Was Rodney Tom’s Republican coup a success? Goldy puts it in perspective:
After six months of grandstanding and hostage taking, two special sessions, and the very real threat of an economy-wrecking state government shutdown, the legislature passed a compromise budget on June 27 that was nearly identical to the budget Democrats pushed through the state house on June 6, apart from significantly less money for education. And from a spending perspective, even that June 6 budget wasn’t much different from the one house Democrats passed way back on April 12, in plenty of time to finish their job without a special session or two.
The catch is how Tom’s Republican coalition paid for it:
They blocked house Democratic efforts to raise $1.1 billion in new revenue by closing $475 million in unproductive tax exemptions and extending $600 million in expiring business taxes. “That was their central strategic priority,” says [House Finance Committee chair Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle)], “to prevent new revenue at any cost.”
If they blocked the revenue, where did the Republicans get the money?
Instead of closing loopholes and extending business taxes, the compromise budget largely makes up the $1.1 billion difference by siphoning hundreds of millions of dollars away from the public works assistance account (a capital fund that helps local governments pay for critical public infrastructure), spending substantially less on K–12 schools, and relying on revised caseload and revenue forecasts to brighten the state’s fiscal future.
Goldy points out that all Tom’s Republican coalition succeeded in doing was to block a number of important social programs—things that Tom claims he supports—and a critical transportation funding package.
The net result of the session plus a pair of special sessions can only be described as second rate. That makes Tom’s experiment a failure. It might be good enough for an Alabama or Oklahoma, but I expect much better from those who represent me in Olympia.
Link is broken. It points to the front page of horsesass.
It’s not possible to negotiate with Republicans over revenues because they remain firmly wedded to Grover Nordquist’s “starve the beast” ideology that says the only good government is dead government.
This isn’t a question of “good” revenues vs. “bad” revenues, even from their perspective of what is “good” (workers pay) or “bad” (rich people, corporations, and/or businesses pay) revenue, because under this ideology all revenue is bad and therefore they oppose anything that doesn’t reduce revenue.
You can’t negotiate with pirates or hostage takers; you’ve gotta shoot ’em. I’m not saying this same approach literally applies to Republicans, but it’s food for metaphorical thought.
“of important social programs—things that Tom claims he supports”
Guess what? He’s lying.
@3 Well, he lied to the voters of his district about his party affiliation, so he’s probably lying about this, too.
In other words, the Republicans succeeded.
@1:
I’d correct the link if I could, but I can’t access posts written by Darryl.
This is what Darryl meant to link to.
And Turncoat Tom wants a third special session in December to rehash the MCC’s failure on transportation.
Thanks N in Seattle. I’ve fixed the broken link. The post was written on a beach on Whidbey Island…and, you know, the sun was in my eyes.
@8 Those were the Red Baron’s last words.
Looks like we’ve got another rightwing terrorist on our hands. I wonder if he was coming for you, Darryl.
“Prosecutors say the Nevada man arrested near the University of Washington campus with weapons and explosives also had anti-government propaganda and directions to three Seattle colleges. …
“Authorities who searched the [stolen] truck after Jasper’s arrest found a stolen scoped rifle, a stolen shotgun, body armor, three knives, a machete and six Molotov cocktails, Hamilton said.
“Prosecutors announced Friday that investigators had also uncovered propaganda materials — including a recording of a podcast — in which Jasper … expressed anti-government sentiments ….”
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_new.....e-say?lite
Republicans must not like the Constitution very much, because they keep defying it.
http://politicalticker.blogs.c.....?hpt=hp_t3
Say hello to Bob if you see him..
Tell him we don’t miss him.
Tom is an enigma to me. Why did he take his job? Ego?
I suppose he served the establishment RHINO need because we have seen no Reprican legislation backing mandatory flag worship, vaginal exams for all women on birth control, renaming WA state Reagan, or privatizing the UW.
So here is a scenario … RT runs against Insley in WA state’s next election .. the TOP TWO! If he could get the establishment R votes, and their campaign support to defeat the Tea Party types, RT might well come in second to Insley and then run vs the governor in the final as a democrat with Repubican endorsement!