By: Tip Johnson

Poop - Bellingham’s Billion Dollar Boondoggle
By Tip Johnson · Mon Jul 27, 2009
This week’s “Gristle”, by Cascadia Weekly Editor Tim Johnson, includes this electoral season’s first substantive issue to appear in local print media <a href=”http://www.nwcitizen.us/entry/bell
Red Herring, Red Threat and A Red Letter Opportunity
By Tip Johnson · Fri Mar 20, 2009
Red Herring

Shame on Obama, shame on Congress. Why punish workers while bailing out their bosses? The recent frenzy to demonize the employees of AIG is a more than a little disturbing.
5 comments
Obama? Oh, bomb ya!
By Tip Johnson · Mon Jan 26, 2009
Welcome to a new era of diplomacy! It may not necessarily be kinder and gentler, but it sure looks like it could be more impersonal. Obama has affirmed the recent military policy of using unmanned dr
7 comments
Chuckanut Ridge: What Way Forward?
By Tip Johnson · Sun Jan 25, 2009
Any public issue that garners nearly two decades of ardent citizen activism ought to eventually be perceived as significant. But a form of fatigue peculiar to public affairs tends to gradually margina
Obama: On Shovels, Banks and Wars
By Tip Johnson · Sat Jan 17, 2009
Obama hasn’t any choice but to put “revitalizing the economy” at the top of his agenda. It could be a problem. Sure, everyone wants to keep their jobs or their business. They want to meet their mor
8 comments
Blagojevich: Killed or Captured
By Tip Johnson · Sat Jan 10, 2009
Early in the reign of “W”, following the announcement of his “War on Terra”, we soon became familiar with the now famous phrase, “kill or capture”. It seems significant that it didn’t emerge as “capt
Obamarama: Advent of trickle-up economics?
By Tip Johnson · Tue Dec 2, 2008
The spectacle of Obama will soon begin to unfold as unprecedented popularity comes face to face with unprecedented difficulties. Another writer on these pages has already announced the potential for
3 comments
Just Don’t Want to Hear About It?
By Tip Johnson · Sat Nov 22, 2008
An observant NWCitizen agent noticed this morning that the Herald may have a new policy regarding controversial issues that involve their favored advertisers.

The Port and City of Bellingham ha
9 comments
Stand and Deliver!
By Tip Johnson · Tue Nov 18, 2008
The title phrase will remind many of the 1988 film portraying the work of Jaime Escalante, a dedicated high school mathematics teacher, starring Edward James Olmos. Historians will recognize it as th
10 comments
The Fundamentals are Sound?
By Tip Johnson · Mon Oct 6, 2008
Who plundered the economy? What happened to all the wealth? Should Americans feel shame at having recklessly squandered their children’s future with imprudent borrowing?

Not long ago, as our
3 comments
Phoenix in theTarpit - The politics of deception
By Tip Johnson · Fri Sep 26, 2008
Big problems require big solutions, quick. If bipartisan cooperation in major policy changes is needed, then so be it. Democrats will reach across the aisle and…get sucker punched!

This cou
21 comments
Pitbull with Lipstick?
By Tip Johnson · Thu Sep 4, 2008
Sarah Palin made her big splash to a receptive crowd last night at the Republican National Convention. We’ll see how well it plays with those not already so predisposed.

One thing is for sure:
11 comments
Could What We Don’t Know Hurt Us?
By Tip Johnson · Wed Aug 6, 2008
BELLINGHAM BAY DOESN’T MIX

In 1957, E. N. Steele documented the effects of pulp mill pollution on native oyster stocks in “The Rise and Decline of the Olympia Oyster”.
6 comments
Unaffordable Housing?
By Tip Johnson · Wed Jul 30, 2008
Today’s Bellingham Herald has an interesting article on a report recently released by the Countywide Housing Affordability Task force.
5 comments
Crackdown
By Tip Johnson · Mon Jul 7, 2008
In the run-up to this fourth of July, there were articles in the local daily and a fair amount of discussion about fireworks. Word was that the local constabulary were poised for a crackdown. Judgin
1 comment
The Balkanization of the Waterfront
By Tip Johnson · Fri Jun 6, 2008
I watched with horror the channel 10 viewing of the last Waterfront Advisory Group - or whatever they are now called. This group is reviewing the ongoing planning of the former G-P properties,
2 comments
Neiner, Neiner - The private benefits of avoiding public dialog
By Tip Johnson · Sun Apr 13, 2008
The dialog over the proposed Fairhaven Highlands development has deteriorated into a childish “neiner-neiner” squabble. Opponents continuously propose a host of rational objections while a few propon
2 comments
Windfall Non-profits?
By Tip Johnson · Mon Mar 10, 2008
In 1969, Scott Stodola and Kendall Frazier founded the Bellingham Cooperative School. The School was housed in a variety of locations, including Fairhaven College and the golf course club hous
2 comments
A Southside Grange?
By Tip Johnson · Thu Mar 6, 2008
I recently met with local and state officers from the Washington State Grange. These remarkably grass-rooted, family-oriented organizations can be formed with as few as 13 members. At least f
The Predatory Universe of Non-Profits in Happy Valley
By Tip Johnson · Mon Feb 11, 2008
Something about Bellingham’s poverty brings out the worst, even in the best of us.

The Kulshan Land Trust ushered it’s presence into Happy Valley with the development
1 comment
Tip Johnson

Tip Johnson

Citizen Journalist and Editor · Writing Since Jan 16, 2008
Tip Johnson is a longtime citizen interest advocate with a record of public achievement projects for good government and the environment. A lifelong student of government, Tip served two terms on the Bellingham City Council and has worked on many community boards and committees. He travelled with the Federal Transit Administration and Department of Commerce on mass transit trade missions in SE Asia and Africa before settling down to focus on keeping public interests at the fore of local government and the course of growth and development.

Total number of comments: 626

©1995-2025 Northwest Citizen LLC | Each writer retains the copyright to their articles. Copyright & Contact  Site by TKWeb.com