“I’m stunned – stunned. It’s a huge loss. I can’t imagine another doctor with moxie will come in here.”

That was the reaction of Mary Ann Murphy, executive director of Partners with Families and Children, when she heard the news that chief health officer Kim Thorburn had been fired by the Spokane Regional Health Board. It’s taken the board nearly 22 months (and counting) to find a replacement. Guess all the good ones come with built-in moxie.

Wouldn’t it be funny if Thorburn herself had a hand in the ultimate decision? It could happen. She is running for the Spokane County Commission against Todd Mielke. A victory in November could give her a seat at the table. Maybe she’d even nominate herself. If selected, she could resign as county commissioner.

Nah. That would just highlight what a mistake it was to dump her in the first place.

‘C’ isn’t out of the question. So, which will happen first?

A. Replacement for Thorburn is named.

B. The FBI wraps up Otto Zehm investigation.

C. North-south freeway completed.

Oh, the games people play. Do kids still play hot potato? Or is that the sole province of political leaders these days.

Example One: After the U.S. Supreme Court said the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases, the agency e-mailed an action plan to the White House last December. The White House said it wouldn’t open the e-mail. It seems that like Carnac the Magnificent, Bush administration officials divined the contents of the cyberspace message and didn’t like the conclusions. So they asked EPA officials to rewrite the rules.

It looks like the act (non-act?) of not opening the e-mail was a way to gain breathing room while the White House twisted arms at the EPA. Sure enough, the EPA eventually removed sections of its analysis showing that regulation can have economic benefits for certain sectors – just not the sectors the administration favors.

Result: It’s as if the White House never touched the issue.

Example Two: Spokane Mayor Mary Verner declines to veto or sign an ordinance allowing big-box stores to be developed in South Spokane, which has the same effect as signing it. She says she didn’t like the amendment that allowed surrounding businesses to be upsized from 40,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet, but she was advised that a veto would nix parts she didn’t object to, such as 130,000-square-foot stores.

Result: It’s as if she never touched the issue.