Washblog

The News Tribune has a story about upcoming Clean Elections hearings in Olympia this week for bills promoted by Rep. Mark Miloscia, who was featured on our Clean Elections Town Hall Forums recently.

BILLS SEEK PUBLIC FUNDS FOR RACES

I posted a comment on their webpage after two snide anti-Miloscia comments quickly popped up.

My comment:
"Thank goodness for Rep. Miloscia, a man who is NOT comfortable with the present system and recognizes it needs to be changed. He honestly admits that until then, every elected official and candidate needs to worry about their own integrity, including himself.

Senator Pam Roach characterizes the proposed clean elections bills as "campaign welfare" in an attempt to disparage them as a expensive drain on the public. We don't label public schools "educational welfare" or public highways or city transit "transportation welfare"---although their costs total far more than campaigns would.

These things are appropriate for shared public INVESTMENT because they "promote the general welfare". Those words are from the U.S. Constitution, in its famous Preamble stating the purposes of our government.

A cynical Washington voter's "nothing will make a difference, they're all crooked" attitude is a good way to insure that the present inequities continue, more people drop out of participation in our democracy, and rich corporations are free to call the shots.

Many thanks to Rep Miloscia, Senator Kastama, and other legislators with the courage to fight this battle for the soul of our democracy.
~Dina Johnson"