"I'm not going to let 1053 [the People's law] stand in the way of me moving forward for what I think is right."
--- Governor Christine Gregoire, January 4, 2011

Friday, January 13, 2012

Banning Plastic Bags

An idea whose time is dumb.

Plastic bags are not a landfill problem the way the paper bags used to be. 98% of the people who have plastic bags re-use or re-cycle them. They are light, efficient and work very well. The legislature is intent on banning them.

Seattle City Council recently banned single use plastic bags. Apparently the Council is still miffed over the People's rejection of their 20 cent per bag tax, so they are beating on the people. By the way, Seattle City Council added a 5 cent fee on paper bags.

The rationale for the statewide bag ban is that it is too hard for businesses to conform to the patchwork of local regulations imposed on plastic bags. It figures Olympia would think the answer to stupid government is more stupid government.

HB 1877, was introduced by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon & Rep. Marko Liias, both Democrats. Liias, you may recall, proposed increasing fees on the People's initiatives in order to silence the common rabble last year.

SB 5780 was introduced by Senator Maralyn Chase and Senator Adam Kline, both Democrats.

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Never sell your soul to a politician

2011 Statewide measures election results for Washington

The results of the final ballot count ---

Initiative 1125
- not passed - Motor vehicle fees and taxes would have been used motor vehicle purposes, per Art2, §40. Now, it is not clear. 46.79% Yes, 53.21% No.
Initiative 1163 - passed - requires background checks of all elder care employees. 65.02% Yes, 34.98% No.
Initiative 1183 - passed - privatizes the sale and distribution of liquor. 58.74% Yes, 41.26% No.
SJR 8205 - passed - State election law is now in line with federal law.73.13% Yes, 26.87% No.
SJR 8206 - passed - enhances the set-aside for the state's rainy day fund. 66.6% Yes, 33.4% No.

Effing the ineffable - Washington State elections sometimes have been rigged.

“It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.”
-- Joseph Stalin