This week’s Newsmaker Interview is with former Republican operative, digital innovator and entrepreneur, and author of the much-discussed new book “Bombarded”, Cyrus Krohn.  After starting his career working for Vice President Dan Quayle and the Republican National Committee, Krohn went to CNN (as a producer for “The Larry King Show” and “Crossfire”) before becoming one of the founders of Slate.com.  Since then, Krohn has been involved in many successful digital start-ups, and has become a leading national expert on how online technology has impacted every aspect of our lives.  With this knowledge, he provides an incredibly unique and informative perspective on how digital technology has exacerbated the growing divides in our society.  In “Bombarded”, Krohn explains how the chasms have occurred and provides some solutions to the problems. (Click to read full Newsmaker Interview, Slate.com, and Amazon/”Bombarded” )

Governor Jay Inslee held a media availability on Thursday afternoon to inform everyone that he remains oblivious to the financial concerns of many Washington residents, still has no plan for how and when regions/counties will move to a “Phase 3”, and no idea on what it will take to reopen more of our state’s economy.  This was frustrating news to many small business owners and workers who are concerned about repaying debts they have incurred thanks to the governor’s random and unscientific lockdowns of the Washington businesses over the last year.  During the media event, Inslee did make one commitment which many people hope he will keep.  After nearly a year of literally hundreds of complaints from local health and elected officials, the governor did mention he will finally begin talking with somebody outside his office/campaign donors about what the next phase will look like. The governor’s office has made similar promises in the past, yet local officials have said they were never contacted. This failure of the Inslee Administration could have been disastrous to many South Central Washington employers and workers as state officials used faulty data that mistakenly kept six counties stuck in Phase 1.  After Governor Inslee announced for a second time that the region was being held back, local officials immediately noticed the obvious data error and notified Inslee’s Department of Health, which then allowed the region to join the rest of the state in Phase 2. (Seattle Times, Yakima Herald, and KEPR – TV)

Republicans immediately responded to Governor Inslee’s meaningless media event, after anticipating some insight into a possible Phase 3.  Senate Republican Leader John Braun summarized his caucus’ frustration over the lack of information and collaboration from the governor’s office: “We should have had Phase 3 details weeks ago,” the senator from Centralia stated. “You can’t go out to the general public without them asking ‘What’s the next step?’ ‘How do we get there?’ ‘What do we got to do?’”  Braun stated the governor should actually visit a business and see for himself how prepared they are for serving more than 25% capacity. (Senate Republican Caucus)

Washington State Senate Democrats continue to push for a controversial “cap and trade” bill which will negatively impact that state’s economy.  The bill (SB 5126) is sponsored by Senator Reuven Carlyle (D – Seattle), who is the chair of the Senate’s Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee, which is where his legislation has been debated.  Committee member Shelly Short (R – Addy) expressed concerns on the timing of bill while many businesses are currently struggling. “It’s just kind of astounding to me that we’re taking this kind of action at this time,” said Senator Short. “We have high unemployment in northeastern Washington and have some very important industries to Washington that I’m concerned are going to suffer under its bill.” The bill has now been sent to the Ways & Means Committee. (Lens and Washington Legislature Bill Summary)

We should note that liberal special interest groups are seeking even more benefits from Senator Carlyle’s cap and trade bill, and really, a slice of all future state environmental policies.  Ultra-Liberal Senator Rebecca Saldaña (D – Seattle) expressed the desires of many Left-wing groups by stating, “And so it is by design, at the central part of how our agencies function that we must embed environmental justice into the statute(s) of Washington State.”  Thus Senator Saldaña is demanding that ethnic groups need to be included on the financial gravy trains which are camouflaged as environmental programs in our state.  True environmentalists should be upset that environmental policies are being burden by the heavy additional cost of payoffs to non-environmental liberal special interest groups.  This might be the key reason why nearly all government environmental policies dramatically fail to achieve their stated goals. (South Seattle Emerald)

Representative Gina Mosbrucker’s (R – Goldendale) bill to improve cyber security measures within state agencies was passed unanimously by the State House of Representatives.  The legislation (HB 1455) was crafted in response to the historic theft of personal financial data that took place last Spring at Governor Inslee’s Employment Security Department and then topped last December at the Democrat-run Office of the Washington State Auditor.  Specifically, the legislation adopts new requirements for uses of Social Security numbers, which are very similar to the secure practices that are used in the private sector. (Gorge Radio and Washington Legislature Bill Summary)

As demands from the Washington Education Association continue to keep kids away from in-person learning, forcing students to spend more time on their computers, children are being targeted more by online sexual predators. A recent report shows a 63% increase in child sexual abuse materials, as sexual predators are now stalking minors on education and homework assistance websites. (KOMO TV)

In a Seattle Times op-ed, Q13’s Brandi Kruse takes on the excuses of Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold for the increase in crime and homelessness in the city.  Kruse states, “While the council continues its effort to re-imagine public safety, crime isn’t standing still. Neither are the city’s deepening crises. The result is a police department forced to respond to thousands of calls of people in crisis each year. A police department left patrolling homeless camps and babysitting anarchists.”  Kruse concludes by stating, “We needed urgency on homelessness, drug abuse and repeat offenders long before the fabric of a once thriving city started to unravel. What we don’t need is a study telling us that elected leaders should act with urgency. We need council members who can come to that conclusion on their own.” (Seattle Times)

The Seattle Times applauded Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler (R – Battle Ground) for her actions during the recent impeachment proceedings against former President Donald Trump, despite attacks from some local activists.  The editorial stated, “she stepped forward to lay out the truth, bravery that deserves reward.”  Yet the paper failed to mention that nearly all Republican leaders in Washington State (including all members of the state’s GOP congressional delegation) have condemned the political violence committed by a fringe group of Trump supporters on January 6th.  And the Times once again failed to call out the state’s Democrat elected officials and congressional delegation members who have refused to condemn the ongoing violence being committed by liberal activists in Seattle and around the Northwest.  Shouldn’t the Times call out the lack of “truth” and “bravery” by Democrat officials for not standing up against political violence being committed by their supporters?  Or does the Times believe only Republicans need to display those qualities? (Seattle Times)

Over the past 20 years, a majority of which has been under Democrat County Executive Dow Constantine’s “management”), the West Point treatment plant has spilled sewage 15 times into Puget Sound.  After failing to manage the facility properly during his 12 years in office, Constantine has finally decided to allocate funds to hopefully stop the facility from causing even more environmental damage. We wonder if any of the funds are available to find a new leader for the County, and thus the plant? (MyNorthwest)

As the Eastside continues to provide all of the benefits of urban living without the levels of crime, riots, homelessness, and destructive anti-business liberal policies of Seattle, it was announced that Dick’s Drive-In chain will be returning to Bellevue.  Longtime residents will recall that the burger establishment had a location on Bellevue Way in the 1970’s.  The new location will be at Crossroads Mall and is expected to open by the end of the year. (KING5 News)

Kristin Meira of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association made an informative presentation on why removing the four lower Snake River dams is a bad idea.  Meira stated her case in a virtual presentation at this week’s Ag Expo.  Meira pointed out that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data shows that ocean conditions are the primary contributor to the decline of salmon in the Snake River system.  Meira also pointed out that 8.3 million tons of freight (including 3.9 million tons of grain) was moved on barges down the Snake River system in 2018.  If the dams were to be removed, that freight would be clogging our already crowded roads and railroads and releasing tons of carbon into the atmosphere. (Spokesman-Review and PNWA’s Presentation/YouTube)

The Ellensburg Daily Record stated their disappointment in Democrat lawmakers for refusing to support and enact reforms dealing with the governor’s powers during an emergency.  The newspaper stated that because Governor Inslee was acting without the involvement of legislators, it had the affect of “politicizing the wearing of a cloth mask” in part because Republicans and conservatives felt they were not part of the process.  This in turn led to the unnecessary spread of COVID-19 and to more deaths.  This could have been avoided if Inslee had allowed his fellow Democrats to call a special session and all sides had their constitutional right to be involved in the process. (Ellensburg Daily Record)

BabylonBee Friday

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