The Great Debate UK
from Tales from the Trail:
If healthcare wasn’t enough, Obama just picked another fight
One thing is clear. President Barack Obama is not afraid of a fight.
He battled all last year with Republicans and some of his own Democrats trying to get healthcare reform through the political headwinds. 
Now he's going to take on Republicans with trying to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on gays serving in the military.
"This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are," Obama said. "It's the right thing to do."
While that proposal will likely boost Obama with his liberal base, it was not received well by Republicans -- and now with Senator 41 from Massachusetts they have the votes to throw up procedural hurdles on just about everything.
from The Great Debate:
Clean up Washington: mission impossible?
-- Bernd Debusmann is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own. --
Can any U.S. administration avoid the fate spelled out in the following 12 words? "We were elected to change Washington and we let Washington change us."
from For the Record:
After the warm glow, telling the cold, hard truths
Dean Wright is Global Editor, Ethics, Innovation and News Standards. Any opinions are his own.
The president was inaugurated in front of adoring crowds and positive reviews in the media. As the unpopular incumbent sat on the platform with him, the new Democratic chief executive took office as the nation faced a crippling economic crisis. The incoming president was a charismatic figure who had run a brilliant campaign and had handled the press with aplomb. The media were ready to give him a break.
