WA is a swing state?!?
When it comes to the issue of climate, Washington state actually is a swing state.
You may be feeling envious of voters in Pennsylvania and Georgia who are getting all the campaign attention this year, so having ballot power on a significant issue is a good thing.
If you’re a voter in Washington, you’ll have a say in deciding whether or not our state acts on its commitment to the climate. Initiative 2117 would repeal the Climate Commitment Act. Repeal would not only put the brakes on Washington’s clean energy economy, but also throw other states into reverse.
The New York Times reported that Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania have all talked about enacting similar programs, but have not yet done so, and quoted former Oregon governor Kate Brown saying, “If Washington is indeed successful this fall, it literally opens the door of opportunity for states across the country. This is about creating momentum and transformation. It says that this is not just California that can do it. To know that this is winnable at the ballot, when this goes directly to voters, is a huge layer of protection and comfort for public policymakers.”
The Seattle Times editorial board says, “Voters should defeat 2117 and defend Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, sending a signal to the country that carbon emissions have negative impacts and polluters should pay for those consequences. Washington must remain the environmental leader that it has always been. The fate of that leadership is now in voters’ hands.”
We could not have said it better: