Meet The Man Who Stood Up To Donald Trump …

Posted on by under Political commentary

Today, I discovered Governor Jay Inslee of the State of Washington.  Here is the video that caused me to applaud this man …

And in case you missed his last line …

“We need a little less tweeting and little more listening, and I just suggest we take [Trump’s proposal] off the table and move forward.”

WHOO HOO!!!  clapping  Go Jay!!!

And so, once I quit jumping up and down, clapping and whistling through my fingers, I sat back down and determined to learn more about Governor Inslee.  The very next tidbit of information I found also impressed the heck out of me (in this era of Trump, it doesn’t take a lot to impress me … it’s a very low bar).

In 1994, nearing the end of his first term as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mr. Inslee lost his bid for re-election to the same candidate he had beaten in 1992, Doc Hastings.  Why, you ask, did he lose his bid for re-election?  Because, even though he knew it was highly unpopular in the rural district he represented, he voted in support of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.  He voted his conscience, had the courage to stand by his convictions, despite knowing it might well cost him his seat in the U.S. Congress.  This, my friends, is the kind of person I want sitting in the Capitol, and in the White House.

Apollo's FireInslee is a supporter of clean energy initiatives, and co-authored Apollo’s Fire: Igniting America’s Clean Energy Economy, in which he argues that through improved Federal policies the United States can wean itself off of its dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuel, create millions of Green-collar worker jobs, and stop global warming. Inslee strongly believes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should remain authorized to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

Inslee voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the federal health care law.

inslee-2On 11 February 2014, Inslee announced that he was issuing a moratorium on executions in Washington:

“Equal justice under the law is the state’s primary responsibility. And in death penalty cases, I’m not convinced equal justice is being served. The use of the death penalty in this state is unequally applied, sometimes dependent on the budget of the county where the crime occurred.”

Inslee began his second term in January 2017, proposing full funding of state education and addressing mental health needs, while also raising worker pay.

Inslee was awarded a “Friend of the National Parks” award by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) in 2001 for his support of legislation protecting the integrity and quality of the National Park System.

When, just one week after taking the oath of office, Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban entry from Muslim countries, Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced their intention to sue Trump, alleging his order was unconstitutional. The civil action, Washington v. Trump, was filed on January 30 and on February 3 successfully earned a temporary restraining order to forbid federal enforcement of certain provisions of the order.

In 1998, Inslee once again ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and won against republican candidate Rick White.  He remained in the House until March 2012, when he left to concentrate on his bid for Governor of Washington, where he is currently serving his second term.

In a recent interview, speaking of the upcoming mid-term congressional and gubernatorial elections, he expressed confidence in the democratic party candidates …

“No Democrat running for governor anywhere has to say, ‘Did you notice that Donald Trump has caused nothing but division, hatred and chaos?’ You don’t have to say that because he’s showing it himself. Our people are going to lead with an economic message … and we’re not going to be distracted by his divisiveness. … It’s not ideological. It’s just a rejection of chaos.”

A ‘rejection of chaos’ … spot on!  Perhaps that should be every democrat’s slogan this year!

There has been some speculation that Inslee might consider a run for president in 2020, to which he replies …

“I’ve got two great jobs right now. I do believe this is a generational opportunity for the Democrats to advance progressive policies by winning governor’s races. I think it’s a 50-year opportunity, or a lifetime opportunity, given the combination of circumstances here. I know you’ve heard this before, but it’s honest: I’m focused on the job that I’ve got.”

Inslee-2020Aw shucks … that’s what they all say, about a year before they toss their proverbial hat into the ring.  This is one to watch, folks.  I like his ideas, love that he stood up to Trump  today, and followed his conscience in 1994. If I have any concern about Inslee, it is this … A total of 43 percent of Inslee’s donations came from Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland. The largest interests funding Inslee’s campaign were pharmaceutical and health related companies, lawyers and law firms, and high tech companies.  That, of course, is not in and of itself troubling, but definitely something I would wish to know more about.  At least, as far as I can determine, he has not taken donations from the NRA!

Inslee-Trudi

Trudi Inslee

Heck, I even like his wife, Trudi, who over the years has volunteered for organizations like NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, Planned Parenthood, and Mothers Against Violence in America. She also maintains a large garden outside of the Washington Governor’s Residence. In 2013, Trudi grew 500 pounds of food which was then sent to the Thurston County Food Bank, the Rainier Valley Food Bank, and the Salvation Army.

As I said, this is one to keep an eye on …

57 thoughts on “Meet The Man Who Stood Up To Donald Trump …”

  1. Integrity. It’s what we all need from our politicians. It’s probably the thing we voters have to demonstrate too. Democracy, if it’s to work, has to be for the good of everyone, not just a grab for people’s back pockets.

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                    • Ah … that’s because you don’t hear about the times I go to the kitchen for a pack of smokes, see a counter that needs to be wiped, wipe the counter, see a bag of chips that needs to be put away, put the chips away, see that the kitties’ water dish is empty, fill the dish, then come back to the living room, reach for a cigarette, and THEN remember why I went into the kitchen in the first place. Sometimes it takes me 5-6 trips before I actually make it back with cigarettes in hand! 😊

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                    • No, my friend, you are definitely NOT alone in this! Today, I was looking in the refrigerator for my cup of coffee that was still in the coffee machine! Why? Who knows … just the way my mind works! 😀

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                    • Since I never take my glasses off, I cannot lose them, but things like my computer mouse, car keys, cell phone … one could find them almost anywhere. I once had a friend who lost her dentures and eventually found them in the freezer! 😀

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                    • You don’t have a freezer? Where do you keep your … er … ‘frozen’ food?

                      Until my eye surgery, I used 3 pair also, but I kept the 500x ones hanging on my shirt collar, my ‘regular’ ones on my face, and the 700x ones on my table next to my computer. I also had multiple pairs of the 500x ones, so I kept a pair in the kitchen and a pair by the bed, as well as one in the car! One learns to adapt! 😀 Now that the surgery is done on both eyes, I am only using the 500x to read in bed at night, and occasionally to read labels in the kitchen. I don’t know why they have to make expiry dates on perishable products so hard to a) find, and b) read! 😉 🤓

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                    • Oh! So that must mean the surgeries were successful?!? I’m so relieved. Welcome back to the world. 🙂

                      We used to have an large upright freezer but it was well over 20 years old and was mostly used to keep pet meat and things that totally got lost amidst the ice particles. We turned it off and cleaned it out and now it only stores bulk toilet paper.
                      And before you ask, I shop once every 3 days or so, and only enough for meals for the next xx number of days. I cook everything fresh and now nothing goes to waste. The only thing I miss about not having a freezer is the ability to buy ice-cream.

                      re those labels….I have to use my reading glasses AND a small magnifying glass. 😦

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                    • Yes! The 2nd surgery was this Monday, and it went even better than the docs predicted. I have been posting updates within my posts, but you probably missed them. I am seeing much better, though having some pain in both eyes, and cannot seem to get over the exhaustion. But the downside is that now I can see all the dirt and cobwebs that I didn’t know were taking over my house!!! 😨

                      You may well be the only person I know who keeps toilet paper in the freezer!!! 😀 That said, you seem to manage quite well without a working freezer. I buy chicken, frozen veggies, etc. when they’re on sale and that way I always have things in the freezer to cook. Plus, when I make soups, stews, etc. in the crock pot, I always have leftovers to freeze for another night. And yes, of course, ice cream. Sometimes ice, though we usually keep ice in the mini upstairs.

                      I think the labels thing is a conspiracy. Yes, I keep a small magnifying glass in my pocket most times, too! 😀 We are much alike!

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                    • Yes, apologies, I know I’ve missed some of your posts, especially mid-week. Wednesdays and Thursdays I’m so tired when I get home I basically just make dinner and collapse.
                      lmao – I’ve developed selective blindness when it comes to cobwebs. Unless they brush against my face I leave them alone. 🙂
                      I used to buy things and put them in the freezer, but then I’d forget they were in there so I’d end up throwing a lot of good food away. I may buy a teeny tiny freezer one day just for icecream and icecubes in summer. 🙂

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                    • No reason for apologies … you work hard!!! I remember those days … vaguely. 😊

                      Cobwebs probably aren’t my worst nightmare , but I would prefer that my home not look like a Hallowe’en fun house, though with 7 kitties, it is rather a zoo!

                      Yes, one MUST have ice cream!!! I only go to the grocery once a week, so my freezer is essential. I buy chicken breasts in bulk, then re-package them individually so that I can take whatever I need. I buy ground beef in bulk and re-package it in one-pound rolls. So, I only need to buy meat once every 2-3 weeks, and save a lot by buying it in bulk. I go mostly for fresh produce and dairy products on the other weeks.

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                    • Wow…so organised! But you’re right about the savings. I compromise by buying only enough for the next 3 meals. I time my shopping days with the days I work so I don’t waste petrol. Will probably have to rethink things a bit once I’m home full time but for now it works. 🙂

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                    • I imagine you have a lot less waste than we do. For one thing, when I was married and the kids were growing up, I always cooked for at least 5 people, usually a lot more, as the in-laws frequently came for dinner, the kids’ friends dropped by, etc. I have never yet learned to cook for only 3, so we always have a fridge full of leftovers. The freezer comes in handy there, too, but sometimes there isn’t room in it for a leftover pot of spaghetti sauce or veggie soup. Your way works for you … except for missing out on ice cream! 🍦

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                    • lol – I remember those days! And you’re right, the mere thought of not having enough food if someone dropped in was anathema. Now? I just cater for the Offspring and a small zoo of 4-legged kids. Luckily the alpacas don’t need to have their food refridgerated! 😀 😀

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                    • I remember one time when I had made beef stew and my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and their FIVE children ‘dropped by’ right at supper time. I had no more meat, and it was too late to cook it anyway, so I added about 5 pounds of potatoes and a pound of carrots to the stew! Ah, the good ol’ days, eh? Alpaca? Awwww … could we work a trade here? One alpaca for two moggies? 🐱 🐱

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                    • lol – I empathize! My Mum was a whiz at feeding the starving multitudes but my cooking has always been on a smaller scale. 🙂
                      And no thanks, I have enough moggies of my own. There are days I’d trade the dog though…. 😀

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  2. Dear Jill,

    He has my vote. There are too many folks who go not have the courage to confront the president and he did a great job. He has also proven that he has the courage to act on his convictions.

    Hugs, Gronda

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  3. And the news of some poor teacher who flipped, locked himself in a classroom, with a gun. What does that tell us Mr President?

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  4. Jill, thanks for the back story. I saw the statement he made, which was terrific. It was lost on the target, though. We are seeing more folks stand up to our dishonorable President. We just need more Republican leaders to do so, unlike the too long a list of sycophants such as Nunes, Cotton and Perdue. Keith

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    • Yes, his aplomb impressed me … Trump cut him off, yet he stood patiently waiting, then calmly stated his points. It may have been lost on Trump, but I imagine the rest of the governors in the room understood.

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  6. Reads like good news coming from “down under” (that being the 49th parallel, not the earth!). I’d be concerned about his reelection donations too, esp. big pharma, but what’s to lose now for you guys?

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    • Yes, I definitely like him, but would want to know more about his donations. Pharma is worrisome, but frankly, as compared to the NRA … I might have to go with the lesser of all evils. They all get donations from somewhere, else they would never make it to first base in the campaign process. It’s more a matter of what they feel obligated to do in exchange for their monies. Not a perfect world, for sure. And you’re right … we’ve just about hit rock bottom and have nowhere to go but up!

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