Washblog

This is exactly the de-regulation model which has brought the US economy (let alone the world climate) to the brink of ruin.  It's an ironic time for the BIAW to be exposed like this, given this week's collapse of major financial institutions due to housing speculation. And considering the BIAW's idiotic recent attempt to pin the blame for the housing crisis on the media.

The fact that an industry group can legally skim millions of dollars from required taxpayer contributions to Worker's Compensation for its private war on government is a sign of the outrageous times. It just goes to show how criminals get higher levels of protection against being punished for their crimes as those crimes increase in seriousness and scale.

BIAW is Dino Rossi's biggest contributor.  How can it get any clearer?  We're on the verge of verge of electing an enemy of government -- who's got these ruinous and morally-bankrupt associates as his biggest backers -- to the highest governmental position in the state.

Kudos to retired Supreme Court justices Faith Ireland and Robert Utter, who filed the PDC complaint and plan to file a civil suit against BIAW if (when) Attorney General Rob McKenna fails to do his job and bring criminal charges.

And, please, read this story from today: Path to 3-Strikes: Abusive State Foster Care... for a useful comparison on the kinds of public investments -- like safe foster care for children -- that go starved for funds while these private interests wallow in the public wealth -- and how we attempt to compensate for the inevitable violence brought about by our preverse priorities.  While the rich and powerful pay a fine or two for dismantling government, poor people who commit street crimes are subjected to extreme and revengeful punishment.

They hang the man and flog the woman that steals the goose from off the common.  But let the greater villain loose who steals the common from the goose.