Our legislature here in Washington is scheduled to regularly meet every year, beginning in January and ending in the spring. It can also be called for 'special sessions' if it fails to get its work done on time, or if errors (especially in budgeting) were made that need to be corrected.

The legislature works on a biennium system, whereby it passes a budget for two years instead of one.

Next week the legislature is scheduled to enter its 6th special session in two years. Eight sessions total, with no end in sight.

Why?

Because they want to spend more money than they have, so they refuse to decide what they will skip. Instead of trimming spending to meet income like all taxpayers must do in their homes or businesses, the legislature simply refuses to make a decision.

Incidentally, it costs money each time a legislator is in our Capitol at Olympia, so that just makes the problem a bit worse. Not to mention the fact that it rewards legislators for failing.

When we vote in November, here in Washington it would be good to remember that our legislators have taken eight sessions, and eight sessions worth of our money to do the work scheduled for two.

We should I think judge them on performance, not rhetoric.

Posted by Milliscent at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Our Governor has called a special session of the legislature. They will convene in November with a goal of removing the current budget deficit.

Of course we will hear much crying about 'budget cuts' but we must remember that these 'cuts' are not cuts at all. The legislature will have more money to spend in this biennium than it had in the last.

'Cuts' discussed will be reductions in amount the legislature wanted to spend, and in brand spankin new programs.

New and increased taxes would be of harm to our economy, and must be avoided. If you agree, now is the time to tell your own legislators your opinion to ensure that they do 'cut' and don't tax.

Find your legislators here.

Posted by Milliscent at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've been watching our Washington State Legislature with interest since it convened in early January. Alas, it has been an odd year in Olympia.

The session is scheduled to end on Easter Sunday, just a short time from now, but unless a miracle happens they will never finish on time. That will mean a special session, with its weeks, maybe months of drawn out debate and additional costs to taxpayers.

The holdup is of course the operating budget. The voters have removed the ability of the legislature to increase taxes for the next two years, and even if the legislature retained that ability legislators understand that any taxes enacted would not be allowed to stand. That leaves the legislature with only one option; they must reduce the amount of money they desire to spend.

Such reductions are horrors to the men and women we elect, horrors to members of both major political parties. So, currently our legislature stands at a stalemate.

When contemplating this stalemate it should be remembered that the Democratic party controls both the Senate and the House, plus the Governor's mansion. The Republicans do not have the power to stop or control anything, so this is entirely a Democratic stalemate.

It's my understanding that the Senate has developed an operating budget that could pass that chamber with votes in favor from both parties, but they are not releasing their budget because tradition dictates that the House has the right to go first this year.

In the House I understand that the Chairman of Ways and Means, and his committee has developed an operating budget, but that when the budget was shown to House Speaker Chopp it was rejected out of hand.

That is where things stand when the legislature returns to work on Monday morning.

I find this interesting because of the sheer refusal to reduce any spending, even that spending that is clearly nonsensical. For example, last week, lots of us saw the expose on KING 5 news showing the blatant fraud in state food assistance programs. The week before that we learned from KIRO news that we waste thirty thousand dollars putting a single sign up along one of our freeways. These are simple and small examples of the tremendous waste of taxpayer dollars rampant throughout our system.

The State of Washington will collect more money over the next two years than it collected over the past two years. The next budget, when it is finally passed, will spend billions more dollars than the budget of ten short years ago.

Legislators talk about cutting billions of dollars in spending. That does not however mean that they will spend billions less next year than they spent this year, it means that they will spend billions less than what they wanted to spend. A cut in spending to legislators is not the same as a cut in spending to a household's budget. To you and I a cut means a reduction in spending from what was spent previously. Legislators, and those who live off of government handouts, have a different definition.

This coming week massive protests are planned to be held at our state capitol. Protesters will be calling for more taxes to support more spending. Remember though when watching the news or reading the paper that code words are being used.

Protestors and their legislative allies will not talk about raising taxes on the people and families of our state, they will talk about 'closing tax loopholes.' They will not talk about increasing the number of dollars spent from this year to next; they will talk about 'budget cuts.' It is important to read through this misuse of our language in order to properly understand what is being protested against.

In the meantime, while the government paid protesters scream and holler, the legislature will remain locked in a kind of stasis, Democratic leadership too afraid to make the decisions our constitution requires of them.

Thank God our state constitution severely limits their ability to borrow money.

Posted by Milliscent at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From my libertarian perspective, our elections in Washington State came to a very good result.

We took the United States House, which will act as a solid control upon the excesses of President Obama and his allies in the Senate.

We overwhelmingly rejected the Bill Gates Sr. state income tax plan.

We repealed the increased taxes passed by the legislature earlier this year.

We made it virtually impossible for the legislature to increase taxes in 2011/12.

Indeed our votes will starve the beast that is the government of Washington State.

It was far from an overwhelming victory, many good candidates and measures lost, but on the whole the voters of Washington State made a strong stand for freedom and against statism. We can be proud.

Posted by Milliscent at 5:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Washington State Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders is the greatest champion of liberty we have in a high state office. He is, without a doubt, the very best leader we have in Olympia, and he richly deserves re-election to the bench.

Richard Sanders for Supreme Court Justice, Position 6

Posted by Milliscent at 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here in Washington our general election ballots will be arriving within the next few days. It is proving to be a very interesting election in more ways than one, and likely the most important election I've ever seen.

Its importance stems not from the candidates, nor the possible change in control within our federal and state legislative branches, but here in Washington because of the initiatives, referenda, and constitutional amendments we will all be voting upon.

By any measure our legislature performed horribly earlier this year. Indeed when additional budget action was needed last month our Governor did not feel confident enough in the legislature to actually call them back into session to take that action. This despite the fact that the legislative branch is wholly controlled by her own party. She found a way to circumvent the normal process and took decisive action on her own.

Our legislature dithered and dallied, putting off the most important decisions to the last minute, and as a result did not finish its work on time, adding additional costs to the taxpayers for every extra day they were in session. During those final days, they failed to meaningfully cut the budget, failed to make even the most modest reforms of state government, and raised taxes that directly targeted the poor. It was an utter failure.

Luckily here in Washington we have the initiative process, which allows us as the voters to step directly into the legislative role. To take over the functions of the legislature if you will. Due to the abject failures of our legislature, we have a large number of ballot measures this year.

The fate of these measures will either serve to get our economy rolling again, or serve to further degrade it. They will either expand the freedoms we enjoy, or curtail those freedoms. I hope that all of my readers in Washington will vote, and will vote well.

My thoughts on each of the statewide measures are below:

Initiative 1053

This initiative would restate long standing Washington law that requires a two/thirds majority of the legislature to increase taxes. The people have overwhelmingly supported this idea in past elections, but the legislature continually overturns their will, so the initiative must be passed again from time to time.

This session, the legislature levied a tax specifically on the poor by increasing taxes on cheap beer, but leaving taxes at the old rates on expensive beer. Can you guess which beer our legislators are most likely to drink? Do you think it moral to levy higher taxes on the beer enjoyed by the poor than the beer enjoyed by the rich? This nonsense would not have passed had the legislature not first done away with the two/thirds majority requirement.

Vote Yes on Initiative 1053

Initiative 1082

This initiative would allow employers to purchase industrial compensation insurance from any insurance company approved to offer it in our state by the Insurance Commissioner.

Currently an employer can only purchase this insurance from the state monopoly. This monopoly has increased rates on a massive scale over the past few years, and is projecting even larger rate increases far into the future. A lack of any competition in our state's industrial insurance market leads to zero incentive to keep our rates low, and indeed comparing us to Oregon our rates have increased 53% since the year 2000, and Oregon's rates with a competitive market have seen no increase over that time.

46 states allow a competitive industrial insurance market, and Washington should as well.

Vote Yes on Initiative 1082

Initiative 1098

I've written extensively about this initiative in a previous post, so will not restate what I've already said here.

Initiative 1098 would create an Income Tax in Washington State. It is being marketed as a tax that only the rich will have to pay, but that assurance is only valid for two years. Experience and simple common sense tells us that if this initiative passes we will see income taxes levied on all Washingtonians within a few short years. The legislature will be able to expand the tax with no more than a simple majority vote, and they will certainly do so.

This initiative would result in a 2 billion dollar tax increase on top of the 800 million dollar tax increases already imposed this year. Our economy desperately needs new investment, not almost 3 billion dollars in new taxes.

The Seattle Times, Tacoma News Tribune, Wall Street Journal, and other papers have already documented how badly this proposal will harm our state's economy, if you are in doubt about your vote, get the facts.

Vote No on Initiative 1098

Initiative 1100

Initiative 1100 would simply get our state government out of the liquor business. It would close state liquor stores and allow a private market to grow in their place. That private market would result in competition, which in turn would result in lower prices, better selection, and superior customer service.

Our state government is just that, a government, not a business. It has no expertise in operating a business, and cannot do so efficiently. Let's get the state out of the liquor business.

Vote Yes on Initiative 1100

Initiative 1105

Initiative 1105 is a sneaky little initiative. It is masquerading as an initiative that would get the state out of the liquor business just like I-1100, and it would.

That isn't all it would do though. I-1105 would create a monopolistic distribution system that would result in a few massive companies controlling all the distribution of spirits in our state. It would replace the state monopoly, with private monopolies. It's a dirty bill, proposed and supported by those who currently have near monopoly status in the common beer distribution market.

The largest problem with having both I-1100 and I-1105 on the ballot is that if they both pass, the laws will be in conflict with each other. As a result, the legislature would be given a free hand to make all the decisions. It is therefore important that we vote yes on 1100 and no on 1105, I think everyone agrees that the legislature is the very last body that should be making this decision.

Vote No on Initiative 1105

Initiative 1107

As mentioned previously, the legislature passed massive new taxes earlier this year, many of them targeted directly on the poor, and all of them oddly implemented. None of these taxes increases should have passed, and I-1107 would repeal many of them.

It would end the new taxes paid on candy that does not contain flour. (Almond Rocha is taxed, Ferro Roche is not)

It would end the tax increases imposed on bottled water.

End the tax increases imposed on pop and other beverages with carbonation.

It would end the tax increases imposed on some foods, depending upon their ingredients. Nalley's Chili for example.

These taxes were all unnecessary, absurd, and in the case of food, immoral. They should be repealed.

Vote Yes on Initiative 1107

Referendum 52

Referendum 52 would direct the state to borrow massive amounts of money through the bond market and spend that money in attempts to make our schools more energy efficient.

Borrowed money must be paid back. The state currently faces a budget deficit in excess of three billion dollars. There is no money available to make the payments if Referendum 52 passes. That means that taxes will have to be raised in order to pay off the bondholders.

Referendum 52 would also cause the state to borrow in excess of its constitutional debt limit, and will risk a downgrade in our bond ratings, resulting in higher borrowing costs over time.

Vote to Reject Referendum 52

Senate Joint Resolution 8225

SJR 8225 would change the way our state calculates the rate of interest we project we will have to pay when considering the borrowing of money.

In short, currently the state constitution prevents the state from borrowing more money than it can reasonably expect to be able to pay back. This resolution would change the way that limit is calculated, and would allow the state to borrow even more money than it does now.

Increased debt now directly translates to increased taxes later. We should not amend our constitution so that the legislature can borrow a few more bucks.

Vote to Reject Senate Joint Resolution 8225

Engrossed Substitute House Joint Resolution 4220

ESHJR 4220 proposes to change our state constitution to allow more people to be denied bail before they have been convicted of a crime.

It was passed in a mad response to a local tragedy, but isolated incidents do not make for good law. Our current bail system has served Washington State well since our very founding, balancing protection of the public with the presumption of innocence that is fundamental to our understanding of freedom and the rule of law.

ESHJR 4220 would erode the presumption of innocence, a bedrock principal of our nation, and it should be rejected.

Vote to Reject Engrossed Substitute House Joint Resolution 4229

In previous years I have given my endorsement to candidates here as well. I will not be doing that this year with the exception of one Judicial race because the ballot measures we are facing will have a much greater impact than any candidate could ever have.

Posted by Milliscent at 3:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The public vote on Initiative 1098 is rapidly approaching us here in Washington State. This is likely the most dangerous initiative I've ever had the opportunity to vote against, and I hope to urge all Washington voters who read these words to do the same.

I-1098 would quite simply create an income tax in our state. As those who live here know Washington State has historically been without an income tax. What folks may not know is that our lack of an income tax is one of the prime movers of our economy, the prime reason why our state is constantly rated as a good place to start or move a business.

As the Seattle Times has pointed out:
"I-1098 also takes away the most important tax-based advantage Washington has in attracting business and jobs here: our lack of a state income tax. This state needs that advantage..."

As the Wall Street Journal has pointed out:
"Washington's lack of an income tax is among its main comparative advantages in luring those top 3%, [of wage earners] along with their businesses and jobs, into the state. In addition to Washington, the states without an income tax are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. Combined they had an average 18.2% growth rate in jobs over the past decade, more than twice the 8.4% job growth in the nine states with the highest income tax rates, according to a new report based on Commerce Department data by the American Legislative Exchange Council."

Indeed, if I-1098 passes Washington will jump immediately from having no income tax to having the eighth highest income tax rate in the country. That would be devastating to our economy and destroy job creation, locking us into the recession for as far as the eye can see.

The money and power of our state's most famous father and son duo are pushing the campaign for I-1098, Bill Gates Senior and Junior. With that kind of backing initiative supporters are able to push half-truths about the measures impact on to the electorate. Those half-truths are numerous, and should be examined.

Half-truth #1: I-1098 provides dedicated funds for education and health care.

Through the years our state has created a massive number of 'dedicated funds' meant to fund specific budget items. Dedicated funds are not a constraint on the legislature that gleefully raids such funds, dumps them into the general fund, and spends them at will. Remember the education initiatives passed just a few years ago that were ignored by the legislature? Remember the dedicated tobacco prevention funds created with the tobacco settlement then Attorney General Gregoire won for our state, funds 'securitized' then spent on a myriad of things other than tobacco prevention? Remember the NOVA funds raided just last year and given to State Parks? Dedicated Funds are a useful lie told by the legislature, and initiative backers when such a lie serves their purposes.

Half-truth #2: I-1098 will cut taxes for the middle class.

The overall fiscal impact of I-1098 is a 1.5 billion dollar tax increase in 2012 and 2.5 billion a year by 2016. A tax increase in the billions of dollars on Washington citizens is not a tax cut. Indeed small businesses will be hit with a massive new tax, personal state income tax paid on profits.

Half-truth #3: Property and B&O taxes will be cut if I-1098 passes.

That may be true for two years, but after that, all bets are off. By law the legislature only has to respect an initiative for two years. After that a simple majority of the legislature can change it at will. Ask yourself before you vote, do you truly believe that two short years from now our legislature will not bring property and B&O taxes right back up to their previous levels? Remember that they raised taxes by over 800 million dollars just this year. Remember your $30 car tabs? Remember your 'public vote' for all tax increases? Oh yeah, the legislature just got rid of those constraints two years after they passed.

Half-truth #4: Income tax rates imposed under I-1098 cannot be increased without a vote of the people.

This one is a huge whopper of a half-truth. Enjoy trying to stomach it. The fact is that it is only true for two short years. After that a simple majority of the legislature can change the initiative, and then set whatever rates they desire, on whomever they desire. Remember before you vote that when the federal income tax was first imposed it was sold to the American people as a 'tax on the rich' only to pay for World War 1. Funny how it's now a tax on everyone, and I think that we paid for World War 1 a very, very long time ago. Make no mistake about it, I-1098 will give our legislature the power to place a tax on every person's income two short years from now. A simple majority of the legislature.

Half-truth #5: I'll quote straight from the Voter's Guide to prove their lie: "Middle class families pay four times the tax rate of the rich."

No. We all pay the same rate of taxes, regardless of our income based upon where we live and where we shop. Sales tax rates are the same within the City of Seattle for everyone. Bill Gates Jr. pays the exact same sales tax rate on his cup of Starbucks as his lowest paid employee. He does of course pay many more dollars in tax, because his resources allow him to buy much more. Likewise he pays the exact same property tax rate as his next-door neighbor. He pays more dollars because his house is worth more money. The tax rates in Washington are exactly the same; dollar values change from person to person because the rich own more and spend more than the poor. The rich are paying their fair share, as are the poor. Washington's tax system is remarkably fair in that each individual ends up paying according to his or her means.

Half-truth #6: Rich people are fighting I-1098.

Absurd. It is not possible to be any richer than the Gates boys. They are the Rich People in our state and indeed the world over. They are not fighting I-1098, they are pushing it.

In these tough economic times, if our state is to recover, politicians must be forced to reign in governmental spending and growth. They must be forced to prioritize spending, not increase taxes. If our state government is given this new tax, we will all be paying it two short years from now, and our economy will loose all hope at recovery.

I have an idea:

If the Gates boys, father and son, are so worried that they aren't paying enough in taxes, how about instead of trying to destroy everyone else's lives they run a new initiative next year. An initiative to nationalize Microsoft and their other holdings. Microsoft's cash reserves alone are large enough to stabilize our state government's budget as far as the eye can see. Perhaps these titans of the legal and tech world will feel better about their contributions to society if they are without wealth. Perhaps they would sleep better at night that way, knowing that they had finally paid their fair share.

Ah, wait a minute. I forgot. Folks like the founder of Microsoft have loads of cash to spend on lawyers who can set up lots and lots of tax shelters. Maybe they figured it out in advance; maybe I-1098 will just hurt the sorta rich folks and leave the incomes of billionaires intact.

If you have read this far and live in Washington, let me urge you, vote well, or be saddled with your very own 9% income tax rate just a few short years from now.

Posted by Milliscent at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Elections are upon us once again. I voted yesterday, and I surely hope that those of you who live in this great State of Washington will join me.

The Secretary of State is predicting only about a 40% turnout for the primary election, but it's important to remember that Judicial elections can be resolved in the primary, so it is important to vote, as those races do not necessarily move forward to the general election.

This year, actually, it is vital to vote because we have two important Supreme Court Justices up for election. Richard Sanders and Jim Johnson. In a strongly Democrat controlled state it is important that the libertarian and conservative points of view are at least given voice, and these two gentlemen do that extremely well. The loss of either of them would inevitably result in even faster growth of government, increases in governmental costs, and reduction in freedom.

I hope that you will join me in voting in this primary election, and I hope that you will mark your ballot for Jim Johnson and Richard Sanders.

I've opinions about all the other races as well, but none of them rise to the importance of these two contests.

Posted by Milliscent at 2:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The legislature did not finish on time. That means that bright and early Monday morning they will be back in session, special session actually.

This will be a special session at which they will pass even more taxes, and spend even more money. Yes, you heard me correctly, despite how often they scream of making horrible cuts, the Seattle Times rightly reported that they will spend more money this year than last year, more money last year than the year before that, and so on, right back to statehood.

This is especially shameful, because here in Washington State we have complete one party rule. The House and Senate are both ruled by huge democratic majorities, and of course our Governor is a democrat. Therefore, there is no possible reason that they could not have finished on time. Certainly they cannot blame the republicans who are powerless in both the House and the Senate.

Why didn't they finish on time? Could it be the 95 dollars per day each and every one of them will take home over and above their regular salary for the duration of this special session? Would they have not finished on time if they had to forgo this $95 per day for the special session? To me, the answer in obvious, without the $95, they would all be back home now instead of sitting under the marble dome in Olympia.

The big danger next week though isn't the $95 each, per day, it is the taxes they will use the time to raise. I wonder, did you call last week and ask them to not raise your taxes, or did you sit submissively by while they did whatever they desired with your money?

Perhaps you will call them this week if you didn't last, or again if you did. It's easy, and it's the American thing to do.

1-800-562-6000

Posted by Milliscent at 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

The choice is yours, will you spend the money indulging in fetish, or will you allow it to be stolen from you in the form of higher taxes so that unionized state employees can get a compensation increase this year?

If you do nothing, the legislature will make that decision for you between now and this Thursday.

Call:

1-800-562-6000

To let your legislators know what you think. If you request it the friendly operators who take down your message will deliver it to our Governor as well.

Posted by Milliscent at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On January 11 our Legislature will again be in session. If the majority of that body has it's way they will:

Increase taxes and fees dramatically.
Spend more in 2010 than they did in 2009.
Outlaw guns that look 'military.'
Give police new powers to violate what were once your rights.
Outlaw dozens of things that are currently legal.
Increase the regulatory power of all state agencies.

If you, like me, believe that government needs to be smaller. If you think that economic recovery is made through lower taxes and less regulation. If you believe that liberty is the highest American ideal, then the time to write your letters to our petty state tyrants telling them so is now.

Go to:

The Washington State Legislature

Click on the "Find Your District" Tab, and enter your address.
This will get you your two Representatives and one Senator.
Their email addresses are all the same:

lastname.firstname@leg.wa.gov

Tell them that you value freedom because they are surrounded each and every day by lobbyists who tell them otherwise.

Posted by Milliscent at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The founders of our great state blessed us, as in most western states, with the initiative and referendum processes. A direct and potent way in which ordinary citizens can take control of our government and force it to change.

I think that here in the west we are so used to these processes that most people don't realize that the older states in our republic are without them, that citizens, primarily in the east, are much less able to exercise control over their legislatures.

As with all things, we have of course seen good and bad come from these processes, but on the whole we are lucky to have them here in Washington, and if we are wise we will forever block legislative efforts to restrict these freedoms.

This year we have two big issues on our ballots, one initiative, and one referendum. An initiative to the people is the creation of new law, directly by the people, without the consent of the legislature or the executive branch. A referendum is the overturning of a law enacted by the legislature and the executive.

Initiative 1033 would place controls on spending by state and local governments. It would go a very long way towards solving the boom and bust budgeting problems that we have seen so starkly over the past year. Most importantly it would protect us all from massive tax increases as governments attempt to increase spending on the backs of Washington families next year.

Vote Yes on Initiative 1033

The legislature passed a very comprehensive domestic partnership law last year. The evangelical movement is doing all it can to overturn that law via Referendum 71. To keep the law as passed by the legislature we must vote to approve R 71. As explorers of alternative sexualities we are all in this together. Discrimination against one segment of the sex positive community will trickle down to negatively effect us all.

Vote Approve on Referendum 71

Why You Should Vote Yes on I-1033 by John Carlson

Approve Ref. 71 by Washington Families Standing Together

Posted by Milliscent at 9:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Allow me to start with a disclaimer:

horsesass.org is a blog filled with the very worst of left wing idiocy. A forum that does little but pound the drum for economic tyranny. A quick visit will show you just how bad things are over there if you are interested.

Geoff Simpson is a horrible State Representative and a horrible person. A quick search of Google or Wikipedia will show you just what a bad guy he truly is if you are interested. It is amazing to me that uninformed voters continue to send him back to our Capitol.

Lastly, I must point out that Representative Simpson did not write his own letter. He took something that is posted in many places on the internet and made it his own.

All that aside though, I guess that the old cliché is true. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

As the legislature continues consideration of expanding domestic partnership rights legislators are being flooded with emails from fundamentalist religious people, quoting the bible, assuring them that all these preeverts are going straight to hell.

Most legislators respond with some bland nonsense thanking them for their input and promising to consider it of course.

Not Geoff Simpson. He gave it right back, and started punching them in the eye. Good for him. It’ll probably cost him his next election, but a career that has been marked with little good will at last have a shining spark.

You can read about it on Horsesass:

Rep. Geoff Simpson, man of god

Posted by Milliscent at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Yesterday was the first legislative cutoff of this session. All policy bills had to be out of their committee of origin by yesterday afternoon or likely will receive no further consideration this session.

This means that I can bring you an update today, and more importantly, it means that I can begin writing erotica again!

Rep. Barbara Bailey’s anti-pornography bill is a policy bill, and it did not make the cutoff. It likely will not be considered further this session.

Rep. Mark Miloscia’s pornography tax bill is a fiscal bill, so it is not subject to any legislative cutoff. It could still be considered up until the moment the Legislature adjourns Sine Die, but the Chairman of the Finance Committee has stated that he will not move the bill, so it too will likely not receive further consideration this session.

The wonderful news is that both bills seem to be dead.

The bad news is that both bills will be back under consideration 11 short months from now when the legislature re-convenes. They will not truly be dead until the legislature adjourns Sine Die next year, likely in March.

Activism from you, and from other adult blog readers, dealt both of these bills extremely quick deaths this year, and with luck we will be able to do the same thing next year.

In the meantime, I might suggest that three more telephone calls or email messages would be helpful. Three legislators seem to be the driving force behind this nonsense, two Democrats and one Republican. If we can convince them to stop pushing we will win next year's battle before it even begins.

Representative Mark Miloscia

Representative Barbara Bailey

Representative Al O’Brien

With that, back to the fun part of life!

Posted by Milliscent at 6:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Together, with our allies, we killed the ‘porn tax’ scheme. The fight however is not over.

Legislators who have forgotten their oath to defend the Constitution have decided to continue the fight, to take a new tack. That of ‘harm to minors.’ They have introduced House Bill 2286.

2286 is a big and encompassing bill. It proposes to do a great number of things, but it is important to understand that it has been introduced a time or two before, and was initially written to do away with Abercrombie and Fitch advertising which apparently some legislators find offensive.

In a nutshell it declares that pornography, erotica, and dildos (odd how they think of dildos) are harmful to children. That declaration made, it seeks to regulate all such things out of existence.

Where the bill gets truly fucked up though is in its definition of pornography. It declares that ass cheeks are pornography unless they are completely covered by opaque cloth. It also declares that the female breast is pornography unless it is completely covered by opaque cloth. As pornography, these things would of course fall under regulation by the bill.

This of course means that your Sears Catalog would be deemed porn and harmful to children because Sears advertises panties that do not entirely cover ones butt cheeks. Victoria’s Secret would truly be hardcore according to these folks. Additionally the bill would go after things such as parenthood magazines that depict breast-feeding and breast cancer wellness guides that portray the naked breast.

You may be thinking that no legislator could be so stupid as to try and declare vanilla clothing catalogs, parenting magazines, and breast health materials as harmful to children and in need of severe regulation, but if you are thinking such a thing, you are wrong. They truly are.

You don’t have to take my word for it though; you can find the bill here. Section 2, part 13 is exactly what you are looking for.

Moving away from the proposed regulation of clothing catalogs and literature on health, I should mention exactly what the bill would do to this blog.

If passed the bill would declare that this blog is ‘harmful to minors.’ As such, under the bill, you would only be allowed to access the blog if I charged you to do so, and if you used a credit card to pay me. Of course that would mean the end of this blog. That is the true intent of this legislation, and the true intent of those who have brought the legislation forward.

Just who is it that thinks underwear advertisements, health journals, and breast-feeding information are destroying our kids? We must of course name names. Unlike the Porn-Tax bill that was a 100% Democrat effort, this bill is bipartisan and sponsored by a mix of Democrats and Republicans. Religious moralists all.

Representative Barbara Bailey

Representative Al O’Brien

Representative Tom Campbell

Representative Dan Kristiansen

Representative Mark Miloscia

Representative Larry Crouse

Representative Mike Hope

Representative Bruce Chandler

Representative Matt Shea

Representative Jim McCune

Representative Bill Hinkle

Representative Judy Warnick

Representative Joel Kretz

Representative Larry Haler

Representative Joe Schmick

I know that it is a great deal of work, but we have proven with the Porn Tax that your email messages make a tremendous impact. I ask that all of you who enjoy this blog drop a line to these legislators. Let them know that they are in office to protect the rights of their citizens, not to destroy the freedoms that make our country great. Remind them that their personal religious beliefs have no place within the laws of the State of Washington. Remind them that they swore an oath to uphold the First Amendment of our Constitution.

With your help, we will stop this idea in its tracks. Without your help, it will become the law of Washington State.

Representative Barbara Bailey is the prime sponsor of the bill, so a phone call to her about her repressive idea would be extremely helpful. Her office can be reached at:
360-786-7914 Perhaps as with Representative Miloscia last week, we can so jam her phone lines that they will have to be turned off.

Posted by Milliscent at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I want to write visions of such things.

I fell to sleep last evening with thoughts of cute slaves shopping, dining, being taken out in public deeply plugged.

I awoke this morning with thoughts of penetrating a slave from behind while another penetrated the slave’s mouth.

At some point in the night I dreamed of playing with gender, of that delightful slavegirl, a slavegirl with a dick.

I want to write all of these things, to share my dreams and fantasies with you. To share my visions so that we may take pleasure in them together.

Alas, I regret that I cannot.

I cannot because my time is not unlimited.

A small handful of very bad legislators are demanding what time I have available.

Instead of writing what I desire, and what you love, I must write to warn you of their plans.

I must do so because this group seeks to silence me. They seek to destroy this blog, to take away my rights to publish. To disregard the First Amendment to our Constitution.

Instead of writing what I love to write I must write of them, I must beg of you to join me in stopping them.

Stopping them will assure that I will eventually be able to write what I desire and share with you what you come here to read. If we fail in stopping them they will eventually get their way, this blog, and all the other erotica we so enjoy will stop existing in present form.

I hope that this handful of legislators will stop their attack upon us soon; when they do I will be able to write of femdom and fetish again. Until then I fear that I must continue writing my warnings to you.

Posted by Milliscent at 8:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

You, my much-loved readers, did it. You sent email messages and you called. You helped bring the ‘Porn Tax’ idea to a quick, and for its sponsor, painful end.

Porn-tax plan dealt swift death in Washington Legislature from The Seattle Times

It seems that Representative Miloscia received so many phone calls that he had to have his phones shut off! Everyone who contacted Representative Miloscia, his co-sponsors of this bill, or their own legislators about this nonsense deserves a huge pat on the back. Or, plug in the ass, as the case may be! ;-)

I do fear however that the fight is not yet over.

“Even though Miloscia got an earful about this bill, he hasn’t ruled out another try during a later legislative session.”
-Jennifer Sullivan, Seattle Times

Actually, the sleazy Representative has already helped introduce a new bill to do away with this blog, I’ll tell you all about it in just a bit. For now though, Congratulations to us all!

Posted by Milliscent at 8:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was pleased to read that The Seattle Times agrees with my thoughts about the Porn Tax, and made their case in their Sunday Editorial.

Those of you who read the real paper would have noticed it as “Porn Tax A Bad Idea,” online readers can see Porn Tax Won’t Save Washington’s GAU Program.

Do you live in Washington State? Do you enjoy this blog? If so, I hope that you have written to Representative Miloscia about his ‘bright idea.’

miloscia.mark@leg.wa.gov

Will get you there.

Posted by Milliscent at 7:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you enjoy pornography or other adult entertainment, if you think that sex is a fun and healthy thing for adults to experience and learn about, if you like reading this blog, if you are any of those things, I’ve got news for you. You are a filthy, disgusting, scumbag.

You are a filthy, disgusting, scumbag who should be made to pay shockingly high levels of tax for your despicable hobby.

You should be made to pay such onerous taxes because you are scum, and as scum you should be made to support the drug addicts and convicted felons who receive ‘General Unemployable Assistance.’

So says the ‘holy’ anti-porn crowd. Very specifically, so says:

Representative Mark Miloscia
Representative Al O’Brien
Representative Bob Hasegawa
Representative John McCoy
Representative Lynne Kessler
Representative Marylyn Chase
And
Representative Steve Conway

These disingenuous ‘leaders’ all believe that pornography and all other adult entertainment is so evil that it should be taxed out of existence. That you and me, the people who enjoy such things are so evil that we need to be punished for our decision to enjoy erotic materials.

I don’t think, my dear readers, that you are filthy, disgusting, scumbags. I see absolutely nothing wrong with adults taking pleasure in erotic materials. Miloscia, O’Brien, Hasegawa, McCoy, Kessler, Chase, and Conway. These are the truly filthy, disgusting, scumbags. ‘Leaders’ who think they know better than you what’s good for you, ‘leaders’ who think they have a right to punish you for enjoying erotica.

Perhaps they forgot that they swore to uphold the First Amendment to the United States Constitution when they got their jobs.

Interestingly to me, each of these people, these supposed ‘leaders’ are Democrats. Apparently this year it’s not the religious right we need to look out for, it’s moralizing lefty Democrats.

The whole story, in a nutshell is that our state is facing a budget crisis. We are of course taking in more money than we ever have before, government can continue to grow, but alas, we are taking in less than we thought we would take in. Government can’t grow as quickly as we thought it could. Therefore, some things, about 7 billion dollars worth of things must go. Our Governor, a Democrat looked at the situation, and she decided that one very costly program had to get cut. ‘General Unemployable Assistance’ to be specific. She figured out that GUA is a welfare program that exists to provide cash to drug addicts, felons who’s crimes were so heinous that they have trouble getting good paying jobs, and people who refuse to work. She, our Democrat Governor, decided that this program was so bad that it should be cut. This cut bothered some Democrats, and a lobbyist affiliated with the religious right organization Focus on the Family hit on his idea. His idea was to find Democrats who wanted to save GUA, and who hated pornography, and let them kill two birds with one stone. They could tax pornography and other adult entertainment out of business while at the same time put a few more bucks into the GUA program so that drug addicts could buy more heroine. Beautiful.

That is exactly what happened. The lobbyist was successful. He found some Democrats who hate porn, some for religious reasons, others because they think that women like me are ‘exploited’ by the men who read what I have to write, and who all wanted to send a few more bucks to drug addicts through the GUA program. Viola! A new law, and a new tax is proposed.

To be fair, I am told that said lobbyist for the religious right also tried mightily to find sponsorship of his idea among religious Republicans but the social conservatives would not bite, placing more importance upon the First Amendment than upon their desire for a world without the erotic.

Nicole Brodeur said it very well in her recent column in the Seattle Times:

Idea So Bad, It’s Sinful

If you enjoy pornography, if you enjoy reading what I have to write, if you enjoy any other erotic service or material, might I very strongly suggest that you contact the scumbags, the ‘leaders’ who would tax away your right to do so?

Let these moralistic scum know that you think their idea is a bad one?

You can contact them all here.

Once there, simply click upon their names, which will bring up their personal little web pages that include an email link. You will be asked for your address and such to identify your legislative district.

Lastly, I must say that I hope you remember these names when the next election comes around.

Posted by Milliscent at 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Do you dream of serving that perfectly delightful married lesbian couple?

Perhaps they treat themselves as equals, you their shared slave, perhaps one is dominant the other submissive, your role as the lowest on the pecking order.

Do you dream of kneeling beside their bed fetching wine, lube, toys as they use fingers, tongues, lips, and teeth to bring each other to the height of pleasure?

Do you dream of listening to their feminine lovemaking as you are kept in chastity, for surely they would never tolerate the male orgasm in their home?

Do you dream of being a feminized maid, serving them and their friends in your pretty little sissy maid uniform?

Do you dream of washing their scents off toys, panties, shoes?

Do you dream of the spankings perhaps paddlings they would inflict upon your skin?

Do you dream of mockery; humiliation as they tell you just how unimportant your pathetic little cock is to them?

Do you dream of penetration; being penetrated by two women whom you know you will never have a chance to penetrate in return?

If you live in Washington State of course these things can be nothing more than a dream. No matter what ever happens within your life you have absolutely zero chance of ever having such an opportunity.

Why?

Because of course, lesbians cannot be married.

Nor can gays. Nor can polyamorous people in any way legally legitimize a group relationship of any kind.

This is of course wrong.

The state exists only to protect the individual rights of its citizens. It serves no other legitimate purpose. If you disagree, I might suggest that you read the works of our founding fathers; the Declaration of Independence is a quick and easy place to begin.

The state certainly does not have any legitimate right, nor reason, to decide what is, and what is not a valid relationship between two consenting adults.

The state currently attempts to do so for no reason other than religion. People, on religious grounds, object to same sex marriage, and the politicians, in some cases the majority of voters give in to these objections. It is unfortunately true that in the case of gay marriage the state is abusing the No Establishment clause of the United States Constitution.

It will however change. Gay marriage, and after that the legitimizing of poly groups in some way will occur. These things will happen because in the history of the western world no movement for civil rights has ever failed. Likewise, it will not fail this time.

Personal truth time:

I am a supporter of marriage. I must be for after all, I am a married woman. I reject all claims by opponents of gay marriage that advocates of gay marriage will destroy ‘the sanctity of marriage.’ Heterosexual married people have already destroyed ‘the sanctity of marriage’ if such a thing ever did exist. 50% divorce rates and a mysterious ‘sanctity of marriage’ cannot coexist. I must confess however that I doubt if any such thing ever did exist.

I am not a lesbian. I consider myself to be pansexual. I am open to sexual expression with men and women, one on one or the more the merrier. I am open to tremendous sexual exploration, vanilla and way way beyond. Actually, I must confess that I greatly prefer that way beyond.

I am polyamorous. I can’t say that monogamy interests me, and I certainly do not live a monogamous lifestyle.

Given all of this, I, like I imagine most of my readers, have no direct benefit to gay marriage becoming legal within the State of Washington.

I do however, like I know all of my readers, have a great deal of indirect benefits to gay marriage becoming legal within our state.

I explore polyamory, bondage, discipline, dominance, sadism, and fetish. All things which are frowned upon by society, all things that will cause an individual tremendous negative consequences within society if his or her interests and practices are somehow discovered. Someday this will change in our society. Someday our society will properly acknowledge that all sexual expression and exploration between consenting adults is legitimate. The road for our society to get there will be a very long one, but eventually we will get there. Gay marriage is a huge step down that road, a step that must be taken before further progress can be made.

So I, and all the rest of you fellow perverts who are reading this do stand to indirectly benefit from the legalization of same sex marriage.

Even if we did not however, we would do well to support it. If for no other reason than it’s the right thing to do.

I have a job for you:

Visit the legislature on the web here.

Click on the tab that says ‘Find Your District”

Type in your address.

Find your three legislators.

Email them telling them that you support same sex marriage, and the bills currently before them that would make such marriage a reality in our state.

If you do this, and if they listen, you just might someday have the chance to serve that lesbian couple mentioned above!

Posted by Milliscent at 4:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The new legislature begins its legislative session bright and early Monday morning.

Hide your wallets.

Posted by Milliscent at 8:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

For those of us in Washington State our legislators are right now gearing up for the upcoming legislative session, and now is the perfect time for us to connect with them.

In my view, the biggest trouble with most citizen lobbying is that it comes too late to make a difference. By the time anything being considered by the legislature makes it on to the news, it is too late for citizen lobbying to have an effect upon it. Citizen lobbying must be done early to be effective.

The second biggest trouble with most citizen lobbing is that it is done poorly. A rude or threatening email sent to a legislator will have zero positive effect, and likely will have a negative effect. Citizen lobbying must be done respectfully to be effective.

The easiest way for a citizen to lobby his or her legislator is via the ‘Legislative Hotline.’ You call a 1-800 number, and leave a brief message with the person who answers the phone. The person answering the phone types up your message then delivers it to each of your three legislators, our Governor, and our Lt. Governor. You don’t even have to know who these elected officials are, the person answering the phone figures all that out for you.

The number for the ‘Legislative Hotline’ is:

1-800-562-6000

Now you know how you can lobby our legislature in Washington State. Wasn’t that easy?

Let’s talk about what to lobby for. Our state is currently facing a roughly 6 billion-dollar budget deficit. Unlike the federal government our state cannot pass a budget that is in the red, cannot rake up massive debt.

This means, quite literally, that the legislature will have to either raise taxes by 6 billion dollars, cut spending by 6 billion dollars, or go with some combination of spending cuts and tax increases.

Government employees, and employees of groups that receive government funding make time each and every day the legislature is working to lobby. This session they will be lobbing for tax increases, ensuring legislators that whatever it is they do is so important that it can not be cut without disaster striking, and that therefore massive new taxes are needed.

Folks who don’t rely upon government for their livelihoods however generally don’t make time for lobbying efforts. Instead they ignore the legislature and just get upset that taxes and regulations both seem to be ever increasing.

This is a mistake. Those of us who believe in lower taxes, in less government, and in more freedom need to lobby the legislature, not ignore it. We need to counter the calls of government types for more taxes and more regulations. If we do not, especially over the next few months, we will all be paying higher taxes, and suffering under more regulation next year at this time.

Therefore, I suggest that this week you call the ‘Hotline’ and leave a low tax, reduced regulation message.

Call the ‘Hotline,’ they will ask for your name and address, and then take your message. If you are like me a Libertarian leaning Republican I’d suggest something to the effect of:

“I feel that taxes are too high already, and urge that the budget be balanced through cuts to non vital functions of government. I am not in favor of any new regulations or laws which will require increased spending, rather I think that we should reduce needless regulation to cut spending.”

Quick and easy. Effective too if done now.

One quirk with the ‘Hotline’ is that your message will go to your three legislators as a matter of course, but only to the Governor and Lt. Governor if you specifically request it. I would recommend that you make that request.

Unless you absolutely want one, you need not ask for a reply to ensure that your message is read.

If you take my advice and spend 30 seconds lobbying this upcoming week you just might end up feeling the process worthwhile. If that is the case, I might suggest that you call back a few days later with a message to the effect of:

“Given the budget deficit I am against any new laws that will increase spending. I urge my legislators to not sponsor any bill that will have a fiscal note attached to it.”

(A fiscal note is a statement prepared by the Governor’s staff detailing how much a bill will cost each year if it is passed into law. All bills that have significant costs are outfitted with fiscal notes if they begin to come under serious consideration.)

Talking about taxes being too high, regulations being out of control, and liberty being infringed is meaningless unless such talk is backed up by action. I urge all of my readers who are located in the State of Washington to spend a couple of minutes this December taking that action, lobbing our legislature as it prepares for its upcoming session.

Posted by Milliscent at 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)