Editorials / Opinion

Seattle Times letters to the editor

Legislators should understand what they propose

Kudos to Danny Westneat. He took on three Washington state Democratic senators and exposed them for the bumbling incompetents they are [“Dems keep shooting themselves in foot,” NWSunday, Feb. 24]. I suspect they will introduce other legislation they haven’t read in the future, but it is nice to see their chicanery exposed to the light of day. In their minds, any law that can confiscate a gun is a good law.

They remind me of John Kerry, who “voted for [funding the Iraq war] before [he] voted against it.” And Nancy Pelosi, who wanted to “pass [Obamacare] so you can find out what is in it.”

Lobbyists will continue to write “model legislation.” That’s their job. Elected representatives, however, do not have to go in lock-step. That’s their job. It’s likely the three state senators come from bulletproof constituencies (pun intended). They need have no fear of not being re-elected. That is, indeed, unfortunate.

However, thanks Danny. Maybe because of you state legislators will actually read a bill before they propose it. That would be a step in the right direction.

–Denny Andrews, Bellevue