August 7, 2011
Stories this photo appears in:
It is time for the final barrier to fall
Opinion Column
When Margaret Thatcher died recently, it was shocking to realize that she became Great Britain’s first female prime minister almost 34 years ago. Today, 17 nations, from Brazil and Bangladesh to Liberia and Lithuania, are led by women. South Korea swore in its first female president, Park Geun-hye, in February.
Voting reform would end national disgrace
Opinion Column
‘Obama’s proposed voting commission under partisan fire from both sides.” That recent headline in The Washington Post is hardly a surprise. Virtually every reasonable idea in the capital these days draws partisan fire from both sides. But if the extremes are agitated, the proposal probably has merit, and that’s true for the voting commission.
The children heed Mother Nature; so should we
Opinion Column
Here at home, U.S. government action on climate change has been paralyzed by politics, but American taxpayers are actually trying to make things better abroad, whether they know it or not. At the front lines in the climate change war, there's no argument about whether weather disasters come more frequently and ferociously. The only question is what to do about them.
Reforms offer economic boost
The economic news remains dreadful: Stock markets, credit ratings and consumer confidence are all plunging. Worse yet, the administration has few tools available to reverse the trend. New stimulus spending is politically impossible, and interest rates are already at rock bottom.
Washington needs more grown-ups
Finally, the Responsibility Caucus has spoken. A total of 343 lawmakers, from both chambers and both parties, supported a bill to raise the debt ceiling and avoid financial calamity. For now.- Steve & Cokie Roberts, syndicated columnists
A commission to the rescue?
Rancor and recrimination are suffocating Washington like a summer heat wave, but the nasty tone of the debate obscures an important point of agreement. Leaders in both parties now agree that Congress is a failure. It cannot, they concede, make the painful decisions necessary to defuse the country's exploding budget deficits.
Politicians should keep away from pledges
USA Today was right in saying, "Candidates who sign pledges outsource their brains," but it's actually worse than that. By giving up their capacity for judgment, they are outsourcing their hearts, as well.
Ford was a good political wife
Since her death at 93, Betty Ford has been justly praised for publicizing her battles with breast cancer and alcoholism. As President Obama put it, her candor and courage gave "countless Americans a new lease on life."- Steve & Cokie Roberts, syndicated columnists
Learning from from the Strauss-Kahn case
We don't know exactly what happened in that hotel room last May. But we do know that DSK has a long record of abusing women. And we know that such a record should disqualify a man from holding public office, in Paris or Washington or anywhere else.
This has gotten personal now
State Sen. Carl Kruger provided a key vote when the New York legislature recently legalized gay marriage. According to the New York Times, his girlfriend's gay nephew had lobbied him heavily and cut off relations after Kruger opposed the measure two years ago. "I don't need this," the lawmaker said, explaining his change of mind. "It has gotten personal now."- Steve and Cokie Roberts, syndicated columnists
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID