pudge's Journal: Renewable Energy and Voter Initiatives

So it looks like I-937 will be law in WA, forcing all the big energy producers have to move to 15% renewable energy by 2020.

Well, actually, no. I lied. Because despite the fact that WA produces tons of renewable hydroelectric power, this new law does not consider hydroelectric "renewable." Because the people who wrote it are retarded. More than half of WA's electricity needs are already provided by renewable hydro power.

Seattle City Light itself provides 90 percent of its electricity through hydro. This law will force them to replace hydroelectricity with some other "renewable" energy. Retarded.

Further, the supporters lied through their entire campaign. And blatantly. They kept saying that this law will save money for ratepayers. If that were true, there would be no need to mandate it. Energy producers would pick the cheaper energy. It won't save money, it will cost more money.

So, how is that WA initiative process working out?

The voters pass $30 car tabs three times, and the state illegally ignores it. Voters eventually give up.

Then there was an initiative for a one percent cap on property tax growth, which a court incredulously threw out because it claimed the voters didn't know what they were voting for. Even though they voted exactly for what they got.

(The ruling was so backward it is mind-boggling. You see, a previous initiative set the cap to two percent, from six percent. This one then lowered it to one percent. The problem is that earlier in the same year, the previous initiative was ruled unconstitutional, so the judge said that voters didn't really know what they were voting for: is it from six to one, or two to one? As if it matters, since either way, it is going to one percent! Morons. Thankfully, the Supreme Court has stayed that ruling pending appeal.)

And then there was the Grange Initiative, which was clearly illegal under federal precedent, and wasted tons of taxpayer dollars being on the ballot. Not to mention the cost of dealing with the inevitable lawsuit, which inevitably led to its demise.

And now there's renewable energy, which might face similar death. If not thrown out by courts, it will face overturning by the voters or the legislature (voter-approved initiatives can be amended by the legislature after two years, which is stupid in and of itself anyay, as it effectively neuters the process).

I am against the initiative process, essentially. It simply doesn't work, and it violates the concept of republican government. But if we're to have it, the initiatives must be respected unless they are patently illegal according to the state or federal Constitution (as the Grange Initiative was). That even includes I-937. Even if it stands, voters will repeal it soon enough when their bills inevitably skyrocket.

Now Playing: Billy Joel - She's Always A Woman

makes me glad I don't live in WA

[eglamkowski]

That's just nuts.

Add it to Massachusetts as another state filled with unusually insane politicians.

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[ces]

Add it to Massachusetts as another state filled with unusually insane politicians.

Don't you mean insane voters? Initiatives are laws drafted and passed by the people not the elected officials.

Re:

[pudge]

Yeah, but we do have insane politicians, too. :)

Still, right: this is one thing that never would have passed the legislature, which is why it was an initiative in the first place.

Re:

[Timex]

Add it to Massachusetts as another state filled with unusually insane politicians.

Allow me to be a bit more specific on three points:

1. Several years ago, the voters of Massachusetts passed a mandate for the state income tax to be dropped from its current 5.5% to 5.0%. The Democratically-controlled Legislature has resisted (or flatly ignored) any attempt at actually doing what the People want them to do. Governor-elect Patrick has already sided with the Legislature, arguing that decreasing the income tax wi

Re:

[pudge]

Because you love the Bruins?

Re:

[Timex]

Because you love the Bruins?

Nope. I don't like the Bruins. I don't like the Celtics. I don't like the NE Patriots or the Revolution, and I don't care for the Red Sox. In fact, I'm hard pressed to find the slightest interest in any sports at all.

My personal favorite (and most likely) reason is that I'm just a sucker for punishment.

Re:

[pudge]

If you don't like the Bruins, Sox, Patriots, or Celtics, you don't DESERVE to live in MA.

Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Re:

[Timex]

If you don't like the Bruins, Sox, Patriots, or Celtics, you don't DESERVE to live in MA.

Uhhh... Thanks! (I think...)

Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Neither am I. Sometimes I feel like one of those guys in a video game that gets trapped by his surroundings, so he just spins around in circles.

wow

[robi2106]

Because water doesn't flow back up to the mountains from the ocean in the form of rain? Yep. That is _so_ not renewable.

Idaho probably is over that % in renewable energy also due to hydro. Good stuff. Does wreck havock with salmon so I suppose that is why the activists might not want hydro to count.

jason

Perhaps the Montag Solution is in order?

[GMontag]

Yes, people of Washington, I have a solution: hydrogen powered vehicles [slashdot.org] as endorsed by The New Republic. See .sig for details :)

What could possibly be better for Washington State than a bunch of vehicles that produce plant food too?

President Bush liked my approach so much he keeps calling for more hydrogen research every election cycle.