Don Brunell
business commentator
Recent Stories
Washington View: Strength of human spirit apparent after atrocities
With a steady stream of bad news stories about maimed soldiers, the Boston Marathon bombing and the house of horrors in Cleveland, it would be natural to despair for the human condition. What defect in the human character allows us to do such things?
Washington View: Who says congress and the president can't move quickly?
Air travelers received a bit of good news recently: A bill to put air traffic controllers back to work whisked through the House and Senate and flew into the White House for President Obama's signature.
Washington View: How can the Obamacare train wreck be avoided?
Even some of its strongest supporters now say that the federal Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, is going to be a train wreck. The question is, what are we going to do about it?
Washington View: Seattle sick leave policy knows no boundaries
There's an old saying, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." Well, what happens in Seattle should stay in Seattle.
Washington View: Are we creating more poor people?
There's an ancient Chinese proverb that says, "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime."
Washington View: New rules to boost cost of gas again
Imagine that you see a swimmer floundering in the water. You call the rescue squad and then you toss the swimmer a concrete block. Does that make sense? Of course not, but that's what's happening in Washington, D.C.
Washington View: States' budget woes a serious threat
When an errant SUV crashes through your picture window, you may not notice that your barbecue tipped over and caught your house on fire. So it is with the U.S. economy these days.
Washington View: Few politicians understand plight of small-business owners
During the 1992 presidential campaign, then-candidate Bill Clinton famously intoned, "I feel your pain," an attempt to reassure voters he understood what they were going through. Since then, similar statements of empathy have become a staple for politicians.
Washington View: Politicians should emulate Gardner
The tributes to former Gov. Booth Gardner, who died March 15 at the age of 76, remind us of a better time. Throughout his political career, Booth was known for his respectful demeanor, good humor and dedication to consensus.
Washington View: One-stop tax collection makes sense for all cities
Regulations are like bricks. One brick doesn't weigh that much, but as you add more bricks, the load gets heavier and heavier until eventually it becomes a crushing burden that slows progress to a crawl.
