Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Matter of Opinion Gary Crooks

TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2011

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2011

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2011


Budget cuts and school changes 

What kind of changes are you hearing about at your kids' schools due to budget cuts? I'm hearing larger class sizes by combining grades, as in first-graders and second-graders in the same class and 3-4, 5-6 combos. Then upwards of 31 kids in the room.…

Continue reading this post »

MONDAY, MAY 2, 2011

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2011

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Abortion and Idaho 45 

Here is our view. What this bill really represents is an effort to circumvent the standard of fetus viability established in the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which is generally around 22 to 24 weeks. Resetting the point where states could intervene to 20 weeks…

Continue reading this post »

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

Time to cut taxes? 115 

1. Should Olympia and Boise cut taxes as they work on filling their respective budget holes? 2. Should Congress cut taxes as it works on solutions to the debt and deficit? 3. Should households facing large bills decide to bring in less money?

Continue reading this post »

MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2011

Shut down the govt. -- yes or no? 20 

Campaign for Liberty says if the cuts aren't deep enough, shut down government. House Republican leaders offer these cuts. Nobody is following the deficit commission, though Dems tout that work on the tax side, and Republicans tout that work on the spending cuts side. So,…

Continue reading this post »


Smart Bombs: Price is Right 12 

My Sunday column. Comment here. From the comments thus far posted after the column, some points: 1. Yes, third-party payers drive up costs. I've yet to see the "free market solution" that drives up access. Costs are lower -- much lower -- in other countries…

Continue reading this post »

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2011

No damages for wrongly convicted man 

Man spends 14 years on Death Row. Prosecutors hid exculpatory evidence. Man is freed and sues. He wins, but U.S. Supreme Court overturns that ruling. Thoughts on cases like this? Just how bad does government need to act before being held accountable for nearly executing…

Continue reading this post »

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2011

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

Obama vs. ??? in 2012 

I pose this question to the distinguished posters here ... and to the rest of you. Who will Obama face in the next election? Recent Pew Poll has likely foes ranked thusly (first number is all voters: second number is Republican respondents): Mitt Romney --…

Continue reading this post »

TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Ex-S-R photographer runs for her life

Via Huckleberries Online, here is a shot of former S-R photographer Holly Pickett (front and center) running from from unfriendly fire in Libya. She is safe and back in Egypt, according to her Facebook page. Two of the photographers in that photo are among the…

Continue reading this post »


MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2011

Gullible's Travels 59 

Got this in the email copied to me today. “Obama cancels National Day of Prayer.” Sent the sender this. Think the sender will send out a mass correction? Or is it already: mission accomplished?

Continue reading this post »


MONDAY, FEB. 28, 2011

Feb. 28 week thread 33 

Guess it's going to blow in like a lion. Looking forward to a lamb-like exit. Interesting to see all of these freedom movements spring up without the help of the U.S. military. What's on your mind?

Continue reading this post »

THURSDAY, FEB. 24, 2011

Ten Years After 

Boeing wins the big air refueling tanker a decade after it was initially awarded it. Since Washington state came out on top, the process must've been pristine. :) U.S. Sen. Patty Murray hailed the decision as a victory for American workers. Well, not all of…

Continue reading this post »


Region's tax burden 

According to the Tax Foundation, Washington is 29th in the country when it comes to state and local tax burden. Idaho is 28th. Nationwide, these taxes fell, on average. We already know the federal burden is lower. Note that taxes have fallen more than income.…

Continue reading this post »

TUESDAY, FEB. 22, 2011

State budgets/collective bargaining 21 

The budget battle taking place in The Cheddar State is whipping up a sharp divide nationwide on the issue of public employee pay and collective bargaining rights. Gov. Walker could accept union concessions and call it a victory, but he's angling for more. Meanwhile, here's…

Continue reading this post »

MONDAY, FEB. 21, 2011

MONDAY, FEB. 14, 2011

The Valentine's week thread 27 

Where is the love? House GOP is hammering out a spending plan. The president released his budget plan. Looks like both sides are waiting for the other to go first when it comes to addressing the big budget drivers: SS, Medicare, defense, tax rates.

Continue reading this post »

Gary Crooks
Gary Crooks joined The Spokesman-Review in 1997. He is editor of the Opinion section and a member of the Editorial Board.

Follow Gary online: