Birthday Messages

"Hi, Pam.

I received a Facebook notice that you're celebrating your birthday. Congratulations!

Just want to say I admire your strength and courage and "take no prisoner" style in the Legislature.

If half of your legislative colleagues were as tough as you we'd have far fewer problems.

You're one of a kind, Pam. God bless you for all you do for this state. Please keep fighting the good fight.

God knows we need you.

Bob H."

(Thanks, Bob. With messages like that who cares about being old!)

"Happy Birthday Pam Roach! May you have many happy returns. I want to thank you for all your help for my son Doug Stuth and his wife Anne Marie in getting their granddaughter Alexis. God Bless You!"

(I have a picture of Alexis, a couple actually, on my refrigerator. I love Alexis. In all my years as a legislator...there was nothing near that case. Thank you for remembering me!)

Activist Dave Wood Tells How To Save Money!

Dave Wood in an email to his legislator sends a message that should be sent to all legislators. There are ways to cut the budget and get better service.

From: Dave Wood
Subject: Need money Kathy?
To: (the legislator)
Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 2:53 PM

Your interview on TVW said early childhood education needs the $14 million cut by the governor plus $20 million more. How about consolidating some of the 46 CPS offices around the state? The taxpayers don't need that many.

Some of us think we would be better off with none, counting on
all the sheriffs and local police agencies to protect
children like they have to protect all the rest of us.

As the sheriff of Pierce County observed after a deadly foul-up by CPS, why would anyone call CPS to report child abuse? It's criminal. Call 911.

You could lead the way. "Sacrifice" your own Shelton office of DCFS. Defund it in the budget and let south Mason be served out of Olympia and North Mason "served" out of Bremerton. That's in quotes because the Bremerton office is so bad it really should be closed, too.

I believe Sheriff Steve Boyer of Kitsap County would attest to that fact. Our Washington Families United board treasurer, Mike _____, a Shelton realtor with ___________________ and his family are victims of Shelton CPS/CWS (DCFS). He and many others would support its closure.

Dave

Pam Roach Defends Initiative Process On Comcast

http://www.youtube.com/ComcastNewsmakersWA#p/u/20/0BFmTFTQRDM

Snowed In And Other Quirks Of Nature

It snowed heavily last night.

Our farm house is on a hillside above the pasture. I remember one time when I attempted to go down the hill when the snow and ice covered the long steep driveway. The pump house had been leaking water so under the snow there was a sheet of ice. It took two tow trucks to get the car off the side of the hill. :o)

Second to that in exciting descents was many winters ago. I was in my '97 Gran Prix STP, super charged, 240 hp fun car. Captain John was about 18 when he picked it out on the showroom floor. Yeah, it was an impulse buy :o) But, I am good at executive decisions :o) I know John was only thinking of me.

There was no snow. I pulled the Pontiac out of the yard onto the driveway...when about half way down I thought I saw the under belly of a snake shimmying up into the dashboard by the steering wheel...three inches from my nyloned leg!

Maybe it was a rat! In any event I got onto the Green Valley Road when the fat mouse ran across the top of the dash, full length, left to right. I just kept on driving.

Maybe this will give my political enemies a little more insight.

Reader Writes...Correct On CPS

Dear Madame Senator,

Families first is the law..Period.

Many clients have called to say that finally their children are being placed with relatives. Some 3 and 4 years after the fact.

Then you have social workers that are so resistant to placing with family. The case of which I speak was on your blog sometime in October?? The department has now requested a settlement conference.

They have spent thousands with legal representation. They have an ICPC in place that had to be court ordered after the social worker told the judge that it had already been done..They got Oregon on the phone..and guess what? It had not been done and the social worker through the AG's office just lied. HMMM..if that were you or I what do you think would happen?? Perhaps some jail time?? You know as well as I do that the truth will always reveal herself. Sometimes not so kindly. Whatever it takes.

This department is not only ruining today's families they are destroying our future. They are the abusers.

Until the culture is changed there will not be change. Until you have an equal playing field there will be no change.

What say you?

Respectfully

Dear Respectfully. I agree with you. I am sure the department does some good things. But, your observations are correct. In the cases that I have studied closely...this is exactly what happens. Only, the children do not always go home.

From The Mouths Of Babes

Conversation between Mom and Grandson, Jack age 3 1/2.

Jack, holding a toy: "Mom, does this tank kill people?"
Mom: "Sometimes tanks kill people, but only if they are fighting in a war."
Jack: "Not regular people?"
Mom: "Nope. Regular people don't kill other people."
Jack: "Yeah, regular people just watch."

Third Meeting Tomorrow: Regala, Chase, Roach

There is hardly a day that goes by that I don't think of Doug, Ann Marie, and Alexis Stuth.

Tomorrow Senator Chase and I will meet again with Senator Regala to discuss DSHS/CPS and the budget. Shielded from budget cuts ("for the sake of children"), there may be nothing done to stop the industry known as CPS. The agency is a labyrinth of government and non-profit organizations all kept alive by the need to self sustain and the need to fill the demand for healthy adoptive children.

If the state would follow the law by placing with relatives there would be huge savings to taxpayers. Protectors feel there would be a collapse of the industry and job losses in the mansion of cards. Yeah. This out of control agency has too many rooms and too many "in only" doors.

Other states have shown that sending all but 30% of kids to their own qualified family members can be done without harm to kids and millions of dollars are saved. WA keeps 85% in the system. Secretary Susan Dreyfus personally told me that the number of children out of family care needs to be vastly reduced. (VASTLY was my word.) But if you reduce from 85% to 30%, the number of children taken from homes and housed with non-relatives...that would be a VAST improvement.