Is the Palin message changing the conservative identity? By Jan Teague, President/CEO
One lives through many decades and sees how change can happen so quickly. With the recent Democratic sweep, I wonder if I have lived to see the most successful business climate fade into the books of history, left behind for a populist movement that flattens resolve, takes the excitement out of being in business and blurs economic principles.
In this same vein, did the Sarah Palin message change the way people think about what it means to be conservative?
I was moved to consider this after reading a recent Wall Street Journal article by Columbia University humanities professor Mark Lilla. He called Palin a well-thought-out pick who connected well with the concerns of everyday Americans.
Lilla asked: "How could younger conservative intellectuals promote a candidate like Sarah Palin, who represents everything older conservative thinkers once stood against?"
In his piece, Lilla boiled down the history of conservative thinking into a debate between styles of intellectuals. Consider Palin's appeal, a populist approach that counters intellectuals who claim they defend everyday people against the educated class. Sarah Palin Republicans praise plumbers and builders and ridicule ambassadors and diplomats.
Lilla continued that with the rise of shock radio and the popularity of television, there is a huge American appetite of contempt for intellectuals.
What is at stake in this debate, in my mind, is the nation's level of political discourse. While it used to be that populist intellectual appeals to voters were reserved for liberals, these days conservative intellectuals have moved to using the same approach.
Could something key to democracy be lost in this clash of styles? Is the quality of political thinking and well-debated policy at stake? Can American judgment be lost when emotional decision making trumps measured strategic thinking?
I share Mark Lilla's concerns.
We should all be concerned with the quality of political thinking. I have always believed that a full debate factoring in all sides of issues and political styles makes for the best possible resolutions and decisions.
Good public policy in our democracy demands no less.
A push expected to recycle fluorescent lights
Mark Johnson, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Washington Retail Association, participated in a national two-day conference in Seattle last week by the Product Stewardship Institute.
The Boston-based non profit is dedicated to reducing the negative health and environmental impacts of products ranging from electronics, carpeting and paint to tires, phone books and pharmaceuticals.
The Seattle conference focused on trying to promote consumer recycling of fluorescent lights, which contain small amounts of toxic mercury. Mercury exposure is harmful to humans and animals and can lead to negative environmental impacts if discarded in landfills.
It is expected that a bill will be introduced into the next Legislative session that would require fluorescent bulbs to be recycled rather than deposited in landfills.
About 50 representatives of retail, manufacturing, government and utilities attended the conference at a Seattle hotel.
The institute hopes to continue discussions among interested parties on the need to recycle worn out fluorescent bulbs. Discussions during the conference also focused on devising systems by which members of the public could participate in free, convenient and safe recycling programs.
Some retailers are experimenting with programs offering to accept recycled fluorescent bulbs. Utilities also are considering whether to participate in recycling the bulbs, members at the Seattle conference learned.
All participants agreed that a national program would be the most consistent and efficient way to address this issue.
GOP gains Legislature seats in election
Though voters chose Democrat President-elect Barack Obama and re-elected Democrat Governor Christine Gregoire, state voters went against the national trend in adding Republican seats to the Legislature.
Pro-business Republicans may gain a combined total of three seats in the state House and Senate following last week's elections.
As votes continued to be counted this week, the GOP looked as though it would pick up two seats in the House, the first gains in the House since 1994. Republicans also appeared to be on the way toward gaining a Senate seat versus the Democrats. It would be the GOP's first gain in Senate seats since 2002.
The latest party breakdown has Democrats in control of the Senate by a 31 to 18 count and leading in House seats by a 61 to 37 count.
State in recession, state treasurer-elect says
Washington state may have slipped into a recession sometime between July and September of this year, the state's treasurer-elect said last week.
The comment to The Olympian newspaper came from Rep. Jim McIntire, the Seattle Democrat who is state treasurer-elect and chairman of the state's Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.
In noting the state collected $93 million less in taxes than it expected the past two month, McIntire told The Olympian that state economists are predicting a one-year recession expected to end by August of next year.
The economic slowdown prompted former Governor Gary Locke to predict a state revenue shortfall of up to $4.5 billion come January, but McIntire told The Olympian he expected the shortfall to be lower than $4 billion.
Gov. Christine Gregoire ordered a state hiring freeze last summer, other cuts in travel and personal services contracts and reportedly is searching for further spending cuts, the newspaper reported.
The Washington Retail Association opposes a tax increase to help solve the problem because it could be a crippling blow to already struggling businesses. During her election campaign this year, Gregoire said she did not plan to raise taxes.
State excise tax collections from September compared to the same month a year ago demonstrate the size of the state's economic slowdown. The "retail trade" category showed a drop of 8.6 percent in excise taxes collected in September compared to the same month a year ago. Some of the hardest hit categories included auto sales (down 20.7 percent); building materials (down 12 percent), and apparel and accessories (down 9.4 percent).
Bright spots for state revenue included gasoline stations (up 4.7 percent) and drug and health stores (up 3.7 percent).
Source: The Olympian, Department of Revenue
Retailers vow political fight over union organizing
Major national retail groups vowed this week to step up their opposition to a bill that would remove secret employee voting in deciding whether to become represented by a labor union.
The labor-backed Employee Free Choice Act, expected for debate before Congress early next year, would allow unions to be formed if a majority of employees signed a card saying they favored a union. A union could begin without a vote of all employees.
Retail groups including the Washington Retail Association oppose the bill because it would add costs to struggling businesses while removing a fundamental right from employees.
WRA's board of directors voted this week to approve a policy paper opposing the Employee Free Choice Act.
Groups such as the National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association also are ramping up their lobbying efforts in anticipation of debate on the bill early next year.
"We are leaving no stone unturned," Katherine Lugar, RILA's executive vice president of public affairs, told Business Week magazine regarding the group's increasing lobbying efforts. "This is a radical proposal that couldn't be more poorly timed in this economic environment."
Retail groups believe businesses cannot afford increased labor costs in an economy crippled by a real estate slump, depressed consumer confidence and demand for shopping, and a tight credit environment among lenders.
President-elect Barack Obama was a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act.
In a conference call last week, the issue of union organizing was identified as the business community's top priority for the upcoming 111th Congress by John Motley, Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for the Foot Marketing Institute.
Source: Business Week
Small business forums continue around state
The Washington Policy Center has begun a series of statewide small business forums.
The Washington Retail Association is a co-presenter of the series.
The forums aim to update small business owners on policy changes that affect their business operations. Attendees will hear from WPC research staff, hear a preview of the 2009 Legislative session and discuss possible impacts from last week's elections.
The $25 cost includes a meal and forum materials.
The two remaining locations include:
*Tacoma, Nov. 18, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m,. at Tacoma's LaQuinta Inn. Register through Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. *Vancouver, Nov. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Red Lion at the Quay.
Washington Retail Association | 618 Quince St SE, STE A | PO Box 2227 | Olympia | WA | 98501
The Washington Retail Association, WRA, is a 501 C 6 trade association formed to advocate for Washington State’s retailers at the local, state and national level. Since 1987, the WRA has protected Washington's retailers from unreasonable taxes, fees, regulations and legislation. The efforts of the WRA benefit all Washington state retailers and help fuel statewide economic growth.
