WCIT Blog
SWOTing at Washington’s International Competitiveness (and a New Contest!)
One of the things you have to be careful about when you're a hardcore policy wonk is not to "over-jargon," especially with acronyms. You know, don't throw in the phrase "STEM degrees" without explaining to the average person that you're referring to "science,...
Why I’m So Excited About the Washington Trade Conference (And Why You Should Be Too)
Like you, I get a lot of invitations to a lot of events. Conferences, receptions, dinners, luncheons, breakfasts, panel discussions and even the occasional networking happy hour. Also like you, I avoid most of them. I mean, who has the time to attend all these things,...
Nobody Cares About the Port (Or Do They?)
On the plane to DC last week, I was reading a fascinating article in the New York Times about how technology is reducing the need for longshoreman at the Ports of New York & New Jersey - for better and for worse (better because of efficiency, worse because of loss...
Once Again, It’s October 12 (Seems To Happen Around This Time Every Year)
Last year, I made a bold prediction: that "October 12, 2011" would always be known as "October 12, 2011". Why is that date significant? Because it's the day that Congress passed the South Korea-US (KORUS) free trade agreement (FTA). KORUS FTA was the first major trade...
To Serv(ice export to) Man
It's a cookbook! OK, well, maybe Washington state doesn't export that many cookbooks to the rest of the world, but you know what we do export a lot of? Services! That's one of the most exciting findings of the new International Competitiveness Strategy for Washington...
Summary of Media Coverage of the International Competitiveness Strategy Release
On Monday, October 2, the Washington Council on International Trade - in collaboration with the Trade Development Alliance - released the International Competitiveness Strategy for Washington State. It was covered by media across Washington: Forty percent of jobs in...
Life Gets Better at Forty (Percent)
As you probably heard, the Washington Council on International Trade and the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle released the International Competitiveness Strategy for Washington State on Tuesday. I’m tempted to say that we “gave birth” to the International...
What I Learned From FMC Commissioner Cordero
Tonight, I had the pleasure of heading after work to the offices of Foster Pepper PLLC for their 2nd Annual Washington Transportation Industry Reception. Not that I wouldn't have gone anyway (I do love to schmooze with transportation industry stakeholders, as you...
We Were Right About Harbor Maintenance Tax Diversion!
Is there any better feeling in the world than being right about something? My wife will no longer tell me "you were right" because I immediately start gloating: shouting "whoo-hoo" and doing some sort of weird victory dance that's a mix of the Twist and someone...