Today's Opinions

By Mark Banker

Last week I wrote to Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and Gov. Bill Haslam to express deep concern about our new president and our nation’s well-being.

Regular readers of this column will not be surprised by my message. Forty-plus years of attempting to make sense of our national experience convince me that our most precious political inheritance is a distinctively American tradition of principled pragmatism.

In regard to the potential gas tax increase, would it be possible to go up .1 cent on top of whatever increase emerges?

I remember when gas was 19.9 cents a gallon when I first started driving, and we would go out of our way to save a penny a gallon.

Now that the range on gas prices is $1.999 to $2.999, the nine-tenths is not a relevant factor — it has always been a marketing gimmick.

Along with the .1 additional increase, require that all stations price their gas in even dollars and cents.

Charles Whaley Sr.

Rockwood

Gentle reader, as you will recall, last week we were filled with hope that the President and the old curmudgeon were going to hit it off just fine, based upon his statements in his inaugural address concerning the state of education in the nation.

Unfortunately, although we remain steadfast, he has veered off course already in the very first week on the job. How disappointing. But, we must soldier on, as we have in the past made a practice to do, through numerous administrations, regardless of partisan affiliation, and call ’em as we see ’em.

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