Listen to today's Republican debates and you hear a continuous regurgitation of William Graham Sumner, the nineteenth century academic who brought Social Darwinism to America.

For years, the GOP has been telling us tax cuts pay for themselves by promoting growth. If they believe what they say, why should they worry about paying for a one-year extension of the payroll tax holiday? Surely it will pay for itself.

President Barack Obama finally sounds like the candidate many of us thought we had elected in 2008. Hopefully his second term will promise to take on the growing inequities and game-rigging practices that have been undermining America for years.

Wall Street is its own worst enemy. It should have welcomed new financial regulation as a means of restoring public trust. Instead, it's busily shredding new regulations and making the public more distrustful than ever.

Two important reforms are stopping the revolving door between Washington and the nation's financial giants. Remarkably, the frontrunners for the GOP nomination for president seem to agree.

Newt Gingrich has done it again. With his new tax plan he has raised the bar from irresponsibility to recklessness.

We heard what you said last week about the dangers of the increasing concentration of income and wealth at the top. We agree. And many of us are prepared to work our hearts out to get you reelected -- as long as you commit to doing what needs to be done in your second term.

"Big government" isn't the problem. The problem is big money is taking over government.

Stop-at-nothing radicalism is dangerous for the GOP because most Americans recoil from it. It's also dangerous for America. We need two political parties solidly grounded in the realities of governing. Our democracy can't work any other way.

My political prediction for 2012 (based on absolutely no inside information): Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden swap places. Biden becomes Secretary of State -- a position he's apparently coveted for years. And Hillary Clinton, Vice President.