DAILY NEWS
H-2A ‘servitude’ | FFers taint Supreme Court | Another DACA win
Thursday, March 1, 2018
LOCAL
► In today’s Yakima H-R — Minority groups call for resignation of state DOL director for cooperation with ICE — A number of groups are calling for the resignation of Pat Kohler, the state Department of Licensing’s director, in the wake of news that the agency shared drivers’ personal information with federal immigration agents, despite Gov. Jay Inslee’s order prohibiting state agencies from doing so.
► In today’s Seattle Times — Who can beat Republican Dino Rossi? Democratic rivals jostle in pivotal 8th CD — Five Democrats in the 8th Congressional District race faced off in a debate that showcased broad agreement on issues from tighter gun restrictions to expanded government-sponsored health care.
► In today’s Spokesman-Review — SFCC acting president resigns amid allegations of sexual harassment — Darren Pitcher, the acting president of Spokane Falls Community College, has resigned amid allegations of workplace sexual harassment.
THIS WASHINGTON
EDITOR’S NOTE — On KXLY news radio this morning, Inslee said he would be making an announcement later today on this.
► In today’s Seattle Times — ‘The fast-fast-fast-track’: Lawmakers rushed secrecy plan to beat deadlines — Some lawmakers were alarmed by the process and how quickly the legislation advanced. Staff in the Legislature and the governor’s office were also taken aback. Lawmakers, however, saw a need for urgency.
ALSO at The Stand:
By ignoring process, ’emergency’ disclosure bill promotes cynicism (by Nick Licata)
Public Records Act expands disclosure, but protects privacy (by Sen. Jamie Pedersen)
► In the (Everett) Herald — Area projects get boost in proposed state road budgets — Efforts to ease congestion on Highway 9 through Clearview, to slow drivers on Highway 530 in Darrington and revitalize Main Street in Mountlake Terrace are among several area projects getting a financial boost in spending plans under consideration by the Legislature.
► In the (Everett) Herald — Tax break could bring more data centers to state (editorial) — Currently, the state is losing potential IT construction and maintenance jobs to Oregon. An estimated $1.9 billion has been invested in Hillsboro data centers since 2011, only a fraction of that has been built in Western Washington. That’s a significant loss of a range of jobs, including electrical and IT contractors, that would go into construction of the data centers, followed by steady employment for maintenance and regular upgrades of the centers.
► In today’s Spokesman-Review — Senate OKs teen voter pre-registration — Washington could soon allow, and even encourage, 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote so that they will be on the rolls and start getting ballots as soon as they turn 18. The Senate gave final approval and sent to Gov. Jay Inslee a bill that supporters said would allow them to sign up for future ballots at the most common place people register – when getting a driver’s license.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Last year, Baumgartner was the sole sponsor of a Senate bill to make Washington a “Right to Work” (for less) state. He has also sponsored bills to promote lawsuits against unions, block cities from enacting higher minimum wages, weaken prevailing wage standards, require laid-off workers to do community service (you know, like criminals) before collecting unemployment benefits, privatize public services, and privatize the state workers’ compensation system (an idea voters soundly rejected just a few years ago). He will be missed in Olympia… by Freedom Foundation strongman Tom McCabe. Which brings us to…
THE WAR ON UNIONS
► In today’s Washington Post — Conservatives are using the Supreme Court to destroy unions (by E.J. Dionne) — A 5-to-4 anti-labor ruling would remind us why Senate Republicans refused even to consider Judge Merrick Garland’s nomination for the seat now occupied by Justice Neil Gorsuch. It would reveal a truly activist court mired in politics — and a long way from Roberts’s vision of judges who only call balls and strikes.
► In the USA Today — Supreme Court Janus case is bigger than unions. Upward mobility is at stake. (by Neera Tanden) — The case before the Supreme Court threatens the freedom of millions of Americans working in the public sector to bargain for decent pay, better benefits and a voice in their workplace. But the court’s decision won’t just affect government employees. Unions help boost equality and build our nation’s middle class.
THAT WASHINGTON
ALSO at The Stand — DREAM nurse speaks out to save DACA (Sept. 19, 2017) — Jessica is one of the nurses in Washington state who is undocumented and has a work permit only because of the DACA program. The day Trump said he was going to end DACA, Jessica wrote that she would continue to be the best nurse she can…
“Because my patients do not care what documentation I have as I hold their hand and cry with them after that terminal diagnosis. Because my patient’s family does not care what color my skin is as I give CPR to their loved one. Because my patients do not care about my accent as I educate them about their chronic condition. Because my patients do not care about where I am really from when I’m taking care of them.”
► From the AFL-CIO — Time to stop tax breaks for outsourcing — It makes little sense for the U.S. government to provide tax breaks to companies that outsource America’s jobs, and yet the recently passed Republican tax law makes the problem worse, it doesn’t solve it. That’s why Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) are introducing the “No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act.”
ALSO at The Stand — Ads warn of GOP plan to cut Social Security, Medicare (Dec. 12, 2017) — “Republican leaders have made it clear that this irresponsible tax giveaway for people who need it the least will require cuts in spending and they have their sights set on what they call our Social Security and Medicare ‘entitlements’,” said WSLC President Jeff Johnson. “Those are earned benefits that working people paid for their entire lives. It would be a travesty for Congress to hand more than $1 trillion to corporations and the richest Americans, and then cut these earned benefits that seniors rely upon to survive. But that’s exactly what they intend to do.”
► From The Hill — Poll: ObamaCare favorability reaches all-time high –The favorable rating for ObamaCare has reached its highest level since the law was enacted in 2010, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. The poll finds that 54 percent of the public has a favorable view of the law, compared to 42 percent who have an unfavorable view. Separately, the poll finds that health care costs are the top health care issue that voters want to hear candidates talk about ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
► From AP — AP poll: Most Americans say Trump is racist — More than half of Americans, including large majorities of blacks and Hispanics, think President Donald Trump is a racist.
► And finally, this.. which is real, and not from The Onion…
NATIONAL
► From HuffPost — The West Virginia strike might not be over yet — All of West Virginia’s schools will remain closed on Thursday, despite a tentative deal between union leaders and Gov. Jim Justice earlier in the week. Many teachers had taken to the halls of the state’s Capitol during a “cooling off” period to voice their ongoing frustration with the negotiations. Many of them demanded that the unions and legislators get back to the bargaining table to improve a deal they deemed unsatisfactory.
TODAY’S MUST-SEE
► From Newsbroke with Francesca Florentini — Why the rich love destroying unions — Unions are on their last legs, and right-wing billionaires are getting ready to deal the final blow. And if you like having weekends, less than a 60-hour workweek and a living wage, then this is a big deal.
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.