Canvass to hold Rodney Tom accountable; Tom's defense of his "bipartisan" budget
Karl de Jong, chair of the King County Democrats, sent out this notice:
State Senator Rodney Tom claimed he wanted certain bills to pass (both the DREAM Act and the Reproductive Parity Act). However, this afternoon he voted against bringing those bills to the floor.
Time to activate! This Saturday, we’re teaming up with our allies (FUSE, Labor, Win/Win, etc.) on a Rodney Tom accountability canvass on Saturday April 20 in the 48th Legislative district. Our canvass will educate his constituents about his move and the implications for Washingtonians. We’ll be asking people at the door to take
action on their issues.
Sign up here:http://www.doodle.com/
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Can’t make this canvass but want to support the activity?Donations will be gratefully accepted, click here to get to our website
Please activate your networks and distribute widely.I look forward to knocking doors with you on Saturday.
Yours In Service,
Karl de Jong
KCDCC Chair
Meanwhile, Rodney Tom sent out the following newsletter to his constituents:
On Friday, the House of Representatives began debating its version of the next state operating budget, which it had released earlier this week. That budget looks a lot different from the one our bipartisan coalition rolled out earlier this month. For instance, the House’s plan was not put together in a bipartisan way – and it shows. While our Senate budget passed with nearly a third of the votes supplied by the minority party, the House budget passed on a nearly party-line vote of 54 – 43, without a single member of the minority voting for it.
When the Senate rolled out its budget, there were members from both caucuses present; everyone talked about how they had input and ownership, and how the result was a bipartisan and balanced proposal. The House budget leaders would have been wise to follow the Senate’s lead and produce a budget that members of both caucuses could support.
Now that both bodies have passed a budget, the heavy lifting to reach agreement between the House and Senate begins in earnest.
I suppose the central question is: should we split the difference between the political Right and the political Left? In debates between Republicans and Democrats, should we choose the center? Is bipartisanship the best approach?
For comparison, let’s ask: In debates between Darwinian evolutions and Creationists should we settle on a compromise between the two sides? How about in debates between climate change believers and climate change skeptics?
Face it: the nation is sorely divided, and scientific and moral truth isn’t necessarily in the middle.
But I have to admit, Rodney Tom has a point. Many voters select conservative policies and politicians. Specifically, the voters have repeatedly voted to perpetuate the most regressive tax system in the nation. Should smart politicians blithely go along with that?
I asked Ross Hunter and other legislators whether they will take steps to educate the public about their self-defeating choices, and the legislators mostly say: that’s not our job, you do it. The question is: how?  Actions by the Backbone Campaign (overpass light brigade, etc) and the Occupy Movement raise awareness. We need to amplify our voice.
