In a recent post we asked a simple question: “Why are political insiders so afraid of a Facebook page?” That question struck a nerve and for good reason.

Cherish Kirkland isn’t a political machine. We are not funded by party operatives or a web of interconnected ideological groups. We are neighbors who started paying attention. And when we did, we noticed something disturbing: a small group of ideological insiders had been quietly shaping city policy for nearly a decade. Groups like Liveable Kirkland oppose all things remotely suburban and are determined to transform all of Kirkland and King County into a single, homogeneous urban sprawl.

Backroom secret appointments, insider endorsements, and curated messaging all serve to engineer what is presented as “community consensus,” even though the reality is that the vast majority of the population is never invited to the table.

Now that we are asking questions, we have been labeled as the group that “just says no.”

But here is the truth: Kirkland has been moving slowly and steadily toward irreversible damage, like the Titanic. We are not trying to block progress; we are trying to change the direction.

When we say “yes” to thoughtful planning, community engagement, and transparency, it’s overlooked by those who oppose us. But when we raise concerns of any kind, we are quickly dismissed as obstructionists. Our concerns are not just knee-jerk reactions to change. But it represents an awakening of Kirkland’s broader community that is (for the first time) getting to weigh in on plans they had no hand in shaping.

The discomfort from the opposition? It’s not coming from what we say.

The discomfort is coming from the fact that we are finally being heard.

What is really happening is this: the art of the political steal is being exposed—and the public is waking up.

What We’ve Already Done—And What Comes Next

When we first became organized, we helped stop the push for 38,000 surplus housing units in Kirkland’s 2044 Comprehensive Plan. That number wasn’t rooted in real demand or reality—it was meant to feed a narrative and pad the resumes of the politicians that pushed it. They wanted the kudos from the political machine that rewards being “BOLD” and “VIBRANT” (ChatGPT buzzwords in urbanist circles). In seeking personal political advancement, they sacrificed real listening, real analysis, and real consensus. They sacrificed their duty to the people they were meant to serve.

We pushed back. We changed the conversation.

And now, we know what we’re up against.

What We Are For and What You Can Be a Part Of

If we want Kirkland’s future to reflect everyone—not just those who learned how to game the system—we need to keep going.

That means:

• Talking to your neighbors

• Showing up at public meetings

• Writing to your council and planning staff

• Voting with an awareness of the forces behind the scenes.

It means stretching out of our comfort zones and naming the connections when we see them.

Where We’re Going Next

In the next part of this series we will take a closer look at the political insider group Liveable Kirkland and how its influence is reflected in appointments, endorsements, and voting blocs. We’ll map the connections and help you see the architecture of power behind the policy.

Not to divide—but to inform. Not to shame—but to reveal.

Because if you understand how this city has been steered up to this point, you will see how we can take the wheel back.

You are not too late. You are not alone. But you are absolutely needed.

Because hope doesn’t just show up.

Hope pays attention. Hope leads. Hope votes.

And together, hope wins.

Stay with us.