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.
Washington View: Pressure building across the nation for immigration reform
The powers in the other Washington appear to be aligning to reform our country's immigration laws. It has taken a while, but it is now time to make the necessary changes.
Washington View: Neighbors helping each other key to boosting U.S.
In November 1982, our state's unemployment rate peaked at 12.2 percent, the highest since the Great Depression. Interest on a fixed-rate home loan was 13.4 percent, and an 11.5 inflation rate burned through our checkbooks. The economy was a mess.
Washington View: Preserve association health plans
Sometimes Plan B turns out to be better than Plan A. Case in point: our state's association health plans.
Washington View: Foreign powers wake to benefits of hydropower
When Grand Coulee Dam was completed in 1942, it was called the "Eighth Wonder of the Modern World." With its 151-mile-long reservoir and ability to produce 6,809 megawatts of electricity, no one could imagine a bigger or more powerful dam -- and no one realized the scope of economic development that low-cost, reliable hydropower would create.
Brunell: State missing out on tourist dollars
When we moved from Montana to Olympia 35 years ago, we saw enticing television and magazine ads for our neighboring states, but none for Washington. Fast forward to 2013 and nothing has changed. It was puzzling then, but even more perplexing today, considering the money and jobs at stake.
Washington View: Washington must watch its back
The famous baseball pitcher Satchel Paige used to say, "Don't look back -- something might be gaining on you." With all due respect to Satchel, Washington should glance over its shoulder because something is gaining on us. Competing states are coming after Washington's economic powerhouse: aerospace.
Washington View: Washington needs to follow Texas' lead
California and Texas are like the two biggest kids on the block going toe-to-toe for bragging rights. Who’s the biggest? Who’s the best?
Washington View: Public, private sectors work to help veterans
In the midst of seemingly endless partisan arguments in our nation's capital about how to reduce unemployment, Wal-Mart, America's largest retailer, announced its own plan to deal with the problem.
Washington View: Kicking the can off of the 'cliff'
When I grew up, kids in neighborhoods gathered in a vacant lot or backyard to play "kick the can." It was a combination of hide-n-seek, tag and capture the flag -- and it was fun.
Washington View: Avalanche of regulations hurts U.S. recovery efforts
Traditionally, the new year is a time for resolutions and new beginnings. Unfortunately, it is also a time when new regulations kick in.
Washington View: Energy wasted on opposing biomass
As we look ahead in 2013, the cost and availability of electricity will become more important to our families, farmers, merchants and factories.
Washington View: Redefining the Bush-era's tax cuts
Everyone is talking about the "fiscal cliff" deadline looming on Dec. 31, when automatic tax increases and spending cuts take effect unless Congress reaches a compromise. Both political camps are in full campaign mode, blaming the other for the lack of progress.
Washington View: Small change will cost billions
We're seeing a lot of news stories these days about the projected costs of the new federal health care law known as Obamacare. Employers of all sizes, from small companies to warehouse stores and restaurant chains, are warning that compliance costs will force layoffs and price hikes.
Brunell: Resurgent Boeing must not remain in a holding pattern
Every year about this time, we compare the commercial airplane sales of Boeing and its European arch rival, Airbus.
Washington View: Demise of Hostess signals new reality
The end of Hostess Brands Inc. is a lesson for us all.
Washington View: Math and science vital to all students
In "the good old days," schools emphasized "reading, writing and arithmetic" taught to the tune of the hickory stick.
Washington View: Enough rhetoric; it's time to act on healing economy
Before the campaign promises of more jobs and renewed prosperity fade away, elected officials need to understand that those promises must be kept.
Washington View: Ignoring fiscal cliff will leave our children in free fall
The National Association of Manufacturers recently reported that, if Congress fails to avert the "fiscal cliff" by the end of December, six million jobs will disappear over the next two years, sending the unemployment rate soaring to near 12 percent.
Washington View: Election is about government control
When you peel off the layers and get beyond the rhetoric, this year's presidential election is about government control. President Barack Obama wants government to have a greater say in our daily lives, while former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney advocates for greater personal responsibility and private-sector solutions.
Washington View: Sid Snyder was a politician who rose above usual rancor
A few years after Sid Snyder retired as Washington Senate majority leader in 2002, elected leaders from both parties voted to honor by him renaming the street leading to the state Capitol in Olympia "Sid Snyder Avenue."
Washington View: North Dakota striking it rich; others should follow
In 1951, if farmer Henry Bakken had told you there was oil under his prairie land in Williston, N.D., you'd have thought he was a few bricks short of a load.
Washington View: Your vote counts, so don't miss chance
Elections are always important, but the stakes are particularly high this year with our economy stuck in neutral and threatening to slip into reverse.
Washington View: Medical outsourcing just might continue with Obamacare
When the so-called Affordable Care Act was signed into law, President Obama promised that health care would be affordable and repeatedly assured Americans that if they liked their health plan and their doctor, they could keep them.
Washington View: Criminal history plan chock-full of holes, risks
Seattle City Councilman Bruce Harrell is proposing a new law that would prohibit employers from "discriminating" against convicted felons. The law would prevent any employer, whether they are a hospital, school or merchant, from looking at an applicant's criminal record until late in the hiring process and, with few exceptions, would not allow them to reject applicants solely on their criminal history.
Washington View: Coal foes trying to railroad public
Recently, Matthew Rose, CEO of BNSF Railway, visited editorial boards in Vancouver, Spokane, Seattle and Bellingham to talk about a variety of issues related to increased train traffic.
Washington View: For manufacturers, action speaks louder than words
President Barack Obama and his GOP rival, Mitt Romney, tell voters they want manufacturers to stay in America and create new jobs. The president even promised an audience in August in New Hampshire that he had create 4.5 million new jobs, half of those in manufacturing.
Washington View: Federal health care law a string of broken promises
President Barack Obama's national health care law was passed with lofty promises but no details. Few lawmakers read the 2,000-plus page bill before voting on it, but supporters promised it would expand access to health care, cut health care costs and — most importantly — allow people to keep their coverage and their doctors if they wish.
Washington View: Doctor shortage will get worse under law
President Obama's national health care law, the Affordable Care Act, will extend health care coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans.
Washington View: Fulfilling regulations is 'mission impossible'
It's hard enough for employers to cope with hundreds of new regulations passed each year, added to the tens of thousands of regulations already on the books.
Washington View: Dam removal not prudent in all cases
Some activists believe there is no such thing as a good dam, that we should destroy all dams to restore fish runs, no questions asked.
Washington View: Business Week works magic for all participants
In 1975, Central Washington University President Jim Brooks approached the Association of Washington Business with a concept of linking business leaders, teachers and high school students together to learn first-hand about what makes our free enterprise system tick.
Washington View: Natural gas hurt by its own success
Apparently, the battle for clean energy can be a very dirty business.
Washington View: Health care reform a work in progress
The 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision to uphold the federal health care law doesn't close the book on health reform. The court ruled that the individual mandate requiring everyone to purchase health insurance is constitutional because the fines for not purchasing insurance are taxes, not penalties.
Washington View: Highway safety vital to quality of life in state
Any Realtor will tell you people looking to buy a home want good schools and safe neighborhoods. They also look for decent roads for when they head to the mountains or the beach during holiday weekends, such as Memorial Day or July 4. They want to know that if they are in an accident, someone will respond quickly to help them.
Washington View: Poor economy hits young people hard
We all know about the nation's weak economy and tough job market, but the prolonged recession is hitting high school and college students as well.
Washington View: Education not yet the great equalizer
During his term as Washington's governor, Gary Locke's mantra was "education is the great equalizer." Locke, now the U.S. Ambassador to China, was correct, but in our country today, education is becoming the great separator.
Washington View: Feds must stop making things worse for business
The economic news is bad.
Washington View: State's students deserve shot at charter schools
There comes a time when enough is enough. No more excuses, no more delays.
Washington View: Will the N.W. be a casualty of the war on coal?
Activists waging a national war on coal have turned their sights on the Pacific Northwest, targeting proposed shipping terminals in Washington and Oregon that would export coal to China.
Washington View: Data needed before making decisions about our water
When the Environmental Protection Agency was formed in 1970, our environmental problems were easy to see: factories belched black smoke, leaded gasoline fouled our air, and water and rivers were so polluted that they actually caught fire.
