Article by WashingtonStateWire. Published on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 EST.

Just A Raining Wednesday And The Capital Is Asleep: Five Observations

Roadkill, killed?:

Is the roadkill dead? Has it been killed? Will they actually take on a big one, and go against the Speaker? If not they are still just a group of folks picking away at the edges. Worker’s Comp is their test. Let’s watch.

King 5 Poll shows the voters did know what they were voting on in the 1053 issue: “90 percent would vote same way!!!”

Publicola must have been saddened to put this up: A new KING 5 poll on Barack Obama (49 percent approval rating in Washington State) and on Tim Eyman’s I-1053 two-thirds rule for tax hikes (90 percent would vote the same way they voted last year when it passed by nearly 64 percent)—also asked about State Sen. Ed Murray’s (D-43, Capitol Hill) proposed ballot measure. Murray wants voters to rule on repealing tax loopholes: Should ending tax breaks be considered a tax increase, and therefore, be required to meet the 1053 two-thirds rule, or should the legislature be able to repeal loopholes with a simple majority vote?

The poll found 55 percent in favor of allowing the legislature to repeal tax loopholes with a simple majority. Breaking it down: Democrats favored the idea by 64 percent (22 percent were opposed); Republicans were 47 percent in favor (45 percent opposed); Tea Party voters were were 47 in favor (45 percent opposed); and Independents were 52 percent in favor (34 percent opposed).

All of this is plus or minus 3-4% depending on the question.

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=f6417c2c-527c-4034-9b33-f45fc7dc8227

Please tell me the students know better: Tim Haeck over at 97.3 FM posted this piece of logic: An analysis from the University of Washington suggests commuters would adapt and face just minor delays if Seattle’s Alaskan Way viaduct was suddenly gone.

Seems a group of statistics students labored long and hard to come to the conclusion that folks who have to get from north to south and south to north, through the Seattle area will find alternatives (adapt) if the viaduct is gone. What? Do they know most of the traffic is not discretionary? Folks driving to work or the airport, or whatever, mostly need to get there, like real bad!!. And, instead of waking up and saying, “Oh, no viaduct? I guess I’ll just stay home and not go to work, or I’ll miss my flight. No reason to check out a surface street. I’ll just have some of this medicinal pot.” Statistics is about chances, rate of occurrences. What are the chances the U of W students are not too smart?

Speaking of people who are using medicinal pot: Looks like a watered down, do-nothing medical pot bill has been fired up again. Thanks to Kohl-Wells for at least trying to get around an unnecessary veto by the guv. Proponents of the first bill killed by the guv tell me they don’t like the roll of the second one. Too many seeds in it? Hearing’s today, let’s see who Bogarts this one.

And finally my favorite rumors of this sleepy reloaded session: 1. The guv vetoed the pot bill so she could get an appointment at US Dept. of Justice? (even I know that sounds silly), 2. She’s told one of her trusted staff that she wants to run for a third term to finish some of the projects, but she will not. (that one? Who knows?) and finally 3. Jay Manning is running for AG when McKenna moves to the Mansion. Hhmmm, interesting.

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