Columns

Congress has an opportunity this week to make a historic decision that would permanently change the culture of spending in Washington. Our nearly $15 trillion of accumulated debt is a threat to our nation’s economic recovery, our national security and the welfare of future generations.

We have already succeeded in changing the debate in Washington from “How much can we spend?” to “How much can we cut?” Now, we must go even further and pass a Balanced Budget Amendment.

Originally Remembrance Day was set aside to remember and honor those who gave their lives in the wars of 1914-18 and 1939-45, but today we remember those who fought and died in all wars.

The good thing about my job is that it’s relatively safe. I have no worries of large machinery lopping my hand off, being run over while doing roadwork, or getting attacked by wild beasts – unless you consider some select people wild beasts.

So when the opportunity arose to “live a little” and go through the Kentucky State Police citizens police academy, I jumped on it.

I got a flu shot last week. It didn’t hurt and I got a nice booklet of coupons for my trouble.
It seems that getting an annual vaccination for a variety of ills has turned routine, something we take for granted. One local pharmacy will even bring the shots to your workplace.
But it wasn’t always that way.
There have been times, in the not-so-distant past, that preventative measures were not available to the public. Epidemics occurred. People became sick and sometimes died.
The best you could do was avoid everybody and pray.