Revitalizing Politics in Washington State Politics in Washington State, as in the rest of the nation, is at a crossroads. Despite the election in 1992 of a number of leaders who promised significant change, reform has stalled.
Moneyed interests dominate the legislative process.
In this climate, the momentum has been behind efforts to hobble government, rather than behind any affirmative vision of what government, and communities, should be about. Those with a positive agenda are instead forced to fight a rear-guard action to prevent the rollback of a quarter century of advances in civil rights, worker and environmental protection, and community welfare. With this issue of the Free Press, we look beyond immediate events, such as elections, in order to initiate an ongoing discussion of ways to revitalize politics in Washington state. Cal Anderson will discuss how new alliances between groups and resulting new ideas can be translated into a legislative strategy for real change. We encourage readers to respond to these perspectives, and to contribute their own ideas for creating a positive agenda.