This blog is designed to give readers a glimpse of our editorial-page operation and how we make our decisions. We’ll let you know who we’re meeting with, what they’re telling us, what events and issues we’re looking at. We’ll also pass on information and observations that may not make our print editions. In addition to the editorial board members who post on this blog, the board includes Publisher David Zeeck, Executive Editor Karen Peterson and Managing Editor Dale Phelps.
Editorial board bloggers
Editorial page editor Patrick O’Callahan oversees the online and printed opinion sections of The News Tribune. He came to The News Tribune in 1987 and has worked at Washington newspapers since 1979. E-mail him at patrick.ocallahan@thenewstribune.com
Editorial writer Cheryl Tucker, in addition to writing commentary, manages the daily production of the editorial and op-ed pages and edits letters to the editor. She began her journalism career in 1974 at a Virginia newspaper and came to The News Tribune in 1978. E-mail her at cheryl.tucker@thenewstribune.com.
Editorial writer Kim Bradford manages the online opinion section of The News Tribune and writes commentary. She joined The News Tribune in 2005 after working 11 years at newspapers in Washington and Maryland. E-mail her at kim.bradford@thenewstribune.com.
Guest bloggers
Editor emeritus David Seago retired from The News Tribune in 2008 after 41 years at The News Tribune. E-mail him at sds99@harbornet.com.
Richard Davis’ column on state politics frequently runs in the print edition of The News Tribune. He was president of the Washington Research Council, a statewide think tank, from 1986 through 2006. Currently, as a principal with The Simeon Partnership, Inc. he coordinates the activities of the Washington Alliance for a Competitive Economy, a business coalition founded by the Research Council, the Association of Washington Business and the Washington Roundtable.
Karen Irwin of University Place, a mother of four, has been a frequent contributor to The News Tribune's print editions. She has also written for Seattle's Child, Puget Sound Parent, the Tacoma Weekly, the Fayetteville Observer Times and the political blog Right Meets Left. She graduated from California Lutheran University with a degree in English literature and is currently working toward a history degree.
Michael Allen, professor of history at the University of Washington Tacoma, was born and raised in Ellensburg. He served with the U.S. Marines in Vietnam from 1969-70. He has written five books, including the prize-winning "Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus' Great Discovery to the War on Terror," "Rodeo Cowboys in the North American Imagination" and "Western Rivermen, 1763-1861: Ohio and Mississippi Boatmen and the Myth of the Alligator Horse." Allen lives in Tacoma and Ellensburg and has three children.
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This editorial will appear on Wednesday's editorial page:
Down-ballot races like the state insurance commissioner and lieutenant governor get scant attention, especially in crowded election seasons like this one.
It’s a good thing then that the power of incumbency enjoyed by the sitting state executives is well-deserved.
One challenger – Marcia McCraw, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor – earned our co-endorsement in the primary. But for the general election, our endorsement goes exclusively to Brad Owen.
During his decade presiding over the Senate, Owen has set the tone for decorum and respect. He also has made the most of a job with few specific duties, taking the lead on trade missions and visiting schools across the state to talk about substance abuse and bullying.
Four other state executives have already received our sole endorsement for jobs well done.
This editorial will appear Wednesday in the print edition.
Panic feeds on itself. When raw fear infects the stock markets, investors can be stampeded as easily as cattle.
That’s now happening throughout the world. In the first two days of this week, the Dow Jones industrials fell more than 875 points, a stampede of historic proportions. Consider it bad karma for the panic Wall Street itself had already foisted on the rest of the world.
Last week’s paroxysms on Wall Street – coming on top of escalating uncertainty about core financial institutions – had sent stocks tumbling across Asia and Europe. Scared U.S. investors have had plenty of company of late. European markets have suffered record plunges since the week began. One Russian market index tracked a loss of nearly 25 percent. Paper wealth has been evaporating by the trillions in countries rich and poor.
One thing the crisis demonstrates is how entangled and interdependent the world’s financial system has become. Globalized investments are subject to globalized panic. Many countries now rue their past faith in American investment banks and other peddlers of such toxic derivatives as credit default swaps. The blame falls squarely on Wall Street, easy money, corrupt mortgage loans and the failure of federal officials to police the above.
