Did Governor Inslee “jump the shark” with his latest round of closing businesses?  Last week, Jay Inslee continued exercising his one-man rule over Washington, once again shutting down state businesses due to his previous policies failing to prepare for this predicted second wave of coronavirus infections. Yet this time, “Legislators, from both sides of the political spectrum (but mostly Republicans), are calling for a special session to balance the state’s budget and help families (and businesses) survive Inslee’s shut downs, and also to pass legislation to put limits on his dictatorial style of executive orders. Unfortunately, this isn’t likely to happen anytime soon, as this would put an end to the one-man-band approach being inflicted on the residents of Washington by Governor Inslee.” (Shift Article)

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Governor Inslee refuses to listen. Washington State retailers are the latest victims of the governor’s one-man rule by refusing to listen to their concerns and suggestions before imposing his latest round of restrictions. “If only the retailers had done what the state employee unions have done, and given millions to Inslee for previous campaigns, they too could receive a pay increase from the state in the middle of a pandemic.” (Shift Quick Take)

A new report describes how Washington State’s employers and workers are paying the price for the Inslee Administration’s failure to accurately track and effectively combat the coronavirus.  A Washington Policy Center (WPC) report explains that due to many failures of the state to collect accurate tracing data, Governor Inslee has instituted “overkill” measures to combat the spread of the virus.  Just three weeks ago, Inslee was running campaign ads saying his efforts were keeping Washington residents safe, yet his actions last week demonstrate how ineffective his past efforts actually have been. The WPC report concludes, “State leaders have failed at doing the things they could do to fight the illness without seriously harming the economy. Instead of accepting responsibility, they blame everyone else and we pay the price.” (Washington Policy Center)

Governor Inslee has been promoting himself to be a major player in dictating our country’s climate policy, but it appears the Biden transition team has not bought his argument, and former Secretary of State John Kerry will be named  the next administration’s “climate czar.”  This has obviously been the post that Inslee has sought for the past couple of years – an all symbolism, no accountability job – and the reason why he has spent a considerable amount of time regurgitating national Democrat talking points instead of focusing on state issues during the pandemic.  Many analysts claim the entire reason behind Inslee’s failed presidential campaign (in which Inslee forced Washington State taxpayers to fund his additional security costs) was to promote himself for this office.  There are still other secondary administration positions (the departments of Energy and Interior, and the Environmental Protection Agency) that Inslee can continue to seek, but by many accounts, the climate czar position was all he wanted. (New York Times)

Washington State’s transportation system ranks 45^th in the nation for highway performance and cost-effectiveness.  As state transportation officials are seeking new methods to obtain even more taxpayer funds, the Reason Foundation gives Washington State an extremely poor report card – especially in how the Democrats in control currently administer public funds.  Mariya Frost with the Washington Policy Center states, “Before lawmakers give the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) additional tax dollars to manage and spend, they should consider the data provided in Reason’s report. At the very least, Washington’s 45th ranking reflects poor management. Lawmakers should consider reforms (and audits) before giving WSDOT any additional tax revenue.” (Reason Foundation and Washington Policy Center)

Former Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna says there could be a constitutional problem with the recent limitations Governor Inslee placed on third-party food delivery companies (Uber Eats, Door Dash, GrubHub, and Postmates).  Inslee placed limits on the fees that delivery companies can charge, seemingly in an attempt to placate restaurants which he had previously prohibited from providing indoor dining.  McKenna wondered if the constitution’s contract clause prohibited the governor from disrupting current contracts (between the restaurants and delivery companies).  While state law currently allows the governor, during times of an emergency, to forbid activities that he  “reasonably believes should be prohibited to help preserve and maintain life, health, property or the public peace,” McKenna believes there is a reasonable question as to whether delivery fees meet this criteria. (MyNorthwest and Governor Inslee’s media release)

Crosscut posted a typical media puff piece about a liberal politician, Democrat Attorney General Bob Ferguson, that failed to address any of the concerns a large portion of Washington citizens have with the state’s top law enforcement officer.  While promoting the same old stories about how Ferguson waged (with taxpayer dollars not appropriated by the legislature for the purpose) endless partisan legal battles against the Trump Administration, Crosscut never thought to ask if maybe some other state’s Democrat attorney general should have taken over suing the federal government, freeing up some time for Ferguson and his office to handle the serious public safety issues that have consumed Seattle and other Western Washington communities over the past six months.  While extreme liberal rioters were forcibly taking over a police precinct and portions of the city, physically assaulting police officers, and causing damage to many local small businesses, Ferguson remained quiet. When Ferguson’s fellow Democrats on the Seattle City Council were hastily and irresponsibly slashing police funding and thus endangering the public safety of 775,000 of Ferguson’s constituents, the Attorney General again remained silent.  One seriously doubts if a Republican Attorney General had hidden from responsibility the way Ferguson has that the media would be as kind. (Crosscut)

Brandi Kruse reports on the ever-changing policy stands of various members of the Seattle City Council regarding police funding.  In 2019, several of the councilmembers campaigned on providing more funding, not less, for the police department.  Then this summer, the same councilmembers caved into the demands of the (often violent) liberal protestors to slash the department’s budget.  Now that councilmembers are starting to receive public criticism over their hasty decisions, some of them are slowly backtracking from their previous budgetary actions.  As Kruse points out, “The flip-flopping would be comical if only the consequences weren’t so severe.” (Q13’s The Divide)

Due to Governor Inslee’s restrictions on the private sector, which have resulted in hundreds of thousands of Washington residents losing their wages, many food banks are facing difficult times.  The Puyallup Food Bank is running short of supplies and funds as the holidays approach. An official with the food bank says, “We are in dire straits.”  Shift encourages our readers to support local charities which are assisting our neighbors.  Please consider giving to the good folks at the Northwest Republican Community Fund, where they will match your donation up to $250. (News Tribune and NWRCF)

The Yakima Herald is the latest Washington State newspaper calling on Governor Inslee to convene a special session of the legislature to help the businesses and workers that are negatively impacted by the governor’s latest restrictions.  Central Washington employers have been especially hurt by the governor’s actions, after he kept five of the largest counties (Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, and Yakima) under Phase I restrictions until October.  The Herald’s editorial states that Inslee, “continues his lone-wolf approach, wielding his far-reaching emergency powers while keeping 147 legislators at arm’s length by refusing, despite repeated pleas, to call a special session — effectively shutting out those who were chosen by voters to help make good decisions for the state.”  The Yakima Herald (the paper that used to employ the governor’s press secretary, Mike Faulk) concludes its lengthy statement with, “Call a special session, governor. You have no excuse.”  But the paper is wrong, as Inslee never runs out of excuses. (Yakima Herald)

Chelan and Douglas county commissioners are critical of Governor Inslee’s lack of communication with local officials before mandating wide-spread restrictions on businesses.  The commissioner’s believe local authorities know where the outbreaks are occurring and thus, they should be involved in deciding how to combat the spread of the virus.  The commissioners also stated that it is wrong for the governor to force these restrictions on businesses when all the data shows it is in private settings where most COVID-19 infections are taking place. (Wenatchee World)

Shift’s Newsmaker Interview is with Representative-elect Greg Gilday from the 10^th Legislative District.  Gilday erased an election day vote deficit, winning his seat by 867 votes with all votes counted. Gilday shares his thoughts on his come-from-behind victory, Governor Inslee’s failure to call a special legislative session, Washington Democrat’s tax policies pushing Boeing to move jobs to other states, and his legislative priorities for the 2021 legislative session. (Newsmaker Interview)

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