sez "I find it odd that some people tells president Obama that he "should" act on ..." (etc)

Because that's what we do - and what we OUGHT to do - in a democracy. Listen, when Mr. Obama and his crew go to Washington, the powers that be, from the rich and powerful to big corporations and industry group to their lobbyists, will be hitting on them 24x7. The party apparatus and apparatchiks likewise. Moreover, they'll be there - physically and monetarily present.

Unless you and I speak up also, all Obama will hear is those guys. And seriously - the interests of the US Chamber of Commerce may not coincide with your interests. Your interests probably won't coincide with mine.

We have a right to "petition the government for redress of grievances" or just let them know what we're thinking about what they're doing. And how to do it better. We ought to use this right.

Be assured that others will.

The Shoveler observed:

"He should treat al-Qaida and its ilk as criminals rather than armies."

It's been more than seven years, and this is the first time I see this very simple concept spelled out in a news media, or anywhere really.

The news media spelled out this concept four years ago, in sneering derision, when Sen. John Kerry proposed it during his failed run for the Presidency.

A lot of us felt Kerry was right on; not enough pushed back.

sez "...Our Boy’s intelligent and strategic center-right, hawkish appointments ..."

and then later

"could the picture accompanying this piece be entitled, 'Boy Caught Fibbing'?"

Mz Miller, what's with you and this "Boy" appellation for the new black President? It's "boy" this and "boy" that. Are you trying to make some sort of south-of-the-Mason Dixon kind of point?

If not, I'm not quite sure of what kind of point you are trying to make.

Mr. Mukasey was reportedly getting some heckling from the audience. Perhaps his little faint was a suave way of concluding his speech and getting out?

As many others have noted, it's not like he'd be paying for the medical treatment, ambulance, etc.

As others have observed, Mr Bush (Junior) apparently has no shame. And the judgement of history? I quote his opinion on the matter: "History? We'll all be dead."

What's of more consequence to me is whether Mr Bush and his henchmen, enablers, and operatives will be suitably prosecuted for any crimes that they may have committed - you know, war crimes, torture, unwarranted spying on Americans, etc. At this point, it strongly seems as if the Obama Administration is simply not interested. I repeat: Obama is simply not interested.

In one sense, you can't blame him - he's got a world economic crisis on his hands, runaway global warming, and so much Bush legislation and executive decrees to unravel that four years will barely scratch the surface.

But on the other hand, there needs to be justice. Those left free and unprosecuted will just KEEP COMING BACK. Karl Rove, for example, dates back to Nixon's Watergate! Everyone else is from at least Iran-Contra and other Reagan-Bush travesties.

It seems as if any legal action must come from

• Interested citizens and citizen groups
• Congressional investigations, pushed by interested citizens and citizen groups

Before you sit back and watch the next new Monk or House, think about this: Justice might be up to YOU.

Are you up to it?

Well said.

to just go with Bill Richardson?

Then Senator Clinton would be available to run the Senate, replacing Harry Reid. It'll be hard on New Mexico to lose our dynamic governor, but hey - hardly anyone even knows that "New Mexico" is part of this country, anyway.

Run, Sarah, run. Go, Newt, go. I truly hope you are both the future of the Republican party, along with "intellectuals" like Grover "Drown it in the bathtub" Norquist.

The Republican Party is on its way to the big dumpster of history, and good riddance. Ariana Huffington proposed, last week on Olbermann, that we need a Marshall Plan to revitalize the Republican Party.

But I disagree. The Repubs are too far right, and still heading out. Let 'em go the way of the Whigs and Nazis. What American really needs is a major left wing party. The Repubs, in their death throes, have dragged the Democrats 'way past the center, to where today's Democrats are more right wing than the Republicans of the 1960s - and these guys were then just coming down off the communist witch hunts of the 1950s!

There's little indication that the Democrats are coming back to the populism of Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. These Dems will be bailing out the stupid CEOs and top executives of General Motors, Ford, etc and keeping the hedge fund operators partying like it's 1928. So Americans need someone else who will put Americans first - not American corporations and the monied class.

America needs someone who doesn't just show his weathered face every Leap Year, when it's time for the next Presidential election. America needs a leftist, populist party, full time, that will start winning seats at every level of government, particularly the bottom rungs, gaining credibility and name recognition.

Anybody interested?