CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Chuck Hagel opposed the Iraq war, and has said that the Defense Department is "bloated" and needs to be "pared down." Does The Charleston Gazette support Mr. Hagel for Defense Secretary, despite the "R" behind his name?

One has to hope that the state of Kentucky does not send Mitch McConnell to the Senate again once his current term expires. There is no one person in Washington who is more responsible for our current budget deficit and trillions of our accumulated debt than he.

Seems as if the only rational for anything ever getting done in Washington is whether or not it appeases the economic gods.

Ask yourself how much sense it makes to send the millions of dollars to foreign countries, many of which are enemies, and not help our own people on the East Coast.

Thanks to all the kids and grandkids outs there. They will be the ones inheriting the bill for our continued low tax rates.

Unbelievable. After all the trouble the Putnam County judge caused he wants to collect disability payments for his problems.

Boiled down to their essence, feelings on our military fall into two camps: One side feels that our military's purpose is to defend us from attacks from armed enemies, the other feels that our military's purpose is to advance our worldwide economic interests.

The NRA'S approach to controlling gun violence is similar to what comedian Rodney Dangerfield proposed when the U.S. started airplane safety procedures years ago: "Just give everybody a gun when they get on the plane and take them up when they get off."

Apparently, the person complaining about an off-duty trooper trying to enforce the law in an apparent shoplifting and getting injured does not know that troopers are on call for duty 24 hours a day, and when a crime is occurring in their presence, they have the duty to intercede.

With legislative foresight, West Virginia could supply the eastern U.S. pot market, bringing in billions of much-needed dollars to our economy.