Susan Cox: Thankful for family and so much more
Thanksgiving is fast approaching and I am looking forward to gathering with my family again since COVID precautions kept us apart last year. We’re planning our menu, which in addition to the usual fare, includes a large variety of pies. While I like all the food, I’m most excited to spend a few days with my dad, several of my siblings, and some of my nieces and nephews. We usually do some Black Friday shopping, play a few games, watch silly movies, and stay up too late talking.
Michael Hicks: Time to be honest about debt, spending, taxes
The U.S. Congress is turning its attention to something called the Build Back Better (BBB) bill. This is a good time to think critically about the political economy of our national debt. It is good to start with some facts and acknowledge what we do and do not know about the economic consequences of a large public debt. A big part of this discussion must be the question of how we tax ourselves to pay for this debt.
Editorial: Smokeout tomorrow gives smokers help to quit
Smoking is one of the most difficult addictions to break. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop 33 years ago declared the nicotine in cigarettes to be as addictive as cocaine or heroin. Even so, plenty of people have overcome that addiction and beaten the habit over the years, often with a lot of help and encouragement.
Letter: Fighting opioid addiction raises hard questions
From: Scott Keen
Bud Herron: Stuff that’s truly moving, someday
The gambler in the Kenny Rogers recording by the same name offers some sage advice: “… the secret to survivin’ is knowin’ what to throw away and knowin’ what to keep.”
Letter: Road construction delays causing headaches
From: Dan Fox
Letter: Reading election results for Democrats
From: Woodrow Wilcox
Michael Hicks: READI grants already a success
Last month, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation made public all 17 regional proposals for the state’s READI Grant program. Since the program was announced, I’ve been dreading this, primarily because I was confident the program would fall short of even modest expectations. The program was hurried through the General Assembly, and the time frame for this type of process was extremely short, just a few months.
Michael Leppert: Watching our leaders’ language
Politico’s West Wing Playbook recently reported President Joe Biden has a “potty mouth.” I would have been surprised to read otherwise, but the breaking news gave some decent detail of his profanity habits for all the Americans who care to know such things. The story also threw in a predictable expletive tendency of Vice President Kamala Harris. The vulgarities of choice of anyone are meaningful to me, as a self-appointed guru of the art.
Letter: Commissioner districts are unbalanced
From: Dennis Baute