John Laird, June 28: Whippersnappers refresh our world

John Laird

Two memorable events occurred last weekend that — although seemingly unrelated — somehow conspired to remind me that our world is headed in a positive direction.

The first reminder came in the form of a radio commercial for Pepsi, based on the soft drink's new theme, "Every generation refreshes the world." That's pretty much the way I've felt all my adult life, and it probably explains why I'm more comfortable around children. They're less rigid, philosophically, and quicker to embrace new ideas. Why, for example, do elementary school kids understand newer concepts (such as recycling) more quickly than their parents? Why do they more eagerly accept the richness of diversity? Why do children learn foreign languages and master musical instruments faster than adults, with our entrenched mind sets? When the home computer goes on the fritz, why do we summon our kids for help, instead of the other way around? It's because whippersnappers — not geezers — are refreshing the world.

Pepsi's slogan is spot on and carries a deeper message: The more willingly we allow new generations to refresh our world, the faster progress unfolds.

Last weekend's second momentous event was listening to my 16-month-old granddaughter sing the alphabet song. Eleanor got about half of the lyrics correct and made up the other half. Then, instead of wallowing in her failure and desperately seeking some kind of memory-improvement therapy, she laughed raucously, applauded herself and looked at me as if to inquire, "Doesn't my version sound a whole lot better?" Yes, I suppose it does.

This great value of younger generations often is seen in politics. Three whippersnappers from Clark County made a few waves this year as rookie legislators. Ridgefield Republican Jaime Herrera actually is not a rookie, but this year marked her first session as an elected state representative. She served last year as an appointee. Vancouver Democrats Tim Probst and Jim Jacks were first-term lawmakers.

Multiple sources report that these three newcomers are refreshing the Legislature as effectively as can be expected, considering that seniority means so much in state politics. And they didn't tiptoe into these new jobs. Herrera and Jacks each snared about 60 percent of the votes last November, and Probst garnered 56 percent.

Herrera and Probst represent vast improvements over their predecessors. It was the sex-scandal resignation of state Rep. Richard Curtis in 2007 that quickly propelled Herrera into the spotlight as his replacement. Probst defeated sluggish and unrefined state Rep. Jim Dunn, R-Vancouver, as the 17th District's voters ejected an unproductive politician who actually bragged about his solitary "No!" votes. Probst — 29 years younger than Dunn — takes the opposite, can-do approach.

Jacks faces a different kind of challenge, replacing the retired and highly respected Bill Fromhold, who is 27 years older than Jacks.

So in these three, we have a combined loss of 75 years in age from their predecessors (Herrera is 19 years younger than Curtis), yet there's a net gain in legislative productivity. Veteran observers such as Denny Heck (who served Clark County's 17th District for five terms as a state representative) and Don Carlson (who represented the county for eight years as state rep and four years as state senator) confirm that this Kiddie Korps has breathed new energy into the local delegation.

Herrera is hailed as industrious, intellectually involved, a good listener and collaborative, especially on fiscal matters. Probst is said to be a star in the making, deeply analytical, patient and creative, especially on work-force and economic issues. Jacks is a man of genuine humility, an amiable coalition builder, respectful of the Fromhold legacy and similarly drawn toward education issues. All three work hard and need all the youthful energy they can muster to manage and plan their young lives. Probst has four kids under 12, Jacks has two kids under 8 and Herrera is getting married in August.

As the years pass, any or all three of these under-40 state reps might devolve into sour old coots like the rest of us. For now, they're refreshing.
John Laird is The Columbian's editorial page editor. His column of personal opinion appears each Sunday. Reach him at john.laird@columbian.com.