It’s probably best to think of our state legislature as a “Mini Me” version of Congress’s gridlock in Washington, DC.
Ever since the Republicans took over the Washington State Senate in 2013, Olympia has seen three years of hyper-partisan deadlock that has stymied most of the Democrats’ legislative agenda.
Low-carbon vehicle fuels: killed. Trimming carbon emissions for polluters: stalled for two years. Raising the state’s minimum wage: blocked for two years. Fixing our underfunded and understaffed public schools: a very slow slog. Getting our state leaders out from under the state supreme court’s “contempt” finding for said underfunding of our public schools: hasn’t happened for three years and counting. Eliminating tax breaks: mostly failure. Global warming: tough luck if you think that’s a threat.
Simply put, the Democrat-controlled house and the Republican-dominated senate just don’t get along. Instead, they spend most of their time killing each other’s pet bills and packages over and over. Expect more of the same in the 60-day session that begins on January 11…