Last week the Spokane City Council decided to ignore reality – and the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause – and voted to put on the November ballot an initiative that would fine railroad companies for shipping oil and uncovered coal through Spokane.
Over the weekend, the city’s Spokesman-Review pointed out the folly of the Council’s actions, writing, “It becomes a game of Whack-An-Oil-Train that Spokane loses, throwing away money for attorneys in the process. And every time a bad initiative passes, and judges relying on the Constitution blow the whistle, voter cynicism increases.”
The paper also asks the Council reconsider its vote, pointing out in its headline that “The Spokane City Council is tilting at Windmills”. However, since it’s not their own money paying for lawyers in this already-lost cause, why should these politicians care – after all, there is symbolism at stake!
I once thought that Spokane was in a part of the state where common sense was more prevalent.
It’s been changing. Faster than I would have thought possible at one time. Downright scary is what it is.
Only in Spokane. The Detroit of Washington. That city has been a cesspool for the last 20 years, corrupt police, Goofy courts.
not enough room for all the nuts in Seattle–they had to go to Spokane to be heard
The over arching theme, that friends who are educated in politics, have noticed over the last 5 decades, is that politicians have forgotten the basics in “law making”. The FIRST step in taking an interest in law, IS ALWAYS (or should be, and was once upon a time) to check to see if the new law is CONSTITUTIONAL and LEGAL to do, BEFORE spending any time and effort on it.
Spending gross amounts of time on laws that are illegal is infuriating to citizens. After all, that’s OUR money they are throwing away, trying to install a law, that can’t be. IF the concept of the new law isn’t legal, it should be totally dropped. Going through the entire process to put a law on the books that’s counter to the Constitution or the State Constitution is just plain piss poor management (leadership).
Take a good look at the entire Counsel. Every single one that allowed such a bill to exist, needs to be replaced. And of course, Gov Inslee, the “captain” of the ship, should have had the time to counsel this group, to explain to them it’s illegal.
Of course, for this law, I see no logic behind trying to put it in place. What did they think was going to happen with it? Collect a bunch of fines? WOW…. MORONS at the very best.
This is one result of 40+ years of inadequate history and civics teaching in the schools. As you note, a lot of wasted effort and taxpayer expense could be avoided by knowing whether the proposed law will pass constitutional muster.
But then again, when you’re a lib and think that the Constitution can be whatever you want it to be, and equally lib judges will be practicing judicial activism, who cares?
Hey guys please get a new picture of the Spokane City Council. If some of the people in the picture were still there I can guarantee this crap would have been a nonstarter just like Council President Stuckart should be.