Local Opinion

We Americans live in a representative democracy. That’s a fundamental feature of public life in the United States, a part of who we are as a people. We elect leaders to make decisions on our behalf.

“You can’t handle the truth!” That’s the famous line spoken from the witness stand by Jack Nicholson in his portrayal of Colonel Nathan Jessup in the 1992 hit movie, “A Few Good Men.” That was 30 years ago, in a make-believe story of a governmental cover up, and long before the line became so true for a big chunk of Americans.

Former President Jimmy Carter elected to have hospice care. According to a statement from his charity, The Carter Center, “He made the decision after a series of short hospital stays and decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention.”

We are beginning to see signs that the overdose epidemic may be starting to ease. We hope.

American history is full of consequences in our lives and the lives of communities that can still be felt today — for good and bad.

Vice President Mike Pence has reportedly hit on a clever and novel strategy for resisting a subpoena from special counsel Jack Smith in the Jan. 6 investigation. Pence is expected to argue that because the vice president serves as president of the Senate, the subpoena would violate the protections afforded legislative officials under the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause. It may be just the argument Pence needs — not to successfully avoid providing evidence against Donald Trump so much as to emulate his former boss’s success in running out the clock.

From: Mayor Jim Lienhoop

From: Marilyn Hayes

“Two cheers for democracy: one because it admits variety and two because it permits criticism.”

The advanced practice registered nurses (nurse practitioners) are again at the legislature seeking independent practice. Currently, an APRN with prescription authority must have a collaborative relationship with a physician that includes chart review.