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Most Democrats realize all-too-well how much “political capital” was expended by the Obama Administration in getting health care reforms through Congress.   During the year or so that was dedicated  almost exclusively to fighting with Republicans (and each other) over the each and every provision, the Administration had little time or energy to tackle other items on the national agenda.  The final bill that squeaked through Congress by a razor-thin margin was neither understood by the majority of Americans, nor supported whole-heartedly by either political party.  …

As a child growing up in the 1950′s and 1960′s  I was well aware of the peaceful, and not-so-peaceful, uses of atomic energy.  The reason for this was my father’s job as a nuclear engineer, and his life-long advocacy for nuclear power as an unlimited source of energy for America’s growing economy.  Long before the “green” movement, that we hear so much about today, my father realized that the supply of fossil fuels was not unlimited, and that the use of fossil fuels put thousands of tons of carbon dioxide …

On October first I alluded to my shock that General Stanley McChrystal appeared on 60 Minutes and postured about the future direction of the U.S. in Afghanistan. Having worked for a government agency for a number of years, I am well-aware of the importance of following “the chain of command.” Watching McChrystal on 60 Minutes I had two thoughts. One thought was that he was going rogue. The second thought was that he was set up to do this in order to get the pulse of public reaction. I have …