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cloudveil1

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Mar 11 cloudveil1 commented on Seattle-Hating State Senate Passes Anti-Sick Leave Bill.

@17 If people abuse it - and few will - then they can be fired. But your average biz loses a lot more from all the worker turnover/retraining time (replacing sick workers who have to quit or are fired), lower productivity (as sick workers infect their coworkers), and longer times away from work (because people don't get preventative care if they can't take time to see their doc) than it will from paying people the 2 days a year or so people are out sick.

Mar 11 cloudveil1 commented on Seattle-Hating State Senate Passes Anti-Sick Leave Bill.

@3 Do your homework. Seattle's law specifically says PTO ("paid time off") plans can count as paid sick time, as long as that time is in fact available for sick leave and people can earn/accrue it at the minimum rates specified by the ordinance.

Feb 6 cloudveil1 commented on Why Do Republicans Hate Young People? And Poor People? (And Working People in General?).

This bill doesn't just target teens - there are no age or experience qualifications *at all* in the bill - so anyone can get paid less, just because the employer decides they need "training".

Jan 31 cloudveil1 commented on Pulling Up the Ladder Behind Them.

@11 and @14, Texas schmexas - every state in the country has a more progressive tax system than Washington does: http://www.itep.org/whopays/

Since most revenue matters in Olympia require two-thirds House and Senate votes for passage, they're hostage to a minority - one-third of senators or representatives - who can block any path toward fairer/more adequate funding for higher ed (or anything else, for that matter).

There may be a way out, though. If Texas really is that progressive, maybe you could do us all a favor here in Washington by convincing Tim "King of Minority Rule" Eyman to move there. Thanks in advance!

Jan 23 cloudveil1 commented on So-Called "Moderate Democrat" Rodney Tom Sponsors Bill to Kill Washington's Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act, Just Because.

"I guess they just don't think that low-income workers should ever be able to afford to take family and medical leave... which doesn't sound either moderate or Democratic to me."

But it sure does sound very Republican, doesn't it? Wolf, meet sheep's clothing.

Jan 18 cloudveil1 commented on Obama Considering Proposal to Fund Universal Preschool for 4-Year-Olds.

@4 and @5 - Wow, Phoebe in Wallingford! Your neighborhood must be some amazing place where all families can afford to send one parent to work while the other stays at home. Yes, that would be great for kids, but it's not based in economic reality today.

Jan 18 cloudveil1 commented on Today's College Students Should Demand From Lawmakers the Same Opportunities Those Lawmakers Received.

@31 (@22 re @18) You say "something has to give". But we're in this place because WA's tax code - with its huge reliance on sales taxes - doesn't collect the same revenue it used to.

People spend way more on (mostly untaxed) services these days, or buy goods on the internet (often untaxed). If we had a tax code that keeps up with economic growth (yes, I'm talking an income tax here), we wouldn't be in the revenue bind we are today. And it would cost taxpayers no more, on a relative basis, than it did 30 years ago.

Sales taxes also mean the poor in WA pay incredibly high tax rates, while the wealthy pretty much skate right by. Something has to give - namely: the rich need to give more (pay higher tax rates), and the poor less (lower tax rates).

Jan 18 cloudveil1 commented on Today's College Students Should Demand From Lawmakers the Same Opportunities Those Lawmakers Received.

@28 - Note also that total cost per student is basically flat for the past 20+ years (see Goldy's first link). The buildings may be nicer, the profs more accomplished - all good things, by the way - but it's not costing more overall per student.

Jan 18 cloudveil1 commented on Today's College Students Should Demand From Lawmakers the Same Opportunities Those Lawmakers Received.

@28 - You fail to account for productivity growth (i.e. gross state product) over the same period. If the same portion of our economic output was still being invested in future productivity (in things like higher education) there would be no problem funding additional slots for more WA students. Instead we're trading future growth for lower taxes on the rich.

Oct 15, 2012 cloudveil1 commented on Court of Appeals Rules Seattle's Phonebook Rules Unconstitional.

@6: Would prefer one truck load of yellow pages dumped on the steps of the Court of Appeals, and one at the door of each company delivering them - in the pouring rain, of course.