MORT'S MUSINGS

Is Justice Barrett the Latest Shot in the “Deconstruction of Government” Pt. 3 / Justice Amy Coney Barrett may not be one of the most qualified candidates for the Supreme Court to receive confirmation, but her scholarship credentials are superlative. Barrett earned her law degree, summa cum laude, in 1997 at the #22 law school in the country, according to USNews, Notre Dame . She also taught law there since 2002. / She was confirmed as an Appellate Court Judge in the Seventh Circuit on Oct 30, 2017 . That means she’s been a Circuit Court Judge for all of three years , during which time she wrote 79 majority opinions. So, there is ample written record in her 79 opinions to give researchers an opportunity to measure her abilities to analyze legal issues and write concise opinions. / The uproar over her nomination and confirmation seems to stem largely from her almost categorical obverse legal philosophy from that of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg . And, she inherit...

Is Justice Barrett the Latest Shot in the “Deconstruction of Government” Pt. 2 / Schools of Constitutional Interpretation: Living Constitution; Originalism , Political Process theory; Purposivism; Textualism; & Strict Constructions. / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strict_constructionism / From the perspective of an observer, these six schools seem to be two groupings of three. Living Constitution, Political Process theory, & Purposivism in one group and Originalism, Textualism, & Strict Construction in the other. / The former seems to me to exist to make deciding the Constitutionality of a law easier and avoiding the lengthy task of pursuing a Constitutional Amendment. It makes change easier, which appeals to liberals. It also helps establish a body of precedent that can make future changes easier. / The latter seems to me to exist to make deciding the Constitutionality of a law more difficult and force the proponents of change into the len...

Is Justice Barrett the Latest Shot in the “Deconstruction of Government” Pt. 1 / This is a new series, intended to initiate dialogue on issues surrounding the unique characteristic of the Trump Administration. / “Deconstruction of Government ” is a concept delineated by Steve Bannon in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC); where he said, “... President Trump’s cabinet picks are aimed at “deconstruction of the administrative state,” meaning weakening regulatory agencies and other bureaucratic entities.” / https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/07/donald-trump-dismantling-american-administrative-state https://fortune.com/2017/02/25/bannon-trump-cabinet-cpac/ / In that speech, Bannon was focused upon the administrative bureaucracy, but subsequent events widened the scope of the concept to include most all of federal government. I seem to recall an analogy that describes it as to “drown it”. (You are invited to share your thoughts ...

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #25 / “The biggest problem we have is if they cheat with the ballots. / Thousands of Republican Leaders Oppose Him and Fraud Is His Biggest Problem? /. 10.30.20 / PHOENIX — President Donald Trump has refused to say he’d accept the results of the election in the event that he loses, and in the closing days of the race, some of his supporters have taken his faulty or unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud to heart. / At a packed outdoor rally in this battleground state Wednesday, Trump said the polls that show him trailing the Democratic nominee Joe Biden are “fake,” drawing boos from the crowd and raising their expectations of victory. He also said he feared voter fraud, which studies have repeatedly found to be extremely rare, and in most cases nonexistent. / “The biggest problem we have is if they cheat with the ballots. That's my biggest problem,” he told supporters at the Phoenix Goodyear Airport this week. “That's my on...

Is Justice Barrett the Latest Shot in the “Deconstruction of Government” Pt. 2 / Schools of Constitutional Interpretation : Living Constitution; Originalism, Political Process theory; Purposivism; Textualism; & Strict Constructions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strict_constructionism / From the perspective of an observer, these six schools seem to be two groupings of three. Living Constitution, Political Process theory, & Purposivism in one group and Originalism, Textualism, & Strict Construction in the other. / The former seems to me to exist to make deciding the Constitutionality of a law easier and avoiding the lengthy task of pursuing a Constitutional Amendment. This makes change easier, which appeals to liberals. It also helps establish a body of precedent that can make future changes easier. / The latter seems to me to exist to make deciding the Constitutionality of a law more difficult and force the proponents of change into the lengthy tas...

This posting begins a new series on MORT's Musings: Is Justice Barrett the Latest Shot in the “Deconstruction of Government” Pt. 1 / Definition of "Deconstruction of Government" / “Deconstruction of Government” is a concept delineated by Steve Bannon in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC ); where he said, “... President Trump’s cabinet picks are aimed at “deconstruction of the administrative state,” meaning weakening regulatory agencies and other bureaucratic entities.” / https://www.theguardian.com/.../donald-trump-dismantling... / https://fortune.com/2017/02/25/bannon-trump-cabinet-cpac/ / In that speech, Bannon was focused upon the administrative bureaucracy, but subsequent events widened the scope of the concept to include most all of federal government. I seem to recall an analogy that describes it as to “drown it”. / (You are invited to share your thoughts and ideas as this series proceeds. Please docume...

Pellicciotti Is at It Again / Attacking the Only Qualified Candidate in the Race / “ a slimy, desperate fishing expedition.” / First, he tried to accuse State Treasurer Duane Davidson of taking campaign contributions from corporations in which WA State invested. Facts do not support that accusation. https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6874288031269103101/2984578539516356019?hl=en / Next, he accused State Treasurer Duane Davidson of not attending the meetings in which those investment decisions are discussed. That was not supported, either. https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6874288031269103101/1760093901064260634?hl=en / The Tri-City Herald noticed this attack mode plan. This is what they said: “he apparently has gone on a slimy, desperate fishing expedition looking for any bit of information he can twist and use against Davidson.” https://www.tri-cityherald.com/article245658875.html / “Unreservedly, the Tri-City Herald Editorial Board recommen...

Former U.S. attorneys — all Republicans — back Biden, saying Trump threatens ‘the rule of law’/ Twenty former U.S. attorneys — all of them Republicans — on Tuesday publicly called President Trump “a threat to the rule of law in our country,” and urged that he be replaced in November with his Democratic opponent, former vice president Joe Biden. / “The President has clearly conveyed that he expects his Justice Department appointees and prosecutors to serve his personal and political interests,” said the former prosecutors in an open letter. They accused Trump of taking “action against those who have stood up for the interests of justice.” / The letter, signed by prosecutors appointed by every GOP president from Eisenhower to Trump, is the latest instance of Republicans backing Biden. In August, dozens of GOP national security experts signed a full-page newspaper ad endorsing Biden over Trump. / “He has politicized the Justice Department, dictating its priorities along politic...

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #99 / Huge, Out-of-State Campaign Contribution / Democrats Try to Buy the Office of Secretary of State / Democratic Secretaries of State Organization Sends Challenger $1,000,000+. / Although WA State’s Secretary of State Kim Wyman has been seen as a leader in the Vote-by-Mail movement, a bipartisan public official for the last eight years, and was once the chairperson or president of the national organization of Secretaries of State, the Democrats are seeking to flood the race with outside money and take over the office.

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #98 / Challenger Claims WA State Is Not a National Model for Vote-by-Mail / Tarleton’s Bizarre Rationale / 10.26.20 / In a recently broadcast forum by the GSBA, the Democratic Challenger claimed that WA State was not a national model for the use of Vote-by-Mail. Given that WA State leads the nation in the use of Vote-by-Mail and has consulted with many states wishing to begin Vote-by-Mail, that’s a strange claim. One has to wonder what her rationale might be. And one need only watch the video broadcast at 14:22 to hear what she said and why. / Tarleton claims that if WA State were the model, we wouldn’t be seeing long lines of people waiting for early voting at the polls in their states. From my perspective, her rationale is that Wyman has failed to get other states to adopt Vote-by-Mail. Wyman has no authority over other states that would force them to adopt Vote-by-Mail. Also, five states and the District of Colum...

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #97 / Nine Daily Newspapers Endorse Wyman for Secretary of State / These Newspapers Aren’t Buying Challenger’s Claims / 10.26.20 The Seattle Times , The Everett Herald , The Columbian , The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin , The Olympian , The Tacoma News Tribune , The Tri-City Herald , The Yakima Herald , and The Spokesman-Revie w have all endorsed Secretary of State Kim Wyman for re-election. / That’s a huge vote of confidence in the work Secretary Wyman has done over the last eight years. / And, it’s a clear repudiation of the challenger’s campaign claims.

AP Fact Check THE VIRUS TRUMP: “Even without vaccines, we’re rounding the turn. It’s going to be over.” — on C-SPAN, Sunday. TRUMP: “We’re rounding the turn. It’s going to be over.” — New Hampshire rally Sunday. TRUMP: “We’re rounding the turn, we’re doing great. Our numbers are incredible.” — North Carolina rally Saturday. THE FACTS: The numbers have turned harrowing, not “incredible.” The U.S. set a daily record Friday for new confirmed coronavirus infections and nearly matched it Saturday with 83,178, data published by Johns Hopkins University show. Close to 8.6 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and about 225,000 have died; both totals are the world’s highest. About half the states have seen their highest daily infection numbers so far at some point in October. “We’re not going to control the pandemic,” Mark Meadows, Trump’s chief of staff, said on CNN. “We are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other...

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #24 / Example of Why We Are Unable to Stem the Viru s / Board Members Not Required to Have Any Medical Training / BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Moments after hearing an Idaho hospital was overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients and looking at sending people as far away as Seattle for care, members of a regional health department board voted Thursday to repeal a local mask mandate. / https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-idaho-boise-686fcd99fec93b7c0908f675617b3bfd?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AP%20Morning%20Wire&utm_term=Morning%20Wire%20Subscribers

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #23 / Foreign Operatives Attempt to Influence US Election / They Clearly Have No Grasp of “Secret Ballots” Allegedly coming from the “Proud Boys” network, but apparently originating from an Iranian source , the perpetrators only succeed in demonstrating their lack of understanding of a “Secret Ballot” . The article makes the following statement about the message sent to voters in battle ground states: / “You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you,” warned the emails, which by Tuesday night were said to have reached voters in as many as four states, three of them hotly contested swing states in the coming presidential election. / The perpetrators may well have access to information about who’s registered to vote, but there is no way for them to determine how any individual voter voted. / So, the threat to ‘come after you’ is not likely to be able to distinguish Trump voters from Biden voters. One must then infe...

What Is the Role of a ‘State Bank’ in the WA State Treasurer’s Race? Pt. 8 / Why is the Democratic Party Targeting One of Its Own? / 10.23.20 / It’s long been known that to be a moderate Republican is to invite internecine conflict from the more conservative factors in our party. So, to reach across the aisle in this day and age can be detrimental to a political career. / Two Republican US Senators come to mind, both of whom have developed reputations for moderation and reaching across the aisle. They are Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Though they have crossed the aisle on occasion to support Democratic issues, they are now the targets of the Democratic endeavor to flip the US Senate. Why? Could it be because it’s presumed they will lack support from their own party? That’s pretty cold! / Here in WA State, a similar fight is developing within the State Democratic Party. Democratic leadership has targeted Sen. Mark Mullet a Democrat from the 5t...

Voting by mail in a pandemic: A state-by-state scorecard / Only WA State Received A Perfect Score! / https://www.brookings.edu/research/voting-by-mail-in-a-pandemic-a-state-by-state-scorecard/?fbclid=IwAR3NWAeRQTshjX5FXTPl9TTxyqz9FbZY68Aot1dGzFwGtJw5sh2ZqIT_uQs / Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, many have wondered if the U.S. can conduct a safe election in November. What we know is this: The safest and most secure way to vote in a pandemic is vote-by-mail. / During the 2020 primaries, coronavirus severely disrupted elections. State voting systems were overwhelmed by long lines, an influx of absentee ballot requests, and technology issues. Considering this, we have chosen to assess the ease of mail voting in each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., on dimensions such as requesting, completing, and submitting a mail-in ballot. This scorecard does not attempt to gauge overall voter experiences or cover all aspects of the voting system. It is a forward-looking and evolvin...

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #23 / Foreign Operatives Attempt to Influence US Election / They Clearly Have No Grasp of “Secret Ballots” / Allegedly coming from the “Proud Boys” network, but apparently originating from an Iranian source , the perpetrators only succeed in demonstrating their lack of understanding of a “Secret Ballot”. The article makes the following statement about the message sent to voters in battle ground states: / “You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you,” warned the emails, which by Tuesday night were said to have reached voters in as many as four states, three of them hotly contested swing states in the coming presidential election. / The perpetrators may well have access to information about who’s registered to vote, but there is no way for them at determine how any individual voter voted. So, the threat to ‘come after you’ is not likely to be able to distinguish Trump voters from Biden voters. One must then infer...

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #96 / Spokesman Review Endorses State Treasurer: Duane Davidson / Oct. 18, 2020 / 10.22.20 / This race asks whether voters want a certified public accountant to manage the state’s finances and investments or a former lawmaker who will work with legislators on policy. We believe the former should prevail, and that means a vote for incumbent Duane Davidson. / Davidson, a Republican, has more than a decade of experience as an elected treasurer – four years in his current office and a dozen as Benton County treasurer. During his first term at the state job, he managed state funds well . He’s stayed out of partisan politics . / His opponent, Democrat Mike Pellicciotti, brings no experience as an accountant. That’s not a disqualifier for the job, but it just doesn’t hold up against Davidson’s experience and demonstrated success as treasurer.

What Is the Role of a ‘State Bank’ in the WA State Treasurer’s Race? Pt. 7 / Would Pensions Funds Be the Source to Finance State Bank? / 10.22.20 / 1] The largest source of state funds that could be used to finance a state bank are pension funds. / 2] The question remains if unions are willing to have their funds used to fund a state bank, when so many state banks have failed and their deposits are not insured.

What Is the Role of a ‘State Bank’ in the WA State Treasurer’s Race?  Pt. 6 / Office of Financial Management Information    1]  North Dakota’s  deposits in their state bank earn . 05% . / 2]  In the latest study over the same time period,WA’s General Fund money earns 1.65%. That's 33 times as much. / 3]  Money to finance the state bank could come from bonds, the fees & interest for which would be passed on to member borrowers. / 4] Margin on bond rates would be the rate that matters, not the level of interest rates. 

Reasons to Re-Elect State Treasurer Duane Davidson. / 10.20.20 / •Davidson is endorsed by the Seattle Times, The News Tribune, The Olympian, The Columbian, the Tri-City Herald, and the Spokesman Review / •Davidson is trained and experienced as a treasurer and manager of funds. He is a CPA / His opponent is a lawyer and a legislator. / •Davidson has 25 yrs of experience as a treasurer , both in Benton County and WA State. / His opponent has no experience as a treasurer./ / •Davidson’s management of the State Treasurer’s office has led to the State receiving the highest ranking possible by companies that rank state’s financial activities . / •Davidson is the only bipartisan candidate in the race , having been endorsed by Democrats and Independents, as well as Republicans. / His opponent has almost no Independent or Republican Endorsements. / •Davidson is opposed to a state bank, as is his party . / His opponent says he’s opposed to a state bank, but his party is supp...

What Is the Role of a ‘State Bank’ in the WA State Treasurer’s Race ?  Pt. 5 / 10,20.20 / Evans School of Public Policy Report / 1]  The 2018 preliminary survey report of public entities said 23% indicated interest in a public coop bank, 22% indicated no interest, and 46% were uncertain. / 2]  Many of the services sought by those entities are provided by private financial institutions. / 3]  The private sector was not considered in the survey, due to the fact that state bank lending to the private sector is unconstitutional in WA State .  

What Is the Role of a ‘State Bank’ in the WA State Treasurer’s Race? Pt. 4 / State Bank Failures / Absent from the discussion of state banks is any mention of their history of failures . 10.20.20 / 1] Deposits in state banks are not protected by Federal Deposit Insurance programs, which means the taxpayers will be on the hook, if the bank fails for any reason . / 2] At some point in the last century Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Missouri, Indiana, & Virginia have had state banks and all have failed, leaving the taxpayers with substantial additional tax burdens. / 3] Puerto Rico ’s state bank was created in 1942 and liquidated in 2017. / 4] In California, the Los Angeles Community Development Bank was started in 1992 and closed its doors in 2004 because of insolvency. The cause appears to have been politically motivated criteria for otherwise problem loans. / 5] In 2018, Measure B (Los Angeles Public Bank Charte r) failed wi...

More than 200 retired generals, admirals endorse Biden, including some who served under Trump . / "Our allies no longer trust or respect us, and our enemies no longer fear us," the former officers and officials wrote in a letter released Thursday./ Sept. 24, 2020, 2:30 AM PDT By Courtney Kube and Dan De Luce https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/more-200-retired-generals-admirals-endorse-biden-including-some-who-n1240842?cid=sm_npd_ms_fb_ma&fbclid=IwAR3iCk_36WxPteLh3Si1jFIHsrWraO2LxwZgehB2GOJQGK-3TW1DNbppEt8/ WASHINGTON — More than 200 retired generals and admirals endorsed Joe Biden for president in a letter published Thursday, saying he had the character and judgment to serve as commander-in-chief instead of President Donald Trump, who has failed "to meet challenges large or small." / Some of the officers who signed the letter supporting Biden had retired only in the past few years, including Air Force Gen. Paul Selva , who served as vice chairm...

What Is the Role of a ‘State Bank’ in the WA State Treasurer’s Race? Pt. 3 / North Dakota Bank Is Looked to as the Model / 10.19.20 / For the last several Legislative sessions, Democratic legislators have sponsored bills to create either a state bank and/or an investment trust. Much is being made of the success of the North Dakota State Bank and that should, indeed, be a consideration. Also, much is made of California’s efforts to establish a state bank. / There are other considerations that are rarely covered in the efforts to establish a WA State Bank. For example…. / The North Dakota State Bank benefits from the state’s share of the current oil boom , in that something like 12% of the revenue generated goes to the state. / Even in times of low oil prices, that's a great boon to a state bank and can not be matched here in WA State .

AP Fact Check / THE VIRUS / TRUMP , speaking in a state where COVID-19 cases are surging: “We’re rounding the corner. We got the vaccines, all that, but even without it, we’re rounding the corner.” — Wisconsin rally Saturday. / THE FACTS : Rising cases and his own government health experts tell a different story. / Infection has been increasing in the vast majority of states and deaths are rising in 30. This as the flu season approaches, another layer of risk to health. / Dr. Anthony Fauci , the government’s top infectious diseases expert, has repeatedly made clear that he disagrees with Trump’s assessment based on the data and has cautioned that people should not underestimate the pandemic. He says Americans will “need to hunker down and get through this fall and winter because it’s not going to be easy.” Fauci and other health experts, such as Dr. Robert Redfield of the CDC, have warned of a potentially bad fall because of dual threats of the coronavirus and the flu sea...

FACT CHECKS / This series will focus upon fact checks done by recognized and reputable sources / AP Fact Check / TRUMP: “We had the greatest economy in the history of our country.” — NBC town hall in Miami on Thursday. / THE FACTS : No, the numbers show it wasn’t the greatest in U.S. history . / Did the U.S. have the most jobs on record before the pandemic? Sure, the population had grown. The 3.5% unemployment rate before the recession was at a half-century low, but the percentage of people working or searching for jobs was still below a 2000 peak. / Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Romer looked at Trump’s economic growth record this month. Growth under Trump averaged 2.48% annually before the pandemic, only slightly better than the 2.41% gains achieved during Barack Obama’s second term. By contrast, the economic expansion that began in 1982 during Ronald Reagan’s presidency averaged 4.2% a year. / So Trump is wrong. / https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus...

What Is the Role of a ‘State Bank’ in the WA State Treasurer’s Race?  Pt. 2 / Dispelling a myth / 10.19.20 / Proponents of the Public Bank believe that State and local Gov’ts leave large cash balances in big Wall Street Banks.  This is not true. /   Our State and local gov’t cash managers are educated and trained to maximize investment earnings by investing idle cash in short term investments. /   Longer term investments are made based on cash flow needs but are usually 5 years and shorter. /   Most taxpayers would question why a taxing authority would have funds to invest out longer and continue to tax the citizens each year. This is rare and for specific funding reasons such as tied to debt payments.

FACT CHECKS / This series will focus upon fact checks done by recognized and reputable sources / Washington Post Fact Check / Trump : “Just the other day, they [the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] came out with a statement that 85 percent of people who wear masks catch it. ” / Savannah Guthrie : “They didn’t say that. I know that study.” / Trump : “That’s what I heard and that’s what I saw.” / Trump falsely described a study published by the CDC on Sept. 11 and then ignored Guthrie, the NBC moderator, when she tried to correct him. / Published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report , the study compared 154 people who tested positive for the novel coronavirus with 160 people who tested negative. / The top finding was that “ close contact with a person with known COVID-19 was more commonly reported among ” the positive cases (42 percent) than the negatives (14 percent). / Coronavirus-positive patients were more likely to have reported dini...

What Is the Role of a ‘State Bank’ in the WA State Treasurer’s Race? Pt. 1 / This Issue Needs More Media Attention Than It Is Getting / 10.15.20 / Unnoticed and rarely commented upon, the Democratic Party’s efforts to create a “State Bank” and withdraw WA’s revenue deposits from commercial banks should be gaining more attention in the race for State Treasurer than it is receiving. / •Incumbent State Treasurer Duane Davidson is opposed to a state bank and that is in alignment with his party, the Republican Party. / •Challenger Mike Pellicciotti has been quoted in one newspaper as opposing a state bank, but that is not in alignment with his party, the Democratic Party. / So, there are two questions to be addressed. / 1] What is the role of a ‘state band’ in this election, and what are your thoughts on the concept. / 2] If elected, will Pellicciotti maintain his opposition; or will he bow to the wishes of his party and support it? Has Pellicciotti , a lawyer by tr...

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #95 / Olympian Endorses Davidson for Treasurer / Olympian, Oct. 11, 2020 / 10.14.20 Duane Davidson, a Republican and former four-term Benton County treasurer, is finishing his first term as steward of the state treasury. He is endorsed by former state treasurer Dan Grimm, a Democrat, probably because Davidson is focused more on his profession than on politics. He has provided valuable consumer services, including a nifty financial education course, on his office’s website. / His opponent , Mike Pellicciotti, is a state legislator and assistant state attorney general who cannot match Davidson’s expertise . /

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #94 / Davidson’s strengths outweigh his shortcomings / Columbian, Oct. 9, 2020 / 10.13.20 / Davidson’s strengths outweigh his shortcomings. He has a strong grasp of the role of the treasurer’s office, and his extensive experience can help guide the state through trying financial times. He recognizes that the treasurer’s job is to provide stability and to carry out directives from the Legislature and the governor’s office. / In spite of Pellicciotti’s issues, The Columbian Editorial Board recommends Duane Davidson for reelection as state treasurer.

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #93 / Vancouver Columbian Endorsed Davidson for Treasurer / Columbian, Oct. 9, 2020 / 10.12.20 / With Washington facing a budget crunch brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, experience and continuity are essential in overseeing the state’s finances. The Columbian Editorial Board recommends that Republican Duane Davidson be reelected as state treasurer. / In Davidson, they will find a candidate who is completing his first term after serving four terms as Benton County treasurer. Prior to that, he worked as a certified public accountant and an assistant state auditor. / During Davidson’s tenure as state treasurer, Washington has attained a AAA bond rating from Moody’s for the first time, and his office has developed a Washington State Fund Directory that allows state agencies and local governments better access to resources for funding projects. “I hadn’t heard of some of the programs before,” he told the editorial board. “Ou...

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #92 / Tacoma News Tribune Endorses Davidson for Treasurer / Oct. 7, 2020 / 10.11.20 / For Washington treasurer, Davidson has also earned a second term. The longtime Benton County treasurer understands government fiduciary responsibilities at every level and gives Eastern Washington a rare seat at the statewide leadership table. / As the state’s banker, Davidson, 61, oversaw investment practices that helped Washington upgrade a key bond and credit rating from Aaa from Aa1. The Republican serves as a necessary voice (sometimes in the wilderness) expressing caution about our state’s growing pile of debt, which at more than $20 billion is sixth-highest per capita in the US. / Davidson has also mixed some progressivism with his conservatism; he’s lobbied for federal banking reform that could benefit Washington’s cannabis and has promoted women to top jobs in the office.

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #91 / Seattle Times Recommends Both Davidson & Wyman / Seattle Times - Oct. 5, 2020 / Re-elect Incumbent Republican Treasurer Duane Davidson / Re-elect Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman / While it’s fine for Democrats to pursue a full sweep of Washington government, it’s better for the state to have at least some diversity in its executive offices. This will be especially valuable as the Legislature and governor — both presumably controlled by Democrats in 2021 — grapple with revenue declines and proposals to enact a variety of new taxes. / All of these changes have a bearing on the state’s credit rating and the government’s cost of borrowing. The treasurer’s outside perspective on these issues will be important, and it’s better to have one who doesn’t face party pressure to be sycophantic. /

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #90 / Both State Treasurer Duane Davidson and Secretary of State Kim Wyman Should Be Re-elected / Seattle Times - Oct. 5, 2020 / 10.09.20 The race for Washington state treasurer is disappointingly partisan this year. Parties aside, the incumbent Republicans are vastly more qualified for the position. / The incumbent, Duane Davidson, should be elected to another term because he has much more experience. That and the continuity he offers will help Washington as it works through a severe revenue crisis. / This is one of two races where the state Democratic Party is fiercely fighting to displace the only two Republicans holding statewide office. In both races, the Republicans — Davidson and Secretary of State Kim Wyman — are effective and deserve to be reelected. / https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/the-times-recommends-duane-davidson-for-state-treasurer-2/

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #89 / Kim Wyman Knows Her Stuff / Union-Bulletin Editorial Board Sept. 24, 2020 / 10.08.20 / Wyman has made Washington’s vote-by-mail system the model to emulate. She is consistently sought after for advice from officials from other states (Democrats as well as Republicans) and is the go-to expert when the national media wants insights on vote-by-mail and election security. / She knows her stuff and her office is well managed. We see no reason to replace her, particularly at a time when election security and voter access are a concern around the nation. Washington’s elections are among the nation’s most secure. / https://www.union-bulletin.com/opinion/editorials/secretary-of-state-wyman-deserves-to-be-re-elected/article_5e35c411-edee-5740-9b0c-8249bc44dc39.html?fbclid=IwAR34_uKFkmmCKb1uBbJRWIbBfd9E_yWXXHCxbAP_OlFWCHBKqUA0apbysL0

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #88 / Kim Wyman Is Experienced & Nonpartisan / Union-Bulletin Editorial Board Sept. 24, 2020 / 10.07.20 / Wyman, who had experience as the Thurston County Auditor before being elected Secretary of State in 2012, is doing an outstanding job. She has earned a third term. / Wyman, a Republican, has run her office in a nonpartisan way as did her two predecessors, Sam Reed and Ralph Munro, also Republicans. / Wyman puts the public before partisan politics time after time, which has not always endeared her to GOP officials or Democratic Party leaders. / https://www.union-bulletin.com/opinion/editorials/secretary-of-state-wyman-deserves-to-be-re-elected/article_5e35c411-edee-5740-9b0c-8249bc44dc39.html?fbclid=IwAR34_uKFkmmCKb1uBbJRWIbBfd9E_yWXXHCxbAP_OlFWCHBKqUA0apbysL0

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #87 / Secretary of State Wyman deserves to be re-elected / Union-Bulletin Editorial Board Sept. 24, 2020 / Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman has done an outstanding job overseeing the state’s elections for the past eight years. / We see no reason to replace her, particularly at a time when election security and voter access are a concern around the nation. Washington’s elections are among the nation’s most secure. / https://www.union-bulletin.com/opinion/editorials/secretary-of-state-wyman-deserves-to-be-re-elected/article_5e35c411-edee-5740-9b0c-8249bc44dc39.html?fbclid=IwAR34_uKFkmmCKb1uBbJRWIbBfd9E_yWXXHCxbAP_OlFWCHBKqUA0apbysL0

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #86 / Wyman’s Office Creates Elections Security Operations Center / Columbian 9.23.20 / 10.05.20 “… it is difficult to see why Wyman should be replaced. In 2018, Wyman’s office established a center to serve as a monitor and information-sharing service for all Washington counties; last year, the office created an Elections Security Operations Center that serves state and county elections officials.” / Indeed, the role of secretary of state has changed in an era when cybersecurity is a primary concern. And Wyman has stayed at the forefront, maintaining the integrity she has demonstrated while overseeing 120 elections during 20 years as a county and then state election official. / https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/sep/24/wyman-vies-with-tarleton-in-secretary-of-state-race/

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #85 / Wyman Has Become National Spokeswoman for Vote-by-Mail / Columbian 9.23.20 / Wyman has become a national spokeswoman for vote-by-mail, making frequent appearances on national media to extoll its virtues. In the process, she has been an articulate advocate who generates trust from voters. As she told the editorial board during a recent interview, “What we do here in Washington really is a national model. … My job is to inspire confidence across the political spectrum, not just my party.” / That is an increasingly difficult job, with entities both foreign and domestic attempting to undermine that confidence. / https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/sep/23/in-our-view-reelect-kim-wyman-as-secretary-of-state/