Posted Mon, Apr 23, 8:19 a.m.

You're a treasure, Ted. Thoughtprovoking and balanced article. Incredibly well done.

Posted Thu, Apr 12, 9:07 a.m.

Parents who take educational opportunities away from their kids in order to send messages to politicians should be prepared for others to be puzzled by their decisions to use their children to make political points.

Posted Fri, Apr 6, 1:37 p.m.

Paul is right, there are many ways to help. Hope the weather is good for all those protests. If one of you young occupiers wants to come help me weed my garden, I'd be forever grateful.

Posted Fri, Apr 6, 8:51 a.m.

When Occupy folks return home, here's a another thing they can do to help protect the vulnerable: Take personal responsibility for someone who is struggling. Spend six months or a year giving him or her assistance. Buy him or her some groceries if that's what's needed. Help him or her ...

Posted Fri, Mar 30, 11:42 a.m.

Harris, if your health care facts rival your social security facts then your beef with TVD is based on differing opinions, not differing facts.

Posted Thu, Mar 29, 10:46 a.m.

Me too. Well said Dick.

Posted Sat, Mar 24, 9:35 a.m.

Thanks for deciphering the fiscal political calculus our country is facing over the next couple of years. I'm gonna hang onto this to read again after the election when the posturing over what to do with the Bush-era tax rates becomes high drama. This is a wonderful playbook to have ...

Posted Fri, Mar 16, 8:04 a.m.

It must be something in the air during an election year. Folks just can't help suiting up with the political teams closest to their hearts. Journalists, commentators, editors, doesn't matter much. It makes the game of figuring out the narratives in which people live boringly easy. Bummer that.

Posted Mon, Mar 12, 2:24 p.m.

Woofer's partisan screed earned an editor's pick. Makes me wonder whether David was up all night writing his excellent article so needs another cuppa.

Posted Sun, Mar 11, 12:30 p.m.

Cameron, if you keep up that unorthodox thinkin', you're gonna join the three Senators who crossed the aisle - and their leadership - last week in needing the witness protection program.

Posted Wed, Mar 7, 9:46 a.m.

Who knows, Pete. Senator Hewett could have made the remark with that little grin he has that can mean almost anything.

Posted Wed, Mar 7, 8:52 a.m.

Pete needs to take great care before interpreting Senator Hewitt's remarks as payback for gay marriage. I interpreted the same quote as meaning that the D's had lots of time to put together a negotiated budget but they chose to spend their time on other things. Making an accusation of ...

Posted Mon, Mar 5, 11:23 a.m.

Bravo Ted. From your lips to Olympia's ears. On the D's decision to take their marbles into a closed room and play be themselves: my parents used to laugh at me when I pouted. It was one of their greatest gifts to me. Wish we could do the same for ...

Posted Thu, Feb 23, 6:47 a.m.

When I was a kid, folks used to say that two wrongs don't make a right. The best folks also said that discriminating against anyone on the basis of race is wrong. Both notions make sense to me, and apparently to most Americans as well.

Posted Wed, Feb 22, 9:05 a.m.

The House Democrats have just proposed getting the state out of the business of providing certain locally based services. They have instead proposed letting local communities decide whether to provide the services and have given them the taxing authority to pay for those services. And the House Republicans are complaining ...

Posted Mon, Jan 30, 11:26 a.m.

It's hard to find good local reporting on the European fiscal crisis. Thanks Matt and Crosscut for filling the void. A good supporting article on the plight of Europe's young workers appeared in the Guardian this weekend: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/28/europes-lost-generation-young-eu

Posted Tue, Jan 17, 10:09 a.m.

Another thoughtful analysis from Dick Nelson. It got me wondering though about the actual, as opposed to theoretical, regressivity of our tax system. 1. Most of the state's operating budget (more than 85%) is used for education, social services, and prisons. Many of the clients of most of those services ...

Posted Fri, Jan 13, 10:08 a.m.

State government may and probably does need more money to fund the level and variety of government services our citizens expect. The government definitely needs more money to sustain educational and social programs created or dramatically expanded during the last ten years. And the state needs to spend more on ...

Posted Sun, Jan 8, 8:59 a.m.

The Voting Rights Act was written almost 50 years ago to right some horrific wrongs taking place in our country. Some states discouraged voting by African-Americans through state laws and through passive and active intimidation. It was brutally wrong then and if, it were happening today, it would be equally ...

Posted Sat, Jan 7, 5:54 a.m.

Hoda, what is my "community of interest" with other European-Americans? I'm an old fat lady who believes that a capable adult should be able to do whatever he or she wants as long as he or she doesn't injure other people, animals, or the earth. That the community is there ...

Posted Fri, Jan 6, 9:54 a.m.

Dick Morrell is a state treasure. His perspective is always valuable and insightful. I wonder at which point he would support a legislative or congressional district that was specifically designed to create a majority of European-American residents. Do European-Americans constitute a community of interest? Maybe so. It would sure help ...

Posted Wed, Jan 4, 7:23 a.m.

To David Smith: Wikipedia continues its definition of liberal by defining a "classic liberal". "Liberals in the 19th century wanted to develop a world free from government intervention, or at least free from too much government intervention. They championed the ideal of negative liberty, which constitutes the absence of coercion ...

Posted Tue, Jan 3, 10:39 a.m.

mspat, I'm glad the programs were there to help you. They provide a tiny bit of the assistance folks sometimes need. My stories happened between 2004 and 2009. I suspect the experiences of clients in those programs is much different today.

Posted Tue, Jan 3, 6:40 a.m.

Some progressives live in a theoretical world. This is especially true of some progressive politicians who don't ever see how their policies play out in the real world. Here are some observations about a couple of social service programs that are the centerpiece of Olympia's progressive policies: The Disability Lifeline: ...

Posted Fri, Dec 23, 1:26 p.m.

America's Test Kitchen tested solar cookers and, in addition to other information, had this to say, "A solar cooker works like a one-way lobster trap. It lets UV light rays in and then converts them to longer infrared light rays that can't escape. Infrared radiation has the right energy to ...

Posted Mon, Dec 12, 9:16 a.m.

You've got to give them points for trying to be relevant and stay in the media's focus.

Posted Mon, Nov 28, 9:47 a.m.

Dick makes some good points. State services have been curtailed in the last several years. We've cut funding at all levels for our kids' and grandkids' educations. We've drastically cut state funding for students in our colleges and universities. We've dramatically curtailed assistance for the working poor. And the hard ...

Posted Tue, Nov 1, 9:49 a.m.

Where I once worked we had mandatory sexual harassment classes every year. My takeaway: sexual harassment is in the mind of the beholder. Period. If a person sends an off color email and it gets into the wrong hands in the workplace, bang, sexual harassment charges can result. If one ...

Posted Wed, Oct 26, 12:31 p.m.

Rich misinterpreted the intent behind my comment. I would like nothing more than to see all of Boeing's commercial airplanes built in Washington. I wish the company and its employees engaged in collaborative bargaining processes that honored the workers' invaluable contributions while also honoring the fiscal and competitive realities facing ...

Posted Mon, Oct 24, 9:53 a.m.

Given the recent nuptials of the machinists union and the NLRB, I'm not sure why, for a nanosecond, Boeing would consider locating a new plant our state.

Posted Wed, Oct 12, 12:44 p.m.

Excellent advice, the only news I routinely watch is the PBS newshour. Oh, and BBC America. Both excellent sources of thoughtful news.

Posted Wed, Oct 12, 12:30 p.m.

Thanks Rich, if that's the case, you're absolutely right, I'm way off base. I'm confused by the 99 verses one percent slogan, the march on Rupert Murdoch's house, and the addition of the usual political suspects to the Wall Street protester mix. Those factors add a heap of nuance to ...

Posted Wed, Oct 12, 11:07 a.m.

What do the Wall Street protesters want? They voice many valid concerns, but what do they ultimately want? They want money, other people's money. The protesters are using a tried and true divide and conquer tactic. They are isolating a small group of us to convince the rest of us ...

Posted Wed, Oct 12, 8 a.m.

Well said, Roger. The tea party demonstrations appeared to be organic events that grew out of a sense of outrage over the collusion of government and Wall Street to use America's assets as a piggy bank to bail out businesses that made horrific decisions. The Arab Spring demonstrations also appear ...

Posted Thu, Sep 8, 9:22 a.m.

Bluelight deserves an Editor's Pick.

Posted Thu, Sep 8, 8:35 a.m.

The author explains why he believes the Supremes will uphold the requirement that Americans buy health insurance or face a federal penalty. He bases it on commerce clause decisions made by the court since Roosevelt's court packing plan of the 1930's helped that era's court change 100 plus years of ...

Posted Mon, Aug 22, 7:02 a.m.

The author may have misunderstood those tea drinking Greenlake turtles. Maybe they were trying to say that we need to recalibrate the balance between the individual and the community. Maybe some of them believe that we should create (or recreate) a culture in which capable adult turtles are encouraged to ...

Posted Tue, Jul 26, 12:32 p.m.

And jist who is going to provide sick pay for the poor street mimes? Seattle is missing a great opportunity if it doesn't tackle this one.

Posted Mon, Jul 4, 3:22 p.m.

Congrats to the author for this thought-provoking article. He or she states that freedom from want is one of the three foundational elements of our democracy. From atop my soapbox, I respectfully disagree. A properly functioning national government needs to take care of our international interests and maintain a legal ...

Posted Fri, May 20, 8:13 a.m.

Alice Kaderlan is justly concerned about anti-semitism around the world. She appears to experience Jesus Christ Superstar, whenever it appears, as primarily an anti-semetic play that could trigger more religious hatred so she doesn't want it to be performed - at least in our state. I experience it very differently, ...

Posted Thu, Apr 28, 7:36 a.m.

A repealed tax exemption is a tax increase. Not a bad thing necessarily but it is what it is. The D's are suggesting that they will repeal tax exemptions on business and they probably will. But the last time they needed a large sum of money, they repealed the tax ...

Posted Mon, Mar 21, 10:12 a.m.

Good article that helps illustrate why those of us on the outside get frustrated when we hear politicians discussing budget deficits. There is the official deficit - a wink-and-a-nod number. It is comprised of all the things government has promised to do - all the programs in law plus a ...

Posted Tue, Mar 1, 10:04 a.m.

Thoughtful piece, as usual, from Dick Lilly. Unfortunately, he skips by the points made by urbancharacter, points that are vital to understanding why state and local governments are trying to negotiate higher contributions from government workers toward worker health care and pension benefits. He completely misses other two points that ...

Posted Wed, Feb 2, 12:05 p.m.

Great remarks by DMorrill. However, I suspect that the legislation is within a proud tradition of tongue-in-cheek bills intended to poke sacred cows in the ... let's say eye. Bills breaking the state apart into different configurations for example. Although it's remotely possible that the bill is serious, two of ...

Posted Tue, Jan 25, 1:54 p.m.

Just read an article about tiger moms - described as the chinese way of parenting. Stands in stark contrast to the philosophies expressed above. "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior ... Can a regimen of no playdates, no TV, no computer games and hours of music practice create happy kids? And ...

Posted Tue, Nov 2, 11:08 a.m.

Very interesting - and helpful - analysis. I'll use it as I follow the election results tonight. On the election edition of TVW's Inside Olympia, Stuart Elway of Elway Research and Loren Collingwood of the UW Poll provided a different kind of analysis. Mr. Elway reported that, if they had ...

Posted Mon, Oct 18, 10:41 a.m.

I live in Adam Smith's district and have voted for him in every Congressional election. I contacted his office twice this year about health care reform and was brushed off with a pile of condescending pablum. I'm not happy about that.

Posted Fri, Oct 15, 10:22 a.m.

Good article about a very interesting debate. Wish the author had also mentioned some of the whoppers told by the other side. For example: Bill Gates Sr.: The legislature will never extend the tax to other taxpayers or use the money to fund anything other than education and health care. ...

Posted Fri, Sep 10, 3:56 p.m.

Thanks for your analysis I've wondered about the actual effects of the Top Two so appreciate your insights. If the parties are successful in getting the Top Two thrown out, nonpartisan elections are next. Think of the interesting job you'll have handicapping and analyzing those elections. Whether or not we ...

Posted Fri, Sep 10, 12:27 p.m.

Hi Chris, Same church, different room. I'm curious about your take on an aspect of this year's primary. What significant effect, if any, did the top two primary have on the election this year? Even in the kind of wave year this may be shaping up to be, is it ...

Posted Tue, Aug 24, 12:48 p.m.

Dr. Locke, as usual, makes an elegant and compassionate argument against executing state prisoners. Here's another argument: In this state we, citizens united, with deliberate intent and much forethought and ritual - kill some of the people who - with deliberate intent and forethought - killed one or more other ...

Posted Tue, Aug 24, 11:29 a.m.

The initiative, like any other initiative, once passed can be changed immediately by the legislature by a supermajority vote in both houses. It can be changed by a simple majority after two years. That includes the requirement of a public vote. It also includes the income parameters in the Gates ...

Posted Wed, Jun 23, 12:24 p.m.

Interesting article and analysis. Sounds as though the electorate isn't yet through changing its mind about the type of political leadership it wants to see. I'd be equally interested in the author's analysis of another political phenomenon: the impact of changing primary election systems on the state's major political parties. ...

Posted Wed, May 26, 12:30 p.m.

This issue drives me nuts. Hydroelectricity is the cleanest energy available to humans. Tearing down the dams on the Columbia to save a few runs for one breed of fish that can also be bred in a hatchery - the heighth of insanity. The insanity topper: Often, the same folk ...

Posted Mon, May 3, 11:27 a.m.

In his press conference, Mr. Gates senior suggested that one major reason we need an income tax is to better fund education. We need more money for education because, despite the the state's constitutional duty to amply fund the enterprise, for the last 15 years the legislature and governor spent ...

Posted Mon, Mar 15, 1:33 p.m.

Dick Lilly's essay and the subsequent comments are pretty interesting. They demonstrate the difference between the issues upper middle income people deem important and those research suggest kids need to be successful in school. Counselors and lots of administrators are all very nice but they do almost nothing to raise ...

Posted Wed, Feb 10, 1 p.m.

Great article that follows a very interesting interview with Senator Brown. Senator Brown suggested that a new taxing source was necessary to fund basic education but she failed to make a convincing case for that proposal. The same constitution used by the judge to suggest that the state was failing ...

Posted Fri, Jul 3, 7:48 a.m.

Great conversation. Here's a zig. Like the actions we take and the policies we pursue, the words we use in debates on the best way to end discrimination matter. For the same reasons that we need to end all racial discrimination, let's retire the convenient shorthand of the term "reverse ...