WA Legislature Special Session Begins With Turmoil

Monday, the State Legislature was back for a "special session" that was called by Governor Christine Gregoire to deal with the $2 billion dollar budget shortfall.

That is $2 billion more than they expected when they passed the budget in the spring, which already made deep cuts in state government programs such as K-12 education, state universities, and health care services for the state's poorest residents.

So, lots of people showed up to protest the state making any more cuts.  Here was the scene at the State Capitol on Monday:


Last week, Governor Gregoire gave a forceful, and passionate speech urging the legislature to increase the state sales tax by 1/2 cent to cover some of the shortfall.  The legislature can't do that with a simple majority however, so Gregoire has asked them to put it on the ballot as a referendum to be voted on by the people of WA in March.




I'm with the Gregoire on this one, except in my perfect world, the solution would be to institute a state income tax, which would fall most heavily on those able to pay.  A sales tax hurts the poor, unemployed, and lower middle classes much more.

What do you think the government should do?  Do you think the legislature will raise taxes, or make deeper cuts? 

No Deal from the Super Committee

Thanks for nothing Congress.  Of course this isn't over because new legislation can replace the legislation calling for the automatic spending cuts triggered by the committee's failure.  The cuts don't begin to take effect until 2013, and cooperation may be easier after the election.

From the USA Today:  Panel's inability to cut debt deal reflects divide

From the NBC Nightly News:

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Supreme Court to Hear Legal Challenge to Health Care Law

Note:  I will try to get a brief summary of the law and the controversy surrounding it posted here soon.

The signing of the law was a high moment for the Obama Administration, which promised to solve many of the problems plaguing the American health care system, including estimates that 47 million Americans don't have health care insurance.

However, many conservatives, especially "Tea Party" activists thought the law went too far and challenged the constitutionality of it in court.  Those challenges have quickly worked their way through the system and Monday, the Supreme Court, announced its decision to hear the case in March of 2012.

The NBC Evening News report:

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You can also read more detailed coverage from the New York Times:

Justices to Hear Health Care Case as Race Heats Up

The Waxman-Markey Bill: A Good Start Or A Non-Starter?

On Friday, the House of Representatives passed an energy/environmental bill supported by the Obama administration. The bill was compromised and watered-down from what Obama and major environmental groups had been calling for. Next it moves on to the Senate; but does it do enough to address the problem of global warming. An analysis from some prominent environmentalists:

The Waxman-Markey Bill: A Good Start Or A Non-Starter? by : Yale Environment 360

New York Times report on the successful fight for passage of the bill in the House - click here.