For the last month we have heard more than we needed to know about the nation’s debt, and our government’s inability to bring spending under control.

Rep. Mike Michaud probably thought it was a good idea to sign onto a letter that implored House Speaker John Boehner to end the August recess and bring Congress back to Washington right away to work on the nation’s business.

Chalk it up as another opportunity not taken, another moment not seized, another chance for leadership allowed to slip away.

People tend to respect and believe in science — until it tells them something they don’t want to hear.

It is tempting to look at the stories of famine from the Horn of Africa — a region experiencing its worst drought in 60 years — and think nothing can be done.

For those still doubting that the monstrous Asian carp is a serious threat to the Great Lakes, consider this recent news: Tests have found seven different instances of Asian carp DNA beyond the electric barriers meant to keep the fish out of Lake Michigan.

If last week’s debt-ceiling/deficit-reduction agreement staved off financial disaster — and the Washington politicians assured us that it would — then what are we supposed to call the economic earthquake that rocked Wall Street two days after the president signed the legislation?

State Sen. David Trahan announced this week that he was going to do the right thing, but he was not going to do it right away.

We like to applaud when people do the right thing, or, just as importantly, when they avoid doing the wrong thing.