Sometimes I think Driscoll just might be up to something.

What?

Well, it probably involves an armada of pushpins and a Jay Cutler voodoo doll, but who knows. Recently, however, there have been little twinges of my own self-realization that have come on the heels of his curious insights and editorial actions - actions that creepily seem to be leaning toward editorial wisdom. Thankfully, we know better - and that it's just a solid streak of dumb luck, like scoring big at craps or roulette. It's bound to fail eventually, and when it does, Schrag and I will be there - pointing and laughing - while Ron shakes his head and Ken calculates what it just cost him.

Driscoll knew what he was doing when he gave me this job covering the Legislature. As a former marble pounding scribe, he saw his out, his way to finally get rid of me.  Procrastination is an art form. I think Picasso said that. As a Type-A extrovert with an addictive personality and a belief that a deadline is merely a suggestion, Driscoll knew I couldn't resist the offerings of politics once I was in there.

It was this week's action on the hill that made me realize it.

As I write this, there is one week left in the regular session. Talking with a couple of senior staffers the other day, they conveyed their frustration at the amount of harassing phone calls they were receiving about raising taxes - especially from people claiming to be small business owners or proudly middle class. Then one told me how their boss, (which means them + boss) had been forced back to square one to completely re-write a budget a week from sine die, the traditional adjourning of regular session.

"Everyone wants to complain about raising taxes, but nobody's coming up with any alternative solutions," they said.

Enter Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, quite possibly the most hated woman in the state right now - at least by rich people and brain-dead idiots.  Brown's plan (drum roll please): Tax the wealthier citizens to cover the less fortunate, who need state services to survive. Do this by creating a state income tax aimed directly at individuals making over $200k a year and couples making $400k. 

The plan was unveiled on Thursday, and it's not looking like it's getting much support from either side of the aisle.

That's right, folks - an income tax in Washington! The most unholy, unpatriotic, terrorist, socialized, Obama-esque, communist affront tragedy since the Nazis rose to power and gas went over a dollar.

Sir, if you step right this way, we've saved you a seat in the hand basket...

My god. Instituting a dreaded income tax would make the great state of Washington the 44th state in our union to do so.

I paid an income tax when I lived in California. I paid one when I lived in Arizona. Big whoop. I sure as hell don't make $200k writing for this rag. And I know a lot of people who live very comfortable lives - with kids and houses - making a very decent living. They don't make $200k a year.

So, why then are all these middle-class Wa-Hoos going apeshit over a tax that won't cost them anything? Not only that, but the proposed income tax is attached to a TEMPORARY sales tax increase - a referendum to be put to a vote of the people. The sales tax increase, which would affect EVERYONE across the board, would null and void if voters approved the income tax against the wealthier citizens of our state.

"It'll send business out of state!" the idiots scream.

Hey, fine, you don't want to pay? Go to Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas or Wyoming then - because those are the only patriotic bastions left where rich white folks can live free without kicking a little bread into the kitty for everyone.

"They didn't follow proper procedure in introducing it! They violated ethics laws!" they cry. 

Well, maybe. Let's say we launch another ethics probe - that will end up taking another couple hundred thousand dollars away from the state  - and giving it to some rich Seattle lawyers who'll go, "Yep, looks like they violated an ethics guideline. We bill at $1500 an hour. You can leave a check with Denise on the way out. God Bless The USA."

Why all the noise then? Because banks and rich people are realizing their way of life is unsustainable and unfair to the masses - and the masses are "waking up" to it in a sense. So, naturally, they're in a mad dash to pile up cash reserves while they dually spend a ton on misinformation, disinformation, distraction and media-guided punditry to stir up the US v. THEM scenario - based on morals and political ideals conducive to those that pimp the poor.

You know, concealing the class warfare that's really going on so as not have to share. Whew.

Meanwhile, the people that are dependent on state services to survive - the unemployed, the uninsured, the disabled, the single parent, the fixed-income elderly whose benefits are dwindling, the poor kid on merit scholarships at university who's the first one in the family to go to school - the very image of the reason we believe in doing the right thing, believe in society, in civility, in the notion of good Christian stewardship - are all waiting around for the inevitable axe to fall their little chicken necks.

We are witnessing a parade of passive-aggressive bureaucrats unwilling to shove their egos aside and do what's best for the people. Instead, they're content to argue policy and argue technicalities and argue mantras - all while collecting checks written on the public trust.

And all of this while the clock is slowly ticking to sine die...

Hopefully there's a buzzer-beater on the way.