Opinion / Guest Column
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Family owned businesses survive bad time
We are only a couple of weeks into 2022 and it is already shaping up to be another challenging year for America’s 5.5 million family businesses dealing with the coronavirus... — Updated 1/27/2022
Restoring faith in public education
How much worse do schools have to get before parents and public officials take a stand? It’s the question many are asking following the release of Washington state’s latest round of poor K-12 public school test scores. The... — Updated 1/27/2022
Time to replace state's longterm care legislation
The first order of business when Washington state’s Legislature convenes in Olympia is replacing the state’s new long-term care law. It is fatally flawed. Gov. Jay Inslee and... — Updated 1/19/2022
Representing the 9th District
My first session was way back in 1993, and as a freshman state representative, I was very humbled and excited about being elected to serve the people of the 9th District in the House. Now, almost 30 years later, I’m still... — Updated 1/13/2022
Hydroelectric storage yields benefits
Increasing river flows to wash young salmon to sea works; however, once water goes down stream, it is gone. What if we could recycle it in key parts of the Columbia River system... — Updated 1/13/2022
Race inequity taught in public schools
Widespread and irresponsible claims you may have heard that Critical Race Theory (CRT) and race discrimination are not taught in public schools are false. Last month voters elected... — Updated 12/29/2021
Homeschooling will boom long after COVID-19
Public school student enrollment has nosedived as parental disgust with school COVID-19 policies, student learning losses and controversial curricula has gone through the roof. In the wake of this enrollment implosion,... — Updated 12/29/2021
End union power, improve education
Earlier this year, state legislative leaders said they wanted to reduce institutional racism in the public schools by enacting Senate Bill 5044 and similar bills to require that... — Updated 12/22/2021
Americans must return to work
In a U.S. Chamber of Commerce poll released in early December, the findings spell trouble for America’s employers – both private and public. It found that more than 60% of the... — Updated 12/16/2021
Benefit eligibility could effect residents
Due to the federal government changing the unemployment benefit eligibility rules mid-pandemic, some Washington residents, who have been receiving unemployment benefits, will now have repay the benefits despite being approved to... — Updated 12/8/2021
Ignoring debt is not an option
Remember the television ad where the auto mechanic looks viewers straight in the eye and says: “You can pay me now or pay me later!” The message: if you change your car’s oil... — Updated 12/2/2021
State is painting lipstick on long-term-care law
The more people hear about Washington’s coming long-term-care law and payroll tax, the less people like it — and for good reason. A class-action lawsuit has been filed against it, an initiative is being pursued, and Idaho sent... — Updated 12/2/2021
By George, McGovern was right
Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota was never a darling of conservatives; however, in his later years he shocked fellow Democrats by his outspoken backing for streamlining... — Updated 11/24/2021
State Supreme Court rules Governor issued illegal vetoes
In a 7-2 ruling this morning, the State Supreme Court said the partial vetoes the Governor made in the 2019 transportation budget were unconstitutional. When issuing those vetoes... — Updated 11/17/2021
Oil and water really can mix
There’s an old saying that oil and water don’t mix. That may be true, but apparently they coexist quite well. Traveling through Sweetwater in west Texas, you see an interesting... — Updated 11/17/2021
Honoring our fallen heroes goes beyond lowering flags to half-staff
Lowering our flags to half-staff seems to be an all too familiar sight these days. It is a solemn act that recognizes our fallen heroes, whether they be men and women in our armed... — Updated 11/11/2021
Gov. Inslee targets dams
It’s no secret that Gov. Jay Inslee wants the removal of the four federal dams on the lower Snake River between Clarkston and the Tri-Cities. Back in December 2018, his proposed 2019-21 operating budget included $750,000 for a st... — Updated 11/4/2021
High income earners pay "fair share"
The Biden Administration’s massive welfare give away, “Build Back Better,” is currently being negotiated in Congress. One of the original funding mechanisms was raising taxes on the rich to the point where they pay their... — Updated 10/28/2021
Managed healthcare does not provide better clinical outcomes
It is often argued that managed health care can provide better clinical outcomes while holding down health care costs. Over the years, managed care has taken on many different names including health maintenance organizations,... — Updated 10/25/2021
Holidays highlight food needs for all
Food security is often thought of as a national topic, but food security starts locally. Washington state is part of what the U.S. Department of Agriculture has dubbed the “Fruitful Rim.” Yet, we are also home to numerous... — Updated 10/13/2021
American economics work better when consumers decide winners
Poland and America are like two trains passing each other in opposite directions. That is becoming increasingly clear as President Biden rolls out his progressive agenda. The key question looking forward: “Will government or cons... — Updated 10/7/2021
Infrastructure, jobs act good for agriculture
For the entire year, the Columbia Basin Development League has been pushing to ensure the White House infrastructure plan would include water infrastructure for agriculture. Drinking water infrastructure was a given, but funding... — Updated 9/23/2021
Adding more regulations further burdens Washington farmers
There is an old humorous saying that goes something like, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” The expression certainly still applies to urban... — Updated 9/23/2021
The impact of September 11 on America
Sept. 11, 2001 – a day that no American who lived to see will ever forget. I was recently asked about where I was that day, and I remember it keenly, deeply. I think it's a question every American has an answer to-a moment engrav... — Updated 9/10/2021
Hydrogen model could work in-state
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were billed as the “Hydrogen Olympics” Then along came COVID and sporting events worldwide were put on hold. The summer games were delayed until 2021. Postponing the games cost Japan billions and... — Updated 9/9/2021
