As usual, the president found the centrist way around a problem. He enlisted the Arab League, Security Council and a coalition including Qatar to thwart a dictator trampling the rights of his people. It might be considered daring if it wasn’t so clearly done to avoid going after worse despots who happen to be business [...]

Obama failed to fix the economy or stop the wars, but perhaps he taught us something: even a smart individual can’t run this country. He proved we need the factions the founders feared. A sizable group that shared common objectives and worked together might have delivered change, but we elected a man with few political [...]

Republicans decided they might win in 2012, even without a decent candidate, if they get one more recession. So the deficits Reagan proved “don’t matter” became a threat that requires spending cuts, prevents the stimulus we need. Conservatives aren’t stupid. They know deficits prop up an economy, like long sticks keep wet sheets from sagging [...]