Columns – The Columbian

Jacobs: Politics needs moment of Zen

Gary Jacobs — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:49 +0000

News reports and social media constantly remind us that today’s political system rewards conflict, viral moments, and ideological performance over thoughtful and courteous debate.

Local View: Test scores not best measure of school success

Craig Homnick — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:16 +0000

School rankings don’t tell the whole story. A recent article by The (Tacoma) News Tribune (“Camas School District rated as one of top 10 districts in Washington,” Sept. 29) raises an important issue about how we measure the success of our schools.

Estrich: The stumbling stones

Susan Estrich — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:14 +0000

They are known as “stumbling stones” — little brass tiles that for the past 30 years have been installed in the sidewalks outside the homes of Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Over 116,000 stones have been installed across Europe. It is a small thing, but an important one.

Donnelly: Natural gas ruling exacerbates power shortage

Ann Donnelly — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:11 +0000

Washington’s electricity crisis now has another contributing factor. On Sept. 17, the state Supreme Court declared “unconstitutional in its entirety” the 2024 ballot measure Initiative 2066, supported by majorities in 34 out of 39 counties, including Clark.

Dudley: We need local journalism

Brier Dudley — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:03 +0000

Dee Anne Finken is too diplomatic to say so outright, but she’s gobsmacked by a new report on how to support local news in Washington.

Crisp: Why should we be surprised?

John M. Crisp — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:01:00 +0000

If artificial intelligence leads eventually — or suddenly — to the extinction of humankind, we can’t say we weren’t warned. Writers, scientists, academics and philosophers have been speculating since at least the middle of the 19th century about the possibility that machines could become smarter and more powerful than we are and could take control of humankind.

Barabak: Democrats take threats seriously

Mark Z. Barabak — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:01:25 +0000

The office of Colorado’s attorney general is a perch 10 stories above downtown Denver. From his aerie, Phil Weiser has a sweeping view of the city skyline, the gold-domed Capitol and, occasionally, a red hawk on the wing.

Ali: Trump’s ad blitz is paid for by you

Lorraine Ali — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 13:01:58 +0000

‘America will never be a communist country,” states the 30-second television ad.

Estrich: Trump loses but does it matter?

Susan Estrich — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:01:53 +0000

Last week, President Donald Trump lost twice in his war against a free press. Will it stop him? Almost certainly not.

Prokop: More Republicans keep their distance

Andrew Prokop — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:01:51 +0000

With the midterms five weeks away, more Republican candidates are coming to the belated realization that, if they want to save their seats, they could perhaps use some distance from a very unpopular president whose approval is reaching new lows.

Calmes: Trump has lost star power

Jackie Calmes — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:02:47 +0000

President Donald Trump might not look smaller, but he is.

Other Papers Say: Realistic gas-price plan needed

The following editorial originally appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal: — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:01:51 +0000

Voters are mad about gas prices. With an election less than six weeks away, many Republican politicians seem to think that abandoning their principles will curry favor with voters. There is a better way.

Other Papers Say: Congress must stop Hegseth

The following editorial was written by Bloomberg Opinion: — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:01:37 +0000

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his critics agree on one thing: The Pentagon is in urgent need of transformation. The change he’s pursuing, however, is endangering that vital mission.

Harrop: Beware of online influencers’ need for clicks

Froma Harrop — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:01:27 +0000

Many influencers are con artists. Some simply want to persuade and perhaps help others better their lives or their community. But social media has become inundated with influencers who harm their devotees, some on purpose, or make money off their trusting audience by endorsing so-so products.

Schrager: We are all AI investors now

Allison Schrager — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:01:02 +0000

Like it or not, we are all betting on AI taking over the economy. In the past 40 years, the U.S. has become a nation of stock investors. On the whole, it has made Americans rich. Now the stock market is soaring on the hopes that AI will make everyone more productive — and if that doesn’t work out, we all may learn the definition of a bad tail risk.

Brown: What Ridgefield really needs

Craig Brown — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:02:25 +0000

Clark County and its cities have a history of building big developments that change how we live and how we view ourselves.

DePetris: Europe wary of Putin’s aggression

Daniel DePetris — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:01:43 +0000

Vladimir Putin's primal goal is to retaliate against NATO, which he ultimately views as a party to the war in Ukraine given the alliance’s military and intelligence support to Kyiv. But retaliation is hardly the most important thing on Putin’s mind. The Russian strongman also is trying to determine how far he can push NATO until the alliance responds.

Fox: Report offers reassurance

Justin Fox — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:01:30 +0000

Last month, the Census Bureau published a strange little document claiming that “over 24,000” votes were cast by noncitizens in the 2020 U.S. general election.

Estrich: Confrontations at United Nations

Susan Estrich — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:01:20 +0000

There were at least two notable confrontations at the U.N. this week. One was to be expected: Trump versus Iran:

Crowley: League of Women Voters nonpartisan, not silent

Karen Crowley — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:01:13 +0000

Every election season, someone asks the same question, usually with a raised eyebrow: “If the League of Women Voters doesn’t take sides, why does it have so much to say?”

Millhiser: Court finally had it with Trump’s plan

Ian Millhiser — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:01:45 +0000

Last week, the Supreme Court handed down its long-awaited decision in United States Postal Service v. California — the case involving President Donald Trump’s attempt to sabotage voting by mail in the United States.

Kristof: A weaker U.S. greets Xi

Nicholas D. Kristof — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:01:55 +0000

President Xi Jinping of China is throwing his weight around as he arrives in Washington, D.C.

Crisp: A red scare least of our worries

John M. Crisp — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:01:32 +0000

Not far from where I live, a very large billboard stands alongside one of the busiest interstate highways in the nation, in full view of many thousands of motorists every day. It reads: “Texans: Democrats Want COMMUNISM. Republicans Do Not.”

Harrop: Closed primaries driving U.S. crazy

Froma Harrop — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:01:24 +0000

I didn’t leave my political party; my party left me. Both of them.

McCloskey: Schools should limit use of AI

Abby McCloskey — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:02:24 +0000

It used to be conservatives who wanted to tread carefully with new things. These days, it’s progressives sounding the alarm on artificial intelligence. And I’m not just talking about the risk of human extinction.