BY SUSAN ESTRICH Last weekend, The New York Times reported on its front page that former Senator, vice presidential candidate and presidential candidate John Edwards was considering “publicly” acknowledging paternity of his mistress’s baby, but had not yet brought his wife around to the idea. With his mistress, baby in arms, testifying before a grand […]

BY FROMA HARROP The debate over what kind of health care system we should have often includes the kinds others have. The programs in Canada and France have received special attention, and so those countries’ efforts to fix their own programs should be of interest. No health care system is set in stone. Whatever emerges […]

BY JOE CONASON The stupid misconduct of entertainer Kanye West and politician Joe Wilson demonstrated, if any fresh proof is necessary, that thoughtless rudeness isn’t confined by ethnicity, ideology or background. With their highly public episodes of misconduct, both earned sharp public censure. Yet while West has expressed real remorse for his misbehavior at the […]

BY FROMA HARROP “Obama’s Speech Doesn’t Turn the Tide,” reads an ABC News headline about new poll results on public reaction to the president’s address on health care reform. An interesting take, given that the tide doesn’t need turning. The ABC/Washington Post poll found the public evenly divided in being for or against the reform […]

BY JIM HIGHTOWER Smart is the new cool thing. There’s a smart car, cities now tout smart growth, and you can buy a smart refrigerator. Now comes another breakthrough: Even your breakfast cereal has gotten smart. At least that’s what we consumers are being told by a group of major food corporations that are hoping […]