Columns

 Now that the U.S. Senate has passed bipartisan S 1789 to reform the ailing U.S. Postal Service, critics are trying to disable the bill on its way to the House. Both postal unions and USPS want more for their side, and some Republicans mistakenly believe the bill burdens taxpayers.

Unfortunately, Kentucky Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul both bought into that logic and opposed S 1789.

Since assuming office in 2009, President Obama has piled billions of dollars in unaffordable burdens on electricity generation.  Now his team of regulators at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched another misguided assault on coal with no regard for the cost to American families and businesses.

Many have shared their memories of Charlie Webster this past week and tonight, as I write, I am moved to share mine.

In a large way, Charlie was Carrollton to me. I first met him as my pharmacist working out of the old drug store on the square, but soon we connected in a much closer way. Both unrepentant Democrats, we shared our experiences and beliefs in that party over the years. Our stories of old-time politics in small Kentucky towns were made real by our memories of our parents and grandparents.

Living for many years in a rural community in the panhandle of Florida, we had no television at all. That meant lots of radio and records; Mother and Daddy dancing in the kitchen to Bing Crosby, Vaughn Monroe, Frankie Laine, Patti  Paige, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee and others whose names I can’t remember.