Wednesday, October 31, 2018

ELECTION

► In today’s Seattle Times — A good idea to cut down on sneaky campaign ads (by Melissa Santos) — Predictably, voters across the state are receiving some wildly sneaky mailers leading up to the Nov. 6 election. In the future, stricter disclosure of who’s paying for dishonest ads could help act as a deterrent.

ALSO at The Stand — ‘This is dirty politics at its absolute lowest’ — State Republican operatives target female Democratic challengers with fake union postcards in effort to protect GOP incumbents.

► In today’s Yakima H-R — 13th District Republicans narrow down list for possible House seat — Republican precinct committee officers have a list of three people to replace 13th LD Rep. Matt Manweller in the Legislature if he wins the election on Nov. 6.

EDITOR’S NOTE — So, if voters re-elect Manweller, a guy fired from his Central Washington University job after an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct amidst fresh accusations from a former high school student alleging child rape, then party officials will decide who represents the district. Here’s a better idea, pick your own candidate: Sylvia Hammond, a family farmer, substitute teacher, PTA and civic leader — and labor’s endorsed candidate for the position.

► In today’s NY Times — First up if Democrats win: Campaign and ethics changes, infrastructure and drug prices — Democrats would use their first month in the House majority to advance sweeping changes to future campaign and ethics laws, requiring the disclosure of shadowy political donors, outlawing the gerrymandering of congressional districts and restoring key enforcement provisions to the Voting Rights Act, top Democratic leaders said.

► In today’s Washington Post — ‘Pushing every button’: Trump mobilizes the military, government to help boost Republican election efforts — Trump is using his office to dictate the closing themes of the fall campaign and stoke the fears and anxieties of his supporters on immigration and other issues ahead of Tuesday’s elections.

► From The Onion — Trump claims he can overrule Constitution with executive order because of little-known ‘no one will stop me’ loophole

THIS WASHINGTON

► In today’s Seattle Times — Washington voters don’t think schools prepare kids for careers. The state is trying to change that. — Four out of five voters say Washington state’s high schools and colleges are failing to teach students real-world skills, or truly prepare them for the workplace, according to a recent state poll. To try better connect students with jobs, the state has recently launched a public-private initiative called Career Connect Washington that aims to link high school and college classes to jobs. One of the ideas: Allowing high-school students to leave campus for paid  internships at local businesses and in exchange, receive high-school credit.

LOCAL

► In today’s News Tribune — Bus drivers’ sick-out disrupts ride to school for hundreds of Tacoma special needs kids — Twenty-four bus drivers called out sick Monday morning, with 26 calling out sick Tuesday morning. Bus drivers who asked to remain anonymous told KIRO Radio that they were overworked and underpaid. Both the district and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 286, which represents the drivers, said the apparent sick-out came without a warning.

► In today’s Columbian — Vancouver Public Schools requests help from state mediator — Vancouver Public Schools on Tuesday requested help from a state mediator to help in stalled contract negotiations with one of its classified employee unions.

NATIONAL

► From In These Times — One way to defend transgender people from Trump’s attacks? Labor unions. — Activists fear that the Department of Health and Human Services’ proposed definition of gender may further corrode protections for transgender, intersex and gender-nonconforming people in the workplace. If the proposal advances, one of the most immediate and robust forms of recourse for workers will be the leverage of organized labor. Union contracts, which are enforceable in all 50 states, can contain clauses that specifically address gender-identity parity.

The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.