We face great dangers to life and liberty, not just from a novel virus, but also from political leaders who too quickly embrace the role of dictator and abuse their power. That’s how it goes with dictators. And that’s how it’s going with Jay Inslee.

On one hand, Inslee has done some things right, though his delay in responding to the COVID-19 crisis and his administration’s lack of preparation cost lives and allowed the virus to spread. An in-depth review of events by the Seattle Times shows that Inslee’s initial steps were grave missteps.

“How the coronavirus overwhelmed Washington’s early steps to contain it,” Seattle Times, April 5, 2020.

Inslee’s decision to order a statewide emergency, and trigger his emergency powers, had the desired impact. He got the state’s undivided attention which had been missing, in part due to Inslee’s own downplaying of the threat from the virus, as the Seattle Times reports.

Finally, on March 23, Governor Inslee issued his stay-at-home order, accompanied by his list of businesses he deemed essential, with the consequence that all those that did not make his list had to cease operations.

Dictator For How Long?

Inslee has begun unilaterally to expand his emergency powers beyond those permitted by state law, RCW-43.06.220.

His order extending the statewide stay-at-home order to May 4 goes beyond the thirty days voters approved when they agreed to subject themselves to a temporary dictatorship during a state of emergency. Inslee has said he might give himself an even a longer term as dictator. The law required consultation and consent of legislative leaders to any extension of time. By claiming the extension unilaterally he has put legislative leaders into a position where they either acquiesce or are forced to take action to preserve the rule of law. The Legislature and courts are in Democrat control. Inslee likely faces no serious challenge to ruling by fiat. Especially, since as is next discussed, Inslee has been using his powers to favor Democrat interests and constituencies while harming those that fall into the Republican camp.

Inslee has also ordered all public and private schools to close for the remainder of the school year, another action extending dictatorial powers beyond the time period to which voters consented.

Playing Favorites

A close analysis of Inslee’s essential business designations shows he’s been playing political favorites. Because his list produces ludicrous results, we should ask hard questions about what is going on.

Under Inslee’s decree, you can build a pot shop, but not a house. Because Inslee has decreed that marijuana retail is an essential activity–but not residential housing construction–remodeling, or expansion of a pot shop is permitted.

The state gets huge tax revenues from marijuana farming and retail, and the marijuana lobby is a well-funded, influential lobby solidly in Inslee’s column.

You can organize unions. You cannot oppose them.

Inslee has deemed unions and “worker advocacy organizations,” and everything they do, as essential activities. Union organizers can continue to organize and play politics. But employers and their lawyers, even workers who don’t want to be unionized, can’t come out of their houses. Inslee has shut them down.  Along the same lines, a union can hold meetings of members, but a church congregation cannot gather to sing songs outside in a parking lot, even if everyone stood twenty feet apart.

Surgical abortions may continue, but many cancer patients have been told their procedures are canceled indefinitely. So the cancers inside these patients continue to grow, and they and their families are left to worry and pray. Limited and strained resources that could be used save lives, Inslee has permitted to be used instead to end lives.

You are likely already providing the explanation yourself: Inslee and the Democrat Party are pro-abortion and strongly supported by abortion activists and businesses that make money killing unwanted human beings. Those powerful interests contribute heavily to Inslee and Democrats, directly and through their own political action committees.

Realtors can show and sell houses and earn real estate commissions, but new houses can’t be built. Realtors can meet with clients, title companies, prospective purchasers, conduct home showings and closings. But carpenters can’t work at opposite ends of a new house, a plumber can’t work alone under the house, a painter can’t be on a ladder outside. Multi-million dollar homes and condos can be bought and sold, but a low income family cannot buy a new manufactured home, because those are not sold by realtors. But they can buy a used one, as long as a realtor is in the deal getting a commission. FSBOs are non-essential under Inslee’s central planning.

Realtors spend tons of money on politicians, mostly Democrats. They have powerful political action committees, and trade organizations with lobbyists who know their way around Olympia and have the phone number for the Governor and his chief of staff.

Inslee has hit rural counties disproportionately hard.  Some of these counties were already suffering Applachia levels of despair and unemployment.  They have seen very few, even no COVID-19 cases or deaths. Inslee has hammered their struggling communities by making them subject to the same restrictions needed in King County.

Rural Washington did not put Inslee in the Governor’s mansion and he’s not counting on rural Washington to keep him there.

Some of this nonsense can be attributed to central planners who just aren’t very good at what they’re doing. But some of these bizarre situations are no doubt due to political favoritism.

Projects Inslee supports go forward. Those he doesn’t care or know about are stopped dead. People working on the Key Arena construction, Sound Transit projects and government funded housing can keep working. He sees these things. He doesn’t see the small businesspeople who work alone, or with family members or the small teams of people who build much of the affordable housing in this state. If workers on publicly financed housing can continue without spreading the virus, why can’t they? The answer won’t be found in science or medicine. The answer lies in politics because nothing else makes sense.

Inslee has also benefitted himself politically by shutting down his opposition.

It is impossible to follow the news and not see Inslee’s daily press conferences, sometimes more than one appearance on camera per day.  Inslee has been out and about, doing photo ops, delivering speeches, cutting ribbons and being seen with health care workers, business leaders, and other political figures. Much of it is plain old campaigning. There’s no reason for Inslee to be there, except to get his face on television. Having declared himself, his staff and all he does as “essential,” he can dominate the evening news every night. He can monopolize media attention. And he can work on his campaign for re-election.

The people seeking to replace him this election year? Non-essential according to Inslee. He is all Washington needs. All those other guys have to stay home.