It doesn’t matter whether it’s the Republicans or the Democrats, the White House: the state house or the courthouse, it is dangerous to the rights of all the people to have one party in total control.

Democratic candidates look out for minorities to the extent of keeping them dependent on government. They kowtow to labor unions, public employees, defense attorneys and Indian tribes, all of which supply beaucoup campaign funds and, other than the tribes, campaign workers.

Republican candidates are tuned in to business professionals, doctors, dentists, etc., who are their chief campaign contributors, which is why they are always accused of looking out for the wealthy at the expense of the poor. That may be true.

The polls show Obama the expected winner, but people don’t always tell pollsters the truth so he could be the Tom Dewey of 2008. I dropped off the poll believer wagon when I read one where a vast majority of teenagers said they went to church every Sunday.

Because of his reneging on his pledge to use public funding and going private, however, Obama has already bought the office. I shudder to think of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright sleeping in the Lincoln bedroom. I’m sure a string of blacks will seek that opportunity too but that’s OK. If anybody deserves it, they probably do.

Here in Washington, I expect Dino Rossi to finally get the governorship he was cheated out of by the shenanigans of King County. All he has to do is keep saying, “I got a budget through before without a tax increase and I can do it again.”

I believe he can do it again. Christine Gregoire promised in 2004 that she wouldn’t increase taxes, but she was barely inside the mansion door before she did it. She’s making the same promise today and she’d break it as soon as it was safe to do so.

I don’t see any of our incumbents in Congress going down the tubes. The only state elected official I see in trouble is Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland. I think Allan Martin will be the new treasurer. I’ve never been crazy about Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson but at least she’s sticking with WASL and why swap her for another union boss?

As for the ballot measures, I don’t think any of them will pass.

Will the Democrats keep control of the Legislature? I’m afraid so.

The pay is so good now, and the benefits, we are attracting and keeping a career Legislature instead of a citizen Legislature. They’re in it for the money now. For some it’s a stepping stone to higher office.

I think North Kitsap County Commissioner Steve Bauer will be re-elected. He’s the first actually experienced official we’ve picked up in a long time. Charlotte Garrido is going all out for another shot at the South Kitsap commissionership. She’s a dedicated greenie so it depends on how many of the voters care more about greenhouse gases than growth. Republican Tim Matthes has a good chance of taking that one.

I don’t know if County Auditor Walt Washington will survive the publicity about his not filing campaign reports. Monte Mahan didn’t. But Washington being black, he’s a rarity in office here and also a Democrat whose party should come to his aid.

I’m an independent who voted for mostly Republicans because I like their philosophy. I didn’t follow my mother’s advice of going down the ballot skipping between the R’s and the D’s “so they can check on each other,” but I did mark a few Democrats.

They’re not all bad.

Adele Ferguson can be reached at P.O. Box 69, Hansville, WA 98340