The Best Democratic Candidate for President Both Campaigns and Governs

[ancianita]

Jay Inslee is THE least recognized progressive of the Democratic candidates. Yet his state is among the top progressive states in the nation.

Washington consistently ranks among the best for life expectancy and low unemployment.[3] Along with Colorado, Washington was one of the first to legalize medicinal and recreational cannabis, was among the first thirty-six states to legalize same-sex marriage, doing so in 2012.

Washington was one of only four U.S. states to have been providing legal abortions on request before the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade loosened federal abortion laws.

Similarly, Washington voters approved a 2008 referendum on legalization of physician-assisted suicide, and is currently only one of five states, along with Oregon, California, Colorado and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia to have legalized the practice.

The state is also one of eight in the country to have criminalized the sale, possession and transfer of bump stocks, with California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Maryland, and Massachusetts also having banned these devices.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_(state)

Inslee just signed new bills protecting orcas, salmon and other coastline ecosystems.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/gov-inslee-signs-range-of-bills-aimed-at-helping-endangered-orcas/?fbclid=IwAR16Wek2u2dF2-vFvgqYabmWQwj0ZdgbE-BMoZSPYoaRbGVqH3ox0jLzMts

Other important parts include improving the state’s ability to enforce permit requirements for work that hardens shorelines, such as by installing bulkheads near homes, and making vessels stay farther away from orcas and go slower when they’re near them.

“These bills are helping to improve the ecosystems that sustain both salmon and orcas, quiet the waters in which the orcas hunt and provide them more prey,” Inslee said as he signed the bills in Olympia. “While there will be more to do next session, these bills give me hope that we can protect these iconic species for decades to come.”

The legislation grew out of recommendations made by Inslee’s orca recovery task force last fall. The orcas that return every year to the waters between Washington and British Columbia are struggling against toxins that accumulate in their blubber, vessel noise that interferes with their hunting, and, most seriously, a dearth of chinook salmon, their preferred prey. There are just 75 of the killer whales left, and researchers say they’re on the verge of extinction.

Washington State's Department of Ecology, created in February 1970, was the first governmental agency in the US devoted to environmental protection, even predating the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The Department Director is appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the state Senate.

Washington, the eighteenth largest state in the U.S. and second most populous state on the West Coast, shows more scalable programs for fighting climate change than most other states.

Governor Inslee's recent signings undegird his climate change initiatives for clean (not renewable) energy independence for Washington. He's an executive focused on systems that work together, as the cursory map below shows.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. No question Inslee has been an excellent governor. I like him a lot.

Unfortunately he just can't seem to get much traction as a presidential candidate.

[ancianita]

4. Well, he should. Particularly on DU. When it comes to governing while campaigning, he's no slouch.

[question everything]

2. Impressive resume, but declaring, at the beginning, that his only issue is climate change

is a losing strategy. Yes, I know, for many this is the only issue that transcends economy, natural resources, immigration, foreign policy but one has to think about it and these days too many voters react with gut feelings to candidates.

[ancianita]

5. Inslee's made it clear that climate change INCLUDES economy, immigration, foreign policy, everything

It doesn't transcend. It includes. People just don't want to think that broadly in the 3rd largest country on the planet.

But they'll have to. Better sooner than later.

[marylandblue]

6. I like Inslee and do think climate change is THE problem of our generation.

And I agree that it touches on every other issue, but that doesn't mean every issue is primarily about climate change. It's a difficult and often convoluted argument to make. I have heard him try to make it. People aren't buying it.

[ancianita]

7. Maher likes him, and says "people don't put their money where their mouth is." How Inslee

pays for it: ending Big Oil subsidies and tax cuts for the wealthy.

He tells how we can invent our way out of dirty electricity.

Remember, no other Democratic candidate is already doing anything like this. They don't trust that we can get it.

But we do.

[ancianita]

8. Also, Jay's not saying that every issue is about climate change. He's saying that climate change

work helps solve most issues. Look at Washington state. No other candidate has had such an economic, social and energy impact on their states.

As a result of climate change legislation and action -- evidenced by the great clean energy and other social changes he's made through legislation in his state -- Inslee has shown how job level economies improve with climate change industry production, innovation and distribution, which ripples into economical quality of life changes.

At our national level such changes can improve foreign policy alliances, export already-working American designed climate change projects to other countries.

More justice, more peace.

[marylandblue]

10. It's not that I disagree with him, it's that it's convoluted and he sometimes misses the point.

It's true that we can create jobs exporting climate change technology, but to say that his state's success is because of his energy policy actually detracts from the other good things he's done. Which is why people see him as a climate change candidate, not a successful progressive governor with a special emphasis on climate change.

[ancianita]

12. We've got at least sixteen months for all that to come out, don't we. If people STILL

don't know how a Climate Change Manhattan Project can end up revving our domestic economy, clean energy independence and international standing, then they don't want to know, do they.

[marylandblue]

17. Most people see what they want to see.

[crazytown]

3. It's not easy being green

“People tend to pass you over
'cause you're not standing out like
flashy sparkles on the water
or stars in the sky”

[ancianita]

9. Obama likes Inslee. "It's Not Easy Being Green" is both their theme song.

[mobeau69]

13. Great photo of Jay and Barack.

Like Obama and Pete, Jay is an exceptional communicator and he's still in his prime! Just what we need at the top of the ticket.

[ancianita]

14. Yes, that age thing is a plus! Thanks for reminding us.

[montanacowboy]

11. Our Governor is the best

Jay will make an outstanding President

and for a running mate, I choose Elizabeth Warren

Inslee/Warren

[ancianita]

15. Inslee/Harris for 2020.

Warren can be the Attorney General. She knows just who to prosecute, doesn't she!

[ancianita]

16. And he knows how to be an honest Executive!

[BlueWI]

18. Thanks for the post!

Inslee has not gotten the support that he merits, with such a strong legislative record. I hope that the campaign will still continue derp into the primaries. Thanks for the shout out!

[betsuni]

19. K&R