Safety valves being removed – Forcing a one size fits all society

An important component of a free societiy is that different people believe diiferent things and are able to act on their beliefs.

Here’s an example:

Some parents are OK with public schools. Some want to send their children to private schools. Some want to homeschool their kids. People get to move off in different directions. This is a safety valve.

People choose different churches to attend, or attend no church at all. This is a safety valve.

Voting can act as a safety valve but voting is not changing the scene.

We don’t ask voters to pick the two most popular churches and make plans for government to eliminate the rest because they may be spreading misinformation.

Suppressing choices

Years ago, it was understood that some people preferred to smoke. Some preferred to be vegan. Some preferred to eat meat. Some preferred electric cars, some preferred a powerful truck to pull a horse trailer.

A live and let live attitude seems to be fading.

There has been talk of getting rid of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines and discussion of prohibiting legal firearms.

Suppressing businesses

People agreed to rules when they applied for a business license.

The rules are changing to something the business owner never agreed on.

Imagine owning and operating an apartment complex.

The government says you must let a few dozen people stay in your apartment complex without paying rent. The government will decide when this new policy will change back to the agreed upon legal structure of the past.

Are tax obligations reduced when business activity is restricted?

Do property taxes go down when fleets of school buses sit idle and students remain at home?

The family friendly, hometown pride-oriented local small town papers and TV news folks are welcome to do interviews related to public policy. Unfortunately, they seem to avoid asking questions, while lining up for federal bailout cash.

People go to alternative media because small town papers and TV newspeople have moved away from asking questions.

Press might need less bailout cash if it was more in the habit of asking questions

Dec 31, 2020 reason

Eviction Moratoriums Are Transforming From Emergency Stopgaps to Permanent Programs

“Imposing eviction moratoriums by executive fiat, as many governors have done, has always been legally dubious…”

Dec 23rd 2020 KOMO News

Gov. Inslee extends state’s eviction moratorium

“Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has again extended the state’s eviction moratorium, this time through the end of March.”

Love to see newspeople ask:

Have any arrangements been made to cover property owner’s costs for mortgages, taxes, repairs, maintenance, water, trash pickup, sewer, insurance, etc.

Who pays to have the apartment complex dumpster emptied if the property manager cannot collect rent?

Had an interaction on Twitter and was told:

“You realize that’s part of the utility bill in WA? Services can’t be shut off during the pandemic, @yeomalt.”

Love to see the press provide more details on the updated situation.

How does the trash company get paid for services?

Killing Incentives in WA

“One person should not have indefinite power to make decisions affecting every aspect of our lives…”

December 30, 2020 KING 5 News

Gov. Inslee extends COVID-19 restrictions until Jan. 11

Masks have been widely used & accepted.

Bars, restaurants, grocery stores and fitness centers had mask and sanitation protocols in place months ago. They are not trying to toss masks. They are trying to stay open the way they already have been in recent weeks.

Restaurants that have followed protocol must end indoor dining. Not restaurants that have served alcohol to minors, or caused food poisoning, but all restaurants. Even the very best restaurants.

People want to keep their businesses open, but may not do so, even if they follow rules that have been previously established. All restaurants, no matter how well they follow protocol must end indoor dining.

Restricted Activities – Guilty Until Proven Innocent

The Science

People have earned a right to be skeptical

In Washington State, government is trusted to do the right thing:

Nov 30, 2020 OregonLive

Auditor: Washington state agency head slowing investigation into massive unemployment fraud

“…Investigation into massive fraud resulting in the theft of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.”

Why are voters presented with issues on the ballot that may not be legally decided by voters?

Every vote counts?

October 15, 2020 Crosscut

WA Supreme Court rules $30 car tab initiative is unconstitutional

“For the third time in state history, a measure promising to cut car-tab taxes to $30 a year has been blocked by Washington state courts.”

Public Safety Dealbreaker

Washington State Patrol yields the right of way to protests on I-5.

July 5, 2020 KIRO 7

Death of I-5 protester sparks end of nighttime freeway protests

“But the Washington State Patrol looked the other way, even setting up barriers during the nearly three weeks of nighttime protests on the freeway.”

After enabling criminal conduct, WSP will no longer enable criminal conduct:

“Blocking a freeway is a crime and no longer are we going to enable that criminal conduct to continue,” said State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead, who made the decision to no longer close the interstate. “We are not going to be allowing protesters to access the freeway unimpeded, and there are consequences for criminal conduct.”

“State Patrol had shut down the interstate 19 nights in a row in response to protests, said Capt. Mead, who oversees the agency’s district that includes King County. For weeks, troopers operated in response to protesters’ movements, shutting down a stretch of the interstate when it looked as if protesters would enter the roadway.”

May 12th, 2020

“The construction project wasn’t delayed by the coronavirus pandemic; it was considered essential since it was state funded.”

Got it.

The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.

If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.

Governor Inslee,

Telling us that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and designating marijuana and booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.

Does the science still say WA marijuana and booze sales are essential?

Jan 1, 2021 Questionable Authority

Clash At The Capitol! Blue Line Backers Attack Activist Over Speech After Blue Line Attacks Them

“On the 12/20/20 in Salem Oregon constitution loving activists and freedom fighters gathered at the Oregon State Capitol building to have their voices heard during a rare in person legislative session. A small contingent of people had a peaceful plan to get inside the building with some help from politicians. As usual the politicians came through for the corporation rather than the people. Policy enforcers were called in and barred the people from entering the building. Only some press, politicians and of course their staff and the enforcers were allowed in. This caused a clash between the people and the blue line enforcement gang. After was all done and settled an a freedom activist attempted to burn a blue line flag as a symbolic gesture and was attacked by “patriots” and self proclaimed veterans who I’m sure would claim they fought for these rights.”

12:47

Attempt to burn blue line flag: