The answer is YES. I don't think I know of any other time when a State Senator has blogged about daily events as a legislator. But, I am sure it has or is happening somewhere.
I have always wanted to write a novel, with the Washington State Legislature as the setting. I would name it, "The Caucus." The blog may be the better option.
Over the years there have been many intriguing characters. (Of course, you have to change the names.) Republicans had a gay leader who used his computer to lure young men...then there was the ...etc., etc. The only thing is that to have an interesting novel about politics, I really think someone has to die!
I am not promising anything more than a "look in the life" approach. But, what do you bet my readership on campus increases?
3 comments:
Use the blog to base the novel off of. You have quite a cast of characters already creating synergy with legislative action.
There is a Superior Court judge here in Thurston that just positioned himself right out of the elections. What does his wife do? An adoptions business. Something about that seems unethical to me. Kind of like the old cartoon "you plug em, we plant em."
Jan
A book. What a great idea! There are so many ways you could give us a peek on the inside... Your blog has been so very informative and your compassion for the Struths, and the help you have given them. It just proves how very fair you are and it shows your belief in what is right is right. If not a book I will continue to read your blog each day to keep proving to myself that there are really champions in government for the people. Who truly care about the people and are making a difference for us all.
Thank You so much Senator Roach.
I am going to attempt to introduce a concept and possible piece of legislation into this year's agenda regarding grandparent rights. Now, this is a hot topic here in WA and there is a general closed mindedness in government but let me state my case that has a very specific agenda and I think it is sellable.
In my opinion the government is very hypocritical on this issue and heres why; We pay taxes and those taxes get recycled back into the community with a huge bulk going towards poor populations. Because the government is being benevolent (with our money) with the poor populations they refer to themselves as parens patriae and then give themselves a ridiculous amount of power and authority over families in poverty because they foot the bill in a host of ways.
On this, I will compare some grandparents to parens patriae. I will use myself as an example.
My daughter and son-in-law lived with me while she was pregnant and for two months after. I was a De Facto parent. Then they found subsidized housing but of course screwed that up. To keep them placed, I paid their rent several times, electric bill, provided food and clothing, diapers, formula, and made sure that safety concerns were handled. I have just as much right to call myself parens patriae as a microcosm as they do as a macrocosm. In addition I watched my grandson many times and provided for his mental/emotional/physical needs. I also made sure that my son-in-law had a few dollars coming in here and there through craigslist landscaping work.
I think some grandparents are significant stakeholders and need to be recognized as such in the law. Do I think it should apply to all grandparents? No. Some grandparents are not stakeholders at all, or provide such miniscule support that their presence in non-descript. Direct funding and support by grandparents should carry the same amount of weight as recycled government spending. As a De Facto parent and financial support specialist, grandparents should have visitation if a child ends up in foster care with legal grounds to do so not in the law now. If parents have displayed significant dependence on grandparents because it was in the best interest of the child(ren) to do so, then this needs to have legislation that honors that.
Jan Smith
Washington State Extended Families
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