Tuesday, November 26, 2013

who is special



 
America was built on the idea that everyone is...special. The Founders believed, no matter who you are or where you come from, you deserve a fair chance. 
 
But when government panders to special interests, it tips the playing field and distorts the rule of law.
 
Last week's special session was another example of how special interests manipulate our government. Lawmakers scrambled to pass a series of favors for Boeing, hoping to entice the Goliath company to build its 777X jetliner here in Washington. In the end, even a tax break extension wasn't enough to keep the machinists from rejecting their union contract.
 
Boeing Special Session
 
We know something is wrong with our state politics when one company is influential enough to prompt special treatment, even a special legislative session, from our elected officials. (Did you see that the same thing happened last December in Oregon-a one-day special session just for Nike?)
 
Rep. Matt Manweller-a former Freedom Foundation trustee-summarized the problem well: "The fact that we're here today is a tacit admission that there is something wrong in the State of Washington. If the B&O tax is burdensome for some of us, then is it not burdensome for all of us?...If we can save Goliath, we can save David, too."
 
Visit our blog to read our complete special session wrap-up.

For Freedom,
 
Trent England
Executive Vice President
Freedom Foundation
FF-Logo-on-White  

No comments: