SEIU Prez Stern Strikes Back Against Rival
April 30, 2008
Accusations are flying thick as bats in the night sky between the Service Employee International Union (SEIU) and their affiliated union, the United HealthCare Workers-West (UHW-W-W), over claims made by the SEIU that the UHW-W misappropriated $6 million in member’s dues money. But, it’s hard to escape the feeling that the SEIU is really just [...]Will taxpayers pay for politics?
April 30, 2008
The attack on freedom of conscience in the name of “publicly funded” campaigns continues. King County is officially studying the idea now that the legislature and Governor Gregoire have opened the door. Anti-freedom of conscience activists will attempt to lay the groundwork for a push in Pierce County at a public forum this Saturday in Tacoma. It would be great if some pro-freedom voices make themselves heard. Details are at The News Tribune’s Inside the editorial page blog. The problems with taxpayer funded politics are many. What government pays for, government regulates and can control, including political speech and ideas. Fraud is more likely when checks come from government rather than private, voluntary donors. Marginal candidates with little support (Communists, Nazis) may receive taxpayer funds. Taxpayers will be forced to support political speech they may not agree with. The flaws basically boil down to one: replacing private choice with government coercion.Congress focusing on the issues that really matter
April 30, 2008
With soaring gas prices, a housing market crash, a massive food shortage and a looming recession on the horizon, we at EFF would like to take this moment to salute our elected officials in Congress for taking time out of their busy schedules to vote this week to designate National Watermelon Month and National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day. So much for priorities of government!EFF video update
April 30, 2008
Subjects are Tax Freedom Day, the Indiana voter ID Supreme Court case, Sen. Lisa Brown's lawsuit to make it easier to raise taxes. Oh, and DOT decides it needs to have goals and priorities.......New EFF member benefit
April 30, 2008
We often hear from EFF members who appreciate our work in the legislature, the courts, and the media. But one thing we’ve kept quiet (until now)… We can predict the future. On Monday the Supreme Court ruled that voter ID requirements are constitutional. Jonathan Bechtle, one of our staff attorneys, attended the court hearing back in January and offered this prediction: My overall impression was that Justices Roberts, Alito, Thomas, and Scalia support upholding Indiana’s law, Justices Ginsberg and Souter are against it, and Justices Kennedy, Breyer and possibly Stevens are riding the fence. If I had to predict it today, I think there’s a good chance of a 6-3 decision in favor of the state, but probably with some concurring opinions. The final tally? The Court upheld the law with a 6-3 vote: Stevens, Roberts, Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas, and Alito in the majority (with a concurring opinion); Souter, Ginsberg and Breyer dissented. Tomorrow's news…today. Too bad March Madness is over.‘A chance for fresh leadership’
April 30, 2008
The Wonders of Modern Electronics
April 30, 2008
EFF offers suggestions to increase transparency in government
April 29, 2008
State budget transparency goes hand-in-hand with authentic, honest government. Millions of our tax dollars are spent every day, but how can we know where this money is going? As taxpayers, we need clarity. Experts from the Evergreen Freedom Foundation (EFF) have promoted budget transparency for years, particularly through the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the largest bi-partisan organization of state legislators in the country. This year, ALEC voted to adopt our model legislation to create transparent state budgets. Here at home, the concept has gained widespread support. The Washington Policy Center, the Washington Coalition for Open Government, State Auditor Brian Sonntag, Attorney General Rob McKenna and many state lawmakers share this common goal. We look forward to working with them to open government’s expenditure ledgers wherever tax dollars are spent. Washington state legislators got the ball rolling this year when they passed SB 6818, a bill putting part of the state budget online and making it accessible to taxpayers who foot the bills. Lawmakers charged our state’s Office of Financial Management (OFM) and Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program Committee (LEAP Committee) with the job of creating a searchable database to comply with the law. Today several of us met with OFM staff to talk about criteria for a new website. To summarize our suggestions, we want the database to be comprehensive, easily accessible, user-friendly and linked to data that really matters. OFM gave us a tour of the new state performance website, which will be linked to our state’s spending website Here at EFF, we will continue talking with officials in other states that are already implementing searchable state budget databases, like Kansas, Virginia and Texas. We need to learn from them about what works well and what doesn’t. And you can count on us to continue working side-by-side with OFM and others who want to make our website the most accessible and informative in the country. Transparency is good for taxpayers and the public officials who serve us. After all, it’s our government…and our money!Deal or No Deal?
April 29, 2008
Disillusionment at Its Finest
April 29, 2008
The SEIU has endorsed Gov. Gregoire. Big surprise. Not only that, but their members are heralding her successes over the last four years: “Most of our members - who are janitors, security officers and other building service workers across our state – are barely able to make ends meet. Governor Gregoire stands up for the needs of our hard working families,” said security officer and SEIU 6 member David Miles. Let me get this straight: 1) Your union, Mr. Miles, does such a poor job representing members’ interest that you are severely underpaid? Maybe if the SEIU spent more resources truly representing their members in negotiations related to their employment and less resources on campaign contributions…. 2) The Governor stands up for your needs through increased taxes while you are “barely making ends meet”? The unions want control of the negotiation process with the state agencies that employ their members by getting union-friendly politicians elected. Gov. Gregoire gives the unions that control. And, she gets their endorsements and campaign contributions. “Something’s rotten in the state of Denmark”…or Washington.-
Exposing It
