MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Hello Democrats,
Watching Republicans in Congress try and fail to govern has been a roller coaster that has jerked from vindicating (tell me it wasn’t a little bit satisfying to watch “Speaker” Kevin McCarthy lose his own Party’s vote 14 times in a row before eventually claiming a historically weak speakership) to horrifying and outrage-inducing over the course of just a few short weeks.
We’ve seen the GOP call for anti-family and anti-worker legislation by rescinding IRS funding, we’ve seen them pose anti-choice legislation that would impinge on fundamental human rights, and now they want to hold the U.S. and world economies hostage by refusing to raise the debt ceiling unless Congress agrees to cutting $130M in spending already allocated to vital services like Social Security and Medicare.
If Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling, the country would essentially go into default, wreaking havoc on both the domestic and global economy. It is deeply concerning (although altogether unsurprising) that right-wing Republicans are already trying to get their way by bypassing normal legislative channels and instead threatening to gut essential services and sow global chaos.
We trust that our bulwark in the Senate and the White House will prevent this from happening (not to mention that President Biden and administration officials have made clear they will not negotiate on the matter) – but this serves as a stern reminder that today’s GOP is not above using underhanded tactics that hurt all of us in order to push their corrupt and short-sighted agenda.
But does this come as any surprise? We could see this political environment coming from miles away when “Speaker” McCarthy (I have to keep using quotation marks because of how little he deserves the title) signed away huge swaths of his power to the worst of the worst on the far-right:
- Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who was removed from committee assignments in the last Congress for her racist and antisemitic conspiracy theories as well as her encouragement of violence against Democrats, holds spots on the Homeland Security and House Oversight and Accountability Committees.
- Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ), who was removed from committees two years ago after threatening Democratic lawmakers on social media, is now back on the Natural Resources committee. He also is now on the Oversight Committee.
- Blatant liar George Santos (R-NY), who is facing pressure to resign over shady campaign financing, was appointed to two committees: the House Committee on Small Business and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.
To name just a few.
Historian Heather Cox Richardson (to whom today’s newsletter owes a major debt) put it best when she said:
“the right wing appears willing to burn down the global economy and to destroy our place in it to impose their will on the country.”
Today’s GOP has cemented its reputation as the Party of chaos and division and “mainstream” Republicans have sent the message loud and clear they will do next to nothing to rein in their most destructive colleagues on the far-right. That means it is up to Democrats and Democrats alone to fight back and make sure we never let them accomplish their reprehensible goals.
The stakes are so high and we cannot back down. Thank you for standing with us in this critical struggle for the future of our country.
WORKING FOR WASHINGTON
While it can be difficult to pay attention to anything other than the chaos of national politics, I am extremely proud and grateful that, thanks to our hard work year after year and cycle after cycle, Washington State remains true blue. Nothing reflects this more clearly than the terrific work of our powerful and diverse Democratic legislature.
Now that the 2023 legislative session is in full swing we already have a great slate of progressive policy on the table:
- Sen. Christine Rolfes and Rep. Liz Berry proposed the WRAP Act (SB 5154 & HB 1131) which would transfer recycling costs from consumers to the companies that contribute to the waste stream.
- House Bills 1143, 1178, and 1240 (all introduced by Democrats) seek to increase common sense gun safety measures statewide.
- Rep. Jessica Bateman’s HB 1110 aims to increase housing affordability by promoting creation of less expensive multifamily developments.
- Democrats in both the House and Senate have proposed a constitutional amendment to protect reproductive rights across Washington State.
- Washington is expected to join six other state legislatures in simultaneously proposing increased taxes for their wealthiest citizens with Rep. Noel Frame leading the charge!
This is just the beginning and I am so excited to see what our terrific Democrats are able to build and accomplish over the course of the legislative session!
At a time when the GOP reminds us again and again about the dangers of disunity I am proud to stand with a united, powerful, progressive Democratic Party. Thank you for all you have done to help us build the strongest, most effective legislature in Washington State history!
DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS
How WA’s legislature is addressing the housing crisis in 2023
Lawmakers aim to tackle housing costs from all angles, including construction, subsidized housing, homeless services, zoning and renter protections.
Legislative session began in Olympia in person for the first time since 2020
For the first time since 2020, members of the Washington State Legislature met in-person.
Changing the face of Washington’s justice system
In the past decade, Inslee has strived to make Washington’s courts look more like the communities they serve
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued [a] statement on House Republicans doubling down on their extreme attacks on Americans’ reproductive rights.
Billionaires in blue states face coordinated wealth-tax bills
In lieu of a federal wealth tax, state lawmakers want to tax billionaires where they live, in states like California, Washington and New York.
Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!
With gratitude,
Washington State Democratic Party
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