Dr. Burton asserts Obama's proprosal to subsidize the costs of a medical degree don't address this issue. On the contrary, many would be willing to go into a less lucrative specialty if they didn't leave school with the equivalent of a mortgage payment. The debt forces students to more lucrative specialties. Subsidies could easily be tailored to funnel more students into primary care.

But instead our best and brightest can earn 6 - 7 digit figures with a bachelor's degree if they can get into the hedge fund game. And get taxed at 15% to boot. Our best and brightest driven into high stakes wagering instead of a career where they can really contribute to our output/standard of living. Capitalism gone awry.

I can't disagree with any of your assertions, and the subsequent headlines support your position. But what would the headlines be if this bill didn't pass? Not in the NY Times, but in main street media? The fact of the matter is the dems are in a lose lose position on this. I agree with you, they should have taken the right position - pro Constitution. They win the academic debate hands down. Not to mention they preserve the concept of a democracy. But Glenn, have you looked at the number of people that STILL believe Saddam was involved in 9/11? And do you understand the ramifications of the "Barack is a radical muslim" phenomena?

The nation is broken. While I believe the Obama people are looking to 2004 too much...when those only those paying attention knew Bush was certifiably incompetent and the country was on the wrong track, the fact remains they have a big hurdle to clear. I am surprised at the people I talk to that fear Obama.

I have to say, I want Obama to stick to his principles, but not to the point he will lose the election. I want them to pander/concede to the extent that is what it takes to win. Because for him to lose is too high a price to pay. And then we need to look at what could ail a nation so that it would elect a GW Bush twice and fix it.

This country reelected George W. Bush because John Kerry windsurfed....I don't fault the New Yorker yet I see the concerns about the cover as valid. I know too many people that I consider reasonably well informed, and a few I consider very well informed, that have concerns about Obama that are reflected in that picture. I hope they are chastised but I fear they will feel their fears are reinforced. I wish I had had the cartoon this weekend at my family reunion. It would have been an interesting survey.

All I know is, I trusted my fellow Americans to do the right thing, in the end, in 2004. They didn't. They aren't a good bet anymore. Do I want the media to censor satire to assure it won't be used for promotion of the views being satirized? It boils down to, do we, like an alcoholic, allow this dysfunction nation to hit bottom so we understand we need to be informed, or do we enable the nation to elect a leader that might bring us to the point we are smart enough to be the America of old? It's a dilemma. I'm not sure what the right answer is.

It was here on Salon that I learned about J Street, a group of moderate American Jews that wanted to counteract the damaging influence of AIPAC.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/kamiya/2008/04/29/j_street/index.html

Israel cannot be accepted until the voice of reason, and the voice of the Jewish majority is heard. We can't continue to embrace the radical Israelis and expect to be looked upon as a leader in the peace process. The establishment of this group was very good news to me.

A superb synopsis. But I'm not as optimistic as you. As I watch the superficial coverage of Obama abroad. As I don't see any major analysis of McCain's simplistic views...I see 2004 redux. There are millions of us that understand the problem. We need to shame the media back into journalism. Somehow. Someway.

If it were a suspected melanoma, I would think he would have undergone Moh's surgery, where there is an immediate biopsy of the edge's of the lesion to ensure all of the cancerous cells are gone.