If Democrats wanted to fight crime any less, they’d be handing out thank-you cards with sentencing reductions.
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Democrats’ Justice Reform: Letting Criminals Off Easy, One Bill at a Time
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Washington Democrats are pushing HB 1178, a bill that would slash penalties for violent felons under the guise of “justice reform.” The legislation guts firearm and deadly weapon sentencing enhancements, allows offenders to serve sentences concurrently, and even lets them qualify for early release. In short, violent criminals will serve less time, all in the name of addressing “racial disparities.” But as KTTH’s Jason Rantz points out, Democrats offer no evidence of actual bias—only vague claims that don’t hold up to scrutiny. Instead of ensuring fair application of laws, they’re doubling down on soft-on-crime policies that embolden offenders.
The bill doesn’t stop there. It removes enhancements for crimes near schools or involving minors, further undermining public safety. Law enforcement leaders like James McMahon argue this will only worsen crime in vulnerable communities, which are disproportionately impacted by firearm violence. As Rantz highlights, proponents downplay the real-world consequences, framing these changes as “rehabilitation” while ignoring the victims.
This is yet another example of Democrats prioritizing criminals’ feelings over public safety. As Rantz puts it, the bill sends a clear message: Washington is more interested in coddling offenders than enforcing the law. Read more at KTTH.
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Washington Democrats Muzzle the Minority, Because Debate Is So Inconvenient
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Democrats in the Washington State House just nuked a 132-year-old rule requiring a supermajority to end debate, opting instead for a simple majority to shut down discussion whenever they see fit. Why bother with messy things like robust debate when they can steamroll their agenda without pesky opposition slowing them down? Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon’s excuse? Apparently, democracy is better when it’s efficient, not when everyone gets to have a voice. Republicans rightly called out this blatant power grab as a way to silence dissent and sideline millions of Washingtonians who didn’t vote for one-party rule. So much for transparency and accountability—welcome to the new “my way or the highway” legislature.
Read more at Center Square.
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Blank Checks No More: Washington House Finally Discovers Transparency
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After years of playing legislative hide-and-seek with blank “title-only” bills, the Washington House finally decided transparency might actually matter. Following the Senate’s lead, House leadership banned the sneaky placeholders, now requiring at least a section of actual text in bills. This long-overdue reform, championed by Jason Mercier and the Washington Policy Center, closes a glaring loophole that let lawmakers rush through budgets and dodge constitutional transparency rules. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.
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Democrats Stoke the Flames of Overregulation with Fireplace Crackdown
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Washington fireplaces are the latest target of Democratic overreach, with SB 5174 laying the groundwork for costly restrictions and potential bans. While it doesn’t outright prohibit wood-burning fireplaces, the bill ties future regulations to Biden-era federal emission standards—regardless of whether they’re relaxed under a Republican administration. Homeowners could soon face expensive retrofitting requirements or find their traditional fireplaces deemed too polluting to use. The legislation essentially paves the way for a backdoor ban, making fireplaces impractical and unaffordable under the guise of environmentalism. This isn’t just about emissions—it’s part of a broader agenda to regulate everyday freedoms out of existence. From gas stoves to wood-burning fireplaces, nothing is safe from progressive meddling. Read more at KTTH.
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UW’s BIPOC Directory Hits Legal Roadblock, Forced to Include Everyone
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After being sued for racial discrimination, the University of Washington renamed its exclusive “BIPOC Physicians Directory” to the more inclusive “MD Connections Directory” and opened it to all races. Do No Harm, the group behind the lawsuit, argued the race-based restrictions violated federal laws and the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. Initially, the directory barred white doctors and students from participating, limiting mentorship opportunities based on race. UW Medicine spun the change as a clarification, insisting the directory was “always accessible to all.” Do No Harm’s chairman blasted the original policy as unethical, claiming it created racial barriers in critical career decisions. While UW continues to tout its commitment to DEI, this lawsuit serves as a costly reminder that equity initiatives can’t trample on equality under the law. For taxpayers, it’s yet another example of legal
battles over divisive policies draining public resources. Read more at Center Square.
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Sound Transit: Where Tax Dollars Go to Die
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After blowing billions on light rail, Sound Transit’s “solution” to constant breakdowns is… another $1.5 million for consultants to figure out what’s broken. From crumbling wires to grime-filled tracks, faulty trains, and ghost signals, the list of problems reads like a comedy of errors—except taxpayers aren’t laughing. Riders endured 376 hours of disruptions last year alone, while the agency scrambles to patch up a system it can’t even maintain. Instead of building in-house expertise to manage their own mess, Sound Transit relies on pricey consultants to “modernize” the very network they can’t keep running. With this track record, Sound Transit’s biggest achievement might just be proving how to burn public money in style.
Read more at the Seattle Transit Blog.
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