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Bob Ferguson ran as a centrist, governed like a West Coast AOC, and now even his own base is wondering what the heck happened.

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“Moderate” Bob? More Like Bernie in a Blue Suit
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Governor Bob Ferguson just set a new state record—for disappointment. According to the latest Cascade PBS/Elway poll, only 32% of voters rate his first six months as “good” or “excellent,” making him the most unpopular first-year governor in Washington since Mike Lowry in 1993. Even Jay Inslee managed to clear that low bar—and that’s saying something.
Ferguson promised moderation on the campaign trail. Then he waltzed into office, slapped Washington with $9 billion in new taxes, jacked up the gas tax by 6 cents, and expanded the sales tax to digital ads and nicotine pouches. So much for that whole “no new taxes” schtick.
The budget he signed blew past his earlier claims of restraint, breaking from his “cut-first” talk and landing squarely in the “soak the public” category. And what did he get in return? A brutal 59% of unhappy voters citing his handling of taxes and the budget as their main gripe.
This isn’t just partisan sour grapes. Even Independents and Democrats are souring. Barely 60% of Democrats think he’s doing well, and 30% of left-leaning Independents think he’s already off the rails. One Bellingham Democrat called Ferguson’s leadership “hopeless and chaotic.” Ouch.
It doesn’t help that his own administration stumbled out of the gate, with his top aide resigning over a hostile work environment and the governor himself avoiding Olympia press conferences like they were potholes on I-5.
The Legislature isn’t winning any popularity contests either—just 1% of voters think lawmakers are doing an “excellent” job—but hey, they did pass the gas tax hike, rent control, and new rules to give striking workers unemployment checks.
So what do you get when you vote for a “moderate” Democrat in Washington State? Apparently, massive taxes, skyrocketing disapproval, and bipartisan buyer’s remorse. Read more at PBS.
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Democrats Melt Down as Trump Tries to Clean Up Their Dumpster Fire
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After years of championing failed policies like “Housing First” and “Harm Reduction,” which turned Seattle streets into open-air drug dens, Democrats are suddenly outraged that President Trump’s new executive order dares to bring back accountability and common sense. The order bans federal funding for cities that allow lawless encampments and public drug use—aka, the core of Seattle’s urban planning.
Naturally, as KTTH’s Jason Rantz points out, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell are clutching their pearls. Ferguson called the plan “harmful,” while Harrell—whose big homelessness solution includes fairy lights and sidewalk murals—says it’s impractical. What’s actually impractical is spending billions to enable addiction while pretending it’s compassion.
For years, Democrats have handed out needles and crack pipes, dubbed it “harm reduction,” and watched addiction skyrocket. They gave out housing without treatment and called it progress. Trump’s order finally ends this performative nonsense and forces cities to treat homelessness like the crisis it is—not a lifestyle to subsidize.
Their outrage isn’t about protecting the vulnerable. It’s about protecting their failed ideology. Deep-blue cities are falling apart, and rather than admit fault, Democrats are mad someone had the nerve to do something effective.
Time to say goodbye to the virtue-signaling and hello to policies that actually work—even if they come from Trump. Read more at KTTH.
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Fringe Left Tries to Ground the Blue Angels — Crashes Into Irrelevance Instead
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A tiny pack of professional buzzkills calling themselves the “Air Show Climate Action Coalition” wants to cancel the Blue Angels at Seafair — and their grand campaign consists of… a barely visible billboard on Rainier Avenue. They’re whining about “militarization,” “climate impacts,” and “noise trauma,” proving once again that the loudest voices on the Left are often the most disconnected from reality.
The Blue Angels, adored by thousands and a centerpiece of Seattle’s summer, apparently offend this sad little brigade of anti-patriotism warriors. One of their spokespeople, also linked to the pro-Hamas-friendly 350 Seattle, even tries to drag Boeing into the mess — because apparently national defense and airshows are now geopolitical crimes.
They claim jets are too loud, too militaristic, and too polluting — conveniently ignoring that the smoke trails are made from biodegradable paraffin oil, and their own protest relies on a car-visible billboard (hello, carbon emissions). One critic even floated the idea that flyovers harm kids’ hearing. Spoiler: what’s actually damaging is prolonged exposure to their self-important, baseless lectures.
As KTTH’s Jason Rantz points out, this isn’t a movement; it’s a joke. A couple of online petitions, a laughable billboard, and a few interviews handed to them by sympathetic local media desperate to virtue-signal — that’s the entire protest. The only thing louder than a Blue Angel flyby is the sound of everyone ignoring these people.
Bottom line? While a handful of activist malcontents moan about the sound of freedom, the rest of Seattle will be waving flags, staring skyward, and celebrating a tradition they actually care about. Let the jets fly — and let the Left keep screaming into the wind. Read more at KTTH.
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Seattle Socialist Fined for Campaign Chaos—and a Few Too Many Haircuts
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Seattle Democratic Socialist Rep. Shaun Scott has been slapped with $11,000 in fines for campaign finance violations—including using donor money to pay for his haircuts. Because nothing screams “working-class hero” like taxpayer-subsidized grooming.
The state’s Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) voted unanimously to fine Scott’s campaign, The Fighting 43rd, $10,000 for a long list of sloppy (and at times invisible) financial reports, and tacked on an extra $1,000 for the haircut stunt. Fortunately for Scott, half the fines are suspended if he manages not to break the law again in the next four years—high standards for a lawmaker, right?
Throughout his 2024 run, Scott’s campaign failed to properly disclose donations, botched reporting of ad spending, mislabeled mailers, and filed late or inaccurate disclosures—some not corrected until months after the election. His excuse? An inexperienced treasurer who bailed mid-race, forcing him to hire professionals only days before the vote. Better late than never?
Scott didn’t fight the charges and says he’s now “a little more educated” on how campaign funds work—hopefully including the part where they’re not meant to cover barbershop loyalty cards.
Even PDC commissioners admitted the violations were bad, though they resisted making him the year’s poster child. Still, they made it clear: this wasn’t a minor oversight. It was a mess.
So here we have another Seattle progressive talking transparency while hoping no one notices the fine print—or the missing receipts. Read more at the Washington State Standard.
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Shift Washington | PO Box 956 | Cle Elum, WA 98922 |
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