DAILY NEWS
Jobs bills, GOP war on unions, public service pride…
STATE LEGISLATURE
► At TheOlympian.com — House ‘jobs’ bills on the move (on one leg only)— The Washington jobs-stimulus package moved out of the House Capital Budget Committee early Friday, but not the way chairman Hans Dunshee might have wanted. Votes on three bills in the plan fell along party lines – with Dunshee and other majority Democrats in favor and all Republicans opposed.
ALSO at The Stand — House jobs bills would ‘jumpstart’ economy
► In the Wenatchee World — House may vote Monday on arena bill — The House may vote Monday afternoon on whether to give Wenatchee the authority to raise its sales tax by 0.2 percent without voter approval to help rescue the Town Toyota Center from default.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Watch this vote. Republicans in the Legislature have criticized the House Democrats’ state budget proposal because, among other things, it gives local government more authority to raise taxes to offset cuts. Many Republicans support the Wenatchee tax increase because their colleagues in that city’s government have asked them for it. Will they support giving Wenatchee this power but not the rest of the state?
► In today’s Seattle Times — Groups consider putting charter-schools initiative on ballot — As prospects for a bill allowing charter schools dims in the Legislature, some are considering again asking the voters about it. Washington voters have rejected them three times, in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
► In the Seattle Times — Top donors criticize Dems over school reform— Some donors even say they’re on the fence when it comes to supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna or Democratic candidate Jay Inslee, given the candidates’ stances on education.
► In today’s Seattle Times — Education reform and unions (letters) — Let’s all come to the table to figure out how to motivate those who are unmotivated to learn, and stop accusing the teacher union of being the problem.
LOCAL
► In the P.S. Business Journal — Wash. manufacturers getting work back that was outsourced to China — The pendulum swing is due to rising costs in China and more efficient operations in the U.S., say business leaders around the region. Getting more such business back from Asia could give a needed boost to Washington state’s economy.
REPUBLICAN WAR ON UNIONS
► At In These Times — GOP contender’s anti-labor fervor reaches new, disturbing heights — Mitt Romney has been aggressively campaigning for a national “right to work” law like the one just passed in Indiana which bans the “union shop,” thereby allowing management to divide workers and eventually erode support for unions. The rhetoric from Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul about unions is often silly, sophomoric and just false.
► In the LA Times — Romney’s anti union tone could hurt him later (analysis) — As he seeks victory in his native state’s primary, he has made organized labor enemy No. 1, railing against union “stooges” and “bosses.” His comments could haunt efforts by Romney and other Republicans to attract blue-collar workers and economically stressed voters in Michigan and nearby states.
► At Huffington Post — Davis -Bacon Act: Depression-era law becomes unlikely GOP campaign issue — In his attempts to tar former Sen. Rick Santorum as fiscally irresponsible, Romney has been knocking his opponent for a stance he took on an 81-year-old federal statute that many Americans have probably never heard of: the Davis-Bacon Act.
NATIONAL
► At Salon.com — How Occupy helped labor win on the West Coast — Earlier this month longshore workers in Washington state reached a contract with a boss that has spent the past year fighting to keep their union out. If the union — with the help of the Occupy movement — had not defied the law, EGT would have succeeded.
► In The Hill — Lawmakers worry USPS cuts could hurt voting-by-mail — The cash-strapped agency, which announced last week that it could close 223 or more mail processing centers in the coming months, has also said that it was working with state election officials to soften the blow on ballot collection during this presidential election year.
► At AFL-CIO Now — Van Halen’s ‘Tattoo’ shouts out to unions — The legendary rock band has reunited with original lead singer David Lee Roth and their first studio album in 14 years has shot to the top of the charts. The hit record’s first single, “Tattoo,” which features this great union shout out.
TODAY’S MUST-READ
So to all our politicians, I implore you: Stop using the government workforce as a political football. Just stop. It demeans you, it demoralizes us, and it is counterproductive to drive away the best and brightest from working for the betterment of this country.
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 9 a.m. These links are functional at the date of posting, but sometimes expire.