Mike Anderson

This week’s Newsmaker Interview is with Mike Anderson. From the perspective of a 30-year career in the insurance business, Anderson discusses the Democrats’ bungled and expensive Long-Term Care payroll tax and plan (WA Cares). The revised start date of the plan is July 1st. Anderson points out the many serious flaws that remain with WA Cares and encourages the state to have another ‘Exemption Period” where consumers can again purchase private Long-Term Care coverage. Read more.

Republicans – and the public and/or media paying attention to previous Shift posts – are clearly tiring of Governor Jay Inslee’s post-session routine of vetoing phrases he doesn’t like in bills which passed with bi-partisan legislative support. Thankfully Inslee’s daily displays of petulant pettiness are at an end, as his bill-signing period has mercifully drawn to a close.

However, one of his last parting shots at government accountability and transparency that is raising complaints from both sides of the aisle was featured in a statement from new House Republican Drew Stokesbary (and Caucus Vice Chair Eric Robertson) “regarding Gov. Jay Inslee’s veto of language requiring notice before sexually violent predators could be placed in local communities and near Tribal reservations: ‘it is appalling that the governor chose to veto this common-sense reform, claiming simple notice requirements are somehow ‘administratively burdensome.'”

You can read more about how burdened Inslee could be if Democrats in the legislature can be shamed into rising up against the lame duck, because as the GOP leaders point out “this veto is not the end. It is just the beginning of our efforts to hold DSHS and the governor accountable for their mismanagement of this issue.” …Shift, House GOP.

Another example of just how widespread fentanyl abuse has become under the semi-legalization policies pushed by state Democrats over the last two years comes out of the Snohomish County jail, where earlier this week (as reported by the Lynnwood Times), “seven inmates began displaying physical signs of an overdose and were administered Narcan. Everett Fire responded and transported all seven inmates to Providence Regional Medical Center. All the inmates were conscious when transported and have since returned to the Snohomish County Jail.” More sad details on who is suspected of bringing the drugs inside here… Lynnwood Times.

This is only the last day of filing week, so some candidates might be excused for not being prepared to provide a reason for their election just yet. However, when you’ve been running for office since the year Bill Clinton was first elected President, it is generally expected that you’re prepared to explain yourself.

And if you thought that, you’d be pretty disappointed with far-Left former State Senator Lisa Brown, who wants to be Spokane’s next mayor, but as the Inlander notes, “on day 68 of her campaign, we called Brown to ask if she has a plan for public safety. ‘I definitely am working on something more formal that I’ll put out relatively soon,’” came the reply.

Many more laugh lines from the Gov. Inslee appointee who wants to bring her West side values to Spokane here, as soon as she can identify what they are… Inlander.

Even the media is sniping at Attorney General Bob Ferguson for his unethical – and likely illegal – use of an “exploratory committee” while he begs for money to run for governor next year, which must be gratifying for the other leading liberal wanting to step into Governor Jay Inslee’s shoes. And as you can see from her begging for money, State Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz  wants your help (click here) determining if issues will matter in the campaign… Franz campaign email.

You wouldn’t know it was an issue from the way that learning loss during the COVID pandemic was ignored during the recent legislative session, and Democrats from Governor Jay Inslee on down have been trying to deny their policies have had anything to do with plummeting student test scores. But, data is data, and according to a KUOW story, “New research reveals the depth of Covid learning loss down to individual school districts across Washington state. Between 2019 and 2022, the average Washington student lost over five months of learning in math and about three months in reading.” You can go the source, “a new study, called the “Education Recovery Scorecard,” by researchers at Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research and Stanford University’s Educational Opportunity Project” directly, or listen to the public radio story here… KUOW.

Throughout the recent legislative session, it seemed legislators of all partisan stripes agreed that more affordable housing was necessary – and yet, according to Senator Phil Fortunato, Governor Inslee doesn’t want those same legislators to have the information to make smart policies, so he is vetoing research. You can hear more about why Gov. Inslee doesn’t like science here… Senate Republican Caucus.

Marc Dones recently announced his resignation as CEO of King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA). It’s the latest sign of the organizational dysfunction that has permeated the two-year-old bureaucratic agency. But can anyone who has followed the saga that is the KCRHA really be surprised? KCRHA’s problems stem from the poor organizational structure, which lacks public accountability and leads to major decisions being made by a small group of local politicians who only spend a few hours a month working on KCRHA issues. Not surprisingly, this organizational structure is very similar to the one which governs Sound Transit, another flailing public agency… Shift WA.

AS SO OFTEN WITH GOVERNOR INSLEE, THERE IS ALWAYS A “WORST PART OF THIS”

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW (HOW ABOUT ANY LAWYERS) – IS IT STILL LEGAL FOR MILLION-DOLLAR HIDING BOB TO BE ‘EXPLORING’?

GOOD NEWS (FOR NEXT SESSION) ON A FRIDAY – GOOD SELECTION OF SOMEONE WHO KNOWS MATH WILL ALWAYS BE ON THE TEST

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