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Keep mitts off law reforming payday loans
The other day I needed some cash and went to the only ATM I could find. I took out $100 and got charged $3. Sort of an expensive way to access your own money, but the big boys at Chase have to get their slice of our pie. It got me thinking about the continuing…
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State Supreme Court strikes down super-majority requirement for raising taxes
As we’ve been asserting for years, Tim Eyman’s initiatives requiring a super-majority requirement for the legislature to pass tax increases is unconstitutional. As reported in the Seattle P-I, and as you can see for your self here at the State Supreme Court’s website, The state Supreme Court has thrown out a referendum passed by voters…
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SB 5011 would reverse progress on sustainable development
Right wing, anti-government activists are pushing a state bill to weaken growth management in Washington State. SB 5011 – 2013-14 would prohibit ” the state of Washington and its political subdivisions from adopting and developing environmental and developmental policies that infringe or restrict private property rights without due process.” As this New York Time article discusses,…
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Crime and No Punishment
First Known Bank Malfeasance of the Week: With the $25 billion attorneys general settlement, banks are supposed to reduce the principal and interest on thousands of mortgages that are in trouble. When they do this, they get credit towards their portion of the settlement obligation. Leave it to the banks, however, to find a way…
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U.S. Deficit Shrinking At Fastest Pace Since WWII, Before Fiscal Cliff
U.S. Deficit Shrinking At Fastest Pace Since WWII, Before Fiscal Cliff “Believe it or not, the federal deficit has fallen faster over the past three years than it has in any such stretch since demobilization from World War II. In fact, outside of that post-WWII era, the only time the deficit has fallen faster was…
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Social Security is not broke: speeches by Economist Dean Baker and Dr. Marilyn Watkins
“Economist Dean Baker and Dr. Marilyn Watkins (EOI) explain how Social Security is an insurance program that really works for retirees, disabled workers and survivors. Since our pension system has been dismantled by corporations, and 401Ks are just not enough for the majority of workers to retire on, Social Security is the best program we…
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State Senate bill would fast-track coal exports
Please take action asap and help send this around. It is urgent that Washington State stops the Dirty Coal Trains in their tracks. Dear Linda, Please take 2 minutes before you start your day to call the toll-free Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000, and ask your Senator to vote no on Senate Bill 5805. This bill…
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Alternative to the Democratic Party
Below is the address I made at the University of Washington the 30th of January 2013 before a meeting of the Socialist Alternative Party. It reflects my thoughts on where we are today and what we must do to redeem the dream of a true democracy that our founding fathers set out to create for…
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Five proposed bills would amend the State Constutition to impose supermajority requirements for raising taxes
Our ideological opponent, the Washington Policy Center, is reporting, in Proposed Constitutional Amendments Would Require Supermajority Vote for Tax Increases, that five constitutional amendments to require a supermajority vote to raise taxes have been introduced during the 2013 Legislative Session. To amend the state constitution would require a two third approval by voters. Voters approved…
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Washington Conservation Voters' mistake
Washington Conservation Voters is looking for volunteers for Tuesday, 2/25/13 (that’s tomorrow), to doorbell and persuade voters on Mercer Island to contact Republican State Senator Steve Litzow and ask him to support WCV’s Clean Energy and Climate campaign. (Contact tiffany@wcvoters.org.) As pointed out by Robert Sargent, the odd thing is that WCV endorsed Republican Steve’s run…