The transportation bill passed by the Washington State Senate contains an infamous “poison pill” provision that would move public transit and other multi-modal funding to the roads account if the state passes a low carbon fuel standard. (See http://www.thestand.org/2015/03/fix-fatal-flaws-in-transportation-package/ for background.) The poison pill was inserted by State Senate Republicans to please the Koch Brothers…
Sunday I attended a meeting of the Legislative Action Committee of the King County Democrats. Representative Tana Senn of the 41st LD spoke, followed by Senator Cyrus Habib of the 48th LD. During discussion of the budget it became clear that there is unlikely to be a capital gains tax. Nor will Governor Inslee get…
https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.boldprogressives.org/images/Big_Ideas-Polling_PDF-1.pdf
Rep. Suzan DelBene is apparently going to vote in favor of trade promotion authority (“fast track”) for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, unlike Reps McDermott, Smith, and Heck. A friend called DelBene’s office and an aide said she is voting for fast-track. Last fall I spoke to her and asked her to oppose it. She was very…
A facebook friend posted a Washington Post article 50 hospitals charge uninsured more than 10 times cost of care, study finds. A discussion ensued. Bret Benson told this story: I had a $3,600 bill after going to the emergency room for a gash in my head over and above what my insurance covered. Devon told…
Destroys Gun rights b.s.
I oppose capital punishment. But it surprises me that states are struggling to find ways to execute people painlessly. There are two easy ways to kill people painlessly. The first is carbon monoxide. People often die in their beds from carbon monoxide poisoning (due to improper ventilation of a heater, for example). They feel drowsy…