The Political Junkie

Hello Loyal Readers,

Another slow week, but I have an interview with Mt Baker Planned Parenthood Executive Director Linda McCarthy about a troubling turn of events at PeaceHealth. The article should go live this weekend. But for now, it is time for all the news that’s good enough to share, just not enough to justify its own post.

First up, Rep. Jason Overstreet continues his trend of not caring about the welfare of children. Last session, he voted against protecting our children from lead-painted toys. This year, a bill (SB 5991) was drafted in the wake of the Sandusky Penn State scandal. It would require certain higher education employees who work with children to report neglect or abuse immediately if they have reasonable cause to believe a child has suffered such abuse. The bill sailed through the contentious senate unanimously and received an overwhelming eighty-four yes votes in the House. Naturally, Rep. Overstreet voted no because we can’t have any protections for abused children on his watch.

Rep. Vincent Buys

On Monday, Planned Parenthood organized their annual lobby day where citizens from all over the state descend on Olympia to urge their legislators to support family planning. This year, a bus full of voters came from Bellingham to meet with our representatives from the 40th and 42nd. Rep. Overstreet was unavailable to see any of his constituents that were involved with Planned Parenthood, but Rep. Vincent Buys made time to talk to them. He gave them a lengthy lecture about the importance of abstinence before closing with this whopper of a quote.

“If college students can afford Starbucks, then they could choose to spend money on birth control.” 

Rep. Buys? I hate to break it to you, but people do have sex outside of college. I know this is shocking, but you are a legislator and we really expect you to realize these sorts of things.

On the other end of the spectrum, Sen. Doug Ericksen professed his support for family planning, but refused to fund it. Because if you support something, that doesn’t mean you should actually vote yes for it or anything.

Finally, according to a blind taste test, Kulshan Brewery has the best IPA in town. I know those are fighting words, but I read it in the Western Front, it must be true.