All Opinion
Fran莽ois Hollande 鈥� no more 'Mr. Pudding'?Style 鈥� more than policy differences on austerity 鈥� separated聽Socialist winner Fran莽ois Hollande from Nicolas Sarkozy in the French presidential elections.聽France may have simply preferred Hollande, dubbed 'Mr. Pudding,' over bombastic Sarkozy. But Hollande may not be so soft.
Global ViewpointGerhard Schr枚der: Don't strangle Europe with austerityEurope is churning after anti-austerity elections in Greece and France, where Socialist Fran莽ois Hollande ousted Nicolas Sarkozy. Europe must now shift from pure austerity toward growth. It must also keep working toward closer political union.聽Both moves will help Germany's economy.
For a 2012 Obama win, hip-hop stars must 'Barack the vote' like they did in 2008Rap and hip-hop artists have turned down the volume on their once-boisterous efforts to rally their fans 鈥� a key part of President Obama鈥檚 base 鈥� to support him in 2012.聽To see Obama take office for a second term, the hip-hop community needs to return to the momentum it built in 2008.
How to stop 'the end of men' 鈥� bring it onMy buddies and I are stifling a laugh.聽We don鈥檛 read much. But we hear the buzz about books like 'The Decline of Men' or 'Manning Up: How the Rise of Women Has Turned Men into Boys.' And we're聽cool with the experts鈥� solutions to our problems. In fact, we're delighted.
Blame China, not Obama or US, for the plight of activist Chen GuangchengBeijing, not US mishandling, is responsible for activist Chen's predicament. The US often needs to balance its concern for human rights in favor of Beijing鈥檚 cooperation on pressing global issues. This is not one of those times. Obama must stand up to China to defend Chen鈥檚 rights.
If Hollande wins French election, Europe won't collapse 鈥� just shift a bitSocialist Fran莽ois Hollande may well win the French presidential election. But don't expect a big brawl or gridlock with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over austerity and debt. Markets will keep Hollande in check. And then there's the tradition of German-French cooperation.
CommentaryAnn Romney-Hilary Rosen dust-up can't be reduced to a question of 'choice'The Ann Romney-Hilary Rosen clash presented more than another mommy-wars episode. Calling the decision to parent at home or pursue outside paid labor a 鈥榗hoice鈥� obscures the role that businesses, the economy, and government play in shaping the possibilities that families have.
US must focus on upcoming leadership change in AfghanistanWhen Obama made his secret visit to Afghanistan yesterday, he emphasized America's security role. The US needs to focus on helping Afghanistan build its political and governing capabilities. The Afghan presidential election looms with no plan for a smooth transition of power.
Trying youths as adults hurts families and taxpayers, but not crimeIf a juvenile court decides today that accused Chardon High School shooter T.J. Lane is competent to stand trial, he could become one of 250,000 youths prosecuted in adult criminal court every year. This practice harms young people, doesn't save taxpayers money, and doesn't reduce crime.
Global ViewpointArab Spring: now begins the education of Islamist politiciansIn Tunisia and Egypt, Islamists are being elected into office to take on the daunting policy problems of their neglected societies. But Islamists, too, will be chucked out of office if they can鈥檛 deliver the goods. And they know it.
Chinese dissident 鈥� bad timing for Washington, BeijingChinese dissident Chen's escape is inopportune. President Obama is in a tough election battle. China faces a leadership change. Washington's angst over how to protect Chen without infuriating Beijing is matched by Beijing's desire to silence him without incurring world disdain.
Bahrain doctor: If US loses the faith of people like me, it loses the MideastWashington鈥檚 tepid response to Bahrain's crackdown on nonviolent protesters has forced me to question what America really stands for. Obama聽must tell the ruling family to stop attacking protesters and to drop sham charges against medics like me and hundreds of others.
Walter RodgersFlorida-style 'Stand Your Ground' gun laws sub impulse for intelligent thinkingEven as George Zimmerman stands trial for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin, many Americans argue these laws make us safe.聽I've had pistols held to my head from Bosnia to Beirut. Your best self-defense is your tongue. Those who put their faith in guns will ultimately be outgunned.- John HughesMy long love affair with Monitor journalismFrom correspondent, to editor, to columnist, I've seen radical changes in journalism and the world.
Diplomacy flowers with cherry blossomsAt the close of the 100th anniversary celebration of Tokyo's gift of cherry blossoms to Washington, it's worth remembering the story of diplomacy behind the trees. Like most diplomatic initiatives, this one had to overcome indifference, opposition, and many setbacks before it could flower.
Candidates, lend me your earsRobert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. pulled poetry from their hearts to heal and rouse the nation. As this National Poetry Month draws to a close, our politics could benefit from reconnecting with poetry as a source of insight.
Why Voice of America is losing to voice of communist China 鈥� at home and abroadWith funding and program cuts, Washington is crippling the truth-telling Voice of America broadcasts in China. Meanwhile, Beijing is aggressively expanding its media campaign to spread untruths 鈥� broadcasting from American soil. America can't afford to let the VOA go silent.
Global ViewpointMost of China's Communist Party princelings aren't like Bo XilaiThe Bo Xilai saga of power, wealth, corruption, and murder has brought the issue of China鈥檚 princelings (offspring of Communist Party鈥檚 leaders) to the top of international discourse on China. But Bo's privileged rise is not the norm for the contemporary Communist Party.
After 20 years of Take Our Daughters to Work Day, time for a rethinkTwenty years ago, the Ms. Foundation started Take Our Daughters to Work Day to demystify the workplace for girls. That mission is accomplished. What girls need now is encouragement to become leaders. It's time to take them to the C-suite, where the corporate chiefs work.
Ann Romney flap highlights two clich茅s about womenThe Ann Romney-Hillary Rosen flap over working moms points to two clich茅s about women that are worth exploring in the presidential campaign. One is that most moms have no choice but to work full time. The other is the pay gap between women and men. Both are not what they seem.
