The Seattle Times has reactions from some of our state’s top Democrats following President Biden’s truly awful debate performance – and it’s telling. According to the Times, “most of Washington’s Democrats in Congress had nothing to say the morning after the debate. Among those who did say something, none joined calls for Biden to make way for a new presidential nominee.” However, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Seattle) did comment. Ultimately, Jayapal did not join call on Biden to step aside in favor of another candidate. The Times continued, “Gov. Jay Inslee, in a prepared statement, called it ‘rough debate performance’ for Biden.” But he too did not call on Biden to step aside.

Perhaps the most laughable reaction was really the nonreaction of far-left gubernatorial hopeful Bob Ferguson. Ferguson “spent much of his gubernatorial campaign taunting his likely Republican rival, Dave Reichert, the former King County sheriff and member of Congress, about his Trump ties.” From the Times:

“Before the debate, Ferguson posted on X that those watching Trump on Thursday night should ‘remember that he is Dave Reichert’s candidate for president.’

“During and after the debate on Thursday night, Ferguson was quiet.

“On Friday, Ferguson said he had been at a fundraiser in Tukwila on Thursday night and didn’t watch the debate.”

Sure, sure.

Read more at the Seattle Times.

Cities and counties can ban outdoor sleeping in public places – that’s according to one of today’s U.S. Supreme Court rulings. Washington cities that have paused ordinances banning camping on public spaces pending the Court’s decision can now proceed with implementing their laws. And – as could be expected – leftists in our state are already denouncing the decision and warning local municipalities against implementing such bans.

State Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue) and leader of the Senate Housing Committee told the Washington State Standard that the decision “pulls us backward rather than help us move forward.” Of course, she fails to mention that nearly every action taken by members of her party on the issue of homelessness, in her words, “pulls us backward.”

The reality is that, after hundreds of millions spent on reducing homelessness, the crisis has only increased exponentially. Perhaps no greater example of money spent with no results comes from Kuderer’s own county. As Shift has reported, King County is experiencing record-high homelessness numbers despite the progressive King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) spending a record amount to solve homelessness. Year after year, homelessness has risen exponentially, with the 2024 figures showing a 23 percent increase from 2022. Unsheltered homelessness increased by over 27 percent, from 7,685 people in 2022 to 9,810 in 2024, while sheltered homelessness rose by more than 15 percent.

But Kuderer and her fellow Democrats continue to make promises of “solutions” they never quite seem to get right. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis continues – people are suffering, and our communities cannot continue to handle the exponential growth of homelessness. Maybe – just maybe – allowing cities every available tool they need to address homelessness effectively will lead to positive outcomes for all parties. Read more at the Washington State Standard.

Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, recently claimed that the long-term care tax was passed on a “bipartisan basis,” but – as the Washington Policy Center points out – that’s a highly misleading claim. Established by House Bill 1087, the long-term care tax was passed along party lines, with minimal Republican support. In reality, plan even had critics from Democrats like State Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah). Mullet supports Initiative 2124, which would make the tax optional, citing concerns over its efficacy and fairness. State Sen. Judy Warnick (R-Moses Lake) was the sole Republican who voted for HB 1087, and she did so to influence the bill’s development but now doubts its practicality. Warnick believes the program won’t provide the anticipated benefits and supports making it optional. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.

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