The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
Proponents of the persistent mirage that is the 51st state of Liberty scheduled, and later wisely canceled, a rally on the Capitol steps Friday.
The reason for the cancellation gave a partial understanding of the legislative schedule. The initial reason for the rally, however, was bogus — at least as it was stated by the dulcet voice of “Lady Liberty” who offers the Liberty State Radio podcast that she describes as “truth in news.”
Feb. 17, Lady L urged like-minded folk to make plans to attend the rally and while they were at it schedule time with lawmakers to convince them that passing two pieces of legislation were “the most important bills they can engage in.”
Those two are a resolution asking for Congress and the president to split Washington at the Cascade Crest so that the eastern half becomes the new state of Liberty, and a bill that calls for a transition committee to be formed to set up a master plan for that new state’s government functions and various public services and concerns.
Supporters had told the agency that oversees the Capitol grounds to expect a crowd, some of whom would be openly carrying firearms. The agency dutifully notified state workers and other denizens of the campus, who, despite the fact that this is an open-carry state, sometimes are surprised to see folks strapped or packing, or whatever term one might use for “outfitted for a stroll in Kandahar.”
When visiting Democrats, Lady L suggested, tell them cutting the state in two would be a great way to “get rid of their arch-rival Matt Shea,” who it goes without saying sponsored both pieces of legislation.
“It’s a perfect opportunity to strike while the iron is hot,” she said. “God willing, could you even imagine this getting passed this session? It is entirely possible for each and every one of us to be faced with the reality of finally getting rid of the West Side politics from our life. Forever.”
Except it’s not even remotely possible, no matter how hard you try to imagine it. The iron is ice-cold.
What she neglected to tell true believers is that those bills were deader than disco even before she recorded her podcast. And they’d still be dead when 51st Staters planned to hold their rally and lobby legislators. So if a legislative aide were to ask “And what would you like to speak with Rep. Snerd about?” and a person said “The 51st state of Liberty,” that person was likely to get slotted for an appointment on the 12th of Never.
Shea introduced both bills last year. They got no committee hearings last year, and none this year. They would have had to get a committee hearing, followed by a majority of that committee saying they should be sent to the full House for consideration, plus a debate and vote on the House floor by Feb. 7 to have any chance to go to the Senate, where they would go through the process again on their way to becoming law.
That’s how the Legislature works. It may be clunky and awkward and all kinds of annoying. But it’s a fact which Lady L must know because in real life she’s Rene’ Holaday, a former legislative aide to Shea.
A couple days after the rally was announced, it was canceled. The stated reason was Shea had warned that so many legislators were headed home to their districts for weekend town hall meetings that there wouldn’t be enough hanging around Olympia to make a trip over the possibly snowy passes worthwhile.
That stated reason may give the movement cover to let supporters think “Jeez, those legislators are never around when I want them” while masking the fact that the reality of the State of Liberty is no closer today than when it was first floated by Shea in 2015. Those bills provide him with rousing rhetoric on the conservative talk circuit, but he’s had no luck getting them farther than words on paper.
Lady L can call true believers “residents of Liberty State” and they can buy ball caps, T-shirts and flags with the slogans and various emblems. That doesn’t bring it any closer to reality.
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