The Philadelphia Inquirer

Exit polls in Pennsylvania showed that voters concerned about the economy and health care broke decidedly for Barack Obama.

In the days following the election, however, there was speculation that campaign promises about health care would have to make their way to the back burner in favor of the more pressing needs of the economy. Many doubt that bold domestic initiatives are feasible in a time of financial uncertainty.

But what if we knew that the cost of failing to fix our broken health-care… more

Al-Qaeda expert Peter Bergen believes the terrorist threat to Western countries will come from Europe. Alienated young educated Muslims in Europe were behind the 9/11 attacks, and subsequent bombings in Europe. Other planned attacks in Europe have been foiled since, along with efforts to sell stolen fissile material that could be used for terrorist bombs. LINK

Extremists come in small groups to train in Pakistan, including many of those involved in recent terror plots in Europe, said Peter Bergen, one of the leading experts on al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda operates a large and professional media operation in the Pakistani mountains, churning out videos. LINK

OK, which candidate is prepared to break U.S.-Cuba relations out of the anachronistic Cold War cocoon and initiate a new course?

Barack Obama has sketched out the initial steps of a changed direction already, and Hillary Clinton in response said she saw no reason to change from the Bush administration's course until a triggering event appeared.

When Fidel Castro hinted in December he would step down, I asked the Clinton campaign whether it would change course, and was told if something significant… more

Like a mismatched couple who live together miserably before breaking up violently, Fatah and Hamas were doomed partners from the start.But what triggered the final, violent rupture between the Palestinian factions?Last week's virtual civil war, in which about 100 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip, was a crisis foretold.Since the founding of Hamas in 1987, there has been a deep fault line between its Islamic fundamentalist creed and the more secular side of… more

As President Bush and Congress prepare to debate an increase in the federal minimum wage, they could learn much from the economic wisdom of one of America’s most successful business leaders -- Henry Ford.

Ford was, among other things, a famously domineering employer, but he was also an economic pioneer. He not only perfected the techniques of mass production of automobiles, but he also foresaw that his efforts would not amount to great profits if average Americans could not afford to… more

A new Education Department report could have dramatic implications for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Authority (PHEAA).

The report, from the department’s inspector general’s office, calls on the National Education Loan Network, known as Nelnet, to give up $278 million in improperly claimed taxpayer subsidies. An additional $882 million could still be counted as overpayment, according to the report. Nelnet disagrees with the findings, and it’s now up to the Department of Education secretary to accept or reject the report.

About two-thirds… more

The long lines at the voting booths on Nov. 2 were dwarfed by the hoards of gamers who lined up a week later in cities around the country, anxiously awaiting an inaugural copy of the most hotly anticipated video game in American entertainment history. With more than $80 million in expected profits, this shoot-em-up sensation may not change the world, but it could help put the compassion back into conservatism by providing a much-needed financial boost for key domestic programs.

From… more

Optimists have lauded New Jersey's proposed $325 million overhaul of the Division of Youth and Family Services as a "new beginning" in the arduous road to reform. Skeptics dismiss it as political hubris -- an initiative conspicuously absent in real-world detail.

Given the proposal's implications for thousands of at-risk children and families, however, Gov. McGreevey described it best. Failure to implement the plan, he said, is "not an option."

When it comes to introducing and following through with a similarly bold plan… more