Surveying the wreckage of policymaking in Washington, the Seattle P-I lets loose with a fire-breathing editorial. It begins:
We thought the state’s progressives and moderates had made up their minds to be leaders in addressing climate change. But it seems that many Democrats in the Legislature are green posers who talk a good game but turn a cowardly shade of yellow when action is needed.
My thoughts exactly.
Update, 12:10 p.m.: I missed this Seattle Timeseditorial that is rightly baffled by events in Olympia:
If the Legislature, with the acquiescence of Gregoire, has lost faith in the concept of controlling greenhouse-gas emissions, admit it. If everyone is spooked by the economy, say so. If a credible argument can be made that more time is needed to create an administrative template for the market-based cap-and-trade plan and acquaint industry with it, please say so.
If Washington’s economy is perceived to be too vulnerable to move ahead, the governor and legislative leaders need to say so. Is more time needed to perfect a workable plan, or is this a big step backward?
justinf
It’s frustrating that we apparently have billions of dollars to replace the viaduct with a tunnel (that a majority of voters have already rejected), but there is no money for addressing climate change. Democratic leaders from the city level on up to the governor talk a lot about climate change, but when it comes time to act, they show no leadership at all.