Washington Liberals

We’ve got a new draft of our carbon tax legislation! It’s still a draft (with feedback welcomed on refinery operations and biofuels in particular), but it lays out our vision, which is to use a BC-style carbon tax to pay for a reduction of the state sales tax by a full percentage point, plus B&O…

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…

You would think that any employee who performs well in the workplace would be rewarded with a raise or promotion. Such an exemplary employee would never have to labor under the shadow of termination. You would assume that’s just common sense and sound business practice, right? You might be wrong. Over half the states in…

Craig Aaron of freepress.net is reporting: Ten billion dollars. No, that’s not the budget for the Fast and Furious franchise. It’s how much was spent on the 2012 elections. Media scholars Robert McChesney and John Nichols, who founded Free Press 10 years ago, consider the true cost of this out-of-control spending in their book Dollarocracy:…

You are invited to a FREE screening of the film American Winter on November 9th at Seattle Public Central Library. Produced and directed by Emmy award-winning filmmakers, Joe and Harry Gantz, American Winter follows the personal stories of families in the Pacific Northwest struggling in the aftermath of the worst economic crisis since the Great…

I don’t get to hear Steph and the Mooks as often now, with no smart phone for my commute time; however I learned from our “Bring Back Progressive Talk to the Northwest” Facebook page that Steph is coming to Seattle! Hope to see a full house of progressives! We have not had a chance to…

I’ve posted this on the facebook page Candidate Forum for Election of Chair of Washington State Democrats and am posting it here as well. I hope a candidate will emerge that wants to make the party live up to its potential. • We need a candidate [to replace departing state chair Dwight Pelz] who will…

The Stand is reporting: Heck, Kilmer, Larsen side with GOP, Wall St. on deregulation bill WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 30, 2013) — The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved labor-opposed legislation pushed by Wall Street banks that would make it harder for the Department of Labor to approve regulations protecting workers’ interests in how their retirement…

Almost all Republican federal lawmakers have signed the Norquist pledge against raising taxes.  In the current, 113th Congress, 229 representatives and 39 senators have signed the pledge (source).    Here’s the pledge: I, ____________, pledge to the taxpayers of the _____district of the state of _________ and to the American people that I will: One,…