What WA Democrats will do if they get supermajorities in 2024
According to an article in The Stranger, “The 2024 election cycle looks very good for Washington State Democrats…If they defend a few easily defensible seats and win a handful of plausibly winnable seats, they could even secure supermajorities in both chambers. Assuming voters elect a Democratic Governor, which seems probable, Democrats would then have the power to amend the state constitution.”
Here are just three amendments they’d like to make, but their list is long.
Lower the school bond threshold
According to senator Jamie Pedersen and representative Monica Stonier (D), Democrats would like to change the school bond threshold to a simple majority instead of the current 60% majority. “During the 2023 election cycle in Washington, 20 school bond measures went on ballots in local elections. Of them, only two met the 60% threshold of votes needed to pass.” (Source)
Voters refused to approve many of these school bond issues for a variety of reasons, push-back against woke educators being one of them. Tacoma was an exception, however. This year, voters approved a $650 million bond without any counterargument published against it. The schools used their robocall system to tell parents to vote for the bond. They used their website to promote the bond. And nobody wrote an against statement in the voters’ pamphlet. If voters had been informed, it’s highly likely the bond would not have passed.
Codify abortion
“Many Democrats in Olympia want abortion protections laid out plainly in the state constitution, which would make it even more difficult for policymakers inside Washington to try overturning abortion access. But Democrats don’t hold enough seats in Olympia to make that change without help from Republicans — who have so far refused.” (source)
This despite the fact that Washington voters first legalized basic access to abortions in 1970, three years before the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. The Legislature has also created a series of laws and spent millions to support abortion access. When Roe was overturned two years ago, Democrats in Washington threw even more money at the issue. “A 2022 law outlined more comprehensive abortion regulations and rights. In 2023, the Legislature approved a “shield” law to protect abortion seekers and providers from out-of-state lawsuits, and another law aimed at protecting data privacy for people who might seek an abortion. Part of the state budget that year also included roughly $21 million to support abortion providers, as they see an uptick of people seeking services coming from states where abortion is largely banned, like Texas. Lawmakers added more money toward that effort earlier this year.”
Provide universal basic income programs
“We know that giving people cash with no strings attached as quickly as possible actually works. We did it during the pandemic,” said Rep. Liz Berry, D-Seattle. In 2022, Democrats introduced the Evergreen Basic Income Trust, HB 2009, which would pay qualifying participants a monthly amount equal to the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment where the participant lives.
Washington would be the first to implement a UBI that could drain taxpayer resources and allow non-citizens, including undocumented residents, to apply. “Do you think no one lies to get no-strings-attached money?” said one testifier, Sharon Damoff.
And more…
The above is just a brief sample of what the Democrats will do if they get their supermajority. They also want to ban all gas powered lawn equipment, and throw you in jail if you use any of it. Weed eating is not a crime! They want to ban natural gas stoves and furnaces. You will be required to switch to electric heating or just freeze in the winter. Don’t have the money to switch? Not their problem.
If you think the tyranny of the majority is bad now, wait till Dems get a supermajority.