Centennials Table Topics

Table Topic questions are meant to stimulate family and classroom discussion.
Use the questions below after reading,"Twin towers of power"

Henry Jackson and Warren Magnuson together became Washington state's most influential politicians. At the height of their powers, they brought lots of prosperity in the form of government money and projects to our state. Do you consider this "pork barrel" politics or good representation? Could they have achieved this without sharing political parties and basic philosophies?
Our current State Senators Patty Murray and Slade Gorton are from different parties and schools of thought. Do they ever work together on some issues for the common good of Washington? Is it more important for them to represent national interests, state interests or the interests of their particular political constituency? Do you see any potential areas of conflict?
Some of the development Scoop and Maggie brought to Washington, like dams, irrigation systems and Hanford, are environmentally controversial today. Do you think they could have achieved as much today with current environmental laws and pressure from competing interest groups? With their focus on prosperity, where do you think they would stand on old growth forest logging and habitat issues that have severely impacted the timber industries?
In recent years, the notion of "term limits" has gained ground. How do you feel about restricting the time elected officials can serve? Would it help to curb corruption and influence-buying, and keep representatives focused on the job at hand? How would our state be different if term limits had been in effect during the Magnuson/Jackson years?
The military and the aerospace industry were well served by Scoop and Maggie. What kind of economic development would benefit our state today and is it available through federal dollars? Is our state economy in need of legislative support or more independent of it?
Scoop and Maggie certainly made their mark on the state of Washington and on their political era. What are some local ways they've been memorialized?