Hiding Behind Tim Eyman

[From top right, clockwise:  House Chair Rep. Frank Chopp,  Sen. Steve Hobbs,  Rep. Judy Clibborn, Gov. Christine Gregoire,  House Ways & Means Chair Ross Hunter (on bottom left), Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, House Majority Floor Leader Larry Springer,  Lt. Governor Brad Owen (on upper-left)]

During the run-up to the 2010 election, our Democratic leaders depended on advocacy groups and Bill Gates, Sr. to market the idea of fair taxation. Now, despite the unconstitutionality and immorality of I-1053, our leaders fail to challenge I-1053.

Our leaders don’t lead.

Most of them say they oppose and certainly regret I-1053. But they won’t stick their necks out to challenge it.

Wouldn’t it be better to lose an election than to lose your soul?

The core problem is that voters vote against their own self-interest, because progressive voices are drowned out, squelched and disorganized. And part of the reason for that is the Democrats’ failure to lead. Perhaps the politicians fear retribution from the voters. Perhaps some (a few?) of them are corrupt and really don’t give a damn.  I’m sure that some of our legislators are afraid of the lobbyists who would descend like locusts on Olympia were they to try to remove tax exemptions.   For whatever reason, our leaders hide behind Tim Eyman.

Another problem is the over use of citizen initiatives. The reason we don’t have direct democracy (where the voters vote for legislation, without relying on elected representatives in Congress) is that many issues are too complex for the average person. Furthermore, voters are easily deceived and can be convinced to vote for unjust initiatives, such as I-1053, which are against their own self-interest.

BTW, someone suggested I show scenes of suffering and loss that will result from I-1053.  If people send me such images I’ll combine them into a Flash animation that might be more effective than the static image above.