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 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 decided based on the arguments before them. We should vote based on how fairly and carefully the judges reach their decision rather than on whether we agree with the result.

Time for a smaller Olympic ceremony

Television 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.

Need to reduce travel for high school sports

We had a story a few weeks ago about the rising cost of travel for high school sports teams.

With the rising cost of energy, sports teams need to do less travel and to keep their trips shorter.

First, let’s have our teams play fewer games. For example, football teams could go back to playing nine games instead of 10.

Schools in Skagit and Whatcom counties have cut the number of contests for sub-varsity teams by 10 percent. Let’s take it a step further and do that for varsity teams too.

Second, let’s put limits on how far we travel. If our high schools simply limited their travel to Snohomish and King counties, they would still have about 45 possible 4A and 3A opponents.

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