Via Lisa Brown and Joel Connelly. Me thinks the only question now is the details of what gets foisted on to a ballot for our consideration later this year.
One interesting wildcard: what if legislators rectified a past wrong by putting the components of I-728 (class size reduction) and I-732 (teacher COLA's) on the ballot with a tax hike to pay for them?
Problem: the package we vote on this fall will probably be m-u-c-h bigger than that.
Posted by Eric Earling at February 22, 2009 08:12 PM | Email Thiswhy not? We got that deficit by having an irresponsible, "all-spending" attitude in the first place.
Posted by: Rick D. on February 23, 2009 06:00 AMWhy don't Lisa and Joel look at all the costly regulations on the books starting with the Growth Management Act? Put a price tag on that. The Democrats have killed the Wshington Economy one costly regulation at a time.
Repeal the high-cost, overly instrusive regs and see where you stand.
THEN, go thru the Budget with a meat-cleaver. No unneeded, discretionary expense is to small to cut. Go thru the organization chart and flatten out management. Protect folks WHO ACTUALLY WORK for US. Cut wages & benefits by 15% and then do whatever layoffs are appropriate.
Lisa and Joel are typical LEFTIST PINHEADED KLOWNS who lack the intellect to look at redefining State Government in terms of what we ought to be doing and how to most cost-effectively provide the service.
They, like all the KLOWNS, play some pretend "fiscal Responsibility" ruse but then JUMP to the tax increase before any substantive action is taken on the program and cost side.
I don't think this will work.
Vote HELL NO on all tax increases!
It is the ONLY way to force government reform.
Plus as my Senator pointed out in her weekly email update:
WA is still expected to take in MORE tax dollars overall next year under the CURRENT tax structure; i.e.: It's the SPENDING side that has gotten totally out of control.
On the other hand, maybe it will turn out that the majority of us value government services enough to pay for them.
Don't you trust the voters?
Posted by: scottd on February 23, 2009 07:25 AMDo I trust the voters who have no problem living off the work of the people, in fact taking from them what they can't earn because of decisions they've made in their life, but then vote to raise taxes on others? Hell no.
With a growing percentage of voters who receive more than they contribute to the welfare state, Amerika is quickly devolving from a democratic system to a tyranny of the majority. And tyrannies don't turn out well for anyone.
Posted by: Reality on February 23, 2009 07:38 AMNice to know where you stand.
Posted by: scottd on February 23, 2009 07:58 AMI'll bet you were one of the naive voters that believed Chris Gregoire when she said in October that "we don't have a budget deficit today in Washington state" knowing full well that it was a lie. The problem with Gregoires governing is that she's got champagne tastes on a beer budget. Why is it that the not so intelligent in our society always seem to learn this lesson the hard way?
Posted by: Rick D. on February 23, 2009 08:08 AMIt's unfortunate, but the 'majority' are often suckers. They believe whatever MSM and politicians tell them. And they fall for the same Olympia shell games with tax revenue. Believing that a reduction in the increase in spending is a cut. And believing that a tax increase is necessary for the so-called important things on the ballot, while the unpopular pet programs are left in the general fund budget. Most people here are smart enough to recognize it, and stopped falling for it long ago.
Posted by: Palouse on February 23, 2009 08:08 AMAside from the already well-articulated concerns @ 7, 9, and 10, we all know that the lib. klowns in Olympia will structure an up or down vote only on critical programs they KNOW voters want to keep. They will never put their useless, agenda-driven, social engineering programs up for a yea or nay vote.
scottd @8 "In other words, democracy is for suckers."
In your case, Yes. At least if you call that type of ballot deception "democracy."
It's ironic that Republicans did this to themselves. With strong majorities in the House and the Senate, as well as the President, they pushed the Amendment that would eventually hand America over to what is today's growing dependency class.
Posted by: Reality on February 23, 2009 08:54 AMIt's funny how government by initiative is perfectly OK when it comes to passing out unsustainable goodies like property tax caps and cutting MVET funding. But, if that same electorate ever wakes up and realizes that they actually need to pay for the government services they value, then it's suddenly not such a great system. I wonder what you would replace it with?
Personally, I'm largely OK with the system we have. I don't always agree with the results, but I trust the voters will ultimately get it mostly right.
Our democratic systems appear to make many of the commenters here unhappy, but that's too bad -- you're just going to have to live with it.
Posted by: scottd on February 23, 2009 08:55 AMYou know, the pig eventually dies when too many piglets are suckling on it. Then what do the piglets do?
Posted by: Reality on February 23, 2009 09:03 AMRing a bell?
That is not what has been done here. Gregoire increased spending $8 BILLION in the face of a recession PUBLICLY ADMITTING it was not sustainable. She did it any way. The list of lack of leadership and fiscal irresponsibility on Gregoire's part is LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!
What we have gotten so far is the "yakking deer in the headlights" mumbly-puke from Gregoire. Talk, talk, talk...no significant action per GARY LOCKE and LOCKE's FORMER BUDGET DIRECTOR.
What we are about to get is more government at it's worst...pulling highly emotional spending issues out of the dung heap and holding them up for a vote...rather than the questionable spending like GREGOIRE's STAFF BUDGET!
The other problem with this is the Government is using OUR MONEY to try to get MORE OF OUR MONEY! It takes citizens using their own money to fight State Government's efforts to raise taxes.
I know there are laws supposedly there to protect us. But they will use the out "we are onloy providing information" to justify mass spending...just like they did on the Gas Tax fiasco.
Not a pretty picture.
But remember, PEOPLE GET THE GOVERNMENT THEY DESERVE.
If more than 1/2 the voters buy the BS...we must live with it.
Lots of Libs have lost home equity and retirement money though.
Hard to believe any tax increase will pass....no matter how much tear-jerking is in the proposal.
VOTE HELL NO on all tax increases.
Oh, and ask about why the State Retirement Fund was in such risky investments when the TAXPAYERS are ultimately responsible for the DEFINED BENEFITS??
The Investment Board are political appointees.
Who is holding them accountable???
Unbelievable they could lose $15.6 Billion is 15 months and have ZERO questioning by the MSM.
Government did not have a huge problem providing essential services before Gregoire increased spending by $8 billion, so they should not have such a big problem adjusting back to that level.
Further, while I do support the citizen's initiative process, it is far different from the legislature putting something on the ballot. The legislature has control over the budget where they can put things that will surely fail on the ballot in the budget and reserve the ballot tax increase for things people want. Excusing this shell game under the guile of "democracy" is dishonest.
Posted by: Palouse on February 23, 2009 10:14 AMOf course, he's the only fringe-leftist I've ever seen that rabidly supports him, so I guess he's the exception that proves the rule.
Posted by: Hinton on February 23, 2009 10:19 AMWhat makes you say that? I've voted against every one of Eyman's initiatives. I'm happy to say that, frequently, a majority of my fellow voters have agreed with me. Other times, not so much -- but I'm sure we'll sort it out in the end.
Posted by: scottd on February 23, 2009 10:28 AMYep, they sure did scott. Now were 8 billion in the hole and counting.
Feel better now.
But not to worry, you guys can keep raising taxes & spending till we look like Calif.
Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 23, 2009 10:51 AMHere is the quintessential view of the liberal, where people fighting to keep what they earn is considered by the liberal as the passing out of a goody from the government. And what makes it "unsustainable"? Of course it is not sustainable, because the greed and selfishness of the dependency class knows no limits to what they feel entitled to. That is a remarkable statement scottd, and describes perfectly the mindset of the collectivist liberal who considers his what belongs to others.
"Liberalism is a mental disorder!"
Posted by: Reality on February 23, 2009 10:51 AMActually, I feel fine. But Reality doesn't sound like a happy person. Maybe you can prescribe something for him -- or at least keep an eye on him.
Posted by: scottd on February 23, 2009 10:58 AMThanks for caring though.
Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 23, 2009 11:03 AMFor the most part, fringe-left nutters do everything possible to keep us from voting on Eyman's initiatives.
You know.... the "democracy is for suckers" types you so admire... and emulate? The ones whose actions seem to make the statement that when it suits them, they're terrified of the will of the people... and when they want it, do everything they can to make it happen?
Silly me. I believed you'd undergone a change of heart and actually supported our ability to vote not only issues that you want... but issues that you DON'T.
My bad.
Posted by: Hinton on February 23, 2009 11:53 AMThis should not be a surprise to anyone, as the testimony below shows us.
A Page From History
Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 to December 19, 1968) was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.
The Socialist Party candidate for President of the U.S, Norman Thomas, said this in a 1944 speech:
"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of "liberalism," they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened."
He went on to say: "I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democrat Party has adopted our platform."
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
~~Margaret Thatcher~~
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who are not. - Thomas Jefferson
You may be surprised to learn that you are wrong. As Ayn Rand wrote in Atlas Shrugged:
"Mr, Rearden," said Francisco, his voice solemnly calm, "if you saw Atlas, the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood, blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling but still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of this strength, and the greater his effort the heavier the world bore down on his shoulders-what would you tell him to do?"
"I...don't know. What...could he do? What would you tell him to do?"
"To shrug."
You and the other moochers may find yourselves wanting if you keep attacking the people who make the economy work. I moved out of Washington state because of this. Look at California--people who actually pay taxes and help the economy are moving out faster than illegal aliens are moving in.
Actually, it's tax, borrow and SQUANDER!
Posted by: Mr. Cynical on February 23, 2009 10:37 PM