Columns – The Columbian

Jayne: Let’s talk about millionaires tax

Greg Jayne — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:02:07 +0000

Is it bold? Obviously.

Weatneat: Is the truth still out there?

Danny Westneat — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:01:59 +0000

It was one dicey week for the concepts of ethics or personal responsibility.

Other Papers Say: Improve graduation standards

The Seattle Times — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:01:23 +0000

It’s not often one hears students clamoring for tougher coursework and tighter deadlines. But a group of college kids who recently graduated from Washington high schools have given state education leaders an earful.

Estrich: There is still goodness in the world

Susan Estrich — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:01:15 +0000

I’ve been playing in the public arenas of politics and commentary, of columns and television and campaigns, for long enough not to pretend that it was all warm and fuzzy back then. It was mean and sometimes scary. But mostly not. Even during the “hottest” times, we mostly managed to separate the professional from the personal. We disagreed; we fought, even. But hate was the exception.

Zagacki and Cherwitz: Democratic norms, religious integrity imperiled

Kenneth Zagacki and Richard Cherwitz — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:01:11 +0000

American presidents have generally talked about religion prudently in their public discourse. They speak of faith, invoke God, and make use of moral language — but traditionally, they pull up short of portraying themselves as above the traditions they reference.

Lewis: Trump can’t beat new foes immune to his playbook

Matt K. Lewis — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:01:53 +0000

Until recently, President Donald Trump always found a way to fail forward, through a combination of spin, threats, payoffs and bluster. But lately, the president has encountered a different kind of resistance: adversaries motivated by something bigger and more transcendent than money, power or the avoidance of pain.

Watkins: Let’s strengthen civil dialogue

Shannon Watkins — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:01:35 +0000

Americans are not optimistic about the state of higher education. A 2025 Pew Research survey revealed that 7 in 10 adults believe higher education in the United States is generally going in the wrong direction.

Beauchamp: Vance has been set up to fail

Zack Beauchamp — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:01:26 +0000

Recent weeks have been a disaster for Vice President JD Vance. He embarked on two foreign adventures — campaigning for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and leading peace negotiations with Iran — that ended in failure. Orbán lost by an enormous margin; Iran quit the talks, and President Donald Trump announced a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.

Schrager: Why is U.S. working less?

Allison Schrager — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:01:23 +0000

I came across a statistic the other day that goes against the intuition of practically everyone in the U.S. who has a job: Americans are working less than they did in the 1950s and 1960s. How is this possible, when we all feel chained to our desks or our phones?

Westneat: State Democrats in upheaval

Danny Westneat — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:03:01 +0000

Donald Trump’s presidency is cratering.

Estrich: Trump is desperate for offramp

Susan Estrich — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:01:30 +0000

Usually, when you’re talking about winning a war, it helps to know what you were fighting for. What was the goal of the war? If you don’t know that, how do you know the difference between winning and walking away?

Other Papers Say: Affordability claims misleading

The following editorial originally appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal: — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:01:22 +0000

If you read the headlines, it’s easy to be discouraged about the American economy. If you follow the trend lines, it’s difficult not to be more optimistic.

Laurent: Ouster of Putin’s ‘mouse’ offers opportunity

Lionel Laurent — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:01:04 +0000

Hungary’s Viktor Orban pulled almost every lever available to extend his 16 years in power. In the end, neither an in-person endorsement from U.S. Vice President JD Vance nor a captive media machine was enough to save the man who admits playing “mouse” to Vladimir Putin’s “lion.”

Calmes: Trump ignores budget deficit

Jackie Calmes — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:01:01 +0000

Americans could be forgiven if they’re unaware that President Donald Trump recently performed one of his most essential tasks and sent his annual budget request to Congress, though months late and stunningly incomplete.

Brown: (Some of) Clark County prospers

Craig Brown — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:02:26 +0000

Since I retired as The Columbian’s editor, I find myself worrying more about the economy in general and my 401(k) account in particular. It seems like most of the trends are negative. With gas prices around $5 per gallon, it takes $100 to fill my pickup truck. I just paid my first-half property taxes, up 5 percent from last year. And just in time for Cinco de Mayo, the price of tomatoes is spiking due to tariffs on Mexican produce.

Westneat: Buyer’s remorse in Wash.

Danny Westneat — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:01:49 +0000

It looks like farmers are starting to have buyer’s remorse.

Local View: County’s precious ag lands must be saved

Ann Foster — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:01:42 +0000

The Columbian editorial of April 3 (“In Our View: Should state revisit Growth Management Act?”) spoke succinctly to the issues on the table facing the Growth Management Act. The “it has shortcomings” conversation has been taking place ever since this huge, complex piece of legislation was first implemented some 35 years ago. The Columbian clearly states its benefits in providing guidelines and tools for cities and counties to use in managing growth within their communities.

Battenfeld: Harris mob-boss accent misfire

Joe Battenfeld — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:01:34 +0000

Just when you thought Democrats couldn’t sink any lower, along comes retread Kamala Harris to kiss the ring of Al Sharpton and adopt a fake mafia boss accent to tease another presidential run.

Harrop: EV subsidies good for U.S. economy, security

Froma Harrop — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:01:23 +0000

That $7,500 tax credit to buy an electric vehicle, now gone, was a “grotesque misallocation of federal spending.” It was a form of “rent-seeking,” whereby companies seek “to dominate the bureaucracy instead of the marketplace.”

Lewis: Exhaustion is Trump’s goal

Matt K. Lewis — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:01:49 +0000

Talk about whiplash. After issuing apocalyptic threats of destroying bridges and power plants (i.e., war crimes ) and even ending Persian civilization itself (which some speculated meant a nuclear strike ), President Donald Trump suddenly backed away from bombing Iran “back to the Stone Ages” just in time to embrace a two-week ceasefire.

Jarvis: For older women, muscle matters

Lisa Jarvis — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:01:48 +0000

New research has a simple message for older women: Muscle matters for living a longer, healthier life.

Klas: Florida’s embrace of ICE comes at a cost

Mary Ellen Klas — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:01:47 +0000

Florida is dramatically — but quietly — changing the way immigration enforcement is practiced. The state’s Republican leaders have made it a testing ground for the aggressive immigration enforcement tactics championed by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Harrop: Trump economy doesn’t live up to his hype

Froma Harrop — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:03:48 +0000

Donald Trump’s assault on our democratic institutions did not stop voters from giving him a second term. The top reason they cited for reelecting him was the economy, notably their unhappiness over high prices.

Estrich: Long COVID needs research

Susan Estrich — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:01:39 +0000

My daughter is suffering from long COVID. I have written about it before. I wish I had good news. I don’t.

Drucker: High gas prices will haunt GOP

David M. Drucker — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:01:58 +0000

There’s still more political fallout for the GOP courtesy of the Iran war: Even if the conflict ends soon, voters could be grappling with pain at the gas pump deep into midterm election season, as Republicans struggle to defend razor-thin majorities in Congress.