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?

If we're losing jobs and the Chinese are losing jobs, where are they going?

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.

By taking this preposterous action, the CIA has provided a signal service.

Who owns your mortgage? It might just be...nobody.

Unlimited money, unlimited visibility, unlimited clout - what could possibly go wrong?

Somehow, we have reached the point where we view democracy and elections as ends in themselves. But they aren't.

What are we to make of the news that career State Department staffers are refusing to go to Iraq?

Contrary to Al Gore's predictions, our current lack of hurricanes is causing significant problems.

Why such a difference between the handling of the California fires, vs Katrina in New Orleans?