Americans complain about the lack of true leaders and of today's poll-driven politicians. But if American is a democracy, isn't that exactly how it is supposed to work?

It's easy to see why Ted Kennedy would try to wrap Mr. Obama in the tattered mantle of his older brother, but is that a robe Mr. Obama should wear?

Public education has gotten rid of the consequences of failure for both teachers and students, so of course very little education takes place.

Crackpots are thick on the ground and we can't fund them all. How do we decide which upcoming genius/crackpot to fund? Einstein didn't have any peers; he would never have passed "peer review."

If he can't be the president, being one heartbeat away might be nearly as good. How does Obama-Kennedy for President sound?

GM found that when you ask for government help, you'd better be careful - you might get what you wish for, and our guys have a track record of losing negotiations.

George W Bush, lambasted as the destroyer of peace in the Middle East, may preside over the most welcome development there since the Second World War.

It's possible that nobody will ever be able to build anything of significance again.

Anyone who thinks there is anything Americans cannot or will not do has lost faith in the American people, and is unfit to lead them.

Rich people are voting with their feet: they're grabbing their wallets and running away.