On Friday, three conservative Democrat senators suddenly joined Republicans to force through an ultra-conservative, all cuts state budget. This shocking backroom deal was a sinister way to prevent voters - or even legislators - from reading the budget and making a responsible decision.

We can't let them get away with this. Join us in Olympia to protest today at 5:30! We will meet in the Prichard Building (the building with the big cafeteria south of the Capitol dome).

Last Friday, three conservative Democrat senators suddenly joined Republicans to force through an ultra-conservative, all cuts state budget. This shocking backroom deal was a sinister way to prevent voters - or even legislators - from reading the budget and making a responsible decision.

Tell your representatives to reject the conservative backroom budget and pass a progressive, sustainable budget that closes tax loopholes and invests in education, health care, and essential services for our communities.

This weekend, legislators across the state are taking a break from session to hold town hall meetings in their home districts. This is a rare chance to talk face-to-face with your legislators while they are working on critical legislation that will impact the future of our communities. Click here for a schedule of legislator town halls that we know about in February 2012.

We're finally turning the tables on investment bankers and Wall Street fat cats. State representative Laurie Jinkins has introduced a bill that would creat a 5 percent tax on profits of more than $10,000 from the sale of stocks and second houses. It would raise $500 million or more each year for education, health care, and essential public services, and it would only apply to the wealthiest 3 percent of Washingtonians. This is our best chance this year to reform our tax system.

Rob McKenna slips up sometimes. When he does, it’s usually very revealing.

McKenna has worked hard over the years to hide his conservative values so that most voters don’t know what he really stands for. But his latest get rich quick proposal for corporate special interests makes it clear whose side he’s really on.

From weakening protections for injured workers to devaluing the minimum wage, McKenna’s true priorities are clear: helping powerful, conservative corporations at the expense of working families.

Can you help us spread the truth about McKenna’s agenda? We need to spread the word before his conservative corporate supporters launch their deceptive multi-million dollar ad campaigns. Please forward this summary of McKenna’s true campaign platform to at least three friends. They can also sign up to receive the latest updates about McKenna’s campaign.

http://fusewa.me/rEH3bP

Insurance industry profits over injured workers:
It’s simple: if you get hurt on the job, you should be able to see a doctor and receive support for your family while you recover. However, Rob McKenna is siding with big insurance companies and his campaign donors that want to pad their profits by slashing workers’ protections.¹ He’s pushing this scheme at the behest of big insurance companies, despite the fact that voters overwhelmingly rejected a similar proposal — I-1082 — just last year.²

Wall Street profits over homeowners:
Rob McKenna is part of a national settlement that would let some of the nation’s biggest mortgage companies off the hook with a slap on the wrist. Some progressive Attorneys General have withdrawn from the settlement because it doesn’t hold Wall Street Banks accountable for destroying our economy and foreclosing on millions of families. McKenna not only thinks it’s a good deal — particularly for his campaign donors — but he’s serving as a lead negotiator for this Wall Street giveaway.³

Health insurance profits over patients:
McKenna is a national leader of the effort to throw out the Affordable Care Act, which is already helping millions of Americans. Thanks to these historic reforms, children can’t be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions, young people are now covered under their parents’ health plan until the age of 26, and health insurers must use health premiums on actual health care. Health insurance companies want to return to making billions at the expense of patients, and Rob McKenna is leading the way.⁴

Corporate profits over working families:
McKenna authored a legal opinion last year saying that the state did not need to raise the minimum wage. Following his lead, a coalition of corporate special interests and McKenna’s campaign donors sued the state to prevent an increase in the minimum wage.⁵

Corporate special interests and the wealthy should pay their fair share, not get more tax giveaways and sweetheart deals. Unfortunately, McKenna has a long track record of siding with corporations and the wealthy over working families, and he’s promising more of the same in this campaign.

We need to spread the truth about McKenna and his dangerous policies for Washington. Forward this email to three friends and ask them to sign up for the latest updates:

http://fusewa.me/rEH3bP

¹ http://www.theolympian.com/2011/11/08/1868521/mckenna-cut-number-of-state-workers.html
² http://vote.wa.gov/results/20101102/Initiative-Measure-1082-Concerning-industrial-insurance.html
³ http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/foreclosures/principal-reduction-plan-for-struggling-homeowners-could-be-1895761.html
⁴ http://dropthehealthcarelawsuit.com/
⁵ http://www.theolympian.com/2010/11/15/1440898/farm-bureau-sues-to-halt-minimum.html

On Election Day, voters in Washington and across the country rejected conservative extremism and took a stand for the 99%. While we didn't win every race, we won most of the big ones and showed that we can defeat conservatives' deep pockets when we come together and organize for progress.

Fuse members rocked this election. Together, we made tens of thousands of phone calls against Initiative 1125, knocked on thousands of doors in Spokane, funded TV ads in Bellingham and mail in Bellevue, and supported an ambitious online outreach program across the state. Here are the highlights and lowlights:

• Tim Eyman and Kemper Freeman lost to common sense and transit. Eyman's I-1125, funded by $1.2 million from conservative developer Kemper Freeman, would have undermined transportation projects and blocked light rail to the Eastside. Fuse members made tens of thousands of phone calls and played a huge role in defeating this dangerous initiative. And just as importantly, we sent a message to legislators and the media that Tim Eyman doesn't represent the people of Washington.


• We also went toe-to-toe with Kemper Freeman's millions in the Bellevue City Council races. Kemper has been obsessed with blocking light rail to the Eastside for decades. As part of his last-ditch effort, he bankrolled a slate of conservative, anti-transit candidates for City Council. While one of the races is still close, it looks like all three of our pro-transit candidates will win. This victory is testament to the fact that hard work and grassroots organizing can still overcome millionaire conservatives.


• Environmental values win in Whatcom County. Christina Maginnis has pulled ahead of her conservative, developer-backed opponent in a County Council race that has big implications for the environment. Conservative business interests are also taking losses in another council race and the County Executive's race.


• Beyond Washington, voters rejected conservative extremism in every corner of the country. In Ohio, voters overwhelmingly repealed a union-busting law pushed by the Koch brothers and corporate special interests. In Mississippi, voters rejected an extreme "personhood" measure. In Maine, voters overturned a regressive voter suppression law. And in Arizona, voters recalled the author of the state's blatantly discriminatory anti-immigrant law. Voters across the country want leaders who will focus on creating jobs and rebuilding our economy, not divisive wedge issues.


• Of course, we couldn't win every race. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to re-elect Mayor Mary Verner in Spokane. In the end, a series of negative news events and devastating media coverage were simply too much to overcome. The only consolation there is progressive Ben Stuckart's election as Spokane City Council President.


• Costco's $22 million purchase of a win on I-1183 is also disturbing. Following a precedent set with I-1107 and I-1053 last year, it appears that businesses are now simply calculating their returns and spending whatever it takes to win on the ballot in Washington. It's hard to find a better example of the need for stronger regulation of our campaign finance system.

In the end, Tuesday was a pretty good day for all of us working to create a more progressive future. But it's also just one step in the right direction. We're already planning and organizing for the upcoming legislative session and the 2012 elections. We're starting early because we know that our challenges are great and our opponents have deep pockets. But this election shows that the 99% can succeed when we come together and organize for progress. That was the key to our victories on Tuesday, and with your help, it will also be our ticket to victory in 2012.

In his campaign announcement last Wednesday, Rob McKenna proposed $5.76 billion in new spending but left voters in the dark about how he would pay for it. He's even relying on budget projections he repeatedly criticized just two months ago.