Some highlights of today's House Republican leadership conference call with bloggers, featuring Rep. Bruce Chandler (R-15) and Rep. Doug Ericksen (R-42)

[these are not exact quotes except where indicated, but paraphrased to the best of my ability]

Chandler, the ranking Republican on the committee that deals with election issues, expressed concern about the following bills that are being pushed hard by Democrats: 5561, for election-day voter registration. "7 or 8 daily newspaper editorial boards have come out against". "No words of encouragement from anybody except ACORN" Republicans are concerned about the flood of anticipated election-day registrations and that there would be no practical way to verify the late registrations before an election is certified.

Republicans also opposed to 5566, which would conceal ballot envelopes from copying and public oversight. But says Dwight Pelz has been lobbying for it.

Also concerned about 5738 which would lower the requirement to need only 1 witness to cure a signature problem on a ballot envelope; the witness would not have to be a registered voter, not even a citizen; and there's no verification of the witness' identity. Any mark resembling a signature would suffice.

Washington is "The easiest state to register to vote, hardest to prove voter fraud".

Ericksen commented that the last Governor's election hurt voters trust in process. And the majority party's "reforms" have not only done nothing to improve election integrity, but they've been acting brazenly, working in tandem with an organization [ACORN] that promotes fraud to change the rules to create a laxer and less accountable process. It's been very frustrating.

On the sex-ed bill, Ericksen called it "radical moves by Speaker Chopp and downtown Seattle". Observed that there is no statewide curriculum for math/science/p.e. or music, but no statewide curriculum on sex education.
At the same time, King County and Seattle in particular have a disproportionate number of kids in private school. Yet they're imposing their standards on the public school kids in the rest of the state. Thinks this sort of thing might finally lead to more support for vouchers.

On the "Global warming bill": 6001. Ericksen says Democrats pushing doom and gloom and depression. Democrats just want to force people out of cars and raise the cost of energy. Republicans would put in place incentives, tax credits for conservation.

On health-care Democrats killed reforms for affordable, market-based health care, by gutting 5930, instead expect the majority to revive the pay-to-play Walmart revenge bill (2094) and impose family leave (5659)

The Democrats also killed reform for property tax relief. Republicans tried to avert the court challenge to I-747 (1% cap on prop. tax increases) and implement it legislatively. The Democrats killed that.