Saturday, November 1, 2014
WE WOULD say that it’s conventional wisdom that Washington is paralyzed by partisan conflict — but that term would not adequately express how deeply this pessimistic view has embedded itself in the political culture. Like many widely held beliefs, “Washington is broken” has a basis in reality, and... Sign in to see full entry.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Can voters look forward to a Congress that actually governs?
AS NEXT week’s midterm elections approach, Americans are in a dark mood. The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, released Tuesday, reports that 68 percent of likely voters think that the country is “on the wrong track”; a CNN-ORC International poll that came out the same day says 68 percent are... Sign in to see full entry.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Texas’s sham abortion law offers a cautionary tale for other states
THREE YEARS ago, more than 70,000 women obtained abortions in Texas, most of them performed at the 46 legal clinics scattered around the state. Mishaps were exceedingly rare, and there was no evidence of any systematic lapse or abuse that endangered the health of women who sought the procedure.... Sign in to see full entry.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
We've Learned Nothing in The Middle East...and that isn't Going to Change.
If you thought that two disastrous wars in the Middle East spread over 13 miserable years might cure Washington of its delusion that the next war will solve all our problems, you were wrong. The truth is that the people in power and contending for power have learned nothing. And guess what: two... Sign in to see full entry.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Supreme Court Takes another step towards equality for Same-Sex marriage
SINCE THE Supreme Court struck down the worst parts of the Defense of Marriage Act in United States v. Windsor last year, lower courts have been using the logic of the ruling to sweep away state bans on same-sex marriage. On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to second-guess the appeals courts that... Sign in to see full entry.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Missteps in handling the Ebola virus in the U.S. can’t be repeated
IN THE MIDDLE of a disease outbreak, panic and fear can themselves be a destructive force. When the Ebola virus first broke out in West Africa, governments dropped the ball and were unable to contain the dread, leading people to take action — such as evading quarantine — that spread the infections.... Sign in to see full entry.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Senate has an embarrasing backlog of nominations
THE INK on Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.’s resignation letter was hardly dry before members of Congress started bickering about his replacement. Lobbing overwrought criticism at Mr. Holder’s record, Republicans demanded that the country’s next top law enforcement officer eschew ideology and... Sign in to see full entry.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
How Secure is the White House?
AN INTRUDER makes his way deep inside the heavily guarded White House. In an earlier incident, shots from a high-powered rifle strike the president’s residence but are overlooked until a cleaning lady discovers the bullets days later. That such seemingly far-fetched scenarios weren’t lifted from a... Sign in to see full entry.
Friday, May 6, 2011
In Raid on bin Laden, Little-Known Geospatial Agency Played Vital Role
President Obama’s first brush with the National Geospatial -Intelligence Agency was ignominious. Out for lunch in May 2009, at a Five Guys burger franchise in Washington, the new president started to shake the hands of other customers, TV cameras in tow. Then he turned to men with government ID... Sign in to see full entry.
Friday, November 12, 2010
SENIOR OBAMA administration officials profess to share congressional concerns about recent political developments in Egypt. With a parliamentary election due Nov. 28, 82-year-old President Hosni Mubarak has launched a crackdown against his opposition and independent media; he also has rejected a... Sign in to see full entry.