Todd Myers from the Washington Policy Center is this week’s Newsmaker Interview. Todd is a nationally recognized environmental expert and published author who shares his insights on why many “green” policies cause damage to the environment and on how technology might be a more useful weapon in battling climate change.  Todd also provides his analysis on the Snake River dams’ discussion and the Puget Sound Orca. (Shift)

Governor Jay Inslee’s latest carbon’s emissions standards are not about improving the environment but are about raising taxes.  According to Representative Jim Walsh (R-Aberdeen), Inslee’s low carbon fuel standard proposal is a hidden gas tax that would not be effective in lowering greenhouse gas emissions.  Yet this would be consistent with Inslee’s previous environmental policies which have resulted in an increase in the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. (Gorge County Media and Shift)

The rapid decline in enrollment at The Evergreen State College has brought about changes (albeit slight) in the school’s academic programs.  It is interesting to note how the Seattle Times article describes the situation at Evergreen.  It uses the term “complex race-related issues” to describe white students and personnel being told not to set foot on the campus for a day and then being physically threatened for challenging the racist demand.  Then, instead of accurately labeling the school’s failed methods as being “extremely liberal,” the article calls them “flexible.” It is easy to imagine if a conservative school faced this type of enrollment crisis, the Seattle Times would call out its conservative policies and not find some neutral euphemism to describe the political motivation behind the problems.  (Seattle Times)

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board developed new regulations for the packaging of cannabis edibles to make sure they do not appear to be candy.  Even though the new guidelines will require some changes, the new requirements are not as severe as once feared by cannabis distributors. (Spokesman Review)

In summing up the 2019 elections, Jerry Cornfield of the Everett Herald makes several interesting observations, including the fact those who represent Snohomish County in Olympia do not represent the political beliefs of its citizens.  In a county which voted over 58% for I-976 and over 54% against R-88, 16 of the 21 legislators (76%) who represent portions of Snohomish are Democrats. (Everett Herald)

Seattle’s liberal policies are hurting its restaurant businesses and its workers.  A recent Wall Street Journal Op-ed by a Seattle restaurant worker explains how the policies are forcing many restaurants to close (during a positive economy) and this is leaving many workers without jobs. (MyNorthwest)

The Tri-City Herald calls out the state’s wasteful spending of $750,000 to “study” the future of the Snake River dams. “Considering the state has no authority over whether the dams are breached – only Congress has that — spending money on a state study was a waste. The draft report released Friday did not offer a recommendation but summarized various views on both sides. We didn’t see anything new in the report, and are still unclear how this latest effort will help the debate.” (Tri-City Herald)

In an attempt to divert attention from his recent disasters, King County Executive Dow Constantine sent an year-end email to his supporters complaining about the “toxic atmosphere emanating from the White House” which Constantine contends has caused the “erosion of civility and rational discourse in the public arena.” Constantine apparently forgot his office had to spend $275,000 of the taxpayers’ money to settle a retaliation claim from his Parks’ Director because the Parks Department was being pressured to give a lucrative contract to a Constantine associate.  It is understandable why Dow’s team wants to divert attention from Constantine’s dreadful month.  The leader of his homeless agency resigned in disgrace for hiring a stripper,  a judge had to close an entrance to the King County Courthouse due to Constantine’s policies, the county admitted that it is failing to meet court-ordered requirements to improve water treatment procedures (and thus continues to pollute Puget Sound), and once again Constantine was discovered treating his security detail as his personal Uber service when his security officer was discovered waiting outside a West Seattle bar in a county vehicle while Constantine was having drinks with a woman on a Friday afternoon. (Constantine email, Seattle Times, and Shift)

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