All The Monitor's View
Fixing America's subsidized homeownershipThis fall, Congress and President Obama will debate how much taxpayers should still back homeownership. But first they need to ask if owning a home leads to well-being.
Far more than Snowden led Obama to cancel Putin summitAn assertion of values more than interests are behind President Obama's cancellation of a September summit with President Vladimir Putin. The US simply doesn't see world diplomacy as Putin does.
Bottom line, disabled people might be better employeesWalgreens and now a report by the National Governors Association show businesses can benefit by seeing disabled workers not as charity cases but employees with uncommon qualities that can enhance profits.
Buds of hope for US-Iran nuclear talksWith a new, more moderate president, Iran trades signals with US over possible openings for nuclear talks. Each side needs to first build trust. The next two months will be critical to find peace paths.
What Obama should see in his Federal Reserve nomineeWith President Obama due to nominate a new chief of the Federal Reserve soon, he and the Senate must focus on what today's elected leaders often miss: a long-term perspective.
Snowden asylum in Russia: What now for US?With Russia granting asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden, Americans now have time to sort out the apparent clash of values 鈥� liberty versus. security 鈥� that his actions represent. If only he had found another way to help resolve that clash.
Crackdown on Egypt protests: What's really at stakeThe Egyptian military's order to end the Muslim Brotherhood protests is the latest slide toward violence and chaos. Egypt must right itself by balancing order and freedom.
Can the Senate's negotiating style save the day?Two sets of secret talks seeking a 'grand bargain' 鈥� between Israelis and Palestinians and between Obama and the GOP on fiscal issues 鈥� involve current and former US senators. Can that chamber's style bring solutions?
China tries a 'good Samaritan' lawThe Chinese city of Shenzhen joins other governments around the world in passing a law that tries to remove the fear of legal liability in helping others in emergency distress. Rescuing others out of universal love shouldn't be held back by fear.
After Zimbabwe election, Mugabe needs a way outThe Zimbabwe election on July 31 appears rigged and could lead to a repeat crisis like that after a 2008 vote. The African nation needs a peaceful transition through some form of forgiveness.
Step up solutions for Syrian war's symptoms: refugeesAs the rate of Syrians fleeing the war rises, so must the global response. The war's causes may not yet be solvable 鈥� killings now top 100,000. But its symptoms can be.
How 'play ball' can also mean 'play fair'After Major League Baseball suspended Brewers' star outfielder Ryan Braun for violating drug rules, other MLB players and the players union reacted with surprising support for restoring integrity to pro ball. That's a welcome shift for honest sport.
What will drive Israelis, Palestinians to talksWith Secretary John Kerry confident of talks starting soon, the new imperatives in the US and Middle East can help drive a peace deal between Israel and Palestinian leaders.
Saving children's innocence from Internet pornIn a bold move, British Prime Minister David Cameron strikes a welcome balance between Internet freedom and society's hope to protect children from Internet pornography and the child-murderers who act on it.
Japan's election rings beyond its shoresSunday's election results in Japan give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a big political boost to push more economic reforms that may help Japan become an engine for global growth. The world needs a healthier Japan.
A dubious drive to legalize online gamblingA Senate hearing focused on regulating Internet gambling 鈥� even though it remains banned interstate by Congress. Such backdoor maneuvers toward legalization only reveal the commercial interests pushing this wrongheaded move.
Why Holder's probe of 'stand your ground' laws stands outUS Attorney General Eric Holder said after the George Zimmerman verdict that Justice will take a 'hard look' at the many 'stand your ground' state laws, such as Florida's. Such laws need challenging as they reverse history's path away from killing.
What Senate filibuster deal tells young democracies like Egypt'sThe Senate filibuster deal avoids the severe political backlash of the 'nuclear option' 鈥� for now. It recognizes the filibuster's historic role in protecting minority interests, a lesson for newly democratic countries like Egypt.
In Sanford and Cairo, a call to worship 鈥� and post-conflict peaceEgypt's Muslims began the holy month of Ramadan with some calling for national unity. In Sanford, Fla., pastors sought to heal a divided community after the George Zimmerman not-guilty verdict.
As US eyes retreat in Afghanistan, it must listen to MalalaThe young Pakistani girl is a model for the global struggle against the anti-women Taliban. With Obama weighing troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, Malala's speech to the UN today gives reasons to finish the job.
