Columns

By LEE H. HAMILTON
A few weeks ago, the survey firm Public Policy Polling made headlines when it released a poll comparing Congress’s standing to a variety of unloved things.
Respondents did prefer our national legislature to the ebola virus, but otherwise the news was grim: Americans, the survey suggested, have a lower opinion of Congress than of head lice, Genghis Khan, used-car salesmen and root canals.
I’ll admit it: I chuckled, though I don’t really agree.
Having experienced both, I put Congress well ahead of root canals.

By RON WOODY
Roane County Executive
The closing of the Blair Convenience Center noted at the Roane County Commission meeting in January showed my lack of political experience and knowledge of politics.

Prior to the Blair Convenience Center’s closing, our office reviewed reports, evaluated service, studied the financial impacts and discussed the closure of the Blair Convenience Center for more than a year with our commission.

No maliciousness was intended to any individuals or groups in the Blair community.

January’s winter mood swings have been extreme this year.

We’ve gone from comfortable shirt-sleeve weather to heavy rain and floods, then winter storm warnings and, so forecasters say, bright sunshine.

I remember one January that was pretty monochromatic — read that as snowy white and bitterly cold.

In January 1978, I managed to make my way through a winter storm back to campus at Western Kentucky University.

Gentle reader, public discourse in this great republic may be approaching a crisis point, and if not, a boiling point.

This state of affairs arises from the President’s action in attempting to fill certain cabinet vacancies, especially the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency.

He has named long-time C.I.A. operative John Brennan to head that agency, and former Republican Senator from Nebraska, Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense.