Washington State Democrats are likely hoping voters will forget about their hypocrisy on political violence before their next elections.  Democrats, who had religiously remained quiet about the numerous violent acts (including an attempted arson/mass murder of police officers) conducted by liberal activists last summer in Seattle, displayed their double standard by immediately condemning the violence by extremist Trump supporters on January 6. Meanwhile Republicans have displayed true political leadership by strongly denouncing political violence whenever it takes place, regardless if by their supporters or opponents.  The public is slowly becoming aware of this contrast between the two parties, and it is quickly becoming a source of embarrassment for the Democrats. (Shift Article)

In the oops department, Governor Inslee’s office issued its first weekly update of the legislative session, and in its haste to make his seem special, the email incorrectly stated that “Inslee is only the second governor to be elected to three terms in Washington state.” This makes us wonder about the counting skills of those on the governor’s staff – which the COVID-19 pandemic has already shown to be quite poor – for a quick look at history shows Inslee is actually the third with such distinction.  Republican Art Langlie was elected in 1940, 194,8 and 1952, and Republican Dan Evans was elected in 1964, 1968, and 1972.  Apparently, history (if not math) was not the best subject for many Democrats, as President-elect Joe Biden incorrectly claimed the day after last November’s elections, “Only three presidential campaigns in the past have defeated an incumbent president. When it’s finished, God willing, we will be the fourth.” The fact is Biden is the tenth person to defeat an incumbent president. (Jefferson, Jackson, Harrison, Cleveland, Wilson, Roosevelt, Carter, Reagan, and Clinton.) (Inslee Press Release email, PM News, and Facebook post)

Local officials are complaining that once again Governor Inslee failed to consult with local health officials before his latest random changes in his failing pandemic response.  The Washington State Association of Counties and the Washington State Association of Local Public Health Officials are upset that state officials failed to discuss the details of Inslee’s latest “Healthy Washington” propaganda effort  before making them public.  In a letter to state Secretary of Health Umaih A. Shah, the groups said, “In particular, the establishment of regions and metrics for the plan without consultation or meaningful engagement with local public health has failed to garner statewide support. Unfortunately, this plan has created confusion, divisiveness, and, in some instances, undermined our public health work.” (Yakima Herald)

While many small business employers are needing tax breaks in order to keep their businesses open, Democrat lawmakers continue to push for tax increases in Olympia to appease the Democrats’ financial backers in the government employee unions.   Even the one proposal Governor Inslee has made which would reduce the substantial unemployment tax increase employers are being asked to pay to refill the state’s depleted unemployment benefit fund (thanks the Inslee’s job-killing shutdowns) has a sweetener in it (to hike minimum weekly unemployment benefits from $201 to $274) to garner support from the labor unions. (Seattle Times)

Following death threats encouraged by an Iranian website, Washington State election officials are living and working from undisclosed locations.  Secretary of State Kim Wyman said, “It’s a scary time, and people are emotional, they’re illogical, and they’re not rational. The scary thing is that it’s just got to take one person that you motivate that says, ‘Yeah, we gotta go out and kill election officials.’” (MyNorthwest)

A bipartisan Senate bill which would reopen the economy sooner will have its first public hearing Wednesday morning.  The bill (SB 5114), which has 16 sponsors and was introduced by Senator John Braun (R-Centralia) and Senator Mark Mullett (D-Issaquah), will be before the Senate Committee on State Government & Elections starting at 8:00 AM.  Those interested in testifying remotely, or weighing in with their opinion, can click this link for more information. (News Tribune, Washington Legislature Bill Summary, and Remote Testimony Registration)

We found former Seattle P-I columnist Joel Connelly’s assessment of Governor Jay Inslee to be somewhat interesting.  In Post Alley (where former Seattle journalists and writers continue to find an audience for their thoughts), Connelly assumes his role as the longtime voice of the Institutional Left in Seattle, and points out that Inslee’s  “supporters show up on advisory panels where you would expect greater expertise.” He later adds, that  “surprisingly, in the state that is home to Microsoft/Starbucks/Amazon, we’ve witnessed limited enlistment of the business community.” He finally draws the obvious conclusion which other Inslee watchers have known for years:  “Inslee received cooperation from Republican legislative leaders when initiating stay-at-home orders last spring but has cut them out of subsequent decision making. Inslee is an intensely partisan Governor.” Gee, Joel, it took you until now to figure that out? (Post Alley)

Out-of-touch Seattle city councilmembers continue to push to fire more (white) police officers, despite a significant increase in crime (including a 50% jump in homicides).  Some 200 police officers have already departed the police department, and many more are expected to leave in the coming months in response to the constant attacks on them by city officials. Yet more bodies have to go to reach personnel levels set by the council’s slashing of the police department’s budget.  Unfortunately for those on the Left who want to defund the police, minority hires are overrepresented in the latest additions to the Seattle force and current labor agreements dictate that personnel with the least seniority are those slotted to be laid off.  Since the target of the council’s actions is to reduce the number of white officers, councilmembers say this will need to be negotiated with the Seattle Police Guild.   Clueless Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez says that the guild has “not behaved as good partners” in these negotiations.  Gosh, perhaps if Gonzalez and her cohorts on the council had stood up for their city’s police officers when they were being physically attacked on a nightly basis on Seattle streets, instead of caving into those who were committing the violence, maybe the guild would be a little more receptive to her far-Left political concerns. (MyNorthwest)

The City of Clyde Hill is dedicating a bench along its walking trail in honor of the late Senator Slade Gorton.  The senator used to walk and run the trail every day when he was at his Clyde Hill home.  The socially distanced event will take place tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11:00 AM, near the tennis courts by Chinook Middle School (2001 96th Ave NE, Bellevue). (Gorton Legacy Group Facebook post)

Wenatchee’s Pybus Public Market’s concourse is reopening for indoor seating Monday, with the windows open. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Control Board gave the OK for the area to reopen with 25% capacity. There are many restrictions, and it will be cold, but it will allow a few businesses to resume some activity after being closed for most of the past ten months. (Wenatchee World)

The Washington State Democrat Party pushed Representative Pramila Jayapal’s unsubstantiated claim that she received the coronavirus from an unspecified Republican, despite the fact that the congresswoman was videotaped not wearing a facemask during the takeover of the U.S. Capitol a couple of weeks ago.  Apparently Jayapal has some supernatural contact tracing ability, to pinpoint when exactly when she obtained the virus, despite the multiple times when she was in unsafe conditions.  Could she please pass on this ability to Governor Inslee and his Department of Health bureaucrats, who were only able to perform contract tracing for 6% of the state’s cases, despite setting a goal to trace 90% of the cases.   (Washington State Democrat Party email, CBS News Video, and Washington Policy Center)

Last week’s Newsmaker Interview was with KTTH Radio Host Jason Rantz (Weekdays, 3:00 – 6:00 PM).  Rantz often breaks local political news on his radio program, and on MyNorthwest.com, and he regularly appears on national FOX News to provide local perspective on the wacky world of Seattle politics.  For Shift readers, Rantz talks about why the local media has a double standard in going after Republican officials, yet rarely challenge the hypocrisy of liberal officials who have all the power in our state.  Rantz also provides his insights on the 2021 contest to become Seattle’s next mayor and on the lack of ideological diversity in Seattle’s media. (Newsmaker Interview)

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