Inslee blames GOP for “green” failures

Jay Inslee failed to pass a single policy included in his extreme green agenda. Now he is has gaining national attention for his hyper-partisan attacks blaming Republicans for his failure. The Associated Press reports,

“[Inslee] has failed in his own state to pass bold proposals, including the centerpiece cap-and-trade plan to charge emissions from oil refineries, power plants and fuel suppliers.

“The Democratic governor also conceded to Republican demands on another climate initiative and is expected to sign a transportation revenue package Wednesday, which includes a provision that would transfer money for transit elsewhere if a state agency enacts a low carbon fuel standard.

“Inslee blamed the Senate Republican majority for the failures, saying the party ‘is now in the stranglehold of the oil and gas industry.’”

Inslee, once again, has failed to recognize that he could not muster enough support among members of his own party to pass his cap-and-tax scheme out of the Democrat-controlled state House. This isn’t the first time Inslee conveniently forgot that fact, and it likely won’t be the last.

Last month, Inslee insisted his cap-and-tax scheme already has support with two groups, “the people of the state of Washington” and state House Democrats, during an interview. Of course, the idea that the Senate Republicans were the only ones standing in the way of Inslee’s “green” agenda is absurd.

As Shift reported, Inslee’s cap-and-tax bill only garnered 37 co-sponsors (all Democrats) in the House. The lack of majority co-sponsors was a testament to the lack of support—he needed 50 votes—the policy had among Democrats who were worried about the policy’s economic impacts. More, Inslee knew his cap-and-tax scheme did not have the support of many members of his party. That’s why he refused to defend his policy—what he labeled a “moral obligation”—before the House Environment Committee though he would have received an overwhelming sympathetic acceptance by Democrat members.

The reality is that GOP Sen. Doug Ericksen, chair of the Senate Energy, Environment and Telecommunications Committee, promised to give Inslee’s cap-and-tax bill a hearing if it reached the Senate. The problem was that the Democrat-controlled state House did not even bother to bring the cap-and-tax scheme to a vote.

It’s time Inslee retired the old blame game excuse tactic, accept that majority of lawmakers would not support his plan and move on.