| Yesterday, The Olympian published a strong editorial urging Washington voters to Approve Referendum 67 this November. Scroll down to read it. I couldn't have written it better myself! In fact, The Olympian's editorial sums up the debate about Referendum 67 so well that I hope you'll read some of the key passages below -- and then forward this email along to your friends and family. Sincerely, Brendan Williams
Washington State Representative P.S. You're on the frontlines of our grassroots campaign to spread the word about Referendum 67. So please just forward this editorial from The Olympian to 5 friends, right now -- and help us Approve 67 in the process! Your personal recommendation will make a huge difference to people you know.
Referendum 67 deserves a 'yes' vote
September 19, 2007
Turn on almost any local television channel and you will see repeated advertisements against Referendum 67. The TV ads, financed with almost $8 million in contributions from mostly out-of-state insurance companies, vilify trial lawyers and urge voters to oppose Ref. 67 on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. Don't be fooled. Strip away all the rhetoric -- from lawyers and insurers -- and you will find that at its core this ballot proposition is about accountability and consumer protection. That's why The Olympian's editorial board recommends a "yes" vote on Ref. 67. ... [Referendum 67's proponents] have the better argument in this tug-of-war. Insurance companies require all of us to make our premium payments on time, but when faced with a claim, they are slow to react. Insurance companies make their money by denying and delaying claims. Those are well known tricks of the trade. Meanwhile, the insured client suffers. Sometimes it's in the form of additional debt. Other times it's compromised health, ruined credit or the burden of a damaged home, car or business. Faced with delays and denials, many people simply throw up their hands in defeat. That's not right. ... State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler last week came out in support of Ref. 67. He said he worked in the legislative process to delete onerous portions of the bill such as third party liability and criminal sanctions. Looking at Ref. 67 as it stands, Kreidler said, "I have trouble saying it's going to have the negative consequences the industry is predicting. Quite frankly some insurance companies don't deal fairly with their clients. There are many bad faith cases in this state. What this referendum does is gives consumers a chance to say, 'Hey, my company isn't treating me fairly,' and be able to take direct action on their own." As to the issue of increasing insurance rates, Kreidler said, "If a company is only dealing in good faith with their policy holders, they won't have a problem and they won't have to increase their rates to their clients. Besides, in their ads, don't the insurance companies say when there is a claim they always side with their clients? If that's true, then what's the problem for them?" Kreidler is right. Consumers deserve more accountability, more protection and a quicker response to their legitimate claim for damages. They can achieve all three by supporting Ref. 67 on Nov. 6. To read the full editorial from The Olympian, click here. Sign the Approve 67 petition | Visit Approve67.org | 
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