Opinion
Letter: Burley offers fresh perspective
Vancouver has a terrific opportunity to become more inclusive and accessible to more residents by electing Galina Burley for Position 3 on the Vancouver City Council.
Letter: Turlay is an attentive candidate
Thank goodness someone stepped up to the plate to run against Mayor Tim Leavitt. Our city has deteriorated since Leavitt became mayor. Many open spaces and medians are ridden with weeds and debris and have been largely unkept. I contacted the mayor by email and have written letters to see why our tax dollars aren't paying for basic services. He seems to forget that we pay his salary. Will I vote for Leavitt? A resounding "no." He doesn't seem to have pride in our city.
Letter: Reagan's amnesty failed
Edwin Meese III, former U.S. attorney general under President Ronald Reagan, offers keen perspective and insight in his critique of the 1986 Reagan "amnesty" bill in a June 14 Wall Street Journal column.
In Our View: Yelling, Kicking, But No Scoring
Legislature's lack of productivity extends into second special session
Following the Washington Legislature's multiple sessions is a lot like following the Portland Timbers' eight soccer ties: Lots of yelling and kicking, but not much to show for it.
John Laird: First Citizens consistently support transportation projects
Ever since Meriwether Lewis plopped a paddle onto the banks of the Columbia River 208 years ago near today's Washougal, a segment of our community has dedicated itself to complaining. Fortunately, the naysayers have been more bark than bite. Meanwhile, countless other optimistic and honorable leaders have helped Clark County become the best place in America to live, work and play.
Carlson: Rubio has tough task on immigration
Florida senator tries to woo GOP fence-sitters without losing Dems
The attempted seduction of Sen. John Cornyn by immigration reformers is akin to my effort to get Neil Patrick Harris, the best emcee ever of any awards show, to sing at my next birthday. No matter how much I offer him, he'll turn me down.
Will: IRS scandal gives us reason to distrust NSA program
As soon as the Constitution permitted him to run for Congress, Al Salvi did. In 1986, just 26 and fresh from the University of Illinois law school, he sank $1,000 of his own money, which was most of his money, into his campaign to unseat an incumbent Democratic congressman. Salvi studied for the bar exam during meals at campaign dinners.
Everson: Senate's comprehensive path to immigration
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 has taken a beating in the current debate over immigration reform. Charles Krauthammer spoke for many this spring when he called the law a "fiasco where amnesty was granted and border enforcement never came." As deputy commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service during the Reagan administration, I oversaw implementation of the 1986 law at the agency. I strongly support the current reform effort, including the amnesty provisions that are generating such controversy.
Letter: $4.8 million is a lot to lose
The Board of County Commissioners by a vote of 2-1 "kills fees in quest for jobs." So any company or corporation building or expanding in the county will not be responsible for the necessary county services that will be needed as a result of their actions. According to the June 12 story, "the county estimates the general fund burden will increase by $4.8 million over the coming year and a half."
Letter: Legislature's duty is clear
Most people agree that it is the job of state government to educate our children and build infrastructure that strengthens our economy. As a representative of the 49th District, I find these are not partisan issues. Our state constitution and state Supreme Court could not be more clear about our duty to fully fund education. Late Thursday night, the Legislature passed a bill that moved beyond one piece of the partisan gridlock that has put us in this second special session. There were very few Republican votes. The hardest part of our job is still in front of us.
Letter: Atheists demand a preference
I agree with Larry Dorr's June 10 letter, "Hope in first step to end bigotry," about needing to define "what equality really means." Yet, he ignores the definition while accusing the Boy Scouts of America of bigotry for allowing openly "gay scouts" but not atheists and gay leaders.
Letter: Revise expectation of protection
Now that we know the NSA and other agencies of the federal government have access to all of our telephone records using the "no expectation of privacy" standard established by the U.S. Supreme Court in its 1979 ruling in Smith v. Maryland, and in the wake of revelations of partisan targeting of conservative groups by the IRS, I believe it is time to revisit that "standard." The Fourth Amendment uses the expression, "unreasonable searches and seizures," and requires that warrants describe "the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Letter: Follow the lead of other bridges
It is amazing to me that we here in Portland and Vancouver will spend $3 billion or more to reduce the water clearance of a major bridge from 178 feet to 116 feet.
In Our View: Cheers & Jeers
Washougal gets a dog in this fight;heroin deaths on the rise in Washington
Cheers:To the Washougal City Council for clarifying its ordinance on barking dogs. The city is home to both the West Columbia River Gorge Humane Society and a business called Northwest Underwater Construction. The two enterprises are locked in one of the most bitter neighbor disputes in Clark County over the barking noise emanating from the Humane Society's animal shelter.The city council this week voted to amend its ordinance, specifying that barking dogs are allowed at shelters and animal-related businesses. Even if the clarification doesn't result in a resolution of the dispute, it at least lets both parties know the city's position.
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