Joel Connelly

I worked for Seattle Post-Intelligencer from 1973 until it ceased print publication in 2009, and SeattlePI.com from 2009 to 6/30/2020. During that time, I wrote about 9 presidential races, 11 Canadian and British Columbia elections‎, four doomed WPPSS nuclear plants, six Washington wilderness battles, creation of two national Monuments (Hanford Reach and San Juan Islands), a 104 million acre Alaska Lands Act, plus the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area.

Seismic Shifts Against Far-Left West Coast Politics

The far left is losing support. There is no sharp right turn — Democrats dominate the urban vote — but rather a center-left trend.

Boasting is Easy, Governing is Hard

Headstrong business bigshots have talked big when taking government posts in the past. They’ve usually made a mess of their task and sullied their reputations.

Nuclear Brinksmanship: Will the Trump Administration try to Reclassify Itself out of the Hanford Cleanup?

The legal/political battlefield between Gov. Ferguson and the Trump administration may turn out to be the Hanford cleanup of nuclear waste.

Alaska’s Mary Peltola Loses Her One-Term Seat in Congress

Peltola joined Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez in a “blue dog caucus” of moderate Democrats. They signed onto bipartisan legislation and concentrated on issues of high priority back home.

The Candidate Scramble Begins: John Wilson Announces Run for County Exec

John Arthur Wilson, nicknamed “Jaws,” has been around. He has worked as a reporter at the Seattle Times, Seattle Weekly, and KING-TV. He has operated behind the scenes as a congressional staffer and chief of staff at Ron Sims' county executive office.

Reacting to Trump: Wait for it to Burn

Oligarchs cannot dictate the size and strength of hurricanes. Nor can they turn back wildfire at the U.S.-Canadian border. They cannot stop heat waves or high tides flooding streets near the leader's Florida estate.

Bob Ferguson Keeps his Trump Boxing Gloves On

Gov-elect Bob Ferguson and AG-elect Nick Brown vow to take on the incoming Trump Administration when its actions are illegal and people are harmed.

Cliff-hanger: NDP Survives a Close Election in British Columbia

The Conservatives swept rural interior B.C., where timber, mining, and natural gas are the economic base. The New Democrats took Vancouver, Burnaby, and Vancouver Island, centers of environmental concerns.

Workhorse: Sen. Maria Cantwell seeks a Fifth Term

Cantwell and seatmate Sen. Patty Murray have now served together for 24 years. Cantwell is a shade to the right of Murray.

Pope Francis: In this Election, Picking the “Lesser of Two Evils”

The Pope when asked about candidates for the American presidency, he replied: "Both are against life, the one that throws out migrants and the one that kills children. Both are against life."  What should a citizen do? "Vote, and one has to choose the lesser evil."

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