Public Debates Whether to Bailout Eyman

Tim Eyman, Washington’s initiative bugaboo – every direct democracy state has one – has mortgaged his house to finance signature gathering for I-985. The initiative supposes to end traffic with a couple administrative measures and no new money.

Eyman’s primary financier, Mike Dunmire, must have finally taken the restrictions on funding in I-985 to heart since he has cut Eyman off, choosing instead to buy pony rides for people with disabilities.

And that leaves Eyman, like state and local government, to plea for the public to loose its purse. His latest fundraising email begs followers to bail him out of his debt by using the comments of opponents to inspire. Comments like, “The initiative process was meant for citizens to come together to propose needed change. Not for someone to act like the fourth branch of government,” and, “what a menace to the public interest he is. I detest people who abuse the system like he has.”

The list of arguments detailing Eyman’s abuses of the democratic system may indeed be a successful persuasion to bring cash into his private coffers, but I wouldn’t bet the house.