Slog
News & ArtsTuesday, December 18, 2012
Olympia Fuck the Budget
Posted by Goldy on Tue, Dec 18, 2012 at 3:30 PM
No, I'm not so thrilled with Governor-elect Jay Inslee's tepid response to Governor Chris Gregoire's budget proposals, though really, what could he say so soon after winning an election in which he promised not to raise taxes?
But you know what? It doesn't fucking matter. As much as we need to raise additional revenue—as much as there's absolutely no way to put together a humane and responsible budget that doesn't kill people and strangle our state economy without raising additional revenue—the Rodney Tom-engineeered GOP senate coup makes that all but impossible. Even assuming that the bullshit two-thirds supermajority requirement is tossed out by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional (and if the justices have an ounce of integrity, it will be), the Republicans can now block any tax increase from passing on even a simple majority vote. And they will. Because that's what Republicans do.
Really, as long as Inslee is constrained by an ideological anti-tax majority in the senate, his campaign promises don't mean fuck. So either way, prepare yourself for a cruel and unconscionable budget.
3
Could you imagine Goldensteinemberg if he'd lost the election?
Time to move to mercer Island Goldy.
Time to move to mercer Island Goldy.
4
If you said "please" and "thank you" once in a while we might be willing to pay more taxes.
As it is, Fuck You.
And Ream Yourself with this CRUEL Budget.
Asswipe.
As it is, Fuck You.
And Ream Yourself with this CRUEL Budget.
Asswipe.
6
"So either way, prepare yourself for a cruel and unconscionable budget."
What about preparing ourselves to prevent the election of anti-progressive taxation politicians? What are progressive Democrats doing to prevent a repeat of current events and to build a coalition against austerity?
What about preparing ourselves to prevent the election of anti-progressive taxation politicians? What are progressive Democrats doing to prevent a repeat of current events and to build a coalition against austerity?
7
But if nobody ever speaks out for revenue, we're never going to get it. So Inslee's "tepid" response actually matters greatly, because it shifts the terrain of debate even further right than it was before.
9
Time to move to The People's Republic of Seattle!
Oh wait, you need at least $400k to get a decent house there.
Oh wait, you need at least $400k to get a decent house there.
10
Goldy and SLOG have yet to embrace fair and equitable increases in property taxes and to fight for HB-2100, the application of a financial asset tax on estates over $1 million.
But then, Democrats are the party of the entrenched status quo, and only want to tax the productive middle class.
11
Time to move to The People's Republic of Seattle!
Oh wait, you need at least $400k to get a decent house there.
@4 I agree. A little more gratitude would be nice.
Oh wait, you need at least $400k to get a decent house there.
@4 I agree. A little more gratitude would be nice.
12
Has anyone else noticed the 'effects' if these so called cuts. Sure I had to pay a state park pass but I guess that helps keep out the littering lower classes but besides that, life in WA state is still quite splendid. Did a fabulous wine tour in Walla Walla this picking season, didn't notice any Somali warlords.
13
Everything about Inslee has been tepid. He ran a tepid campaign and had tepid ideas. I figure that he'll be railroaded without much resistance.
14
They said that about Obama, @13, and Komrade Boehner found that was not true too.
All your red county subsidies is belong to red line.
All your red county subsidies is belong to red line.
16
I'm excited to hear Inslee's secret plan once he takes office. He does have a secret plan, right?
17
@14. What?
Anyway, I've thought Obama caved quite frequently and appears to be offering up social security changes as one tidbit to the 1% along with tax exemptions for richie rich while eliminating the lame but important bread crumb of the payroll tax holiday. They never should have done the payroll tax holiday because people really wouldn't notice the bit of extra cash, but they will notice the bit of extra cash disappearing especially since most people probably have seen every bill go up, but not their pay check.
At the state level, I have no idea what Inslee will actually do or be able to do. I don't know that he has the gumption. And I figure as with previous years, cuts to higher education will continue.
The only reason I didn't vote for McKenna is because I figured he'd reject national dollars that would make the financial picture in WA even more difficult. That said, I was never impressed with my Inslee choice. I felt like I voted for Dukakis.
Anyway, I've thought Obama caved quite frequently and appears to be offering up social security changes as one tidbit to the 1% along with tax exemptions for richie rich while eliminating the lame but important bread crumb of the payroll tax holiday. They never should have done the payroll tax holiday because people really wouldn't notice the bit of extra cash, but they will notice the bit of extra cash disappearing especially since most people probably have seen every bill go up, but not their pay check.
At the state level, I have no idea what Inslee will actually do or be able to do. I don't know that he has the gumption. And I figure as with previous years, cuts to higher education will continue.
The only reason I didn't vote for McKenna is because I figured he'd reject national dollars that would make the financial picture in WA even more difficult. That said, I was never impressed with my Inslee choice. I felt like I voted for Dukakis.
18
Somehow this "cruel and unconscionable" budget continues to spend more, per capita and adjusted for inflation, every single year and is above the national average.
ofm dot wa dot gov slash trends slash revenue slash fig507.asp
Per capita inflation adjusted spending is SIXTY PERCENT HIGHER than it was in 1990. Remember what an absolute hellhole life was then? Oh, me neither. bloo bloo blooooooooo
ofm dot wa dot gov slash trends slash revenue slash fig507.asp
Per capita inflation adjusted spending is SIXTY PERCENT HIGHER than it was in 1990. Remember what an absolute hellhole life was then? Oh, me neither. bloo bloo blooooooooo
19
Following lauramae @13's: Everything about Inslee has been tepid.
Reaching the end of this post, I said to myself, "Fuck the budget." (Oh, how'd I get that phrase in my head?) Considering the limitations Goldy aptly describes, my concern isn't so much Inslee's tepid response to the Gregoire budget, it's Mr. Apollo's Fire's tepid non-response to the coal trains plan.
OK, sure, go ahead and tell me the governor is legally powerless to stop the coal trains. But people are saying all kinds of things about how we're powerless to stop Seattle from becoming a coal-shipping outpost for China. If nothing else, I'd just like to get some indication that the governor stands for something--you know like something he allegedly believes in.
Reaching the end of this post, I said to myself, "Fuck the budget." (Oh, how'd I get that phrase in my head?) Considering the limitations Goldy aptly describes, my concern isn't so much Inslee's tepid response to the Gregoire budget, it's Mr. Apollo's Fire's tepid non-response to the coal trains plan.
OK, sure, go ahead and tell me the governor is legally powerless to stop the coal trains. But people are saying all kinds of things about how we're powerless to stop Seattle from becoming a coal-shipping outpost for China. If nothing else, I'd just like to get some indication that the governor stands for something--you know like something he allegedly believes in.
20
How do you answer too many cuts to education and a completely out of control regressive tax system? With more cuts to education and more regressive taxes, duh.
21
Dukakis:
Ran a crap presidential campaign but his state could have had a lot worse as governor...oh yeah, they did.
Ran a crap presidential campaign but his state could have had a lot worse as governor...oh yeah, they did.
22
It doesn't matter whether the Democrats or Republicans are in control, because I-1185 requires a two-thirds majority to raise taxes. This is what happens when you have decades of reckless spending by the Democrats in Olympia.
23
Not only did I-1185 pass in every single county including King County, but Jay Inslee ran for governor with a promise not to raise taxes unless forced to by the Legislature.
Look, Goldy, tell your brain dead "progressive" friends that, if they want higher taxes in WA State, they should find statewide candidates who will do what Obama did and say so. Otherwise, you can bleat and moan and whine and kick and scream and stamp your "progressive" little feet forever, but you're not going to get your way.
If you don't like it, move to California. Great place, with the highest taxes in the West by far. I'm sure they'll be just as happy that you came as we'll be that you left.
Look, Goldy, tell your brain dead "progressive" friends that, if they want higher taxes in WA State, they should find statewide candidates who will do what Obama did and say so. Otherwise, you can bleat and moan and whine and kick and scream and stamp your "progressive" little feet forever, but you're not going to get your way.
If you don't like it, move to California. Great place, with the highest taxes in the West by far. I'm sure they'll be just as happy that you came as we'll be that you left.
24
Oh, and something else: It's falling-down funny to watch the "progressives" go after Inslee before he's even been sworn in. Do you assholes realize just how pathetic you are?
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