Study: ‘Progressive’ Cities Worsen School Achievement Gaps
A new study notes that the education achievement gap is much higher in "progressive" cities such as Seattle.
Poll: Is Joe Biden Surging in South Carolina?
A new poll out of South Carolina this morning shows Joe Biden with a 20 point lead over Bernie Sanders in South Carolina.
What would a real pandemic change? Everything.
Think of the damage a Trump rally could do to the life expectancy of a whole county.
Read With Caution: Early Presidential Polls in Washington
Sanders continues to lead, though there are some signs of erosion. Keep an eye on Warren, for whom this state is a natural fit.
Back To The Future: What’s The Holdup On A Lake Washington...
Service would run from Renton's Southport to MOHAI on South Lake Union -- a one-hour trip on a fast ferry running hourly, competitive with the already congested routes to South Lake Union but with spectacular views, time and space to work.
Thanks, GOP: More in Washington are Without Health Insurance
Statewide, Medicaid enrollment continued to fall in 2019, and coverage via individual plans also fell, OFM says, which signals that the uninsured rate probably continued to rise last year.
70 Ex-US Senators Sign Letter Rebuking Present-Day Senators
It was heartening to see all four living ex-senators from the Northwest—all Republicans—on this list.
Washington’s Structural Inequality – To Fix It We Need An Income...
“It is literally true, and I dare someone to contradict it, that if we reformed our tax system, it would do more to help the poor in the immediate future than anything else.”
Architect Rem Koolhaas, Restlessly Voyaging into the Future
It's interesting to note that Seattle, not particularly known for its architecture, showcases four famous and influential architects. The Dutchman Koolhaas, a former journalist and compelling writer, has forged a new kind of boldly engineered third-wave, ironic modernism.
Does the Seattle Soda Tax Work? We Still Don’t Really Know
Many studies, but a maze of results. In part, this is because there is no common way to define or measure the public health “success” of a soda tax.
Unrelenting Grays: Native Myths About Endless Rain
One might wonder why Native stories wished for more rain in damp, dark Seattle, but spring floods signal salmon to return to spawning rivers where people caught them.
Bumbershoot Update: One Seattle Icon Reclaims Another
It's hard to get more local than One Reel, its artistic and creative pedigree is unsurpassed here, and even the company slogan "Our stage is Seattle" is encouraging.
Italian Towns Reclaim Their Beachfronts For The Public – Here’s How
The key to opening up these Italian beaches to all walks of life is to tie together the promenade, bikeways, benches, existing open spaces, and broader piazzas for concerts and street markets.
A Brokered Convention? Maybe. But It Could Also Be Over By...
True, the Democratic voters are split, but a key factor is the requirement for candidates to cross a 15% viability threshold to get any delegates. So Bernie could clean up on Super Tuesday.
Case Study: How Seattle Banned Winter Evictions
Passing the new law on evictions is a good illustration of how citizen commissions can originate and help pass progressive legislation. But you have to play the game smartly.
The Debate: Democrats Still Looking for a Unifying Candidate
All the candidates think that they are the best equipped to beat Trump in November. But pointing out the stakes might concentrate Democratic voters’ (and Independents’ and moderate Republicans’) minds on the imperative of defeating Trump.
Bernie Won; He Has Bloomberg to Thank for It
Bloomberg is shaping up to be exactly what I suspected him to be from the moment he got in: a divisive spoiler candidate who will destroy any chances of the moderate progressive wing of the party to unify behind a single candidate.
Killer B’s: Buttigieg Too Soon, Biden Too Late, Bloomberg Too Vulnerable....
Mike Bloomberg showed what happens when you have so much money and power
that people don’t talk back to you; you’ve lost the ability and the edge to debate.
Democrats Face A Trump Scenario?
We have a replay of the 2016 Republican primary, where one candidate with an unshakeable 25% of the party (Trump) is able to prevail against the crowded field of mainstream candidates, none of whom can dominate the field and few of whom are willing to bow out in time to fend off the putsch.
The Punishment We Deserve?
The only clarity to come out of the competition for the loudest voice in the room was that what is needed most for a Democratic victory in November – unity – is nowhere in sight.
Bickering Wonks
Amazingly, there was no mention of Trump firing multiple public civil servants who he could no longer “trust” as being loyal to him.
What Would Plato Have Thought of Donald Trump?
Trump is a political type of ancient origins, a phenomenon as old as politics itself, figuring prominently in the earliest debates over the merits and demerits of democracy as a form of government. On that phenomenon Plato wrote at length and in powerfully dramatic detail.
The Mystery Behind The Mystery Writer: Michael Gruber’s Long Con
It says something about the state of publishing today that Gruber couldn't find a buyer for this book - it's an almost perfect example of a caper novel, more light-hearted than some of his earlier thrillers but just as erudite, well-plotted and entertaining as his previous books.
Only 16% Of Us Trust Government. What To Do?
This book’s signal contribution is its organization around 10 discrete actions to reform the corrupted system, with compelling evidence of why each is necessary.
Dept. Of Awards & Accolades – Why Honor Melania Trump?
I find it difficult to celebrate Melania Trump bringing "awareness to issues that impact children's lives" when I look at how her spouse's policies have harmed so many children, like those separated from their desperate parents.
Idea: Making Paris A “15-Minute-City”
This focus on mixing as many uses as possible within the same space challenges much of the planning orthodoxy of the past century or so, which has studiously attempted to separate residential areas from retail, entertainment, manufacturing, and office districts.
Biblical Literacy, Now Lost, Was a Key Source of Lincoln’s Greatness
Adam Gopnik has written that Lincoln “had mastered the sound of the King James Bible so completely that he could recast abstract issues of constitutional law in biblical terms.”
Italy: A Culture of Civic Contribution
A major “pillar” of the Italian constitution obligates people to contribute to their communities. I had never seen such a noble public objective before.
An -Ism Primer: We Need to Define Our Political Terms
Very soon America may be forced to choose between neo-fascism and socialism, and we still have a third option, One Nation centrism on the table. But first we need to define what we're talking about.
Frank Blethen’s Battle To Save The Seattle Times (and Local Journalism)
The Times may be stuffy (less so now), and its socially-liberal/fiscally-conservative editorial page grates against the progressive Seattle groupthink. But it hasn't been snapped up, gutted, or chained. Amazingly, it's still there, proudly independent. That's rare. But for how much longer?
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Suds Up: Lifestyle Rankings that ought to Worry Seattle
All these indicators, random as they are, suggest that Seattle has passed its "hot" moment and needs to discover a compelling new economic strategy.
