Americas Future

When Columbus set sail for what turned out to be our shores in 1492, he was not altogether sure whether or when he was going to see dry land again. So what does that have to do with today's world? A lot.

There's firewood stacked under the whole idea of America -- a place where you're judged by what you can do, not by who your grandparents were. And the worst part is, this has nothing to do with left/right politics.

In this recession shortfalls at the state level -- and resulting job cuts -- can cancel out federal job-creation efforts. If we want to get out of the recession, we need those jobs!

The Senate may create a commission to impose fiscal austerity on the Federal government -- but before the government decides how to pay for the future, it first needs to determine what kind of future the country needs.

The heavy lifting has just begun and there is no such thing as a quick fix.