Sen. Ann "Gas Tax" Rivers bogus baby bill.

C'mon, man.

Look, Rivers is in serious trouble, given how she screwed each and every one of us out of $1600 in gas tax money here in Clark County while lying to us about it to get elected.

She's hearing it.  So what's her play to try and restore her conservative cred... if that's possible?

This "hooray for me!" bill that even she acknowledges isn't going anywhere... which makes it nothing more than an attention getting device to try and calm down the conservative base howling for her scalp:

Washington bill seeks to ban sex-selective abortions

RACHEL LA CORTE Associated Press

 

Washington state is among a handful of states this year where lawmakers are seeking to ban abortions sought because of the gender of a fetus, something abortion rights groups say is a veiled effort to expand restrictions to abortion in the state.

Senate Bill 6612, sponsored by Republican Sen. Ann Rivers of La Center, would make it a Class C felony, carrying a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine, for a doctor to knowingly perform or attempt an abortion sought solely because of the sex of the fetus. A physician would also face losing his or her medical license.

The bill, which has a public hearing Tuesday morning, notes that the United States, along with other counties, "has petitioned the United National General Assembly to declare sex-selection abortion a crime against women" and that India, Great Britain and China have all taken steps to end the practice.

"The victims of sex-selection abortion are overwhelmingly female," the bill reads. "Women are a vital part of our society and culture and possess the same fundamental human rights as men."

Rivers said she introduced the bill because several other states have already banned sex-selective abortions and she wanted to "have a collegial discussion about it."

"I don't think this bill will go anywhere, but I would like to keep the profile raised on this very important issue," she wrote in a text message. (My emphasis)

Abortion rights groups argue that sex-selective abortion is not an issue in the United States. Rachel Berkson, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington called the Senate bill "a Trojan horse to ban abortion."

"Of course, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington has long opposed and will continue to oppose reproductive coercion in any form, and that includes societal pressure to have a child of a particular sex," Rachel Berkson, the group's executive director, said Monday.

But Berkson said that it's impossible for doctors to prove the reasons for why a woman is seeking an abortion, and she said she believes it could cause doctors to stereotype women from countries where sex-selection abortion is a known practice.

"We think this would unfairly harm them and stand in the way of their access," she said.

Seven states currently ban sex-selective abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights advocacy group. According to the National Conference of State Legislature, at least four other states, in addition to Washington, have introduced similar measures this year: Indiana, Oregon, West Virginia and Missouri.

Even if the Washington state measure progresses out of the Republican-controlled Senate, it is not likely to gain traction in the Democratic-controlled House.

"I don't think this bill will go anywhere, but I would like to keep the profile raised on this very important issue," she wrote in a text message.

Each bill dropped in the legislature costs approximately $5000 in staff time and other administrative costs.

So, when a legislator drops a bill... which is the terminology used denoting  the physical act of dropping the bill on the Bar, it's a $5000 or so chunk of tax dollars getting spent.

"Several other states" apparently are actually 7; Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and South Dakota.  Illinois enacted a ban that was struck down in court.

Is this bill the right thing to do?  It's as right as any other restriction on abortion.  But it's also likely as survivable in this state as any other such effort; that is, not at all.

If this bill is an issue... that is, if it addresses a specific need... provable and quantifiable... then of course. 

But under the circumstances, I see this as something just a bit more manipulative: specifically, an effort doomed to already acknowledged failure to trump up Gas Tax Rivers' sorely lacking conservative cred as she comes up for re-election having stiffed us with a $700 million bill which she promised she would never do as a condition of her election to the Senate.

You know, the people having spoken and her hearing us and all.

I admit to being something of a cynic.  But if this bill is to outlaw a gender-specific abortion, how is it remotely enforceable?

If a woman is contemplating an abortion because of the gender of a child, and an abortion is outlawed as a result of gender identification of the baby... then what's to stop the mother from simply not indicating that is the motivating factor?

Nothing.

The only way this bill COULD work is if abortion were outlaw-able here in Washington and that's as likely as Chris Vance taking out Patty Murray this November: in short, not at all. 

The bill, then, is a waste of time, effort and energy with only one single purpose:

To make Rivers look good to an angry conservative base still smarting from her betrayal on the gas tax and tab fee increases she voted for (after pledging not to do so) and to be used for her re-election effort as fodder for her mailers and TV ads.

To attempt to rehab a bruised and battered image.

All at the cost of roughly $5000 more to us.

I know it.  She knows it.  Her RINO posse knows it... and now YOU know it.

Meanwhile, every time I refill my diesel, I'm forking over dollars to the state thanks to River's betrayal of her district and this county that I otherwise wouldn't be handing over.  And I will be for years to come.

And so will you.

And nothing she does... no matter how flashy or earned her media may be as a result... changes any of that.

Wait... what? Benton and SB6542

I thought it was kind of weird to get a robo-call from somebody concerning a Benton bill the day after he announced he wasn't running for re-election.  I also thought that I, in the 18th District, would get a call about someone in the 1-7.

It was barely legible.  My hearing ain't all that great, and it was a call out of New York.

It said something about "privacy" and when the time came to say who the "paid for by" showed up, it said something very fast... but I thought to myself, "did that guy say SEIU and Benton in the same line?  Nah.... can't be."

And I forgot all about it.

Then I saw this:

This same kind of thing happened in Oregon last year.

So, I thought I'd better do what I always try to do... actually look up the Bill Digest:

SB 6542 - DIGEST
Requires a requester, before obtaining records containing the names or nonexempt contact information of employees or volunteers from an agency, to swear under oath that he or she will not use the information to obtain information exempt under the public records act for a commercial purpose or to harass, stalk, threaten, or intimidate a person.

Exempts the following from public inspection and copying under the public records act: Information held by a public agency in personnel records, public employment related records, or volunteer rosters, or included in a mailing list of employees or volunteers of a public agency: (1) Family day care providers exempt from licensing requirements as provided in chapter 43.215 RCW (department of early learning); and (2) Language access providers as provided in chapter 41.56 RCW (public employees' collective bargaining).

Wow.  That's down right bizarre.

Then, I looked at the Sponsors:

History of the Bill as of Monday, February 1, 2016 2:01 PM
	Sponsors:		Senators Benton, Pearson, Hargrove, Dansel, Hill, Litzow
	2016 REGULAR SESSION
		Jan 25	First reading, referred to Commerce & Labor. (View Original Bill)

This bill makes zero sense.

The 13th Amendment outlawed slavery.

Now, the SEIU isn't particularly interested in seeing members cop a walk:  Who would be if you were making bank off of them?

But the Freedom Foundation has made freeing the people from union enslavement (mandatory membership) their Crusade.

This bill was successful in the all-democrat legislature in Oregon.  Clearly, they believe it would be successful here in Washington as well.

But I simply cannot understand why the sponsors... all GOP except for relatively conservative democrat Hargrove, think this is somehow a good idea?

And this goes to the heart of the matter:  Why bother to vote GOP when, under GOP control, these same senators have done far too much of this kind of crap?

What's the point?

So.... what happened in Iowa?

I'm starting this about 8:15 Monday morning.

DISCLAIMER:  I have no dog in this fight.  The people of this state are so far out of importance or counting for the presidential nominations of the major parties that they have to fly in daylight to us.  We won't even have a primary until May... and this will have been long-since decided.

So, everything I write here is impacted primarily by polling and only eine bißchen by my own personal bias.  I am not supporting any candidate.

Polling indicates the order of Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Carson and the rest.

Polling is also notoriously something less than accurate in Iowa for the caucuses.

Doesn't matter to me which of the nutjobs/criminals running on the left wins there.  The democrats deserve either of them.

Polling is hard to ignore, however, because to ignore it involves the witch-craft of divining who exceeds or fails to meet expectations.  Theoretically, the science of polling becomes more refined each election: models are adjusted to reflect a changing technology base and demographic.  Results are back-analyzed in an effort to improve translation for future caucuses, given the unique nature of the Iowan system.

I can make, I believe, some relatively safe assumptions from the last, notably more historically accurate Des Moines Register/Bloomberg poll:

The Establishment is not going to be happy tonight.

Over 50%... possibly as high as 60%... will be going to the combination of Trump/Cruz and Carson.

The individual who wins here tonight does not assume front-runner status.  This is much more a beauty contest than an actual "thing" and the media is spending far too much time on this when other issues confronting us are far more important than who comes in first on the GOP side and gets the 8 delegates followed by 6 for second and 4 for third.  Considering 1237 delegates are needed to get the Brass Ring, whoever wins has an very, very long road to hoe.

It's the kind of thing that feeds on itself in a circle.  No one in the media wants to be outdone.  Trump continues to say "outrageous" things and the media covers all of it under the guise that maybe... just maybe... something he says or does will FINALLY lead to his downfall... and how many times have they pronounced him DOA?

And they so desperately want that.  So, all networks pour more assets into Iowa which results in reporters pontificating on such momentous issues like hotel breakfast buffets.

Meanwhile, the Establishment slime have spent a fortune trying to pump their guys up.

Little Jebbie hardly looks like the anointed one he was portrayed as, say, a year ago.

None of those who've caved on illegal aliens seem to be getting the traction they need.

Rubio, one of the most blatant examples of those who've caved, seems to be getting some momentum.  But will it be too little, too late?  We'll know in about 14 hours or so.

Weather may impact.

Horrific snow forecasts may impact, though weather forecasts for tonite appear to be at least "OK."

If Trump does not win here, expect everyone to point to the missed FOXNews dog and pony show.  But did you notice?  His decision to ignore the debate caused him to be the center of every news story in the cycle.

Had he stayed and put up with that snarky leftist gas bag, he wouldn't have picked up nearly as much ink.

That may provide those who don't support Trump with some comfort, but depending on who you look at, the debate had 11 million viewers or so.

That means roughly 320 million of us (including me) blew it off.  How important can it be that he missed the opportunity to stand there and say the same things he... and all of the others... have said repeatedly before?

What's going to happen tonight?

Well, I feel like Fan Duel.  It's likely to be one of the top three in the polls.  But Iowa voters are like herding cats.  Questions of organization and turn out rule the day.  People who are angry enough to get motivated are likely to do what it takes. 

I think it will be Trump.  He taps into anger fairly well.  And if I'm wrong...

Well, I can always blame Trump blowing off the debate.

Heh.

Gee, if only the RINO House leadership (and, of course, Herrera) hadn't been such cowards.

With a government of liars on both sides of the aisle along with cowards and RINOs on the GOP side, I have to wonder: what would our level of debt look like if the GOP had refused to support these efforts to bury us in debt beginning years ago?

The GOP Establishment, of course, only cares about winning elections. And ultimately, they have no more of a problem stealing our money than the dems.

Locally, just look at Sen. Ann "Gas Tax" Rivers. Nationally, just look at our cardboard cutout of a Congresswoman, Jaime Herrera.

Neither one gave a damn or give a damn about drowning us in debt.

Their votes speak for themselves.

EXCLUSIVE: Secret Fed Docs Show Obama Misled Congress, Public During Debt Limit Crises

Richard Pollock

Reporter

8:12 PM 01/31/2016

U.S. President Barack Obama in Omaha, Nebraska, January 13, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

  

4880833

Federal Reserve Bank of New York officials secretly conducted real-time exercises during the 2011 and 2013 debt-limit crisis that demonstrated the federal government could function during a temporary shutdown by prioritizing spending, even as Treasury Secretary Jack Lew publicly claimed many times that such efforts were “unworkable,” according to a new report by the House Financial Services Committee obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation.
 
The staff report, to be released Tuesday, charges that Lew and other Obama administration officials deliberately misled Congress and the public during the federal budget and debt limit showdowns in both years. The committee will convene a public hearing on the report Feb. 2.
 
The report also states that the Obama administration crafted actual contingency plans to pay for Social Security and veterans benefits, as well as principal and interest on the national debt if the government was temporarily unable to borrow more money. The Committee concludes that over the last two years the Treasury Department has “obstructed” congressional efforts to get to the bottom of the administration’s real-time policy during the two showdowns.
 
The Constitution stipulates that only Congress can determine how much money the federal government can borrow. Presidents thus cannot unilaterally spend beyond congressional debt ceiling limits set. The committee — chaired by Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas — charged that during both confrontations, the Obama administration held the country’s creditworthiness “hostage” by claiming default was the only possibility if the debit ceiling was not raised.

State Senator Don Benton calls it a career.

It's going to be odd, frankly.  As Lew Waters pointed out, one third of Lefty Lou Brancaccio's reason for living has finally pulled the plug.

Whatever will Lefty Lou do?

Benton was elected to the House as part of the GOP wave in 94, I worked closely with him on a variety of projects and campaigns.

It was fascinating to watch him work.  I alternated between being impressed to my core by a man who could manipulate political events around him like a child playing with blocks to cringing when he would engage in overkill that I felt was so unnecessary.

The faux outrage of his hiring as the DES director is, of course, the most recent effort of democratian character assassination.

I pointed out at the time that had the commissioners, for example, appointed fringe-left nutburger Jimmy Moeller to the job, the Lying Lefty Lou Lynch Mob wouldn't have uttered a peep, instead, gushing about what a visionary choice the commissioners had made.

With the hiring, however, the scumbag version of the Pied Piper, Lefty Lou, thought he'd seen an opening for arguing in favor of colored toilet paper when white had worked so well for so long... and he took it.

He whipped up the local version of the political Klan, Leftist lights like "No Choice" Royce Pollard, quasi-opportunist and two-time loser (Congress and state auditor) Craig Pridemore and Mr. Crochet, Ed Barnes among them, by mentioning once... and ONCE ONLY, that NOTHING THAT TOOK PLACE WAS ILLEGAL... into a frenzy reminiscent of the Nazi Rallies in Nuremberg before World War 2.

Meetings were held and trumpeted by Lefty concerning totally bogus efforts to recall Commissioners David Madore and Tom Mielke over the hiring.  There were no grounds for a recall, you understand, but then, we all knew that the basis for this entire escapade was leftist hatred... hatred that eventually resulted in the C3G2 hate group... and then the horrific Charter.

Commission meetings became unnecessarily excruciating platforms for leftist scum like Ed Barnes and Pollard and a host of others to sit there and belittle and berate the commissioners.  Madore's failure to implement the exact duplicate of the so-favored by the left (who wanted to silence opposition to the CRC/Loot Rail Scam) Vancouver City Council speaking rules played a major role in making these meetings essentially unwatchable.

Meanwhile, the leftist hatred fomented into the C3G2 hate group.  Populated by additional political opportunists... Chuckie Green (D-CTran), for example, who's act was so predictable as to be a joke... and Melissa Smith, Camas City Councilwoman who's knowledge of the Constitution she's sworn to follow could fit in a thimble and look like a football stadium with the room left over.  From her last facebook page:

Odd, isn't it?

SHE is entitled to HER "personal opinions" on her facebook page, but in her world of squirrels, David Madore isn't entitled to his.

The double standard and hatred of C3G2 are local legends.  But their effectiveness, even if hatred is their motivation... and it is... is undeniable.

This brings us back to Benton.

I have advised Don to quit this gig for at least a decade.

There comes a time when "public service" crosses the line of "diminishing returns."

For the past 2 or 3 years, I have lost touch with Sen. Benton for the most part.

I look at what's been going on and I'm torn with admiration that he's withstood the hatred and vitriol and character assassination of those who base their political position not on the merits of Benton as a Senator but as Benton as an individual.  And under Rule 5, the attacks have not been based on his governance nearly as much as they've been based on ridicule: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.

And, as you can see, the leftists are masters of playing that like the GOP has mastered the art of BEING played BY that.

For as long as Benton has been in elective office, the hatred of the man, regardless of his effectiveness as a Senator, has been the leftist lead.  It used to be that same way with former Conservative, now fringe-left nutjob Marc Boldt.  In fact, this very rag once published a demand that then Rep. Boldt resign.

But that was back when he was actually a Republican.  And now that he's of the Young Democrat ilk and he carries the water of the democratian like Gunga Din, including his rabid and inexplicable support for the hated CRC/Loot Rail scam, all is forgiven.  And who can forget the Linda Smith staffer who equated Boldt with an idiot?

All of this probably happened because Rep. Boldt is not exactly "quick" and probably had trouble keeping up with Linda when she was explaining it all (the politics) to him.  Nice guy... not quick.  At any rate, the damage control is under way and it is doubtful that she will try to explain anything to Marc again with out a drawing board to draw pictures.

Meanwhile, Benton made his opposition clear to the CRC Scam and is worthy of acknowledgement for the role he played in helping to end it.

For now.  (Since the places are being moved in an effort to restart it.)

And that was just one of the many reasons that the rag focuses on for their reason to hate him.

You see, when they hate you, they hate you.  And their hatred of Benton goes back a LONG ways.

From Lew Water's research

Seeing the words in endorsing his latest opponent, Democrat Tim Probst and knowing that Senator Benton has been a strong voice for and advocate on behalf of constituents over 4 terms got me to wondering if he has ever done something to please them. Looking, if he ever did, you surely couldn’t tell it from their endorsing every single opponent to challenge him, even if they also admitted Senator Benton was the better candidate.

In 1996, the first year Benton ran for the Senate the Columbian, endorsing his opponent Shirley Galloway said,

“On the issues, Benton has the clearer perspective. His concern about ever-increasing property taxes is fully justified. But his proposed solutions are often extreme; if given the chance, for instance, Benton seems inclined to support outright repeal of the Growth Management Act rather than its careful modification.”

“Galloway is sometimes too quick to defend the status quo, particularly in regard to the problems besetting public education. But her record emphasizes consensus-building over confrontation. That gives Galloway the edge.”

That is probably the nicest word I have seen pertaining to Senator Benton in their pages.

In 2000 they wrote of Democrat challenger Lou Peterson,

“...although sincere and well-intentioned, lacks even a rudimentary understanding of the important policy questions for Southwest Washington and the state. About the only attribute in his favor is the fact that he’s not Don Benton. And on that admittedly flimsy basis, we endorse Peterson.”

In 2004 they wrote when endorsing Democrat challenger Paul Waadevig,

“[Benton’s] consistent whining about big government is a smokescreen that avoids facing problems such as overcrowded highways...Benton’s belligerence is seen first in his own bridge-torching words”

And

“Waadevig differs strongly with Benton on light rail (he favors planning for it) and a third Columbia River bridge in Clark County (he opposes it, instead advocating upgrades to the I-5 bridge).”

And therein lies the Columbian’s biggest reason to fight so hard to oust Don Benton, he opposes forcing Clark County residents to accept the financially failing light rail from Portland that we have rejected some 3 ties now.

In 2008, endorsing Democrat David Carrier, the Columbian ratcheted up their noise with,

“Benton’s bellicose collisions with colleagues raised eyebrows… [H]e’s become an inveterate ‘Dr. No,’ opposing sensible ideas that draw popular support, such as all-mail voting and abolishing the supermajority for school levies. He is even opposed to the proposal for replacing the decrepit and dangerous Interstate 5 Bridge.”

Again, his common sense opposition to the CRC is mentioned.

Needless to say, the Columbian has long desired to oust Benton and see him replaced with a pro-CRC State Senator and someone in lock-step with the leftist agenda pushed by the Columbian.

So it was no surprise to read in their endorsement of Tim Probst,

“The strong Republican is locked in a bitter battle with moderate Democrat Tim Probst, a state representative who’s seeking to dethrone the incumbent conservative kingpin,” 

And 

“Give Benton credit for consistency, but not as a positive force. He’s been a polarizing figure, more prone to attack than to seek accord, burdened by a background pocked with spotty attendance and hostility even toward leaders of his own party,”

parroting the specious flyers sent out by the Probst campaign that was shot to pieces by the very GOP leaders he relied upon to blast Benton.

There is, of course, something to be said for the "screw you" element of Benton's continuation in office.  Who doesn't get at least a minor thrill from succeeding against this wall of hatred in an "in-your-face" kind of way?

I have a small taste of the left's and RINO's hatred of Benton and other conservatives, purely situational because they would love me and everything about me if I wrote on their behalf.

But there's a reason it's so hard to find a left-leaning blog around here that isn't the violation of journalistic tenets the democratian's reporter's "blogs" represent, that let them make any allegation or post any lie without journalistic constraint because, after all, it's their "opinion."  Of course, reporter "opinion" has zero place in any newspaper, no matter how you dress it up.

And how long would a conservative-leaning "journalist" last at the democratian, if it were possible to find such a creature?

On the whole, I value Benton's service as a senator.  It hasn't been perfect, to be sure, but whose service has?

I can't think of where he's done the people any particular harm, where he's ran on a platform, say, of opposing the gas tax and tab fee increase, a scam that hung a $700 million bill on this county and enriched a few "friends" at the expense of his integrity... like Sen. "Gas Tax" Rivers, for example... only to ignore that pledge when crunch time rolled around.

He was instrumental in getting rid of that idiotic HOV-lane to the I-5 Bridge that caused so many accidents... the four-year long "experiment" that was an utterly abysmal failure.

But no reward for government service is worth that abuse.

I have been vilified, most recently by my psychotic brother-in-law and County Chair, Marc Boldt, for "hiding behind my keyboard" instead of getting out there and allowing myself to be shot at close range as a candidate by these leftist scum.  He's not the only one to use this equation, and he's likely not the last.

Well, I wore this nation's uniform for a whole lot of years... something those who whine about me the most have rarely done or done not at all... and that was enough.

Of course, that's part of the leftist plan: beat the hell out of anyone conservative and, well, conservatives won't run.

So be it.

Leftists whine about civility, but have a very difficult time providing it.  And while I may at some point run for office... it wouldn't be to win... it would be to make sure that someone loses.  Almost like the Jeanne Stewart scam in the primary last August.

Meanwhile, Benton has done all right for himself.  He's also done OK for us.  While the C3G2 hater types are, no doubt, wearing their black robes and dancing around a fire while they sacrifice a goat and chant modified Klan songs at the Benton announcement, it could be that we'll miss him in Olympia.

Of course, on the other hand, the recent allegedly GOP-controlled state Senate has frequently been more of a disappointment than they've been something to emulate or desire to be in office, thanks to the RINO element running it and the local sell out who betrayed us on the gas tax.

So, maybe, no one will notice.

Thanks for two decades of effort in Sodom-on-the-Sound.  It's been a rough ride.  And I'm fairly sure it's not over yet.