Excerpts from:
Conservatives Hijack Washington State’s Budget
By JCATANIA
By JCATANIA
State Senators Jim Kastama, Rodney Tom and Tim Sheldon joined with conservatives (last March) to pass a budget that cuts a dangerous amount of funding for public education, healthcare, and economic security.
Why would these Democrats join with conservatives to pass a budget that cuts funding for the most vulnerable people they represent? It could be connected to the Washington Policy Center (WPC) and the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) ties with at least one of the senators.
Sen. Tim Sheldon received the Fifth Annual Stanley O. McNaughton Champion of Freedom Award from the WPC for his commitment to free market principles. The fact that a Democratic member of the state legislature received an award from a right-wing funded organization is a clear indicator that the senator had the interests of the interest group in mind rather than his constituents when he cast his vote.
Since becoming a member of ALEC in 2011, the Washington Policy Center’s agenda has shifted away from the people of Washington. They now act as ALEC’s mouthpiece, promoting the conservative rhetoric that is being forced around the country. Local citizens and issues lose their representation in the state legislature when the WPC gets involved because they focus on their conservative agenda rather than the concerns of the people of Washington.
Link to complete article:
www.progressivestatesaction.org/uncategorized/conservatives-hijack-washington-state%E2%80%99s-budget
Link to previous related post:
masoncountyprogressive.blogspot.com/2012/03/has-hypocrisy-hijacked-wa-budget
According to www.sourcewatch.org, one Democratic WA State Senator and two Democratic Representatives had ties with ALEC. As of this date all three have declared those ties severed. Tim Sheldon is much too wily to get caught in so fringe an organization, though his voting record – both as a Senator and County Commissioner - speaks for itself.
ReplyDeleteAnd it strikes me the taxpayers ought to Tim of one of his GOVERNMENT jobs.
ReplyDeleteHe misses plenty of Commission meetings, and I assume he misses an equal (if not greater) number of important meetings at the Legislature...
As good citizens, we ought to relieve him of one (or both) of his responsibilities, so he can do justice to one of them... (if he is able).