WHEREAS, Washington State relies on the sales tax, the Business & Occupation Tax, and property taxes to fund  state government (see A Citizen’s Guide to the Washington State Budget); WHEREAS, sales taxes are regressive — meaning that the middle class and the poor pay a higher proportion of their income in sales tax than do…

A few months ago, I published an article Blame Poverty, not Public Schools on OpEdNews.  A conservative (Bill Johnson) wrote a comment that I think is worth quoting. As I see it, a liberal is a socialist and most socialists are liberals. Both are democrats. Same thing. Same philosophy. And they wonder why conservatives don’t…

Senator Bob Hasegawa explains his opposition to the Governor’s bill to extend tax breaks to Boeing: http://blog.senatedemocrats.wa.gov/hasegawa/hasegawa-explains-vote-against-boeing-tax-cuts/ Hasegawa said the bill is being rushed; there are 9 billion dollars at stake. There’s insufficient data to back up the claims of a 3-to-1 return on investments.  There’s no guarantee that Boeing won’t make room for 777…

Monday evening I went to a great Town Hall in Seattle with John Nichols and Robert McChesney.  The topic was Dollarocracy: how money has corrupted politics. Dollarocracy is their name for what’s become of America’s democracy.   Instead of one person, one vote, we now have one dollar, one vote.  Jimmy Carter was overheard saying that…

Tracy Knauss with Brian Haskins are reporting: THE KOCH MACHINE’S CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT — At least twice NJ Gov. Chris Christie has secretly attended and addressed private, closed seminars by two of the world’s richest men: Charles and David Koch. Christie’s most recent pilgrimage to Money Mecca was in June, when David Koch introduced Gov.…

On Thursday Nov 7, Gov. Inslee testified to the the House Finance Committee, chaired by Reuven Carlyle, in favor of extending til 2040 tax breaks for Boeing, in exchange for Boeing’s agreeing to build the 777X plane here in Washington State. Inslee says the deal will be a net win for the taxpayers, due to…

FDA moves to phase out trans fats from food, citing health concerns Put down that doughnut: FDA takes on trans fats F.D.A. Ruling Would All but Eliminate Trans Fats We wouldn’t want government helping people, would we?

The Seattle Times is reporting: “Gov. Jay Inslee has asked state legislators to pass a package of bills that include granting Boeing after 2024 estimated state tax savings of $8.7 billion.”  They’re also asking for $10 billion in transportation funding, and for concessions from the unions. Boeing threatens that unless the state and unions give…