Onerous bills

Depleted Capitol: Value of the vote is lost on Olympia

Editor, The Times:

Our representative for District 26, Patricia Lantz, is a sponsor of House Bill 1586, which will impose again a system of favoritism/quotas in our schools ("House panel takes up diversity," Times, Local News, Feb. 11).

We the citizens of Washington state voted in favor of Initiative 200. Our votes had the intent of eliminating quotas based on sex and race in schools and jobs. What we wanted was a fair system for all, regardless of a person's race.

We the voters have used the initiative process because, at times, our elected representatives are not listening to the voices of the citizens. Did Lantz listen? If she did, it was not to the people, not the voters of Washington state.

Lantz went against the will of the people. I can only assume that in her years as a representative, she has become wiser than the combined wisdom of the people, or else has been pressured by someone.

I-200 was the will of the people. Affirmative action is the rule imposed by politicians. I want my representative to represent us, the voters, not some special-lobby group.

— Moe Soto, Port Orchard

Splitting the difference

State Sen. Bob Morton's proposal to divide Washington into two states is a new low in partisan politics ("Some GOP senators want Eastern Washington as a state unto itself," Local News, Feb. 23).

Apparently, Republicans now think they're entitled to whole regions where everyone agrees with them. In his words, "it's common sense" that "people who think alike should be united. " Says who?

The whole point of democracy is the exchange of different viewpoints with the goal of trying to harmonize those viewpoints as much as possible. Implicit within this idea is acceptance of less-than-ideal outcomes from time to time, not the formation of new states.

Morton's claim that his proposal isn't sour grapes is hollow and disingenuous, and yet he's clearly not alone, as Republicans have been making fools of themselves over a lost gubernatorial election for several months now.

They would do well to remember the 2000 presidential "election." I don't recall Democrats suggesting the formation of a new country composed only of blue states that allegedly "think alike. " They dealt with it and moved on, as now Morton and the Washington state Republicans should do.

— Thomas Hawley, Spokane

Gravy train strain

Prior to the razor-thin Seattle Monorail Authority authorization vote in 2002, the Elevated Transportation Company seduced the Washington State Automobile Dealers Association into a prone position with promises of a one-year tax exemption for buyers of new cars. Now, with Rep. Ed Murray's proposal to scrap that exemption ("Monorail bill would tax new-car buyers in Seattle," Local News, Feb. 26), these new-car hucksters are waking up with a burning sensation newly diagnosed as SMP: Seattle Monorail Proctitis.

For those unfamiliar with this disease, SMP is transmitted by those who obsess on the purchase of toys with Other People's Money. At highest risk for contracting SMP are those who turn their backs on the reality of what increased taxes mean to affordable living in Seattle.

Regrettably, SMP cannot be cured, even with 120 years' worth of tax injections or 60-year bonds. The only known cures of SMP are citizen recall and legislators — like Murray — abstaining from their fantastical gratifications like House Bill 2248.

That means our legislators in the Olympia ER must stanch engorgement of the SMP tumor with tax revenues never authorized by Seattle voters! Otherwise, the pathology of this disease is continued hemorrhaging from family budgets, automobile dealership profits and tax collections!

— Craig Keller, Seattle

This is virtual robbery

I was appalled to hear that our state legislators are busy debating the pros and cons of blaming video-game distributors for juvenile misbehavior (House Bill 2178). I realize that I'm an "old fogy" with teenage grandchildren, but what ever happened to parental responsibility? I really just can't understand it!

I'd much prefer to know that our legislators are debating legislation (at the state and/or federal level) to prohibit the purchase of law-enforcement uniforms by crooks and thieves. It's really scary to know that someone might come to your door in the middle of the night claiming to be a law-enforcement officer and is really just a crook ("Fake police officers burglarize woman's Lynnwood condo, steal car," Local News, Feb. 28). That's really much more important.

— Jim Bishop, Federal Way

The bottom line

Senate Joint Resolution 8201 was introduced by Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, on Jan. 10, to amend the state constitution to remove initiative and referendum powers.

This bill, if passed by the Legislature and approved by the voters in the 2005 general election, would eliminate citizens' powers of initiative and referendum!

I am totally outraged that any politician elected by the people would propose such a piece of trash. The initiative process is the only way for the citizen to be heard effectively.

What message does Sen. Jacobsen send to us as Washington citizens? I think it goes something like this:

Shut up. We don't want to hear from you. We don't want any of you citizens getting in our way. We'll do things our way!

Senator, what are you smoking anyway? It's clear you've forgotten the "servant" part of public servant.

— Kristen Kuhn, Bellevue

Cutting losses

Finally getting through

The majority of us fall victim to the drivers who jump in line every day because of the poorly designed and overcrowded traffic system we have here in the Seattle area. But I hope your article throws some shame and embarrassment their way ("Hey, no cutting in line!" Local News, Feb. 28).

Every day I take Coal Creek Parkway to northbound I-405 and I can tell you from as far back as a mile who the lane jumpers are going to be as they speed by us on the left while they lean to the right looking at all us fools getting lined up to get on the freeway.

I sit there and wonder as I watch anywhere from four to 12 cars do that every day in the last 100 yards, what are they really thinking? I figure they are very focused on what would be best for them, to save time, get it done the quickest and the easiest way possible and, of course, they don't have to take responsibility for their actions, nobody does today.

I can hear it as I watch it, "I'm in a hurry, I'm not as foolish as you to wait, I'm not the only one who does it, I'm smarter than you, I did not know that was wrong."

What is in it for the driver getting cut off? Well, there is the threat of their car getting hit by the cut-off, the burden of the stare-down by the lane-jumper, and the fact that they are now blocking that lane while they wait. Better let them in, pal, or you will feel the guilt.

I have always been told not to complain unless you are willing to do something about it and so I will do my part to elevate your awareness of proper decorum: I am not letting you in.

— Raleigh Andrews, Newcastle

Marketing Down Under

Sell us the bumf steer

My daughter just returned from a trip to Australia. In a stunning bit of environmental friendliness, a paper company in Tasmania is marketing "roopoo" paper, produced from kangaroo doodoo, which would otherwise go to waste. I am not making this up.

Why limit this recipe to Tasmanian kangaroos? How about, say, bulls from West Texas? That resulting paper product would comprise the perfect medium for printing White House press releases, particularly those announcing the imminent bankruptcy of Social Security.

— Chuck Hastings, Federal Way