Today's Opinions

Do you screen your calls before answering the phone? Do you ignore calls if you don’t know the caller? You should make an exception and answer a call from area code 540 if you get one in the next couple of weeks.

Elections seem to bring out the best and the worst in people. On the positive side, the interest in public service and scrutiny of government services re-energizes us and provides the impetus to update and improve services. On the negative side, the emotions of campaigns inevitably lead to conflicts and vilification of candidates and causes that don’t deserve it. Such was the case with our recently completed Evergreen Park and Recreation District election.

Sometimes the story isn’t as big a deal as the story about the story. How much different would United States history look if, the day after the Watergate break-in, President Nixon had said, “Campaigns make people do crazy things,” instead of getting involved in the cover-up that led to his resignation?

While there is little doubt there is nothing in Scott McInnis’ tax returns or John Hickenlooper’s charitable contributions that rise to the level of Watergate, the principle is the same. The longer questions persist, the bigger the story gets.