Happy Friday Democrats!

We're now in the midst of efforts for our 2021 local elections. What races will your local party organization be focused on? 

As a State Party, we've asked for a list of 2-10 races from your chairs and vice chairs to make certain we are tracking and/or helping you recruit terrific candidates for local office - don't keep us in suspense! Where are you focusing?

We're also working with legislators to make our ballots easier to understand - like getting rid of Tim Eyman's notorious "push-polls," presented to voters under the guise of "advisory votes."

Remember, "advisory votes" were established in 2008 with the enactment of Initiative 960 (yeah, Eyman.) Through an advisory vote, voters "advise" the legislature whether to repeal or maintain a tax increase enacted by the legislature. The advisory votes results are non-binding and do not result in a change to the law or any action by the legislature. They have also been historically misleading and misworded to not tell the truth about tax measures and spending.

There is a trio of bills to address this that have passed the state Senate and are now on to the House - give them a look and give them your support, as they increase access to information, and don't "clog the ballot" with confusing and misleading Eyman push-polls. 

SB 5182 repeals the requirement that advisory votes for tax increase legislation appear on the ballot and voters' pamphlet.

SB 5182 requires that information on how measures passed by the legislature will increase or decrease state revenue and how increased revenue will be expended, or what state expenditures will be eliminated; thus, they appear as information in the voters' pamphlet.

SB 5182 requires a pie chart showing operating budget expenditures for the most recent biennium to appear as information in the voters' pamphlet.

You can learn more about these bills from our latest Democracy on Demand with Senator Patty Kuderer here!

In the other Washington, 199 Republicans - including Jamie Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers voted against removing Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Qanon) from her committee assignments after years of unrepentant and unabashedly untrue statements about schools and 9-11, tinged with antisemitism and racism. Oh, and inciting violence and supporting sedition. Consistent courage, obviously in short supply on that side of the aisle! 

Happily, she was stripped of her committee assignments, and sadly, Greene is responding to her public reprimand in much the same way that Trump, her role model and ally, reacted to his — by hurling insults on Twitter:

                           

Stay classy, GOP - and I'm ready to give her MORE free time and end her time in Congress completely.

Finally, four Republican State Senators announced the formation of the Washington State Freedom Caucus Thursday. Senator Doug Ericksen said the caucus is focused on protecting people's liberty and freedoms. Erickson joins Senators Mike Padden, Phil Fortunato, and Jim McCune as founding members of the Washington State Freedom Caucus. 

"It's not simply a subset of the Senate Republican Caucus. It's a Freedom Caucus with a freedom agenda and a big tent," said Ericksen.

A reminder that Ericksen and Fortunato are up for re-election in 2022, and we certainly have the freedom to replace them with Democrats.

With gratitude for all you do,

Tina Podlodowski

Chair, Washington State Democrats

========

Something to read: What's happening in North Carolina and why does Roy Cooper keep winning? Check this out: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/02/what-north-carolina-and-roy-cooper-can-teach-democrats/617874/

Something to watch: Ten "Must Watch" Black History Documentaries: https://www.pbs.org/black-culture/explore/10-black-history-documentaries-to-watch/ 

Something to do: Interested in politics? Subscribe to the "Daily Yonder" - keep it real and rural every day: https://dailyyonder.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&mc_cid=7bc9b92a16&mc_eid=aedd30235c

--