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How Did Obama Do in his State of the Union?
Tweet Share on Facebook February 1, 2011 Comment (2)How did he do? President Obama in his State of the Union speech, I mean. It was a long and complex piece of oratory with multiple objectives. He was simultaneously trying to inspire a nation beset with a series of economic woes, reposition his presidency in the wake of a profound midterm election defeat, and set the table for some kind of interaction with the opposition party. Do you think he accomplished any of that? And what about the Republican response by Rep. Paul Ryan? The advance hype was that he'd become the new face of the party and frame the hard questions and choices posed by the gargantuan federal deficit. Did he? I'd like to hear your thoughts on the theater and substance of this week. Please share your thoughts on Obama's State of the Union and Ryan's response below.
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Did the Obama-China Summit Mark the End of the American Century?
Tweet Share on Facebook January 24, 2011 Comment (14)The talk was cordial and diplomatic. The events were refined and elegant. But this week's visit to the White House by the president of China may have been historic. Did it mark the end of the American Century? Was the joint press conference between President Obama and President Hu the symbolic moment when China took its place as an equal to the United States, soon to be the dominant nation? One could have gotten that impression. Hu kindly offered to invest and help us create jobs, politely avoiding mention of all the U.S. debt that China holds. On economic matters, Obama appeared deferential. How did you see it? Was Hu's self-confidence emblematic of looming economic realities? Please share your thoughts on the United States and China in the comments section below.
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Did Politics Play a Role in the Arizona Shooting?
Tweet Share on Facebook January 18, 2011 Comment (2)I can't think of many events that have provoked as much instant and intense debate as the question of whether the Tucson gunman was influenced by political and media rhetoric. [Read the U.S. News debate: Has political rhetoric become dangerously extreme?]His killing spree had hardly ended before some commentators were accusing Sarah Palin and others of influencing his actions. More nuanced criticism followed, singling out the Tea Party, talk radio, Arizona's political climate, and gun laws—most coming from left-leaning sources. The reaction from the right was equally swift and ferocious, focusing on the shooter's mental state and past incidents of radical-left-inspired violence. The debate may be overwrought, but I don't think it's trivial. Where do you stand? Did politics play a role in the Tucson shootings? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
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What Should Congress Be Working On?
Tweet Share on Facebook January 13, 2011 Comment (3)Some new members of Congress may not have found the restrooms yet, but it's not too early to predict that this will be one interesting congressional session. As promised, the new House GOP majority is moving quickly to make its views known on a number of issues—even if whatever they pass turns out to be symbolic as it withers in the Senate. But it's clear that the old guard and the new Tea Party-backed members are feeling the impatience of agitated voters who want action on issues from jobs to spending. Some with a longer view see the session as a way to frame the 2012 presidential election. What would you like to see the House accomplish in the next two weeks? Are there votes that matter? Issues that need to be put on the table? I'd like to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Jobs, Terrorism, and Partisanship--What Are Your Hopes, Fears for 2011?
Tweet Share on Facebook January 11, 2011 CommentAs we close the books on 2010—a tough year for many people that, I hope, ended better than it began—we're again looking ahead at an unsettled period of politics, economics, and national security. It's not idle speculation to ponder what might be the major events and themes of 2011. The perceived direction of the economy in particular will drive crucial decisions for families and businesses alike. Much is in flux: oil prices, the euro, jobs—and now maybe a Chinese real estate bubble. Terror threats only seem to grow. Congress and the president have shown the ability to make deals—or go to war. What are your hopes and worries for the next year? Which stories will matter? And will we be breathing a little easier a year from now? Drop me a note at editor@usnews.com.
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What Was the Most Important Story of 2010? Healthcare? Elections?
Tweet Share on Facebook December 21, 2010 Comment (1)What do you think was the most important story of 2010? That can be a hard call. There are obvious choices that land loudly in the headlines: the GOP landslide in the House, the signing of Obamacare (otherwise known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). There are incremental stories, like the chronically high jobless rate or the crumbling euro. The Tea Party was a phenomenon, not just a headline. And we are, in Afghanistan, approaching the second decade of the longest war we've ever fought. Then there are the below-the-radar stories, my favorite being the Stuxnet computer virus that is wreaking havoc on Iran's nuclear machinery. So what was the most important story and why? Give me your thoughts at editor@usnews.com and we'll publish a roundup.
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What Does the Tax Deal Mean for Obama's Presidency?
Tweet Share on Facebook December 14, 2010 Comment (3)How about that tax deal? A lot of folks in Washington didn’t see it coming. After the Democrats were pounded at the polls, President Obama mouthed the usual platitudes about compromise, but plenty of analysts and most of his own base assumed he would dig in and fight. He most certainly didn’t. The extension of the George Bush tax cuts was only part of a deal he worked out with the GOP that included other business tax cuts and a bold paring of everyone’s payroll tax. Is it a good plan? Is this the medicine the anemic economy needs? Is it a problem that it adds almost $1 trillion to the deficit? And what of the precedent: Is this the first step toward a more pragmatic presidency, or is he just naively giving away the store? I’d like to hear your thoughts. Post them in the comments section below.
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What Should the Lame Duck Congress Do?
Tweet Share on Facebook December 3, 2010 Comment (2)Lame-duck sessions of Congress are one of those events that regularly stir up all kinds of intrigue about political dealmaking—before they deflate into insignificance. The current version may end the same. But there are big issues on the agenda. The Bush tax cuts expire January 1, and the estate tax is due to be restored. Should the Bush rates be extended? Including for those who make over $250,000 a year? What about the estate tax? Equally important to some people: Emergency federal unemployment benefits are expiring. Should those be re-upped? And are all these issues related and maybe the basis of a deal? I'd like your thoughts on what this waning Congress can and should do before the new one arrives. You can reach me at editor@usnews.com.
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Evolution of U.S. News
Tweet Share on Facebook December 2, 2010 Comment (1)I don't want to talk about the issues this week. I want to talk about us. Specifically, I'd like your feedback on how you think we're doing with our digital publication, U.S. News Weekly. We're ready to make some improvements and additions. We'd appreciate your help in making it better.
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What’s the Best Way to Reduce the Budget Deficit?
Tweet Share on Facebook November 16, 2010 Comment (1)So what would you cut? When it comes to the federal budget, you’re going to hear that question many times in the months and years ahead. It’s no trivial inquiry. The size of the budget deficit and what we do about it is at the top of the urgent pile for voters and, perhaps, lawmakers. Everyone from the chairman of the Federal Reserve to the finance ministers of obscure countries considers the deficit very unhealthy; the Democrats’ election rout came in large part from voter unease. But what’s going to be done about it? You either cut spending, raise revenue—or both. Across the board or with a scalpel? Which programs, which taxes? What would you cut—or raise? Post your thoughts below and we’ll start a discussion that I’m sure we’ll want to come back to. [Read more about the deficit and national debt.]
