Washington Liberals

Whereas the obligation under current state law for the 2013-15 biennium is more than $1.2 billion more than projected revenue during that period; and Whereas the Joint Task Force on Education Funding created by the State Legislature determined that an additional $1.4 billion is needed during this biennium, and an additional $4.5 billion by the…

The events of the last several years are a learning opportunity for Democrats, both in Washington State and nationally. The case of Rodney Tom exemplifies the dangers of supporting “centrist” Democrats who are eager to compromise with Republicans. Tom’s “bipartisanship” is inconsistent with Democratic values. Yes, Rodney Tom is better than most Republicans. (See the…

My Inbox is filled with outraged emails from advocacy groups concerned about the President’s plan to cut Social Security. The government spends trillions of dollars on corrupt, immoral, disastrous wars; on bailouts for the very banks that crashed the economy; and on tax breaks and subsidies for corporations.   It is unacceptable that they want to…

Next time you hear that voting machines are reliable and safe “because they have been tested and certified,” think of this important article, which reveals proven corruption, payoffs and bid-rigging connected to Ciber, Inc., a firm that signed off on our voting machines. Ciber’s okay was the foundation for federal acceptance of voting machines all…

In the articles listed below I presented combined scorecards for Washington State legislators, based on five component scorecards: labor, conservation, racial justice, choice, and conservative. Who’s progressive in the Washington State Senate? — based on combined data from five scorecards Who’s progressive in the Washington State House? — based on combined data from five scorecards…

Washington’s new governor, Jay Inslee, has “pledged to reduce carbon emissions in the state’s transportation system.” He’s named a new transportation secretary, Oregonian Lynn Peterson, who appears to feel similarly. And in his most recent public statements about transportation, he’s talked about the need to preserve and maintain existing roads—a sensible priority that does little…

Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy, the largest in US history, on Sept. 15, 2008. Days later as world capitalism continued convulsing, George W. Bush, looking dazed and bewildered as if he’d just finished a test in quantum mechanics despite never having mastered his multiplication tables, declared in his inimitable eloquence, “This sucker could go down.” Since…

“John McCain’s campaign has suggested that the best answer for the growing pressures on Social Security might be to cut cost of living adjustments or raise the retirement age. Let me be clear: I will not do either.”