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.

Jay Inslee 3.0: Under Pressure to Perform

A tougher term is upon him. No more feuding with a repellant Trump. A Democratic base that wants taxes, but an electorate that turns down taxes. The citizenry asking, how and when do we get vaccinated? Neighborhood restaurants hanging on, but for how long?

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski: Is this still the Republican Party for me?

She has often thought about leaving the Republican reservation, and done so once before. Now she's the first of her Senate party to say Trump must go.

Redrawing Washington: Redistricting is About to Commence

A decade ago, Democrats put their redistricting cards on the table, but Slade Gorton extracted a high price.

Tough Task: Explaining the Day of Rage to Young Friends

The stench of fascism permeated the U.S. Capitol yesterday. Guess what? We now have our own “sawdust Caesar.”

Duck Diver: Spokane Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers – Trump Enabler

By her actions, McMorris Rodgers has become an enabler of the mob of Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol beneath whose dome she pursues political power, pandering to the right. .

Northwest Voters Love Joe Biden. Will He Return the Affection?

Biden is set to take office after a campaign that never really had much profile in the Northwest. The former vice president dropped in for quiet, private fundraising events early in the race. He was overshadowed by noisy rallies for Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, and the boomlet of support for South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

A “Light in the Darkness”: COVID Relief Bill Includes Major Green Energy Funding

The World Resources Institute, on Monday, called the bill “one of the most significant pieces of climate legislation that Congress has passed in its history.”

Ice Breaker: America Plays Catch-up in the Arctic

The United States is far, far behind Russia, and even China, in ships capable of navigating far northern waters. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., have waged a years-long campaign to give the U.S. a greater presence in the far north as the Arctic ice pack recedes and shipping increases.

The Strait Poop: ‘Victoria Flush’ is No Longer

The Strait of Juan de Fuca is no longer a toilet. In his phone call to Gov. Inslee, Premier Horgan joked that the “Victoria flush” should have stopped in 1894.

Taking Names: Reps. McMorris Rodgers and Newhouse Joined Texas Lawsuit

Newhouse is supposed to be made of better stuff. He beat out Tea Party extremist Clint Didier to win a seat in Congress. With ex-Sen. Slade Gorton as choreographer, mainstream Republicans ran media ads depicting Newhouse as a stand-up guy. He's not a stand-up guy.

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