Opinion / Guest Column
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Parents voice opposition to CRT taught in schools
Last week, the largest teacher’s union in the country announced that it will conduct opposition research with regard to the growing grassroots campaign to stop Critical Race Theory from being forced on schoolchildren. This very... — Updated 7/21/2021
Fight critical race theory in schools
Last month, South Kitsap School Board member John Berg introduced a resolution to prohibit classroom teaching of theories that promote racial hatred. For that he was called a nut. District officials said they won’t be teaching... — Updated 7/15/2021
Why is college debt so high?
A friend of mine, let’s call her Mary, began college at the University of Washington in 1967 and graduated with an undergraduate degree in 1971. According to the university’s records, she paid $3,160 (in 2020 dollars) for her f... — Updated 7/8/2021
Discussing the upcoming congressional vote on the INVEST in America Act
Congress will soon have an opportunity to vote on the INVEST in America Act, a $547 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill from the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, led by Oregon Congressman Peter... — Updated 7/1/2021
Thank goodness for access to remote testimony during legislative session
Washington Policy Center and the League of Women Voters of Washington want to thank the Washington State House and Senate’s bipartisan leadership for the remote testimony processes they established in the challenging legislative... — Updated 6/24/2021
Snake River chinook returns increase 27%
Contrary to recent claims that Snake River Spring Chinook runs are on the path to extinction, returns increased for the second year in a row, continuing the recovery from the... — Updated 6/24/2021
Water has a greenhouse gas problem
In our zest to quickly switch from gas-powered to battery-operated vehicles and to convert our power grid to wind and solar generated electricity, the impacts of CO2 released from... — Updated 6/15/2021
Care program funded by a new payroll tax on workers
“Stay tuned” was one of the biggest takeaways from a meeting last week where members of a state commission discussed the status of a new, long-term-care entitlement program run by the state and funded by a new payroll tax on... — Updated 6/10/2021
Land is the wild card in Biden's green gamble
Shortly after President Biden took office, he issued the sweeping executive order to transition America to TOTAL—-100 percent—-renewable electricity by 2035—-15 short years... — Updated 6/10/2021
L&I's virus passport rules overreach
New COVID workplace restrictions, issued by Washington State Labor and Industries (L&I) late last Friday, May 21st, require employers to check employee vaccine documents before allowing relaxation of social distancing and mask... — Updated 5/27/2021
Unemployment insurance (FUTA) intended as a bridge between jobs
When Congress established the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) in 1935, it was intended to provide temporary and partial income replacement for workers who lost their jobs... — Updated 5/13/2021
Intellectual property rights helped America fight Covid-19
When COVID-19 came ashore, glaring gaps in the government's pandemic preparedness became painfully obvious. Everything from inadequate stockpiles of personal protective equipment to confusing and uncoordinated guidance regarding... — Updated 5/13/2021
Rethinking legislative natural gas bans
Sometimes being first isn’t good. Such is the case with legislation making Washington the only state to ban natural gas in new homes and commercial buildings. Thankfully, the legi... — Updated 4/29/2021
Pragmatic approach to prostitution
In 2012, state voters decided to go where no other state ever had — they legalized adult-use marijuana, reversing 70 years of policy that by most measures was a waste of time and money. The prohibition against marijuana... — Updated 4/29/2021
Good news from Hanford scientists
It isn’t often we hear good news from Hanford, but the Deptartment of Energy recently announced nation’s first commercial advanced nuclear power reactor would be developed on... — Updated 4/22/2021
Verge of raising taxes, weakening public safety
The 2021 legislative session, which is scheduled to end April 25, will be remembered for several things – some good, some bad. The candidates for the “bad” column may include a variety of new or increased taxes and fees that... — Updated 4/22/2021
Why is the state Legislature still locked down?
The world is beginning to unfreeze after more than a year of physical and economic lockdowns. Many states have ended mask mandates, citing increasing vaccinations and decreasing cases. Others are allowing normal activities to... — Updated 4/15/2021
Businesses need liability reform
As communities struggle to emerge from the ravages of COVID-19 and the consequent devastation wrought by widespread economic shut-downs, one structural policy continues to impede... — Updated 4/15/2021
Senate operating budget is proof Democrats can't resist higher spending
The Senate operating budget for 2021-23 was approved on April 1 by a 27-22 vote, with two Democrats joining all Republicans in opposition. It is fitting this plan (Senate Bill 5092) was passed on April Fools’ Day. The sharp... — Updated 4/8/2021
Union's back-door effort to kill popular charter school bill is telling
Lawmakers are rightly showing great concern about improving the quality, graduation rates, equal treatment and fairness in public schools. Some even say the traditional public... — Updated 4/8/2021
Learn the lessons 2020 taught us
The poor are oppressed by the incompetent. It is a phrase that increasingly rings in my ears as I watch government bureaucracies and politicians provide false hope instead of... — Updated 4/1/2021
Dodging the public capital gains vote reveals elitism
This will sound funny anywhere outside Olympia, but there is a question that for years has stumped half the Legislature. If an income tax is so good for the people of the state of W... — Updated 4/1/2021
Starter income tax is bad enough
Last week, the Legislature got a terrific piece of news. State tax collections have rebounded despite one of the worst economic situations we’ve ever faced. The latest projection... — Updated 3/25/2021
Keeping America's semiconductor edge is paramount
Surprisingly, there is something U.S. Presidents agree upon — America’s economic and national security hinge upon maintaining our technology edge in semiconductors. Those tiny... — Updated 3/25/2021
Still time for lawmakers to act on emergency powers reform
We are now more than halfway thru the 2021 Legislative Session and have passed the important House of Origin cutoff. This is technically when bills start to die. Among the bills... — Updated 3/18/2021
