Unlike his Republican predecessors, recently appointed Democrat Secretary of State Steve Hobbs appears to be afraid to challenge questionable legislation about elections (which the secretary admits might be unconstitutional) because it was proposed by the fellow Democrat who just granted him a much-higher salary (and pension). Maybe Secretary Hobbs was paying back Governor Jay Inslee for his appointment to the $117,000 a year position when he recently stated that “We’ll wait and see,” before saying anything regarding the governor’s unconstitutional proposal (SB 5843) to make it illegal for any politician to lie about the election process.  When it came to election issues, the Republicans actually elected by voters since 1964 – Kim Wyman, Sam Reed, Ralph Munro, Bruce Chapman, and Lud Kramer – often displayed a non-partisan attitude and were sometimes critical of proposals and actions taken by their fellow Republicans. Secretary Hobbs’ unwillingness to even question the governors’ attack on free speech leads many to believe the office that oversees our state’s elections is now firmly in the hands of partisan Democrat operatives and when issues come up in the future, Democrat party bosses will likely determine Secretary Hobbs’ response regarding the fate of our elections.

While we did not watch the entire interview Crosscut staff conducted with Secretary Hobbs, the online news site’s subsequent article on the interview does not mention another attack on citizens’ rights proposed by the Democrats – to do away with referendums and initiatives during odd-numbered years. Democrats have again proposed legislation (HB 1727) to restrict Washington citizens ability to make or repeal laws because liberals don’t like it when moderates and conservatives take their democratic responsibilities more seriously than liberals by voting in those elections, while Democrat voters can’t be bothered to mark a ballot that was delivered to their home and return it postage free. We write more about this bill in the next story. (Crosscut, Washington Legislature Bill Summary, and Shift Article)

Washington Policy Center’s Jason Mercier describes in a Centralia Chronicle op-ed how the Democrats want to eliminate citizens’ initiatives and referendums during odd-numbered years, even while still allowing local governments to place tax increase proposals on those same ballots.  Clearly stated, this bill (HB 1727) hands special rights to local governments while taking away similar rights from citizens.  This is all due to the fact liberal voters evidently cannot be bothered to fill out a ballot that has been delivered to their homes and return it postage-free in the “less sexy” odd-numbered year elections, which mostly feature races for local offices.

The Democrats are hypocritical in their reasons for eliminating citizens rights to make or repeal laws during odd-numbered years.  Liberals claim that since a lower percentage of people vote in odd-numbered years, ballot measures have less legitimacy.  If this is true for citizens’ initiatives, than isn’t it also valid for tax increases local governments would sneak on the ballot?  If turnout is key to legitimacy, then we should also do away with all tax measures (such as school levies) passed during non-presidential elections. Maybe Democrat politicians should stop rewarding the lazy behavior of their supporters and have the party’s big funders in the wealthy government employee unions and environmental groups spend some of the money they receive from the taxpayers on more effective “Get-Out-The-Vote” programs. (Centralia Chronicle and Washington Legislature Bill Summary)

The Washington State Republican Party (WSRP) has released a new digital ad attacking Governor Inslee for his nonstop (now on day 690) undemocratic abuse of emergency orders.  The ad features the governor first firing hundreds of hospital workers with his unilateral decision to impose a vaccine mandate on health care workers, and then weeks later announcing there was a severe worker shortage in the hospitals and forcing National Guard workers, most of whom have no health care experience, to take the place of those who were fired.  The WSRP encourages Washington residents to notify their legislators (especially Democrats in swing suburban districts) to ask them to support bills which will end the governor’s unprecedented reign over our state. (Washington State Republican Party)

Starbucks has reversed its previous employee vaccine mandate in the aftermath of the United States Supreme Court ruling against President Biden’s vaccine mandate for all private companies with 100 or more employees.  John Culver, the CEO of the Seattle-based employer of nearly a quarter million U.S. workers, said “We respect the court’s ruling and will comply.”  Interesting the CEO of a major private sector employer understands the meaning of a U.S. Supreme Court decision, but Governor Inslee, who has spent all of his adult life cashing government paychecks, still believes he is above the court’s decisions. When he was asked if the court’s actions stalled any plan he might have to impose a similar vaccine mandate on Washington companies, the governor erroneously and bizarrely stated, “There’s nothing in there to suggest the state has a diminished capability of protecting people.” (KOMO News and Puget Sound Business Journal)

Because of King County Executive Dow Constantine’s vaccine mandate on county workers, taxpayers are currently paying significant overtime (at nearly 2.5 times normal wage) for corrections workers, and some inmates may soon be released to reduce workloads.  The King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention was already facing a staffing shortage prior to the firing of 35 corrections workers due to the vaccine mandate. To compound the problem even further, 70 more vaccinated workers have become infected with COVID.  Because of staff shortages, many county workers are logging in for three or four straight 16-hour days. Some corrections workers are being paid $103 an hour for work that is normally paid $41.21 an hour in order to encourage volunteers to accept shifts. Union officials are asking Executive Constantine to rehire the workers fired over the vaccine mandate.  But in a clear case of allowing political decisions to take precedence over the safety of the public, it appears the four-term county executive would rather release “non-violent” and misdemeanor prisoners before bringing back the workers who lost their jobs due to his decision. (MyNorthwest)

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn has introduced a motion on behalf of many South King County mayors to limit the scope of a youth program which enables some teen offenders to escape punishment for committing crimes.  Restorative Community Pathways is a county-based program which enables youths to avoid serving time and instead they work with one of several community groups to develop non-criminal habits.  The program is available to those who commit misdemeanors as well those who are first time felons.  The mayors, who have been meeting regularly to strategize about the increase in crime in their communities, say they have no trouble with helping youths who commit non-violent or less serious crimes, but say those who are more violent should at least have some court oversight to make sure they follow-through with their rehabilitation. (KOMO News)

KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson put a face to the Democrats’ irresponsible 2021 “police reform” bill which has resulted in a dramatic increase in crime, especially vehicle theft.  Monson told the story of 12-year-old Immaculee Goldade, who was killed last Saturday morning in Pierce County, by the driver of a stolen vehicle as she was walking down the street with her best friend (who suffered serious injuries but is now home).  Monson states that criminals know the Democrats’ legislation (written by Democrat Representatives Roger Goodman of Kirkland and Jesse Johnson of Federal Way) forbids high speed chases by police. Thus car thieves know they can escape pursuit by driving the stolen car at a high rate of speed. (KIRO Radio)

New Republican State Senator Simon Sefnik met with flood victims in Sumas in one of his first official duties since being appointed last week.  Recent flooding left approximately 500 homes unlivable in the Central Whatcom County town on the Canadian border. At 22 years old Senator Sefnik is by far the youngest member of the Washington State Senate.  He was selected by the Whatcom County Council to fill out the remaining year of the term of late Senator Doug Ericksen who passed away in December. (Lynden Tribune)

Two reports from the Washington Policy Center outline the major problems with proposed Democrat legislation which will severely restrict use of farmlands along riverbanks, which liberals claim will help improve salmon populations.  The legislation (HB 1838) is the latest attack on our state’s agriculture community by Governor Inslee and urban Democrats.  The bill seeks to expand buffer zones along streams (from the current range of 50 – 100 feet to 100 – 249 feet) in rural areas of the state. (We should note that the bill exempts many streams in more urban areas from the same requirements).

In return for being shaken down by state government, the landowner (usually a farmer) is to be poorly compensated by the state for the loss of the land (some estimate the state is paying farmers 10% of the actual cost of the land), AND they are forced to pay for 10% – 30% of the cost for the trees the state is demanding to have planted in the new buffer area and they will receive no funds in the future from the state to maintain the buffer area.  It is bad enough that the Democrats want to force farmers to unequally pay for the restoration of salmon, but the grant program the Democrats want to fund the payments to farmers is based on a similar program (Forest Riparian Easement Program – FERP) which has failed to compensate many of the landowners impacted by that program (it is severely underfunded by Governor Inslee and the Democrats and there are currently 100 projects waiting for compensation).  (Washington Policy Center reports, Washington Legislature Bill Summary, and Pacific Northwest AG Network)

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].