"Spokesman Review's" Jim Camden Forgets What Is Possible...Snyder Bellows And Roach Learns About Discrimination First Hand

In an article reporting the Democrat controlled WA State Legislature may have an agreement on the budget that will be finalized by the end of the 30 day special session, Spokane journalist, Jim Camden, had a few rough edges.

Camden writes:
"It’s not clear yet whether they would send the {budget} bill to a conference committee for a hearing, and anything that comes out of the committee must have a 24-hour wait 'on the bar' before it could be voted on."

First, there are no hearings in a conference committee. Two members from each majority caucus and one member of each minority caucus are appointed to a conference committee and they are suppose to haggle it out. But...in this state one party controls...the chairs just get together and by-pass the process by agreeing among themselves. There will be no hearing on the budget unless it is transferred back to a standing committee for the purpose of hearing.

But, it was "the committee must have a 24-hour wait 'on the bar' before it could be voted on," that caught my eye. The majority can do what it wants. It has the votes to change the rules. So, they have the power to suspend the 24 hour rule and vote immediately after a suspension of the rule if they want to do that. It is like creating an extra day...if you will.

To almost no one's memory but my own, this has happened before. The day it happened was one that is etched in my memory.

The Republicans held the majority in the Senate. Senator Dan McDonald of Bellevue was the majority leader and Republicans wanted to end session early to send the message that we could get the job done! (That concept was not around this year, apparently.) Long time democrat majority leader, Sen. Sid Snyder, was now relegated to the minority. Snyder was seated in the middle of the floor about where Sen. Eide sits today. His job was to fight. No matter the likely outcome...his job was to fight to the end. We see House Republicans doing that even to this day.


Sen. McDonald moved to suspend the rules...take the budget off the bar (before 24 hours) and vote the bill. This absolutely infuriated Snyder. He stood to action and .... absolutely bellowed into the mike! His face was red and he blustered at the top of his lungs. "This is outrageous...this is unpresedented...this...this...this....He continued his little boy triad and culminated with..."I quit! I will no longer be a member of this body!" And, after waving his arms he stormed off the floor to go pout in his office.

Yes, Dear Reader, this happened and it is for all to see on TVW.

The next day was a Sunday and top of the fold in the Seattle Times it read, "Sen. Sid Synder Quits Senate" or something like that. But the article began..."He started as an elevator boy...blaw...blaw to the message of what a great loss this man would be...etc.

On Wednesday of that week Governor Gary Locke returned Sid Snyder's letter of resignation. Yes, Dear Reader, he had sent it. But...why did he quit? Well, because he couldn't change the rules. He decided to storm off the playing field....He couldn't have his way and so he said, "I quit!"

Why would I remember the details of this so well?

I will tell you why.

This was the beginning of my understanding of discrimination against women and particularly conservative women. My father had told me I could do anything I wanted to and he did not mention to beware the wolves.

That same Saturday morning I walked onto the floor and a huge array of roses that had been given to me were no longer on my desk. I looked high and low. I talked with security guards.."they were here earlier," I was told. I checked with the Lt. Gov., I did everything that I could to find them. Someone had stolen something.

For the prior three days I was taking four birth control pills a day to correct a condition sometimes experienced by 50'ish year-old women. The pills worked but I was pumped. I rose to a matter of personal privilege to state that my flowers had been taken and that I demanded to have them back. (After the speech I quit taking the pills! I knew immediately what had happened.)

So...how did this end up?....The man who couldn't control the rules that he had defended for years as Secretary of the Senate....gets mad...bellows...quits...and he is venerated, honored, extolled, begged to come back....The woman who has something taken is vilified, repeatedly embarrassed, and used as media fodder for days and years on end.

I continue to love what I do. And to my children and grandchildren for whom this blog page is written:

I love you all dearly. No one can really understand why a woman would work in a field that can be so brutal. But, unlike some...I do not quit. I will continue to work to protect the Constitution and the liberties we enjoy as long as the people want me to do that. Our liberties are above any other nation on the face of the earth. I want to help individuals like you, Drew. We have an obligation to "be there" for you at a time when maybe your parents are no longer around to care for you. I want to work for the best education possible for all 13 of you and all the children of our state. I want jobs for you all. I want you all to have a chance at joy. And, I will tell you right now that I experience joy everyday. Everyday I am grateful for my blessings and for the work I have and for the future that I hope to make better. God Bless Us All.