I just want to start off by saying that Obama summed up Governor Jay Inslee perfectly in the opening of his most recent Seattle speech: “I am here today to support a great friend of mine, one of America’s outstanding governors -- your Governor, Jay Inslee.” While Obama may personally know our Governor to the extent a friend would, I also consider Jay one my friends, unlike some other elected officials who insulate our government. While I have a lot of reasons to look up to this Seattle native, here are the top reasons why I'm glad to call him my Governor and my friend.
1. Our state ranks number 1 in job and wage growth.
Under Inslee, our state is now leading the country in the right direction when it comes to wage and job growth with an APD index score of 117.9, compared to the nations average of 106.8. I'm not going to lie, I'm an English major and am not 100% sure what the index score means, but when it's listed as a good thing in an ADP Workforce Vitality Report, I can't help but agree with it.
2. When our lawmakers are having hissy-fits with each other, Inslee steps in to get things done.
Let's be honest, Lawmakers aren't the most productive bunch of people in the government. I can't blame them 100% though as they have a lot on their plates, such as following with their party ideas, arguing with each other, taking brib-- eh, maybe that's another story... But anyway, whatever their reasons are, it takes awhile for things to reach Inslee's desk. But have no fear, Inslee is able to stand up and take charge when the time calls. In his first term in office, he has signed 23 executive orders, more than either Gary Locke and Christine Gregoire did in their first terms.
3. He's helping make Washington a nation-wide role model.
Change doesn't come easy or without questions. Easily one of the more controversial things Inlsee has done was back in early 2014 when he announced a moratorium on capital punishment for the remaining time he's in office. While Washington wasn't the first or only state to do this, we're still in the minority when compared to the rest of the country's stance on the subject. What Inslee had to say on the subject really started to make me think about something that had never crossed my mind before: "With my action today, I expect Washington state will join a growing national conversation about capital punishment. I welcome that, and I’m confident that our citizens will engage in this very important debate."
4. Like what all public officials should do, he's here for us.
Arguably, I feel Inslee has faced some of the most terrible and hard challenges any Governor could have faced in the recent years. The Oso landslide that tragically took the lives of so many, the recent wildfires that have plagued our state, and the collapse of a part of our state's main interstate, nothing has been handed to Inslee on a silver platter thus far. But yet, he has done his part to step in and get things moving towards improvement as soon as he could. Take Oso, for example: not only did Inslee do his part to get the needed aid for cleanup and reconstruction of SR 532, but he also approved a $150,000 grant to help boost tourism in the area, which will only help the community grow more.
Like with every politician (or person, for that matter), I haven't agreed with everything our governor has done or said, such as recently using his super delegate status to back our future president, as compared to who the majority of our state backed at the time. Yet, nonetheless, Inslee is a man you can count on, without a doubt, as he continues to make our state great.
