Commentary

Comment: Has Trump learned from his ‘hot stove’ moment?

Mark Twain said a cat won’t sit twice on a hot stove. Trump may have learned the same lesson about the Fed.

 

Comment: What’s harming science is a failure to communicate

Scientists need better public engagement to show the broader impact and value of their work.

 

(NYT1) VATICAN CITY, April 19, 2005 -- VATICAN-CONCLAVE-1 -- Sisters with the order Lamb of God look in the direction of the chimney over the Sistine Chapel waiting for the telltale smoke to indicate the Cardinals voting on a new pope, Tuesday, April 19, 2005 in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. (James Hill/The New York Times) *MAGS OUT/NO SALES*

Comment: How the conclave of cardinals will chose next pope

Locked in the Sistine Chapel, 138 members of the College of Cardinals will select a new pontiff.

 

Comment: Musk doesn’t understand what Lincoln knew

That government should do the things that individuals and markets can’t or won’t do. That’s not waste, fraud or abuse.

Comment: Stifling climate anxiety only ignores the problem

If we want kids to be less anxious about climate change, educate them and show them there are solutions.

Comment: Funding delays jeopardize research of healthy aging

A freeze of NIH funding threatens research into aging and Alzheimer’s at the UW School of Medicine.

Comment: Higher tax on tobacco pouches could backfire

A proposed 95 percent tax on smokeless tobacco could lead some back to more dangerous cigarettes.

Comment: Meaningful law on rent requires bill’s earlier version

As lawmakers seek a deal, rent stabilization should keep a 7 percent cap and apply to single homes.

Roberts: Gutting of scientific research will leave us blind

The Trump administration’s deep cuts to science and research will harm our economy and environment.

Comment: Ukraine holds no cards because Trump dealt them away

The U.S., more interested in a reset with Russia, is calling Ukraine to take a deal designed to fail.

Comment: What SAVE Act promotes is red tape, not elections

Its proof-of-citizenship requirement would prove onerous for many Americans.

Comment: Conclave result will test Francis’ reforms, legacy

The pope in 12 years packed the College of Cardinals, but few conclaves have ended predictably.

Comment: Tariffs, immigration crackdown likely to hit economy

The efforts are likely to slow job creation while pushing up wages, followed by a rise in inflation.

Comment: RFK Jr. isn’t interested in finding cause of autism

His laughable five-month timeline and lack of understanding point to an intention to blame vaccines.

Payton Pavon-Garrido, 23, left, and Laura Castaneda, 28, right, push the ballots into the ballot drop box next to the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Comment: States make the call as to who votes; not Congress

If the SAVE Act’s voter restrictions are adopted, Congress may find it overstepped its authority.

Payton Pavon-Garrido, 23, left, and Laura Castaneda, 28, right, push the ballots into the ballot drop box next to the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Comment: Congress should improve access to opioid alternatives

Policy reforms at the federal and state level can reduce the tide of deaths and losses from addiction.

Comment: Lawmakers must protect abortion access in state

Proposed cuts to the Abortion Access Project come as federal attacks on funding have intensified.

Comment: State must step up work to keep air we breathe clean

Air pollution is a bigger problem in Washington state than many may realize. That needs to change.

Comment: Social Security shield we need from volatile markets

After what we’ve seen this month from markets, we should guard the stability Old Age Insurance offers.

Comment: Elon Musk’s DOGE has proved ‘omnigenius’ as a myth

As in finance, past performance in one field isn’t a guarnatee of success in another.