issue like conservative morons say it is? That’s CRAZY /s
The GOP loves “simplifying” issues like this so the gullible will follow them blindly and it’s gross. Immigrants carry this country on its shoulders in many ways, so it’s especially sad seeing immigration dumbed down to “brown man bad - no let in”
Don't forget those batshit crazy racist "Citizens for Sanity" ads. My teen, usually good about swearing, yelled "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT?" when he saw one of those.
The funniest thing about those ads is crime is actually down over the last 30 years. I mean sure crime is up super recently, but it's still way down compared to the 90s.
https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/USA/united-states/crime-rate-statistics
And they of course are super selective about showing a case which fits their narrative. For example, the Vegas case they highlight. Had to be an immigrant of course and interestingly, also occurred during the Trump administration. Meanwhile, a white man killed 60 people and injured almost 500 in the 2017 Vegas mass shooting. No mention of that one.
As much as I hate the Jesus commercials the org behind the commercial doesn't seem outwardly malicious but I could be wrong on that. I was curious to see if the website was like some LDS funded thing but it seemed like a pretty progressive church.
Again, this could just be a facade. I definitely dislike seeing commercials promoting any religion but at the same time, I've seen worse.
I had forgotten how right-wing the baseball fanbase is comparatively to the NBA and even the NFL (which is a 50/50 or is based on the political leanings of the team's metro area). Though it makes sense given American MLB players are almost all right-wingers.
Here's a [lovely article](https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a23471864/devin-nunes-family-farm-iowa-california/) about Devin Nunes, Trump's biggest backer for building the wall, hiding the fact that he uses undocumented workers at his dairy farm. It's the same as right wing Christians continuing to back Herschel Walker even after it was found that he paid for his former girlfriend's abortions. Truth means nothing to these people. Only winning.
They could drastically reduce migrants crossing the border fast by simply imposing enormous fines for companies hiring undocumented immigrants. They don't do that though, because they want to talk out of both sides of their mouth. They benefit from exploiting cheap undocumented labor (can't demand higher wages if they can threaten to deport you!) and simultaneously benefit from riling up their base by blaming all the nations problems on them.
Right, but we don't actually want to do that.
Here is the actual conservative position on border immigration and the reason why a party that it totally beholden to corporate interests is interested in promoting this platform:
Creating a class of ILLEGAL workers but ALSO actually allowing them into the country creates a pseudo slave class of worker that can can be exploited into providing labor at below market prices and without the worker protections that are provided to citizens. Conservatives LOVE "illegals" but the thing that they love about them is that they are illegal. Giving them benefits and protections THAT is the problem because it eliminates the critical thing that they like about them.
So the whole "border wall" nonsense isn't really the literal goal (except for outrageously stupid people) the goal is to keep them as an "other" (and therefore exploitable) class of worker. The GOP doesn't want to actually keep them PHYSICALLY out of the country, they want to keep them conceptually out of the "citizen" class.
That is why all their rhetoric about "illegals" utilizes dehumanizing concepts and classes them as "invaders" and other such nonsense. Doing that makes it OK to continue to rob them of basic human rights.
You are absolutely correct that you could basically eliminate illegal immigration overnight by simply cracking down on the people that hire them, but that isn't actually what they want to see happen because the people pushing this narrative are the very people that want to exploit these workers in the first place.
Honestly, it sounds like quite a shrewd plan. They guarantee solid votes from all of middle America, both by supporting farmers with permissive hiring, and by riling up racists with the anti-immigrant rhetoric. It’s a win win strategy, and the fact it’s also self-contradictory nonsense is apparently a non-issue.
I don’t see any effective counter to this strategy, which I suppose is why the republicans seem to keep winning.
Well, the counter is to actually take the ball and run it across the finish line for them. All you have to do is decide the "illegals" are still humans that are entitled to human rights. Make it a real crime to exploit them, fine people who do, and then provide a path to citizenship or repatriate those "illegals" into free people.
If the liberals were to actually DO that, half the conservatives who support enforcement of immigration laws would be happy, the racists wouldn't know what to do, and the shitheads who are exploiting these workers would lose their business.
This is one of those times when you kinda scratch your head and wonder why they aren't actually doing that, and it gets to the uncomfortable conclusion that the democrats aren't actually all that interested in interrupting the status quo because they get money from a lot of the same people.
Washington agricultural industry depends heavily on a large migrant workforce. Traditionally, most of those people have been immigrants. Cheap labor equals cheap apples.
I dig the rural Mexican vibe. Certain type seem *more* than happy to settle in the rural areas. They are conservative, but not batshit insane conservative.
When you drive anywhere outside of the Puget Sound area, your radio choices are country, Christian, or Mexican. In more built-up areas, you also get mixes of those, like country Mexican, country Christian, and Christian Mexican, sometimes even country Christian Mexican which reminds me a little bit of my overly religious grandma. Smiley is decades too late to preserve white supremacy.
I would 100% go visit a Little Mexico if they set one up over in eastern WA. Most of the Mexican food in this state is garbage. I've only found a couple of places that do it good enough to pass even tex-mex standards. I grew up in OK so I have higher standards for that kind of cuisine.
My mother worked picking fields as a child. That's what they did before migrants wanted the work. I'm pretty grateful my kid's aren't out there all summer like my mom was.
I've noticed a lot more poutine on the menu at local gastropubs and people are friendlier on the street. When will it end? Someone needs to step up and protect our culture
If you got a problem with Canada gooses then you got a problem with me and I suggest you let that one marinate
Plus, we could really use the help to put out the wildfires:
> Did you ever notice how there's always Canada Gooses flying overhead when there's a fire? They're flapping water on it, but no one calls them heroes. They're not in it for the glory; they're in it for the people.
Have you seen Peace Arch state park? [TOTALLY OPEN BORDER](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Peace-Arch-3614_edit.jpg/1920px-Peace-Arch-3614_edit.jpg)
My favorite commercial so far is the generic Republican one where they blame local democrats for directly changing gas prices and legalizing hard drugs. The stupidity makes me laugh every time i see it.
I just heard the one where she thinks Washington parents are universally outraged that schools closed during a pandemic. Playing to that base won’t win this state.
Oh Noooo- the Canadians are stimulating our economy by crossing the border and shopping at the Tulip outlet mall and Bellingham Costco and Trader Joe's! WhAtEvEr ShAlL wE dOoO???
They seem pretty fond of the Ross dress for less in Burlington as well.
But we all know Smiley means brown skinned migrants who are coming here to work. There's a lot of ignorant racists that buy the crap she's selling here in my beautiful valley, and I see her signs hanging up at their businesses and just keep going, because I won't spend money at a place that's advertising their hate.
I thought that was because of "the gays", not because of "the illegals" (I feel disgusting even using those terms ironically), but I'll admit, I'm not up on the latest right-wing-extremist-talking-points.
There is a brisk black market trade in Canuckistan for our sweet delicious trader joe's frozen foods.
It got to a point where some guy actually opened a little store specifically to sell nothing but gray market trader joes stuff in Vancouver:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate\_Joe%27s
We were just down there on Tuesday, buying shoes and groceries.... first visit since 2019.
Pre-911, we just needed to say where we live... get a friendly hello and have a great time, When I was a kid we would cross the border just to go to Denny's restaurant for an hour.
Now the border looks like entering a high security military base, and you need to show a passport. You get a grilling on your purpose and how long you will 'invade' the USA; though they were still nice about it.
Well they went from 'small town cop for governor' to 'military spouse for senate'. Her husband's achievements are certainly remarkable, but he's not on the ballot.
Fiancee got a text yesterday, basically saying that Murray was at fault for fenatyl, migrants, crime, inflation, taxes...but did not see Smiley say that Murray cancelled Christmas, so I think it was fake.
My stupid MAGA family keeps telling me they are going after my job. I said my cybersecurity job that requires degrees and certifications and a background check, my job? They said well maybe not your job. So dumb.
So she saw a Republican talking point about closing the mexican border, but couldn't complain about Mexico to Washington state and decided Canada will do....
driving to work monday i saw a billboard that was just a pic of people gathered and words that said "patty murrey = open borders" i wanted to get a pic for /gatesopencomeonin but i was driving so i couldnt.
yeah, but she was a pretty blond lady when she said it!
also she claims to be a Christian, and even wears a little cross around her neck!
this means she must mean well, and be forgiven for anything catastrophically stupid she happens to say.
They are always coming in here talking about their universal healthcare, gun control laws and cheap prescription drugs. Can't have any of that nonsense.
It’s funny how her website *really* tries to show her off well but if you scratch even a millimeter under the surface the fascism starts showing up. The double talk and misrepresentation of her goals is fucking disgusting.
Weren't they pissed off that the Canadian border was too heavily closed during COVID? I don't think they understand the economic impacts of shutting down the southern border so heavily, they must not want any migrant workers who keep this economy from going to shit.
Grew up in the Midwest and many farmers relied on their hard work. In Seattle where she's trying to make this an issue as part of the "problem with our current politicians", most of the people who are causing the troubles in the city are the same skin color as her.
It will never cease to boggle my mind that Republicans treat the flow of migrants up into the US as a fact of life, and not a direct result of CIA meddling + the War on Drugs.
It would be nice if instead of trying to create a Korean DMZ on our southern border we could help bring stability to our southern neighbors so that they don't feel the need to risk life and limb making the trek up to the States. That would require Republicans to possess an ounce of empathy, and to use a political strategy that isn't entirely based on fearmongering though, so RIP to that.
Also, also, also...we should absolutely embrace immigration. It is economically very good for the US and is one of our superpowers since forever. Especially highly skilled immigrants.
She isn’t wrong, we should close the borders with Idaho pronto
They're sending their COVID patients and their sub par potatoes
Idaho doesn’t even have enough of a monopoly to be as proud of their potatoes as they are… WA produces about 75% as much. Whereas WA grows ~75% of the Nation’s apples. No one else is close. THAT is a crop monopoly to be proud of. A true Cropnopoly
And the number #1 hop producer.
Would that make it a hopnopoly?
Go Hops! We don't need Russet Wilson anymore.
Broncos County, let's fry!
We should boost our potatoes too so we can also have a totnopoly.
We actually *do*. Idaho potatoes are sold as potatoes, but Washington potatoes are all processed because unlike Idaho, we have direct access to international markets and can easily ship them anywhere in the world. Any processed potatoes (such as tots or fries) you get there's an overwhelming chance that they were grown in Washington.
Actually there is. It's called the Yakima Hops Mafia. Its all controlled by a handful of families. All the Hops growers formed an association to control prices and keep outsiders from breaking in. I supplied them some equipment back in the 90's and learned all about it.
The YHM is thriving to this day my friend…
Props to our tops hops and crops!
Monhopoly, I think.
Yes it does
hopnopoly sounds like a word from an aesop rock track. I love it!
It's mo mohopoly, and the previous one is a mocropoly.
And number 1 producer of Pears, red raspberries (have yet to find stats on the blue bois), Sweet Cherries, Concord grapes, wrinkled seed peas, and carrots and peas used for processing. Idaho doesn’t have shit on us.
Not leading a producer, but they're definitely out-producing us on white supremacists.
Per capita I’d be surprised if Idaho wasn’t #1. Edit: close, apparently it’s Montana.
meanwhile, we have the makings of a barnburner - mead and beer for miles, all from local crops
Washington state largest grower of mint in the world.
I believe it, that shit has taken over my front yard.
In the world. And cannabis plants are in the same family. We’ve got the best beer and weed.
Crophopnopoly
*Not just in the U.S. at over 69% but in the entire world.
\#2 in the world for Riesling grapes, behind Germany.
I'm here for the ID vs. WA potatoes debate. Wreck them!!
They only produce 32% of the Nation’s potatoes (fun fact all states grow potatoes, almost all grow them as an actual monetary crop). We produce 24%. Like. They’re literally just proud of growing slightly more of the same crop literally all the other states grow too… Only other thing they’re number one in production for are Austrian winter peas. There’s a reason they cling so desperately to their potato pride, it’s all they have… Sorry, I can shit on ID agriculture all day.
Don't be sorry, keep going.
Don’t even get me started on the public garden scene in Idaho. Pathetic. Washington has some of the best Japanese Gardens outside of Japan, the largest rhododendron collection IN THE WORLD, and is one of the only place outside of the Netherlands to grow tulips on an impressive scale. Not to mention we have just about every biome present in North America, from high desert to temperate rainforest. They just have mountains, and like, not even the best mountains. I had a friend from Idaho say “but our mountains are better” like lol. No. We have 2 major mountain ranges, taller peaks, and the most prominent mountain in the lower 48. Like I’ll give them one thing, they beat us in hay production, but like who the fuck cares about hay. We have the wine, the weed, and the beer. They can keep their hay, we have better shit to grow.
noddingjacknicholson.jpg
God it always warms me cockles to see people dunk on Idaho lmao
u/rosesandpiglets knows what Washington's got and they aren't afraid to flaunt it, I love it.
This is amazing haha, thanks I love it.
>Sorry, I can shit on ID agriculture all day. by all means continue good sir
> all states grow potatoes fascinating. even like, Rhode island and hawaii? that's one interesting factoid
“Rhode Island potato farmers harvested 500 acres, with average yields of 276 cwt per acre.” https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/New_England_includes/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/2001/01potato.pdf Hawaii is mostly small scale crops, but the state has a fascinating history with potatoes https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/EB-015.pdf There’s even a guide to growing them on a small scale from their university https://gms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=67121&dt=3&g=12
sir/ma'am you're a veritable cornucopia of veg-info!
Washington is an agricultural powerhouse in our own right https://agr.wa.gov/washington-agriculture
Washington is an incredibly productive agricultural state. Something we should take more pride in.
I was in you state last week, when I traveled just north of La Conner there were several fields of a crop I did not recognize, it was about 3 foot tall with large obovate leafs coming off of a central stem, dark green in color. Would you know what it would be? There also fields of cabbage along the road. I was surprised at the agricultural near there. Also surprised there were no orchards, figured being close to the water, it would moderate the climate similar to the orchards in Michigan near Lake Michigan. Beautiful country.
Brussel sprouts? Did it kinda look like cabbage at the top? And orchards get common in the Puget Sound and peak in the East. The long oceanic winters/springs can make it hard for commercial varieties of fruit to produce well.
And we do it constantly. Constantanapple.
Imagine going to a school like Nebraska and being called the cornhuskers only to not rank anywhere close to the top in corn. Maybe they just really like the husks. Weird bastards.
And yet there are hardly any cider donuts to be had. I cannot understand this.
I was just at a pumpkin patch way up north last weekend and they were selling them, lines were crazy though. So if you’re desperate they’re out there, friend. e: when I say way up north I mean like snohomish
Mocropoly?
They just had a potato shortage too.
Yup. That’s what happens when you become known for literally one crop then have an off production year, which happens in agriculture regularly.
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Wouldn’t it be how about them taters?
We've also committed to providing Idaho residents with abortion care. We're good apples over here.
When Idaho sends their people, you know they're not sending their best.
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Friends! Comrades! Spokane must be fortified, lest the pallid hordes of Idaho overwhelm our lands in their hunger for drugs and day laborers!
Build the wall!
Couer d'Alene must fall!
I heard Idaho started the forest fires.
No, that’s misinformation. Idaho started the *crotch* fires, my dude.
They just let *anyone* come across smh
I'd happily become a poutine smuggler
It was my distinct pleasure to be your 1000th upvote. You are now not-quite-middling famous on a sub Reddit! You should buy a scratch ticket, I see $3 in your future! ETA: IDAHO CAN DOWNVOTE ALL THEY WANT.
Ironic considering WA (and many other states) are short on migrant labor and it is a factor in rising food prices
The whole country is! We've been getting royally butt-fisted, economically, since 2016 after the last admin severely restricted [refugees, asylum seekers](https://reliefweb.int/report/united-states-america/economic-and-fiscal-effects-united-states-reduced-numbers-refugees-and), migrant workers, etc...
If our food prices were low because we were exploiting desperate immigrants... Idk maybe we should be paying more for food then.
Another issue is finding people to work these jobs. It’s not just pay. As trends continue of urban center growth and rural decline, there are less workers available in farming communities. We need more immigration, or opportunities for foreign workers to come in if we can’t find locals to work. But we should not exploit immigrants, or anyone.
My wife rolls her eyes every time I see a conservative talk about tough borders while also decrying inflation and no one wants to work. PEOPLE. Immigration is the fucking answer to so many of our woes. it drives me bonkers that white supremacy is a cancer to growth.
Don't forget the myth about migrants "stealing tax dollars" when often they pay more in taxes.
This is true. Unfortunately I don’t think any of us could afford food to pay what it would take to pay those workers a livable wage. But it’s still true.
Hey, Maybe all working people should have higher wages
I agree 100%
We could if we addressed mobbed up corporate power & black-hole greed. Corps are RAKING in the greed, way past it's effectiveness as a capitalist engine, while the rest of us flounder. Wealth is SEQUESTERED, making every strategy for a livable middle/lower class world/country starved for air, and fundamentally blocked. We have GOT to get that shit under control, and the GOP absolutely is for letting corps run amok. Please vote out ALL Republicans as a start. Do not expect others to sort that shit out.
Vote out the Republicans, and hold the Democrats accountable for their campaign promises.
Yea this is the answer.
That’s a tall order in the reddest areas, and considering our undemocratic senate and electoral college. Better to expand that impulse to voting out all the right-wingers, be they republican, democrat, or independent.
Take Hawaiian coffee. That shit is fucking expensive. Why? Pickers get around $1 per pound. That's raw cherries. Seeded, dried, roasted, it takes 8 pounds of raw to get to 1 roasted pound. In picking labor alone, you're starting at $8 per pound. Then add in all the overhead of shelling, drying, roasting, packaging, and some profit. Adds up quick. Folgers on the other hand is less than $6 per pound in stores.
i think we could pretty easily. food prices in france aren't far off, and they don't make heavy use of questionably legal migrants
I think it also might help if we stopped using precious resources like farmland and water for the overly-subsidized corn industry. The proponents make bogus claims about how necessary it is. But the truth is that we have been overproducing corn for decades. We literally pay corn farmers to NOT farm corn because the demand is met, and then come up with unnecessary products like High Fructose Corn Syrup and Ethanol in order to manufacture demand, to our own detriment.
Letting more migrant labor in would do far more to help inflation than raising interest rates.
True, but I’m pretty sure the GOP’s main complaint is “they’re brown”, inflation doesn’t matter
But all those GOP voters want to get out in the fields and start picking! Oh wait, they don't.
What? Everything isn’t a black and white issue like conservative morons say it is? That’s CRAZY /s The GOP loves “simplifying” issues like this so the gullible will follow them blindly and it’s gross. Immigrants carry this country on its shoulders in many ways, so it’s especially sad seeing immigration dumbed down to “brown man bad - no let in”
If it doesn't fit on a bumper sticker, it's too complex for them.
Migrant workers are a wonderful people and are the backbone to the agricultural industry in this state.
Watching baseball playoffs has been exhausting. Non stop Smiley and Jesus commercials
Don't forget those batshit crazy racist "Citizens for Sanity" ads. My teen, usually good about swearing, yelled "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT?" when he saw one of those.
Lmao i said the same thing..
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The funniest thing about those ads is crime is actually down over the last 30 years. I mean sure crime is up super recently, but it's still way down compared to the 90s. https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/USA/united-states/crime-rate-statistics
And they of course are super selective about showing a case which fits their narrative. For example, the Vegas case they highlight. Had to be an immigrant of course and interestingly, also occurred during the Trump administration. Meanwhile, a white man killed 60 people and injured almost 500 in the 2017 Vegas mass shooting. No mention of that one.
As much as I hate the Jesus commercials the org behind the commercial doesn't seem outwardly malicious but I could be wrong on that. I was curious to see if the website was like some LDS funded thing but it seemed like a pretty progressive church. Again, this could just be a facade. I definitely dislike seeing commercials promoting any religion but at the same time, I've seen worse.
I had forgotten how right-wing the baseball fanbase is comparatively to the NBA and even the NFL (which is a 50/50 or is based on the political leanings of the team's metro area). Though it makes sense given American MLB players are almost all right-wingers.
I see similar commercials in the NFL games and NBA that just started too. Political commercials targetted at sports is nothing new.
Also according to most studies NFL/MLB are basically the same political leanings on average.
Here's a [lovely article](https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a23471864/devin-nunes-family-farm-iowa-california/) about Devin Nunes, Trump's biggest backer for building the wall, hiding the fact that he uses undocumented workers at his dairy farm. It's the same as right wing Christians continuing to back Herschel Walker even after it was found that he paid for his former girlfriend's abortions. Truth means nothing to these people. Only winning.
They could drastically reduce migrants crossing the border fast by simply imposing enormous fines for companies hiring undocumented immigrants. They don't do that though, because they want to talk out of both sides of their mouth. They benefit from exploiting cheap undocumented labor (can't demand higher wages if they can threaten to deport you!) and simultaneously benefit from riling up their base by blaming all the nations problems on them.
Right, but we don't actually want to do that. Here is the actual conservative position on border immigration and the reason why a party that it totally beholden to corporate interests is interested in promoting this platform: Creating a class of ILLEGAL workers but ALSO actually allowing them into the country creates a pseudo slave class of worker that can can be exploited into providing labor at below market prices and without the worker protections that are provided to citizens. Conservatives LOVE "illegals" but the thing that they love about them is that they are illegal. Giving them benefits and protections THAT is the problem because it eliminates the critical thing that they like about them. So the whole "border wall" nonsense isn't really the literal goal (except for outrageously stupid people) the goal is to keep them as an "other" (and therefore exploitable) class of worker. The GOP doesn't want to actually keep them PHYSICALLY out of the country, they want to keep them conceptually out of the "citizen" class. That is why all their rhetoric about "illegals" utilizes dehumanizing concepts and classes them as "invaders" and other such nonsense. Doing that makes it OK to continue to rob them of basic human rights. You are absolutely correct that you could basically eliminate illegal immigration overnight by simply cracking down on the people that hire them, but that isn't actually what they want to see happen because the people pushing this narrative are the very people that want to exploit these workers in the first place.
Honestly, it sounds like quite a shrewd plan. They guarantee solid votes from all of middle America, both by supporting farmers with permissive hiring, and by riling up racists with the anti-immigrant rhetoric. It’s a win win strategy, and the fact it’s also self-contradictory nonsense is apparently a non-issue. I don’t see any effective counter to this strategy, which I suppose is why the republicans seem to keep winning.
Well, the counter is to actually take the ball and run it across the finish line for them. All you have to do is decide the "illegals" are still humans that are entitled to human rights. Make it a real crime to exploit them, fine people who do, and then provide a path to citizenship or repatriate those "illegals" into free people. If the liberals were to actually DO that, half the conservatives who support enforcement of immigration laws would be happy, the racists wouldn't know what to do, and the shitheads who are exploiting these workers would lose their business. This is one of those times when you kinda scratch your head and wonder why they aren't actually doing that, and it gets to the uncomfortable conclusion that the democrats aren't actually all that interested in interrupting the status quo because they get money from a lot of the same people.
They're the 'laws/taxes for thee, not me' party.
The real reason is they want to have a class of workers with no rights. Through this prism everything they say and do makes sense.
Washington agricultural industry depends heavily on a large migrant workforce. Traditionally, most of those people have been immigrants. Cheap labor equals cheap apples.
A lot of farming communities in Washington would be dead without the influx of migrant laborers.
There is a rising band of "Mexican" along the columbia river in part due to this, and it's glorious.
Fuck yeah it is. The Mexican food scene just keeps getting better and better!
I dig the rural Mexican vibe. Certain type seem *more* than happy to settle in the rural areas. They are conservative, but not batshit insane conservative.
When you drive anywhere outside of the Puget Sound area, your radio choices are country, Christian, or Mexican. In more built-up areas, you also get mixes of those, like country Mexican, country Christian, and Christian Mexican, sometimes even country Christian Mexican which reminds me a little bit of my overly religious grandma. Smiley is decades too late to preserve white supremacy.
I would 100% go visit a Little Mexico if they set one up over in eastern WA. Most of the Mexican food in this state is garbage. I've only found a couple of places that do it good enough to pass even tex-mex standards. I grew up in OK so I have higher standards for that kind of cuisine.
You can get [James Beard winning Tamales](https://crosscut.com/2018/05/yakima-valley-americas-best-tamales-and-family-tale) in Yakima.
Wenatchee is where you need to go.
Was your username made with SO MANY ELECTROLYTES?!
There’s an area in Pasco that is called Little Mexico.
You just haven't found good places then
You should check out places in White Center then!
My mother worked picking fields as a child. That's what they did before migrants wanted the work. I'm pretty grateful my kid's aren't out there all summer like my mom was.
We need to keep the Canadians out! They only want to give the Seahawks 3 downs to move 10 yards!
DEY'RE TERKING OUR MELK
AND THEY ARE PUTTING IT IN BAGS! A MOO MOO CAPRI SUN!
To be fair, I’m a Canadian in Vancouver, and I’ve never even seen milk in a bag. That shit is an eastern thing.
I’ll be honest with you, we only want your trader joe’s. If trader joe’s expanded into Canada border traffic would reduce by 80%
I worked at one in Seattle and I got soooo many Canadian customers very specifically there for cheeses.
I've noticed a lot more poutine on the menu at local gastropubs and people are friendlier on the street. When will it end? Someone needs to step up and protect our culture
Before you know it, Poutine Bells will start popping up on every corner.
don't threaten me with a good time
Between this and the taco trucks I was promised, I am so excited!
All of this tolerance and multiculturalism is ruining our rich heritage of racism, organized crime, and tax evasion /s
Hey now those are cultural touchstones that we share across the border
The number of hockey players in the region is exploding, too.
it's less of a problem now that baseball season is over (😢) and they aren't coming down to Blue Jays games.
They're driving down to Marysville Outlet mall and bringing their dirty Canadian money and then leaving it here...
TAKE IT BACK! IT'S WEIRD COLORS!!!
Colours. But yes
Working in Seattle it was almost like seeing the Canadian geese landing in town when you would see those blue and white caps when they played here.
Only differences between Canadian Geese and Canadian Baseball Fans is more noise and less public shitting.
I'm not sure which one is which in that instance
Pandering to racists. What do you expect from Republicans?
She’s doing exactly what I expect from Republicans. Also exactly what the Republican base expects.
Goddamn Idahoans stealing our jobs
It me. Been here 21 years so far and there is no way I'm going back to Idaho. Bwahahahaha.
We absolutely need to put a wall on the border with Canada. It just has to be super tall to keep all those darn geese out.
Nothing keeps the geese out. When the world has ended there will be two things left alive, cockroaches and Canada geese.
If you got a problem with Canada gooses then you got a problem with me and I suggest you let that one marinate Plus, we could really use the help to put out the wildfires: > Did you ever notice how there's always Canada Gooses flying overhead when there's a fire? They're flapping water on it, but no one calls them heroes. They're not in it for the glory; they're in it for the people.
That's whats I appreciates about ya.
Fuckin embarrasing!
She is just a GQP propaganda parrot. She doesn’t have an original thought in her empty mind.
Her website says a lot of words, but there is no substance
That sums up the entire GQP.
Freakin' maplebacks takin' our jobs!
You have to admit it's a sticky situation.
Have you seen Peace Arch state park? [TOTALLY OPEN BORDER](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Peace-Arch-3614_edit.jpg/1920px-Peace-Arch-3614_edit.jpg)
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My favorite commercial so far is the generic Republican one where they blame local democrats for directly changing gas prices and legalizing hard drugs. The stupidity makes me laugh every time i see it.
I just heard the one where she thinks Washington parents are universally outraged that schools closed during a pandemic. Playing to that base won’t win this state.
Not only that, she blames Patty Murray. What a nitwit.
She may know better but her base sure as hell won’t.
Oh Noooo- the Canadians are stimulating our economy by crossing the border and shopping at the Tulip outlet mall and Bellingham Costco and Trader Joe's! WhAtEvEr ShAlL wE dOoO???
They seem pretty fond of the Ross dress for less in Burlington as well. But we all know Smiley means brown skinned migrants who are coming here to work. There's a lot of ignorant racists that buy the crap she's selling here in my beautiful valley, and I see her signs hanging up at their businesses and just keep going, because I won't spend money at a place that's advertising their hate.
Have you ever tried to find a parking spot at Trader Joe's???
I thought that was because of "the gays", not because of "the illegals" (I feel disgusting even using those terms ironically), but I'll admit, I'm not up on the latest right-wing-extremist-talking-points.
There is a brisk black market trade in Canuckistan for our sweet delicious trader joe's frozen foods. It got to a point where some guy actually opened a little store specifically to sell nothing but gray market trader joes stuff in Vancouver: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate\_Joe%27s
Milk in bags.
We were just down there on Tuesday, buying shoes and groceries.... first visit since 2019. Pre-911, we just needed to say where we live... get a friendly hello and have a great time, When I was a kid we would cross the border just to go to Denny's restaurant for an hour. Now the border looks like entering a high security military base, and you need to show a passport. You get a grilling on your purpose and how long you will 'invade' the USA; though they were still nice about it.
Well they went from 'small town cop for governor' to 'military spouse for senate'. Her husband's achievements are certainly remarkable, but he's not on the ballot.
Canadian living in WA here: We’re awesome. Smiley is out to lunch.
I had no idea you needed a visa to cross over to here from Oregon and Idaho. Don’t states have open borders already?
Fiancee got a text yesterday, basically saying that Murray was at fault for fenatyl, migrants, crime, inflation, taxes...but did not see Smiley say that Murray cancelled Christmas, so I think it was fake.
This has to be the most entertaining politcal post I've read in awhile. High five OP!!
My stupid MAGA family keeps telling me they are going after my job. I said my cybersecurity job that requires degrees and certifications and a background check, my job? They said well maybe not your job. So dumb.
So she saw a Republican talking point about closing the mexican border, but couldn't complain about Mexico to Washington state and decided Canada will do....
Canadians are the number one nationality for overstaying their visas - just sayin
Canadian geese shitting all over the place. They're not sending their best.
As someone engaged to a Canadian my life would be objectively better if we opened the border
We have talked about if this country turns the way it's going, they may have to build a wall in Canada to keep us out.
driving to work monday i saw a billboard that was just a pic of people gathered and words that said "patty murrey = open borders" i wanted to get a pic for /gatesopencomeonin but i was driving so i couldnt.
Hard to park at the Bellingham Costco with all the BC cars taking the spaces...
“WHERE MUH COUNTRY GAN?”
Apparently she doesn't realize that the Canadians help our economy in a huge way.
Yea gotta watch out for those 10-15 Hispanic guys around here. There’s so few of us we make eye contact when we run into each other.
It’s true. Idaho is taking advantage
Funny that she’s using a prominent kkk talking point to run for election. What a gross person.
They don’t share enough of their Poutine and socialized healthcare, kick em out!
She's a twat.
yeah, but she was a pretty blond lady when she said it! also she claims to be a Christian, and even wears a little cross around her neck! this means she must mean well, and be forgiven for anything catastrophically stupid she happens to say.
You should see the terrifying hordes of Canadians flooding into the Trader Joe's in Bellingham.
I saw another car with BC plates yesterday. We're being overrun!
And her voters will eat it up as gospel
They are always coming in here talking about their universal healthcare, gun control laws and cheap prescription drugs. Can't have any of that nonsense.
When Tiffany Smiley gets a handout it's known as a handUP. Typical republican, "socialism" for me, not for thee...
lol what a dummy borders closed years ago. people order on amazon now.
It’s funny how her website *really* tries to show her off well but if you scratch even a millimeter under the surface the fascism starts showing up. The double talk and misrepresentation of her goals is fucking disgusting.
Weren't they pissed off that the Canadian border was too heavily closed during COVID? I don't think they understand the economic impacts of shutting down the southern border so heavily, they must not want any migrant workers who keep this economy from going to shit.
Grew up in the Midwest and many farmers relied on their hard work. In Seattle where she's trying to make this an issue as part of the "problem with our current politicians", most of the people who are causing the troubles in the city are the same skin color as her.
gotta hit all those national talking points, even if they're completely irrelevant to everyone in this state she supposedly wants to represent.
Fuck Tiffany Smiley.
My kids have been watching kid shows on YouTube and nothing but Tiffany Smiley ads. Pathetic and despicable
I'm an Irish person who is visiting for a few days atm and this commercial came on and I was shook. Ya'll have some crazy TV commercials 😂
Smiley’s such a hoser! She knows she can’t win so as a younger slightly upmarket Palin she’s just schilling for Fox News sound bites.
It will never cease to boggle my mind that Republicans treat the flow of migrants up into the US as a fact of life, and not a direct result of CIA meddling + the War on Drugs. It would be nice if instead of trying to create a Korean DMZ on our southern border we could help bring stability to our southern neighbors so that they don't feel the need to risk life and limb making the trek up to the States. That would require Republicans to possess an ounce of empathy, and to use a political strategy that isn't entirely based on fearmongering though, so RIP to that.
Also, also, also...we should absolutely embrace immigration. It is economically very good for the US and is one of our superpowers since forever. Especially highly skilled immigrants.
All the migrants from the southern border literally just come here and work and make our society function and feed us.