Political ‘giant-slayer’ coming to Spokane
Should you be forced to belong to a union and pay union dues, or face losing your job? Illinois state worker Mark Janus doesn’t think so. And now that he’s taken that message to the U.S. Supreme Court, he’s bringing it to Spokane.
“I work for health care and family services and I’m forced to pay money to a union that then supports political causes I don’t agree with,” Janus said.
Janus is the lead plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case Janus vs. AFSCME. (Read about it here.) Oral arguments were heard in late February, and the case decision will be announced soon. If the court rules in Mr. Janus’ favor, government workers across the country will have a choice as to whether they wish to belong to a union and pay union dues.
Mark Janus is one of the keynote speakers at Washington Policy Center’s 2018 Solutions Summit, which will be held at the Davenport Hotel on Wednesday, May 23 beginning at 7:30 a.m.
The event is the Northwest’s premier policy conference, attended by hundreds of lawmakers, business and community leaders, media, and civic-minded citizens from across the state.
The Solutions Summit includes prominent local and national speakers on critical issues to help shape the public debate by educating policymakers and informing citizens.
“The Solutions Summit is not your typical event,” explained Washington Policy Center Eastern Washington Director Chris Cargill. “This is an action-packed, half-day forum that inspires citizens to think bigger, lawmakers to do better, and our state to improve.”
Mark Janus is just one of a half-dozen speakers at the conference. Attendees will also hear from a former Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. Conference session topics include school choice, the 2018 farm bill, and the battle over a possible Washington state income tax. Tickets are available at washingtonpolicy.org.
The keynote luncheon at the event will also feature Scott Rasmussen, author and the founder of the polling firm Rasmussen Reports, the most accurate national polling company during the 2016 election cycle. Mr. Rasmussen’s latest book “Politics Has Failed: America Will Not” provides a much-needed message of hope to counter the nation’s dysfunctional and toxic political discord. Rasmussen is also the co-founder of ESPN.