Presidents have historically made their greatest marks and most lasting impacts when surprising the public with actions that defy the expectations of narrow ideology. Given the historic nature of Obama's election, his incredible popularity and majority mandate, Obama has an opportunity to do the same, and to change the course...

With a house in disrepair or a car coughing toward the next tune up, maintenance deferred saves money in the present, but at a price of higher future costs. Items needing attention can only be deferred, not ignored. Since nature offers no free lunch, we either pay less now or...

The first whale of which I speak is Rush Limbaugh, swimming in his cesspool of right-wing hate. Drugs have finally taken the life of Rush's last firing neuron. He is now officially brain dead. On November 6, Rush actually said that "this is an Obama recession." He went on to...

A Detroit bailout now seems like a political inevitability. If true, we have planted one foot precariously on the slippery slope of government rescue for failing industries beyond the financial sector, with no end in sight. We continue to ride the free market up and socialize losses on the way...

Beyond the obvious need for a mighty military, nothing is more important to protecting our long-term national security interests than a healthy environment and abundant clean energy. Dependence on foreign oil from hostile regions is a constant reminder of our vulnerability in the energy sector. We pay to protect our...

Hello, my name is Jeff Schweitzer, and I am a Fake American. I have been Fake now for 22 months. I just take one day at a time. I am doing the best I can. I think often about Real America, but realize I can never go back. I know...

Much has been made of John McCain's gracious concession speech. Rightfully so, his presentation is seen as statesmanlike, putting patriotism over partisanship. Like others, I applaud him for his service and his grace in defeat. If we had seen more of that John McCain in the past 22 months, the...

Like a breath of fresh air, president-elect Obama clearly understands the urgency of climate change. Unlike his soon-to-be predecessor, a North Pole free of summer ice actually gives Obama pause. He intends to act appropriately to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He also speaks eloquently about the need to reduce our...

To compete in a technology-driven world, the United States must dramatically improve public education. Our children today test behind many Third World countries. Losing our technological lead threatens our national security, undermines our economy and prevents us from solving our most pressing environmental problems.

We must teach critical thinking from...

Others tonight will write eloquently about the historic nature of Barack Obama's incredible victory. As many others do, I feel as if our country has been reclaimed after suffering eight years of despair. We have vanquished an occupying force of oppression and retaken possession of our rightful territory. The country...

With our intense focus on the election, the financial implosion on Wall Street, and lipstick on pigs, we easily forget that early pioneers of environmentalism made possible the world we now live in today. Only by a razor thin margin did we avoid a catastrophic slide to water we could...

I had the privilege of serving for four years in the White House under Bill Clinton as the Assistant Director for International Science and Technology. Unlike my fellow Democrats setting up shop in the Old Executive Office Building after Clinton's victory, I was already there, for I had been previously...

The King of Corruption, the Sultan of Sleaze, the Doge of Dirt, disgraced congressman Tom DeLay has weighed in on the election by calling Obama a radical Marxist.

The basis of this claim is that Obama will allow Bush's tax breaks for the rich to expire. Those were the tax...

While subprime lending precipitated the latest financial meltdown, credit default swaps drove us over the cliff. Greedy and unscrupulous lenders are easy to blame, and rightfully so, but pinstripe suits are in fact minor players in the crisis. The proximate villains are government deregulators working in conjunction with commercial banks...

The latest polls show that 27% of Americans believe that George W. Bush is doing a good job. Sure, that means that an unprecedented 73% have concluded that Bush is a failure, but that is no mystery. A trillion dollar war illegally initiated and incompetently executed would discourage most. For...

In a final act of sabotage, the Bush Administration is working furiously to undermine the Endangered Species Act. Officials are frantic with the idea that McCain will not prevail in November. In a reaction of collective panic as the election draws near, Bush and a compliant McCain are proposing the...

Governor Palin is a tsunami of environmental destruction, a direct consequence of her warped religious view of the world. Palin subscribes to the notion that God put resources here on Earth for man's exploitation, as described in Genesis. She believes God is not only on her side, but supports her...

At a campaign rally last week, Obama said, "My attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody ... I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." He made the comment in the face of massive...

The last crumbling stones supporting the weakened wall separating Church and State have tumbled to ground. The Bush Administration no longer even pretends to honor the primary founding principle of our country. Religion has dominated Bush's domestic and foreign policies from the start, but now Christianity has become a functioning...

Apple pie, our majestic flag, and endless fields of grain were symbols of a proud America for more than two centuries during which the United States became a beacon of hope for much of the world. Yet in just eight years since the disastrous election of George W. Bush, the...