As a child I was impressed when they added “One nation, under God” to our pledge of allegiance. I believed that meant everyone in America believed and honored the golden rule – treating others as they would want to be treated.

Later I learned that the golden rule was endorsed by all religions as a component of their moral and ethical teachings. Naively, I separated morality from ethics as if one meant blessed by God and the other meant blessed by man. Alas, research has confirmed that ethics are the same as morals. They are both an expected behavior of one to another.

There has been an abundance of candidate endorsements in these pages of late. How can these folk be so certain? Keep in mind the Old Master’s advice in Tao Te Ching 65 (as translated by Victor Mair): “Ruling the state through knowledge is to rob the state; ruling a state through ignorance brings integrity to the state.”

I address my concern to Governor Paul LePage and the Maine Republican Party. We see his ads on TV and they state he and his party are for small business.

There are a number of registered voters who are exhausted at the loud noises of campaigns. Phone calls are welcomed up to a point and then they are not answered. Walkers to the homes are often greeted kindly, but for some voters are one more contact and interruption in their daily lives.

House District 53 candidate Jeff Pierce shared a story from the campaign trail after the conclusion of The Lincoln County News Meet the Candidates forum Monday night.

If for no other reason than the commercials will stop for a few blessed months, we are delighted to see Election Day hove into view next Tuesday, Nov. 4.

There are two great truisms of life that trump everything else.

One is life will always find a way. The other is life is finite.

We have no control of where and to whom we are born; it is an accident of nature. Some are born into better situations than others. Some fall into the trappings of assumed preferential entitlement because of their wealth and others drop into the abyss of self-pity entitlement because of their poverty.

Many people have asked who are the Concerned Citizens of Waldoboro? We are a group of concerned citizens advocating for the improvement of our town by identifying issues of concern to all citizens, fact-finding and suggesting potential solutions.

Though their descendents still live in the area, Wilbur Bearce, Robert Woodward, and Frank Wells are probably best recalled, if at all, as names on a plaque on the wall at the South Bristol Town Hall.

A recent letter criticized Senator Chris Johnson, D-Somerville, for not doing volunteer work. The writer was badly informed.

We are told we are making extraordinary progress in technology, the sciences, education, and in general our standard of living. So what is happening to the American spirit and our national pride?

To begin with, we need to understand what makes a good manager and a strong leader.

If you have been anywhere near a television this week, you are probably familiar with the story of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, whose domestic violence case is currently shaking the National Football League to its very foundation.