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.
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."
For Freedom,
Trent England Executive Vice President Freedom Foundation
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