Author: Emmett O'Connell (Page 98 of 177)

Rep. Brendan Williams (from my own 22nd LD) is looking for folks to feature in an ad in the Olympian, supporting the homeowners bill:

Dear Friend:

Once again, Sen. Brian Weinstein (D., Mercer Island) and I are working to pass a Homeowners’ Bill of Rights. Once again, we’re opposed by the powerful Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW). We need your help!

There is no accountability in our state for defects in new homes, unless such defects actually cause a home to collapse. Your new home need not even be fully-constructed. Senate Bill 6385 would grant to buyers of single-family homes the same statutory warranty protections condominium buyers have.

Although many other states provide statutory warranty rights, and many go further and allow homeowners to sue builders for negligence, BIAW claims protecting consumers would destroy the building industry. Indeed, they actually blame consumers for their builders’ negligence!

Of course, BIAW has also claimed women are “eradicating manly jobs”; denied global warming’s existence; denied the Puget Sound needs cleanup; worked in concert with far-right civil rights’ opponents to try to take over the Washington Supreme Court; attacked unions; and has even described Governor Gregoire as “a heartless, power-hungry she-wolf who would eat her own young to get ahead”!

Look at the facts: D.R. Horton is the nation’s largest homebuilder, and does business in other states that provide substantive protections to homebuyers. Obviously it’s profitable to do so.

To counter the homebuilders’ millions in campaign contributions,there’s no organization for homeowners who’ve been victims of homebuilder’s negligence. That’s why I’m personally paying for an ad in The Olympian to promote this issue (if BIAW has not already killed the bill in our fast-paced session).

I would be honored if you would lend your name to the statement, “We support Representative Williams’ efforts on behalf of homebuyers’ rights.” I’ll list all the names in the ad and include a photo of a local home damaged by negligence.

We cannot allow the voice of consumers to go unheard, and this is the best way I can think of to create visibility. Will you please lend your name to this effort? If so, please respond at your convenience with your full name and address. Thank you so much.

Best,

Brendan Williams
State Representative
House Majority External Relations Leader
22nd District

P.S. Let’s not let dreams of homeownership turn into nightmares.

I have my own questions about the legislation, but if you’re interested you can email him at olylaw — at — gmail — dot — com.

To me the most interesting thing isn’t the ad he’s going to buy with his own money, but the already used way he refers to the BIAW. When in doubt, go with the “they claimed women are “eradicating manly jobs”; denied global warming’s existence; denied the Puget Sound ecosystem is imperiled;” line.

If you’re into that kind of stuff, you can see how a state mandated primary election can be a violation of a political party’s freedom of association. You can’t tell a political organization how they’re going to decide who their nominee is.

But, I’ve been wondering if you can tell a political party how to organize itself, from the lowest grassroots level, to how it chooses a chair, and still not violate its freedom of association.

I’ve been trying out the argument (here and here) that the election of precinct committee officers, mandated by the state, is a violation of the same freedom of association. So far no one has bit, but I think that has as much to do with the sidewayness of my argument as it does that I’ve come late to both comment threads. Gotta be on me toes.

The reason I think the party’s don’t mind these requirements because in a way they help build their parties, especially the PCO elections.

Electing PCOs in a public forum (no matter how little participation there is) gives the parties an easy way to keep activists involved in organizations. Because of state law, the people elected as PCOs put together a local organization, its almost like it happens on its own.

Or, it could just be that the state party would want to put together local branches anyway, and that it is codified is just a happy coincidence. And, that local government is on the hook for low participation PCO elections, they don’t mind that either.