Just last week the wizened old sages on the Seattle Times editorial board stridently argued that "time and again over the past 20 years, the voters of Washington have approved" the two-thirds supermajority rule. Governor Gregoire should refrain from challenging I-1053's constitutionality, the editors urged, because "voters keep re-enacting it."

But this week, when it comes to charter schools, a measure the editors like and unions oppose, well, fuck the will of the people:

Expect contentious debate. In particular, the teachers union sees charter schools as a threat. Yes, Washington state voters rejected charter-school proposals three times. But we know a lot more about these innovative public schools since the last failed measure in 2004.

I suppose there's an argument to make for charter schools—a naive, simplistic, or disingenuous argument, but an argument nonetheless. But the Seattle Times relentlessly shameless hypocrisy when it comes to honoring—or not—the so-called "will of the people", has long since crossed the line to the realm of the absurd.

So here's a friendly suggestion to my colleagues at the Seattle Times: Support your arguments based on facts, policy, and an honest embrace of ideology. But leave the people out of it. Because your embrace of their will to when you agree with it, and your total disregard for it when you do not, just makes you look stupid.