While financial markets believe the great recession is over, millions of Americans continue to struggle. Unemployment is 10.2 percent and the more inclusive measure, underemployment, is at 17.5 percent. America's jobs crisis is both a short-term and long-term challenge

A combination of circumstances brought us to...

A year after Barack Obama won the presidential election, it's apparent the change he promised isn't going to come easy. The November 3rd election results indicate a rising level of discontent with Obama and Democrats, in general. Confronted by massive problems, Washington is moving at a glacial pace. What should...

So far, no "Obama Sucks" bumper stickers have shown up in Berkley, but it's clear that Democratic partisans are significantly less enthusiastic than they were a year ago. Many display classic signs of depression: sadness, insomnia, restlessness, irritability, hopelessness and so forth. The underlying logic differs from person to person...

Prudent homeowners recovering from pest or water damage remove all compromised material before they rebuild. Similarly, surgeons prepare wounds for sutures by excising diseased tissues and sterilizing the damaged area. Nonetheless, as the US struggles to restart its economy, we're not identifying what caused the financial crisis or cleansing compromised...

It's been nine months since Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Time enough to grade the job he's done and consider what we can expect over the next few months.

A January 22nd poll asked Americans what the President's...

In 1994, when Forrest Gump famously observed, "stupid is as stupid does," no one expected that Forrest would become the poster boy of the Republican Party. Nonetheless, as an integral component of its "just say no" strategy, the GOP is steadily dumbing down the level of American political discourse. Meanwhile,...

That earthquake you felt wasn't caused by the massive shifting of the earth's crust, but by something equally impressive: David Brooks agreeing with Michael Moore. Joining other pundits, the reactionary New York Times columnist and the trenchant documentary filmmaker believe American capitalism has a problem.

Of course, Brooks and Moore...

There's a growing consensus that the great recession is over, but the pace of US recovery will be slow. Meanwhile, China's economy is speeding up. A comparison of economic policies in the two countries indicates the White House must be more aggressive.

In the second quarter of 2009 US...

There's no doubt the Obama Administration's healthcare reform plan represents a historic step forward for women. At long last, the vast majority of females will have access to affordable care that protects their maternity and reproductive health. But this progress may exact a dreadful price, as many women could lose...

In 1998, then First Lady Hillary Clinton famously observed that a "vast right-wing conspiracy" was subverting her husband's presidency. A decade later, a similar gang of Republican miscreants has mobilized to bring down the Obama Administration and health care reform. Recent conservative attacks resulted in the firing of

President Barack Obama's September 9th health care address to Congress was notable not for his oratory - which was superb - but for his manner. Obama shelved his professorial demeanor and displayed the cool determination that has characterized his best speeches. As he threw down the gauntlet to his Republican...

The delivery of a status report from the commander of Allied forces in Afghanistan, Lt. General Stanley McChrystal, is certain to rekindle a debate about the objectives, resource requirements, and duration of US involvement. After eight years in Afghanistan it's unclear what we are fighting for.

The arrival of football season is a reminder that the debate over health care reform is actually a perverse sporting event. Conservative columnist George Will observed, "Football combines the two worst features of American life: violence and committee meetings." Certainly, the health care debate involves violence and many, many...

The 1976 movie classic Network is best known for the scene where deranged newsman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) persuades his viewers to join his rant, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" 33 years later, faced with the news that the Obama Administration was...

A recent Daily Kos poll indicated 58 percent of Republicans either believe President Obama isn't a US citizen or aren't sure. Out here on the left coast, we don't know many Republicans, so it's hard for us to understand how they can be that stupid.

There...

Now that the dust has settled and Californians can see the drastic consequences of the state budget train wreck, it's time to consider ten actions to fix California.

(1) Elect a leader. California has a forty-year history of electing governors on the basis of their personality, starting with Ronald Reagan...

After six months in office, the Obama Administration has arrived at a defining moment: the battle over healthcare reform. The outcome will shape future White House initiatives, the 2010 mid-term elections and the future of the Republican Party.

Since the Roosevelt presidency, Democrats have tried to reform America's Byzantine healthcare...

After six months as President, Barack Obama has put his own imprint on US foreign policy. That's fortunate because George Bush broke everything he touched.

Obama is collaborative; Bush was confrontational. Drawing upon his experience as a community organizer, Obama looks for areas of agreement between the interests of the...

Out here on the left coast, we're not big fans of the Republican Party. So we've taken a perverse delight in the events of recent weeks -- the sordid Sanford/Ensign affairs and the awkward resignation of Sarah Palin. To these jaundiced eyes, it appears the Grand Old Party is locked...

14.7 million people are unemployed in the United States, 9.5 percent of the workforce. While there are a few signs of economic recovery, employment isn't one of them. The Obama Administration must address the jobs' crisis.

In the June 27th Republican radio address, House Minority Leader John Boehner blamed the...