Daily Archives: Jan. 31, 2009

Time to push for universal care?

Jan. 31, 20096:02 a.m.

“The whole world is in recession. But the United States is the only wealthy country in which the economic catastrophe will also be a health care catastrophe – in which millions of people will lose their health insurance along with their jobs, and therefore lose access to essential care,” wrote columnist Paul Krugman. He argued that “this is no time to let campaign promises of guaranteed health care be quietly forgotten. It is, instead, a time to put the push for universal care front and center. Health care now!”

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Economy, Health and safety | Comments (107)

Open thread 1/31

Jan. 31, 20096:01 a.m.

By The Editors | Filed under Open thread | Comments (110)

Is Obama too apologetic to Muslims?

Jan. 31, 20096:00 a.m.

Barack Obama reached out to the Muslim world in his inaugural address and in a recent interview with al-Arabiya television network. But columnist Charles Krauthammer thinks that message has been needlessly defensive and apologetic.
“In these most recent 20 years – the alleged winter of our disrespect of the Islamic world – America did not just respect Muslims, it bled for them,” he wrote. “It engaged in five military campaigns, every one of which involved – and resulted in – the liberation of a Muslim people: Bosnia, Kosovo, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq. The two Balkan interventions – as well as the failed 1992-93 Somali intervention to feed starving African Muslims (43 Americans were killed) – were humanitarian exercises of the highest order, there being no significant U.S. strategic interest at stake. In these 20 years, this nation has done more for suffering and oppressed Muslims than any nation, Muslim or non-Muslim, anywhere on Earth. Why are we apologizing?”

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under President Obama | Comments (23)