The Seattle Times editorializes today that "Education shouldn't be dangled as tax bait," which is a nice premise in theory, unless your goal is to actually pass tax increases.

See, here's the thing. Education is broadly popular. It's one of the few services government provides that most voters support. That's why local school levies almost always pass, despite the fact that nobody—even tax and spend liberals like myself—likes to pay taxes. So by taking education cuts off the table, you remove the best incentive for voters to raise their own taxes. And politically, that's just plain dumb.

More specifically, by taking levy equalization off the table, you remove any incentive for voters in the small, rural, predominantly Republican districts this program disproportionately benefits, to vote for tax increases that benefit the state as a whole. I mean, why should they? They got theirs, so fuck you.

Let's be clear: It is Republicans who almost uniformly oppose tax increases. It is Republicans in the legislature who will almost certainly vote as block against putting any revenue package on the ballot. It is Republicans who will relentlessly attack their Democratic opponents during the coming campaign season for voting in favor of tax increases.

So shouldn't it be Republican constituents who feel the pain should a revenue package fail?

I admit, that's not a particularly nice tactic. It may not even particularly reflect the values most progressives embrace. But that's the kind of political hardball that gets shit done. And if our Democratic lawmakers aren't willing to play hardball, then it's time for them to remove themselves from the game and give somebody else a chance to play.