John Barnes

Seattle Times: Deposition of Dino Rossi was a Farce

By John Barnes | 10/29/08

The Seattle Times editorialized against the cheap political stunt that brought Dino Rossi into a deposition hearing.  A tidbit: The deposition of Dino Rossi was a farce. For four hours in Seattle Tuesday, two pro-Democratic lawyers took turns jabbing the Republican candidate for governor with questions mostly irrelevant to the legal matter for which he was required to be there. The supposed issue was what Rossi had said to certain members... read more »

State Says Unborn Children Count as Part of Household, But It's Okay to Kill Them Too

By John Barnes | 10/24/08

Interesting tidbit buried in an audit of state health care coverage eligibility.  The state's Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) conducted the audit, which is dated 9/24/08.  On page 82, in the eligibility determination process section for Medically Needy Medical Assistance for Pregnant Woman, JLARC lists one of the Household size is calculated including all verified unborn children. That is, a single woman... read more »

If You Think Government is Expensive Now...

By John Barnes | 10/24/08

Just wait until Barack Obama is president and the dynamic Pelosi-Reid duo run Congress.  The Wall Street Journal has an excellent article today: "How's Obama Going to Raise $4.3 Trillion?"  Obama has been promising lots of new spending and tax hikes that will fall only on those who make oodles of money, yet as the Journal points out: Mr. Obama has offered no clue as to how he intends to pay for his health-insurance... read more »

Are Seattleites Wearying of Taxes?

By John Barnes | 10/23/08

Seattleites are notorious for their generosity when it comes to the public treasury.  But as the economy sours and news of layoffs piles up, there are signs that people in the Seattle area are thinking "enough is enough." Let's start with the most recent headline: "Nickels says parks can wait -- he's voting 'no' on levy."  That's right, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels (can you think of a better last name for the mayor of a city that loves... read more »

24,000 Felons Will Receive Ballots for November Election

By John Barnes | 10/16/08

Evergreen Freedom Foundation has the story about 24,000 felons in Washington who will be getting ballots for the upcoming general election. Jonathan Bechtle, an attorney with EFF, cites a press release from KIRO 7 News in Seattle: The Washington Secretary of State's Office has been touting its new elections super-computer, which was set up in 2006 to purge illegal voters off the rolls.KIRO-TV's Investigative Reporter, Chris Halsne conducted an... read more »

With Economists Like These...

By John Barnes | 10/15/08

A running joke about academia is that PhD really stands for "piled higher and deeper."  With that in mind, it's worth noting that Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown has a PhD in economics.  All kidding aside, you certainly wouldn't guess those credentials based on what she told staff at Crosscut when she visited their office this week.  From Crosscut's blog: Despite the massive revenue shortfall and tough economic times,... read more »

Corruptio ad Absurdum

By John Barnes | 10/07/08

One of my favorite websites, despair.com, has a new "demotivator" out today.  It fits with the times. If you have a few minutes to spare and want a good chuckle, browse through all of their demotivators.  I also recommend buying the 12-month calendar that lets you pick and choose which demotivators are featured.  It's hanging up in my office right now. read more »

Is This America or North Korea?

By John Barnes | 10/06/08

We'll file this one in the "laugh so you don't cry" category. Below is a video of students paying homage to the Dear Leader.  FOX News has the story about a teacher who was fired for having his students chant political propaganda and pledge allegiance to Obama. In case you ever wonder where your public education tax dollars go, look no further. read more »

During Seattle Visit, Czech Republic President Cites EU's Crippling Effect on Democracy

By John Barnes | 10/04/08

Wednesday night Václav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic, addressed 1,100 guests of Washington Policy Center at the organization's 2008 Annual Dinner in Seattle.  His remarks are available online.   President Klaus received the 2008 Columbia Award "for his courage and dedication in leading the Czech people out of the shadow of communism and for creating a modern market economy based on respect for individual liberty, property... read more »

Governor To Suspend Paid Family Leave Program?

By John Barnes | 09/26/08

At yesterday's debate between gubernatorial candidates Christine Gregoire and Dino Rossi, Governor Gregoire said she is planning to suspend the state's paid family leave program. The family leave plan would have paid up to $250 per week for five weeks to qualified workers in the event of the birth of a child or adoption of a newborn.  When lawmakers created the program they did not create a funding mechanism, and with a $3.2 billion... read more »