This week’s Newsmaker Interview is with Washington Policy Center’s Initiative on Agriculture Director Pam Lewison.  Lewison is an Eastern Washington farmer with first-hand experience in how political decisions impact those who grow our food, providing a perspective often unheard by policymakers.  The Democrat-controlled 2021 legislative session was extremely expensive for our state’s agricultural community, with many of the Democrats’ new laws placing our state’s farmers at a serious competitive disadvantage since they market their products to both domestic and international consumers.  Lewison explains how the pay for farm workers will actually decrease because of the Democrats’ efforts to please union bosses with their radical changes to an agriculture overtime bill.  Governor Jay Inslee’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard and Cap-and-Trade bills will significantly raise production and transportation cost for our farmers (while providing almost no environmental benefit for future generations). Even the unconstitutional state income tax on capital gains will increase the cost of farming in Washington State, and make it harder to keep family farms in the family.  Lewison attacks the urban liberal myth that farmers do not care about the welfare of workers as “simply ridiculous.” (Click to read the full Newsmaker Interview)

Will Governor Jay Inslee’s unequal treatment of Pierce County finally force Democrat legislators to join Republican lawmakers in bringing an end to the governor’s undemocratic one-man rule of the state? For 450 days, Democrat legislators have allowed Governor Inslee to rule over the state without legislative oversite, mainly because his partisan “emergency” actions benefited them as well.  Yet, now that a handful of Tacoma-area Democrat legislators (including House Speaker Laurie Jinkins) are receiving public pressure because of Governor Inslee’s unequal treatment of their constituents in Pierce County, they have sent a letter (without Jinkins because evidently she is now above representing her constituents) threatening to join Republicans in calling for a special session to (finally) place legislative oversite on the governor’s “emergency” orders.  (Click to read full Shift Article)

The Jay Inslee for Governor campaign spent more than $150,000 on digital advertising this year, but refuses to tell the public what exactly a campaign three years in the distance was spending it on.  Since the governor’s team has failed to explain the very unusual expenditure, there is speculation that it was spent on grassroots’ lobbying for Inslee’s unpopular, expensive, and inefficient climate priorities.  One thing we do know is that Governor Inslee did not spend any money reimbursing the Washington State taxpayers for the money he stole from the state to pay for his additional security costs during out-of-state travels on his failed presidential campaign. (Washington Observer, Washington State Public Disclosure Commission filings, and Seattle Times)

Governor Inslee responded to Pierce County legislators’ concerns about his unfair treatment of their constituents through his “emergency” orders by doing what he does best – not answering the specific concerns they raised.  The letter from 10 angry Democrats (and two Republicans)  was sent to the governor on Thursday afternoon, and expressed the frustration that while Pierce County (along with Cowlitz and Whitman counties) were banished to economic purgatory in Phase 2 over three weeks ago due to their COVID infection and hospitalization rates, many more liberal counties (say, King County) with nearly identical COVID rates have been allowed to enjoy the comparative economic advantages of Phase 3, as the governor earlier this week randomly decided to “pause” pushing counties back to Phase 2.

The governor responded to the letter by only stating the reasons why Pierce County was moved back three weeks ago, and not why its current situation is different than the counties he has allowed to stay in Phase 3. He fails to address why Pierce, Cowlitz, and Whitman counties cannot be returned to Phase 3, out of fairness so that the entire state is treated equally as we “pause” for two weeks.  As Shift has reported, there is much speculation that Governor Inslee has chosen to “pause” county reassignments due to not wanting to inconvenience his liberal constituents in King County, even though its numbers are nearly identical to the more conservative Pierce County rates which remains in Phase 2. Maybe Inslee has a key donor having a wedding this weekend, we just don’t know his motivation due to Inslee’s stubborn refusal to explain his one-main rule.

Now that Pierce County Democrat legislators have experienced the same frustrations all Republican lawmakers and nearly all local officials have encountered in dealing with the unscientific and random decisions of Governor Inslee, it is up to them to follow through on their threat to call for a special legislative session to end Inslee’s one-man domination of the state and reform the governor’s emergency powers. (Brandi Kruse Twitter, Pierce County Legislators letter to Governor Inslee, and Shift)

After legislative passage of Governor Inslee’s expensive Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and Cap-and Trade proposals, some members of the local media are finally reporting on how much the inefficient “climate” bills will cost the average Washington State resident and finding out that people do not support the significant price increases forced on them by the liberals’ latest wasteful environmental policies.  In a poll of 500 Washington registered voters, only 15% say they are willing to pay the 50 cents or more for a gallon of gas to “significantly” reduce air pollution.  Yet, by government calculations, the LCFS alone will increase the cost of gas by 57 cents a gallon (diesel will increase 63 cents).  There are legitimate reasons to believe that like previous environmental measures championed by Governor Inslee, the legislation will result in extraordinarily little, if any, reduction of carbon emissions. While it is nice that KING5 News has finally decided to ask voters what they think about Inslee’s bills, this type of reporting would seem more appropriate prior to legislators voting on the measures, instead of the non-stop biased puff pieces the local media released while voting was taking place. (KING5 News, SurveyUSA, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency report, and Washington Policy Center)

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is hiding behind her staff blaming an “unknown technical issue” for missing texts relating to her actions (and massive inactions) during the violent takeover of six blocks on Capitol Hill and the forced closure of the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct last June.  In an act reminiscent of President Richard Nixon’s missing 18 minutes of vital taped conversations relating to the Watergate scandal, a whistleblower investigation has determined that the mayor and her staff violated the Public Records Act by not making available important texts that would provide insight into her orders and actions during last June’s mayhem in Seattle.  The texts have been sought by at least 48 public record requests, and have been requested in the discovery process of numerous lawsuits that have been filed against the City of Seattle for its actions during the riots.  The report from a forensic investigator reveals that all of Mayor Durkan’s texts from August 28, 2019 through June 25, 2020 are missing, which conveniently for the mayor includes the time around the violent early June riots and closure of the East Precinct. One would think a former U.S> Attorney would be more concerned about following the law. (Seattle Times, ABC News, and City of Seattle Ethics and Election Commission Report)

The Seattle Mariners announced that they will begin selling $10 tickets to centerfield bleacher seats for those who can prove they have been vaccinated.  The section will have 50% capacity.  These ticket holders will also have access to the “Pen” section at the stadium, dedicated entry lanes, 20% off food and beverages, and a free t-shirt. (MyNorthwest)

A Spokane public employee union is now suing the citizens its members are supposed to serve, just in order to keep private their negotiations with politicians over their taxpayer-funded salaries and benefits.  In 2019, Spokane voters overwhelming passed with 77% approval an amendment to the city’s charter to make public all negotiations between public unions and city management over wages and benefits.  But, unions do not like this because their greed is only truly fulfilled when the public is unaware of the backroom deals made with politicians whose campaigns the unions financially support.  As public pressure has grown for this voter-approved measure to be implemented, Local 270 (which claims to represent 1,000 city employees) has delayed public negotiations by filing a lawsuit saying the charter amendment runs contrary to state law. And their selfish self-interests. (Spokesman Review)

Two Eastern Washington public universities are taking different approaches on the COVID vaccine requirements for their students returning to classrooms in the fall.  Central Washington University in Ellensburg says it will require all students, faculty, and staff to be vaccinated in order to participate in campus activities next September. Eastern Washington University in Cheney is instead trying to treat its students like adults, and has told students that “we will not make the decision for you” on whether or not to get vaccinated, and will not require proof of vaccination to take part in classes or other student activities. (iFIBER One and Spokesman Review)

BabylonBee Friday

Do you like The Daily Briefing?

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment.

Forward this to a friend.  It helps us grow our community and serve you better.

You can also follow SHIFTWA on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

If you feel we missed something that should be covered, email us at [email protected].