Articles written by Don Brunell
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Lawmakers need to re-examine budget before adjourning
Before lawmakers wrap up their work in Olympia, they should re-examine their hefty new state spending plan. The budget may not be sustainable, even with a substantial increase in taxes. It may force l...
Washington farmers need tariff relief
The good news is Washington’s cherry crop is projected to be as good as 2018; however, absent tariff relief from the ongoing U.S.-China trade tiff, a key market will remain limited. When China’s...
Health care is top of mind
When Congress convenes next year, lawmakers must focus on the cost and quality of health care. In November, voters made it clear health care was on top of their minds. According to the Kaiser Family...
Costs matter in hiring
While both sides argue over the merits of Seattle’s escalating minimum wage, there are other issues, such as the total cost per worker, which enter into hiring equations. When employers look to add...
The Russians are indeed coming
In the 1960s, there was a popular movie called “The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming.” The plot was that a Soviet naval commander runs his sub aground off a Massachusetts coastal...
Lampson beating odds for family-owned businesses
When one approaches the Tri-Cities, it is impossible to ignore Lampson International’s monstrous cranes in its Pasco assembly yard. Those gantries stand out like the Space Needle in Seattle and reach over 560 feet into the sky. Like the Space Needl...
A much-needed dose of Yogi Berra's wit and wisdom
With today’s tension and rancor, we need a dose of Yogi Berra’s wit and wisdom to put things into perspective. Let’s start with “You can observe a lot by just watching,” because seeing what...
Trade wars hit state's cherry growers hard
Last April, Washington wheat, apple and cherry growers hoped U.S. and China trade negotiators would resolve differences and prevent imposition of damaging tariffs on our state’s leading crops....
Columbia River Treaty talks too vital to ignore
While most of our attention in the Pacific Northwest these days is on trade wars, tariffs and wildfires, there are critical talks underway between the U.S. and Canada over future allocations of the...
GE's tumble from grace
Last month, General Electric lost its place among our nation’s top 30 performing corporations. It was the last member of the original companies which composed the Dow Jones Industrial Average....
Jetsons cartoon robots now reality
The Jetsons television series about a space-age family featuring “Rosey the Robot” gave us a preview of life with robots, kiosks and interactive television. In 1962, it was a fictitious cartoon; h...
Straw pulp looks like win-win
Here’s a switch! Rather than closing another pulp and paper mill, a new one is under construction right here in Washington. Columbia Pulp’s plant on the Snake River will use a new technology that...
Bumper car therapy
Over the last 35 years our family has vacationed at the same place on the beach. While the buildings have been refurbished, the complex remains largely unchanged. However, our entertainment has changed a lot. We still swim, jump the waves and build... Full story
Made in America
In the presidential campaign leading up to the November elections, hopefully we will hear about ways to “Make America Great Again!” One of the most effective strategies is to entice U.S. companies with foreign factories to relocate back home.... Full story
Stay-at-home millennials
Today, more millennials are moving back home, even though the economy is improving and wages are inching upward. Recently, Pew Research Center revealed that a third of young adults today are more likely to live with their parents than they were... Full story
Tips for safe Memorial Day trip
The good news this Memorial Day weekend is more than 38 million Americans are expected to travel, making the unofficial kickoff to summer this year the second busiest on record. AAA reports nearly 34 million people across the nation will be driving,... Full story
Kirk Adams taking his skills to the Big Apple
Kirk Adams has earned the reputation as a visionary leader who gets things done for people with disabilities. Those qualities, coupled with hard work and determination, rewarded him with the... Full story
President Obama's proliferation of new regulations
Even though President Barack Obama has less than a year remaining in office, his administration is cranking out new government regulations at a record pace. The rush reflects the President’s plan to use his final months to cement his... Full story
Cost of Boeing airplanes at heart of job cuts
Boeing’s new cost-reduction plan has deep ramifications for Washington because the bulk of the 4,500 job cuts are likely to land here. CEO Dennis Muilenburg asked investors to view the savings... Full story
Boeing has quite a lot riding on 737 MAX
When Boeing rolled out its first 737 MAX last month, there was little fanfare. Nevertheless, its importance to the company’s future and our state can’t be overstated. The good news is Boeing delivered more airplanes last year than Airbus, and it... Full story
Wreaths for every American in uniform
On Dec. 12, Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke patiently waited two hours in line with 70,000 volunteers at Arlington National Cemetery to collect wreaths and secure them to headstones. Thousands of others across our nation joined those at Arlington... Full story
Apply Navy's nuclear technology to civilian use
Today, many elected officials are fixated on tearing down coal-fired power plants and replacing them with solar and wind farms. But that isn’t practical, because when there is no wind or sunlight, those plants produce no electricity. There is an... Full story
Changes to Obamacare are coming
Maybe there is finally something Democrats and Republicans can agree on — fixing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare. From the day it was signed into law in 2010, Republicans have tried unsuccessfully to repeal Obamacare,... Full story
Tesla and the mining business
Tesla is the premium entry in the electric car market, with a starting price of $75,000. According to the Wall Street Journal, the high-end “Signature” model costs $132,000, slightly more than the base price for Porsche’s AG’s 911 GT3. Even... Full story
Promoting spud popularity in China
In China, the government has launched an “eat more potatoes” campaign – and Washington state could benefit as a result. China’s potato push is, in part, an environmental effort to provide more clean drinking water for its exploding urban... Full story
