It’s been a long time since I was in school, and to be honest I never paid enough attention in class. But I do remember there are supposed to be three equal branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial.
Each had specific responsibilities, but none of them were designated king.
Today, I doubt you could find many young people who could identify those three branches of government, what they do, or why it was set up that way in the first place.
President Barack Obama recently pointed out he had a “pen and a phone,” doesn’t need Congress, and will act on his own, claiming he just couldn’t wait for Congress to agree with him. Not really how it is supposed to work.
Gov. Jay Inslee appears to have forgotten (or is ignoring) his civics as well.
He has announced he’ll have his Department of Ecology develop a plan to cap carbon emissions in the state, and increase enforcement of existing pollution laws, complaining “the state can’t wait for legislative action to address climate change.”
Sure sounds familiar.
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty tired of governance by executive order. I’d prefer he make a case to the Legislature and win the argument, preferably during the regular session.
Apparently he couldn’t.
Governing isn’t always pretty, but we’re not a monarchy and Inslee (or Obama) don’t get to be king. Both swore an oath and promised to support the Constitution and enforce the law. That means working with their legislative branches, and both of them need to remember that.
Inslee claims, “Carbon pollution and the climate change it causes pose a very real and existential threat to our state.” Maybe, but even if his executive order could make a smidgen of difference in the world (it won’t), if it is such a good idea, why don’t other branches of government agree?
The courts have overruled Obama on a couple of occasions, one of which was his EPA overreach. But here at home, Inslee won’t likely have to worry about that. His court is very friendly to liberal causes.
California has enacted much of this nonsense and as far as I can tell, it’s done nothing to save the planet. But it has had a negative impact on the state’s economy.
I guess Inslee wants that for us, too.
Inslee believes if he “… addresses carbon pollution and maintains a robust investment in transit, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, ferries and other important transportation choices” things will be good.
Really? “Robust investment?” That’s just more code speak for spending our money, and I have no idea what “important transportation choices” even means. I hope it means better roads and cheaper gas.
But I bet it doesn’t.
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Rumors. They grow legs, cost money, and can hurt people affected by them. This past week, there was the story debunking a rumor the vice principal and athletic director at Centralia High School had hosted a party involving underage drinking and marijuana smoking at his home.
The rumor prompted a school district and law enforcement investigation, which isn’t inexpensive, but given the fact it involved a vice principal, was certainly necessary.
By all accounts, the vice principal was exonerated of these allegations and it sounded like he did everything right.
I don’t know the vice principal or anything more than what I read, but the actions of some of the invited guests were certainly disappointing and a matter of disrespect. He opened his home, had a few rules (no alcohol) and a few of the guests abused this kindness anyway.
The result of their behavior put him (and possibly his career) in a very bad spot and they owe him (and his family) an apology.
If that happens, maybe something useful will be the result.
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John McCroskey was Lewis County sheriff from 1995 to 2005. He lives outside Chehalis, and can be contacted at musingsonthemiddlefork@yahoo.com.
