What Matters Most? Budget Cuts Or Hanford Cleanup?

If ever a Congress should know about the public’s distrust of government, it’s the one that was elected in last fall’s voter uprising.

One source of skepticism in this region is Hanford, site of unconscionable Cold War experiments on unwitting citizen guinea pigs.

Site, also, of years of national defense activity that left a nuclear waste heap as its legacy. Responsiblity for cleaning the mess up rests on federal shoulders under a contract between the feds and the state.

But budget-writers in the House of Representatives have set a limit on what they’ll spend, and Rep. John Myers, R-Ind., chairman of the relevant subcommittee, says it’s firm. “We made a commitment,” he said, conveniently ignoring the other commitment that the contract with Washington state embodies.

Where do “Bagpipes” readers line up? Which ranks as a higher priority - cutting spending or cleaning up the defense waste mess at Hanford?

How much pomp? And under what circumstances?

A Rosalia legislator says Washington’s state colleges and universities are running out of room. Washington State University, meanwhile, wants more money to brace for the stampede.

With much less fanfare, some educators dare to ask if building more college classrooms is really the best answer. Some students, they say, might be better served by a challenging high school curriculum that teaches skills needed for today’s workplace technology.

Do readers think the American bias toward four-year colleges as the measure of educational accomplishment is valid?

A case of male bonding that failed

Before they donned wax wings for their legendary jail break, Daedalus warned his boy Icarus not to fly too close to the sun.

But, you know kids. Icarus ignored the warning, his wings melted and he splashed into the sea. Ever since, parents have complained that their teenagers won’t listen to them.

Guess what. The feeling is mutual.

At a public forum for Spokane area teens this month, several of the young participants stressed the need for better communication between parents and teens. So …

Teenagers, what do you want to ask or tell your parents? Parents, what do you want to ask or tell your teens? Send your responses to “Bagpipes” and look for them on a future Sunday Perspective page.

, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.