Governor Bob Ferguson is getting hammered after autographing copies of the U.S. Constitution for a Democratic fundraiser—one of which sold for $175—at the exact moment his policies are running headfirst into constitutional problems.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Just days earlier, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Christine Schaller blocked Ferguson’s sheriff removal law as unconstitutional—twice in two days—stopping a plan that would’ve allowed an unelected board to remove elected sheriffs without a vote.

At the same time, Ferguson’s new 9.9% income tax is already facing serious legal challenges, with critics pointing out voters have rejected similar measures over and over again.

Republicans, including Jim Walsh, aren’t missing the irony: while Ferguson is selling signed Constitutions, his major policies are struggling to hold up under it.

And it’s not just one law. Between the blocked sheriff bill, the contested income tax, and changes to voter-backed parental rights, the pattern is hard to ignore.

The visual says it all: a signed Constitution going for $175—while the real one keeps getting in the way. Read more at Seattle Red.

Washington’s WA Cares program is finally opening applications for benefits starting May 18, targeting workers who’ve been paying into the system since 2023 and now need long-term care. Sounds straightforward—until you try to figure out how it actually works.

As the Washington Policy Center points out, the problem isn’t eligibility. It’s what happens next. Beneficiaries are told they can choose family caregivers—but those caregivers are funneled into a confusing system with little guidance. Most are pointed toward Consumer Direct Care Network of Washington, with no clear list of alternatives or explanation of why that choice matters.

Here’s what does matter: depending on who you go through, you could be required to join a union and pay dues. That’s not optional in some cases. While the state insists union membership isn’t required, that distinction is buried, unclear, and practically invisible in the signup process.

The likely result? Families dealing with urgent care needs will take the easiest path—sign up quickly, get approved, and only later realize they’ve been locked into a system with union obligations they didn’t fully understand.

This isn’t a small oversight. It’s a program built on a payroll tax now rolling out benefits without clearly explaining the tradeoffs or options to the very people it’s supposed to help.

The ask here isn’t complicated: be upfront, provide real choices, and stop burying critical details in fine print. If WA Cares is truly about helping families, navigating it shouldn’t feel like a bureaucratic trap. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.

A new Spokane-area survey shows a growing reality check: people are losing confidence fast. About 65% of voters say they’re considering leaving the region, pointing to taxes, cost of living, weak leadership, and public safety concerns.

Here’s the disconnect—72% say local governments already have enough money to fix things, but only 26% trust them to actually do it. That’s not a funding problem, that’s a leadership problem.

Homelessness and crime are still top issues, but taxes and affordability are rising quickly as major concerns. At the same time, local governments are dealing with multi-million-dollar deficits, leaving residents wondering where their tax dollars are going.

Add it all up, and the picture is clear: rising costs, falling trust, and more people deciding Eastern Washington might not be worth sticking around for. Read more at Center Square.