Though not a scholar of the state constitution, there is a question I would like to ask. Where, in our state constitution is the power granted to the governor to arbitrarily change the legally enacted laws with which he does not agree? Personally, I cannot believe that the governor has, or had, the authority to abolish the death penalty in the state simply because he doesn’t not agree with it.

No matter your personal view of the death penalty, the current law is the law and only action by the duly elected Legislature can change it. From where did he derive this authority? Perhaps he feels that it came from a previous governor.

What can we expect next? Will our governor arbitrarily decide that we can no longer make right turns from the streets, roads or highways that are state-owned or controlled, and that only left turns will be legal? Henceforth drivers will be required to execute three left turns to get on the street for a visit with Grandmother. (I can see that would solve the employment situation in the area, requiring a full-time observer at the intersections to ensure compliance, plus a supervisor.)

Or perhaps our governor will decide we, the residents of Washington, no longer want to celebrate Christmas and change it all to the last Monday in December, thereby giving one and all a three-day holiday weekend.

(Hey, that just might be cool.)

Forest Faulkner

Sequim