Medicare should pay for patients
The recent deceleration in U.S. health-care costs appears to be at least partially structural, and not entirely due to a still-lackluster economy. That offers some hope that the slowdown will continue. Still, more needs to be done to encourage the tr
May 2, 2013
Pell grants shouldn't pay for remedial college
Everyone, from President Barack Obama to Rep. Paul Ryan to Bill Gates, seems to have an idea for improving the Federal Pell Grant Program for higher education. Worthy though some of these efforts may be, none reveals the crux of the problem: A huge p
May 2, 2013
Taxing digital dollars
If you've ever used eBay, you probably received a scary e-mail this week. The Senate is threatening small businesses, it warned. Complain to your legislators, it pleaded. Actually, it isn't, and you shouldn't. Senators appear ready to deflect the pre
April 25, 2013
Court saves our privacy, media sleeps
I'd feared that, after George W. Bush and Dick Cheney and, even worse, Barack Obama, the Fourth Amendment's protection of our personal privacy had nearly vanished. But on April 17, a majority of the Supreme Court, ruling in Missouri v. McNeely, remem
April 25, 2013
Dr. Fields will be missed
Editor: As we grow older, people other than our family and friends gain prominence in our daily decisions. There are the doctor, dentist, lawyer, plumber the handyman, etc. For us pet owners, this also means the veterinarian to whom we entrust the ca
April 13, 2013
Dog bites hazard for letter carriers
Editor: Dog bite injuries are a safety problem that have plagued theU.S. Postal Service for many years. Last year, letter carriers working in central and northeastern Missouri and Southern Illinois suffered more than 131 dog bite injuries. In additio
April 13, 2013
You are what you plant
We have a big garden. A huge garden. I only wish that it was outside the house. And in a few weeks, when it is warmer, it will be, but right now there are bedding trays of tiny plants and seed catalogs in almost every room covering every flat surface
April 13, 2013
Walk a Hutterite mile in their shoes
Have you noticed all the talk about the "inevitability" of same-sex marriage? Are you watching the second round of the "war on women" rhetoric hitting opponents of the president's stance on abortion and health care? We need to take a deep breath and
April 12, 2013
Government needs to be held accountable
SPRINGFIELD -- As the Transportation Safety Administration agent rummaged through my suitcase she picked up my tube of toothpaste, shook her head and said "no." The tube went sailing into a waste basket filled with bottles of suntan lotion, cans of s
April 12, 2013
Congratulations to Hedin, Wallace
Editor: The Illinois State Board of Education recently paid tribute to Craig Hedin and Steve Wallace for their outstanding contributions to education. Recognition from the ISBE is a tremendous honor for these two men. I also applaud Mr. Hedin and Mr.
