I'd just as soon see the initiative process end. It takes away from the representative democracy we operate under, and it allows laws which are based on emotion rather than fact or science. We get unconstitutional laws, game-management laws, laws that deal with complex issues in too simple of terms, and we get out of state interests "buying" laws that they feel will benefit THEM, not us. But we have it, and you can't really whine about the hound-hunting ban being passed, if you found yourself voting for I-695. You're going to get the good with the bad under the initiative process.

As for being afraid of cougars, come on. There's been a couple deaths and a handful of maulings by cougars in Washington since the early 1900's. By contrast, there have been numerous deaths and maulings from domestic dogs. Are we going to outlaw dogs? Face it, Orting is the country, it's not a damn city. Got a cat problem or bear problem? I say get a tag and solve it. I voted against the hound-hunting ban, but only because I feel it whittles away at our hunting rights, not because I think that hound hunting has any redeeming value. I wouldn't call anybody that shot a treed animal a hunter, but that's just my own opinion. I don't want the general population making game-management decisions, but I am a big, fat hypocrite because I voted for both net-ban initiatives. OK, I'm done now.

Fish on.........