A good proposal for a new Lynnwood Aquatics Center

Published 5:53 pm Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Plans for the proposed new Lynnwood Aquatic Center include family changing rooms, something that is long overdue at public swimming pools.

A family changing room will allow a mother who takes her 4-year-old son to the pool to have a safe and private place to change. It will allow a disabled man to go to the pool with a female attendant.

Voters wanted a top-two primary; let’s make it work

Four years ago, Washington voters overwhelmingly approved an initiative to establish a top-two primary. Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has approved the top-two system, voters have a chance to show that they’re ready to use the system.

All those voters who have complained for years about limiting themselves to one party now have the chance to vote without picking one party’s ballot.

Exercise the system you voted for. Complete your ballot and send it in.

Thoughts on electing judges

When we vote for legislators or other policy makers, we vote for the people we think are most likely to promote the policies we want.

We should use a different standard when we vote for judges.

That standard should be whether the judicial candidate knows the law, will listen to both sides of an issue and will fairly and thoughtfully interpret laws.

Look for ratings from groups like the state and county bar associations and the Municipal League of Seattle.

There’s a temptation to vote for the person who will give us the result we want on an emotional issue like whether same-sex couples have a right to marry. The question before both the Washington and California supreme courts recently has been whether a ban on same-sex marriage violates a state constitutional guarantee of equal protection. It was a close call in both states. I see every evidence that the judges, who came to different conclusions in the two states, decided based on the arguments before them.

We should vote based on how fairly and carefully the judges reach their decisions rather than on whether we agree with the results.

Time for a smaller Olympic ceremony

TV commentators have talked all week about how spectacular the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics were.

It happens every four years. The host country presents a highly choreographed show meant to outdo the previous host.

Four years from now in London, it will be time for an opening ceremony without spectacle.

Let’s have no fireworks. Let’s have no archer or flying gymnast lighting the flame. After the athletes march in, let some past British sports hero light the flame and the Queen simply declare games open.

Evan Smith is Enterprise forum editor. Send comments to him at entopinion@heraldnet.com.