All Commentary
- A Christian Science PerspectiveThe blessings of home despite a difficult housing market
A Christian Science perspective.
The Monitor's ViewThe Senate deal's promise to AmericansThe best part of the Senate deal, devised to break Washington's logjam, is the promise of a joint congressional panel to make difficult budget compromises for fiscal sustainability. That may allay public fears of a debt tsunami.
Advice from Teddy Roosevelt as Congress heads toward debt, shutdown dealAs the Senate nears a budget deal to end the government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling, Theodore Roosevelt’s efforts to seek out fellow citizens across party lines and divisions of class, creed, and culture are a timely example for Washington's brinkmanship.
- Advice from Teddy Roosevelt as Congress heads toward debt, shutdown deal
As the Senate nears a budget deal to end the government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling, Theodore Roosevelt’s efforts to seek out fellow citizens across party lines and divisions of class, creed, and culture are a timely example for Washington's brinkmanship.
OpinionHow infomercial inventors could help Congress end shutdownIf only the inventors of infomercial products like the Side Socket and Flex Seal could help Congress end the shutdown and extend the debt ceiling. Their American ingenuity would find the budget solution and sell it to us for $19.99 plus shipping and handling.
- A Christian Science PerspectiveThe Mind that moves, the Love that stills
A Christian Science perspective: Movement and stillness come from an identical source.
The Monitor's ViewPraise for those who cross shale's fault linesThe quality of the debate over whether or how to tap shale gas and oil may have turned a corner this year as more groups and states find consensus-seeking ways to deal with the hard issues.
OpinionSupreme Court must realize affirmative action doesn't improve educationAs the Supreme Court hears arguments in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action today, my view as a University of Michigan Law School professor is worth considering: Racial diversity has virtually no effect on educational quality and isn't the real rationale for the policy.
What a dig can and can't findWe can extract fascinating and useful information from the relics of past civilizations. But the stories archaeology tells are always sketchy and subject to revision -- especially where the Holy Land is concerned.
6 reader views on Common Ground, Common Good Many readers have responded with praise and gratitude for the new Common Ground, Common Good feature in Commentary, and for Sen. Olympia Snowe's inaugural column. We've collected some of their remarks here.
Persistence is key to agreeing on parks use for immigrants, long-time residentsNearly 30 percent of residents in the city of El Cajon in California are foreign born. Many love to use city parks but have run into scheduling clashes with established activities. A dialogue was begun to resolve the conflict. Those involved learned the importance of persistent engagement.
- Readers RespondReaders Write: Fix the debt, but protect the needy; Rodeos show animal cruelty
Letters to the Editor for the October 14, 2013 weekly print magazine:
There is no doubt that some entitlement reform is needed to address US debt, but we can't 'fix the debt' on the backs of the most vulnerable.
Rodeos, although less cruel than dogfighting, cockfighting, and bullfighting, can nonetheless be seen as exhibitions of animal cruelty.
- A Christian Science PerspectiveTruth and the value of archaeology
A Christian Science perspective: Where is the truth in Bible stories that leave no archaeological trace?
The Monitor's ViewThis Nobel Peace Prize was only half rightThe 2013 Nobel Peace Prize was wisely given to the body trying to rid the world of chemical weapons. But who will divert the scientists who know how to make such weapons into peaceful pursuits?
OpinionLibya needs outside help to avoid perpetual warThe abduction of Libya's Prime Minister Ali Zeidan yesterday shows that Libya is unlikely to emerge from anarchy without outside help. NATO should train government security forces. The UN or EU should sponsor a disarmament conference with the militias destabilizing the country.
OpinionGlobally, 'girl power' should be much more than a sloganInvesting in the education and health of girls pays huge dividends. Now is the time to recommit to empowering girls and ending child marriage and human trafficking, not just because it is morally right but because it is the smartest way to build a more peaceful and prosperous world.
- A Christian Science PerspectiveA call for present-day prophets
A Christian Science perspective: Prophetic qualities such as intuition and foresight are still accessible here and now.
The Monitor's ViewAn African lens on breaking sovereigntyForeign intervention in Africa has become almost a norm, with the Central African Republic as the latest example. The world must ask how much it should honor individual rights over national sovereignty.
OpinionHow 'reasonable Republicans' could oust Speaker BoehnerHouse Speaker John Boehner has spent much of his speakership placating tea party conservatives. Now, he should worry more about the 23 mainstream Republicans who hate debt-ceiling brinkmanship and government shutdown. They could join with Democrats to oust Boehner.
- A Christian Science PerspectiveA time of harvest
A Christian Science perspective: Agricultural harvest can teach us about the 'harvesting' of ideas.
