An old TV commercial for an antacid once asked heartburn sufferers, “How do you spell relief?”

For thousands of western Washington people left in the dark by winter storms, the word is “p-o-w-e-r.” And it took more than a couple of Rolaids to deal with it all.

Normally, we flip a switch and the lights come on. We think nothing of it until a storm knocks out our power. Then we realize how important electricity is to our everyday lives. read more »

As Congress and state legislatures struggle with the sluggish economy, high unemployment and growing deficits, it may seem that a solution is out of reach.

That’s not the case. In fact, you and I can make a real difference with the choices we make every day.

The realization that consumers control the marketplace is fueling a burgeoning movement to “Buy American.” When consumers choose American-manufactured products, they support American jobs — the more products purchased, the more jobs created. read more »

Would you buy a new car or a new house without knowing how you’ll pay for it? Of course not. But Washington voters do something similar every time they approve a costly initiative without specifying how it will be paid for.

That needs to change.

In 2000, voters overwhelmingly approved two initiatives to hire more teachers and provide annual cost of living increases for all K-12 school employees and faculty at community and technical colleges. read more »

In 1992, Bill Clinton’s campaign slogan was, “It’s the economy, stupid.” In 1993, Washington employers modified the slogan to, “It’s the economy, don’t kill it,” and emblazoned it across a huge banner draped from AWB’s building near the state’s Capitol Campus, where it could be seen by elected officials driving by.

But lawmakers didn’t get the message 19 years ago; they left employers holding the bag for new taxes and fees as well as added costs for unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation. Hopefully, those lawmakers learned their lesson, because the higher cost of doing business in Washington hurt our state’s ability to create and maintain jobs. read more »

For years, energy experts warned us that regulations and policies that reduce the supply of affordable conventional energy would result in higher prices for American families.

Now it is clear the warnings were well-founded. The USA Today recently reported that electricity bills have skyrocketed.

The newspaper reports that American families paid, on average, a record $1,419 a year for electricity in 2010. Demand for electricity remains high even as energy supplies shrink. In addition, prices are rising due to the cost of meeting excessive EPA regulations that target conventional energy sources such as coal and oil. read more »

Washington is one of only 10 states that effectively prohibit low-income parents from choosing where their children go to school.

The battle lines over alternatives such as charter public schools or school vouchers have been sharply drawn in our state.

Supporters say the issue is choice; that education is the key to a child’s future and parents — particularly low-income parents — should be able to send their children to the best possible schools. Opponents argue that alternatives to traditional public schools drain crucial revenue and leave behind only the poorest and most challenging students. read more »

With a bad economy, political bickering in our nation’s capital and daily news coverage of raucous protests here at home, it may seem harder to get into the Christmas spirit this year.

But if you look closely, you will see countless examples of generosity, courage and hope.

Just a few weeks ago, more than 18,000 motorcycles rumbled down I-5 for the 33rd Annual Olympia Toy Run. A tougher band of softies was hard to find, as the state’s capitol filled with leather-clad motorcyclists carrying toys and stuffed animals for children in need. read more »

There is a brighter side to Christmas this year, despite the weak economy and lawmakers bickering over how to patch the $2 billion hole in the state’s budget.

The good news comes from Boeing.

Boeing and its machinists recently ratified a new four-year contract which averts a strike through 2016. Even though the plum in the pudding was the accompanying announcement that Boeing would produce its new 737 MAX at its Renton plant, the agreement has much broader significance. read more »

Just about the time the Congressional “Super Committee” declared failure, our national debt clock rolled past $15 trillion. Even as the discussions, co-chaired by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., ground to a halt and Congress left the Capitol for Thanksgiving, the debt clock kept ticking.

That means each taxpayer’s portion of our debt is now $133,687.

Where will this all stop? Are we headed for another partisan meltdown over raising our debt ceiling? Will we see another downgrading of our nation’s credit rating? read more »