Ok minions, I try to stay completely away from touchy subjects that have nothing to do with crochet on this blog.
I have written political statements, because I believe in fair trade, and fair wages for people who produce quality goods and services. Especially those of us who work with our hands…and now I’m going to have a mini rant, and give a link to another mini-rant about how Washington State’s Legislature’s decisions may impact the CLF.
It’s indirect mind you, there is no bill outlawing the liberation of crochet, but our dear legislature in the infinate cowardice have chosen to smackdown on the SMALLEST agencies in the state of Washington for the biggest budget cuts, which does very little to nothing to solve the $8+ billion elephant in the living room.
They are asking State Parks to take on the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, WHILE demanding an almost 25% cut from our budget. Folks, State Parks doesn’t even get a whole percent of the budget under normal circumstances. PULEEZ.
They keep stating that the areas that need to be cut can’t be cut because it would be unconstitutional to do so.
That is ALL or nothing thinking; which is ridiculous!
Frankly, there are places in EVERY agency that can and should get cut. One of the most frustrating things about being married to a Park Ranger, is watching the political maelstrom that he can do nothing about. One of those things is having to hire outside engineering firms to “study” as situation for up to MILLIONS of dollars, only to have it not work (as the Ranger was trying to tell them when they started).. Another great one is when the state has to hire a private contractor, because the law says they have to, instead of allowing the qualified personnel available to do the job. Then the contractors do a crappy job, do not put in parts correctly, cut so many corners there are safety issues, do not meet deadlines or budget constraints and there is NO RECOURSE….
If it happens in state parks it happens in the Dept. of Transportation (way bigger folks), it must happen in the Department of Social and Human Services, and lord only knows what happens in the Office of Superindentant for Public Instruction. The latter has zero teeth to enforce Washington State Ed. Law, and runs millions of dollars worth of studies and silly programs (I know I used to work for one) that really only look like they help (on paper) but do nothing in reality.
And so they want to cut affordable, healthy recreation in a time of economic crisis?
How does this impact the CLF? Well, I can safely say that my husband will not lose his job. But we will most likely end up getting “bumped’ in the system, not be on Camano Island anymore, and end up somewhere else in the state…
In fact it works like dominoes, Someone’s park will close, they will bump Jeff, Jeff will bump the next guy, he bumps someone else, down the line three more times….and more unemployement.
Make sense? Yeah… So, fingers crossed that the good legislators of Washington State will be engaging their brain in a little more long term thinking than they are most want to do…, but who knows…They still haven’t really started talking about the budget, but rest easy the guys from Seattle just may get that money they want to refurbish Key Arena!? >.< GRRRR,,,,
Some days I could smack some politicians with a “Get Smart” stick…
So stay tuned, cause this will affect the retreat in 2010 if the 25% cut happens.
Official Blog of the Crochet Liberation Front 
I’m going to be so pissed if they build the 2.4 billion dollar tunnel in Seattle but they kill our stat parks. All Washington folk to write their congress people and let them know this is a really dumb idea!
I’m right with you…A tunnel that will concievably run far over the estimated costs because of the poor “soil” (if you can call the fill under Seattle soil) conditions. We do not need a Channel Tunnel in Seattle that is a prestige project that is absolutely fruitless…It would be cheaper to relocate local businesses and build another elevated freeway, I smell something rotten in Denmark!
Especially since Discovery Institute was involved!
I have a friend that lives in Tacoma and works in a tiny school on an island that she has to ferry to each day. She’s a first year teacher and it looks like all first year teachers may get a pink slip.
How is this going to solve problems? How is removing the teachers that make the least amount of money going to actually make a dent in anyone’s budget? How are the already overstressed other teachers going to handle MORE kids in the classroom?
My friend proposed that teachers who make $80,000 plus should be given a 3% wage decrease. That makes a LOT more sense to me than eliminating teachers.
This ecconomy is causing people to do strange things, my friend.
Exactly…let me tell you about some of the STUPID programs they have in place…
The paper work, the ridiculous studies…OMG those drove me absolutely bonkers.
I worked for a program called, “Readiness to Learn” and was absolutely disgusted by what went on…I felt like I was being paid to MAKE the schools do for kids what they were already supposed to be doing!
And if they would get rid of those damnedable standardized tests that do NOTHING but teach people to take tests, they just might end up with learning (and less of a budget)…
Oh…I’m ranting again..Tell your friend chin up 😉 It could be worse…Don’t know how, but things can always be worse 🙂
I blame this on the slow demise on the press. If you have an investigative press that goes out and actively investigates local corruption and local government and looks for this sort of thing. But with newspapers dying and more concerned about ad revenues and only writing stories that they think some target demographic wants to read rather than doing their job, no wonder they are dying and our states get away with murder
Sigh. We had to can our governor before we could save some of the state parks he closed. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-quinn-reopens-state-parks-27feb27,0,7642727.story
Cheers Fearless Leader,
OGiRl
Elizabeth,
Yes, it has had it’s demise. And so too have the people not stayed involved…So many people think their elected officials are their “betters”…
NOT TRUE!
We all have the right to lobby, petition our government, I do it for giggles sometimes. But this year I’m more than serious.
It means taking the time to do it, but you know the Press has always gone in ways. Yellow Journalism is nothing new 🙂
But it is sad that the major big guys totally stink at reporting real news.
Ogirl 🙂
Yeah, several states have made the mistake of either losing or privatizing their state parks.
It is a foolish and short sighted thing to do. Especially since most of them have exceptionally small budgets in comparrisson to other departments.
I get so frustrated with being told “Tighten your belt”…My belt’s been tight for a long time. What happens when your belt’s so tight you can’t breathe?
We can bail out speculators, who bloated the market. We can bail out agencies who chose to put money into the damn stock market (what were they on? Gambling public money!)…but we can’t take care of simple tasks?
And we fund foolish projects…Good lord, and I’m liberal…LOL Really I am! But I just happen to remember what I learned in economics class. You know before creative accounting!