-Government positions will not be filled using the "competency test," but the "loyalty to the Republican Party" test.

-A horrible hurricane will hit New Orleans. Thousands will drown and most of the city will be destroyed due in large part to the incompetency of FEMA. It will compound the problem by throwing money at the wrong people after accusations fly that FEMA and the Bush Administration doesn't care about poor/black people.

-The Justice Department will fire its own attorneys that do not completely toe the party line. Once again, positions will be filled by incompetent loyalists to the Republican Party.

-Financial disaster will hit first the U.S. and then the world, due to reckless "self-regulating" (i.e., foxes guarding the hen houses).

After all that, gay marriage, tax breaks for the poor/middle class, and a better health care system doesn't sound like BOO to me!

Just like when I was watching the Democratic Convention, this article brought a lump to my throat and once again made me realize why we love Obama: he inspires us to be great and do great things.

The Republican Party inspires divisiveness, greed, hate. It inspires a me, me, me mentality.

Barack Obama inspires us to be way better than that.

This is the woman who, as governor, didn't want to work in the capitol, so she stayed at home and COLLECTED PER DIEM WHILE AT HOME.

She's not fiscal conservative, striking a blow against corruption.

She's out to get her piece of the pie, and that piece better be huge. "Money-grubber" is another way of putting it.

Sarah Palin: Do as I say, not as I do.

. . .is that "holiday" = holy day.

Yeah, real offensive! I'm offended. Aren't you?

Can't be soon enough!

Yes. I work for an environmental organization, and most of our work is undoing what others have done.

Currently, the Dept. of Interior is a joke, not to mention EPA.

Let's hope these Repugs that have "burrowed" will soon tire of working under a Democratic administration. Especially since most were hired for their loyalty to the current administration, and not for competence in their field.

Yes yes yes!

Intelligence is my main requisite in a man. This one's got it all. Michelle, you are one lucky woman!

I grew up in D.C. and Sidwell Friends is one of the best, if not the best, schools available. (I interviewed for a job there -- didn't get it, unfortunately.)

It's great to see that the Obamas are being pragmatic. So far, they've blown me away with their intelligent choices about pretty much everything.

If any one person can turn this country around, Barack Obama is the one.

"What IS newsy is how the current president got us into this mess and what he plans on doing, if anything to get us out of it in the 2 months left he has in office."

Amen to that!

Anybody notice how Hank Paulsen looks like a deer caught in the headlights every time he's on T.V.?

The W Administration inspires hope and confidence. Ha!

. . .then I think the rich rich owners of the various teams should foot all or at least most of the bill.

Here in Minneapolis, taxpayers twice rejected funding a ballpark for the Twins. Then government officials got wise and didn't ask the taxpayers. They just foisted an increase in the sales tax on us.

All this while ball players and owners are making millions.

Spend, Mitt! Spend spend spend!

Does nobody speak English anymore??? I mean, technically, English is my second language, but even I know laid is what hens do.

Sorry, but this kind of stuff drives me wild.

I LAY awake at night. . .

O.k., people, here's the English lesson.

First of all, he was saying "I laid awake at night" = past tense. He should have said "I lay awake at night" = past tense.

Hens lay eggs = present tense.

Hens laid eggs = past tense.

Lie = prone/present tense

Lay = prone/past tense

Lay = put something down/present tense.

Laid = put something down/past tense.

So he can say "I laid my body down" because he put his body down. But he shouldn't say "I laid in bed" because that implies that he put something into the bed -- not an especially pleasant thought.

Just like most people wouldn't say "I'm going to set down on the chair" when they should be using the word "sit," they shouldn't say "I'm going to lay down now" when they mean "lie down."

Rant over.

I shouldn't make such a Federal case of this, but I hear this ALL THE TIME. Americans can no longer correctly use the word "lie/lay." Listen for it on T.V., your friends, co-workers -- all of them use the term incorrectly.

It drives me nuts! I recently read a book by an author who had an MFA in Fine Arts, and she wrote, "I laid on the floor." It drives me nuts!

So, I take it you wouldn't want to have a beer with him.

'Nuff said.

"I propose a National Shoe-Throwing Day here, so we get the chance to express our outrage as well."

Perfect!

This president doesn't have a clue just how horrendous his actions have been, and how many people are filled with revulsion just thinking about him (count me as one of them).

Throwing shoes at him would be a wonderful, symbolic gesture. Of course, he deserves something a little less symbolic, like being hauled in front of the International Court.

Thomas Schaller -- Feeling sorry for him??? Not in a million years!

I gave money to Senator Salazar's campaign, and boy, was I disapointed in him. And he's not even my senator.

Obama needs to pick someone better.

How qualified is he to be Sec of Ag? As in, is he for corporate farming? I'd like to know more about him.

I was expecting more of Obama. He's a thoughtful guy, and I was hoping the message had gotten through to him. Apparently not.