By all means, wait to judge Obama based on his decisions and policies, not who he appoints to administer them.

The Senate must confirm most of these appointments. The senators who must confirm them must thus judge them before they take office (not that I expect anything other than rubber-stamping to occur here). Thus I think it quite legitimate to form opinions on them before they take office.

Obama's appointments are indeed a big disappointment. He talks about bringing in new expertise and fresh opinions, all while introducing these retreads. Surely in a nation of 300 million we can find someone not tainted by the Washington establishment? And especially irritating is the cant about how Obama is reaching out across the aisle. Heck, he's already to the right of the aisle (see these AP stories: "Rove: Obama security team represents continuity" - http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/2008/12/02/D94QJ6UG0_rove_transition/index.html; or "Obama AG pick defended Guantanamo policy", which Glenn alluded to - http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/2008/12/02/D94QF6202_obama_attorney_general/index.html) Where are the representatives of the real Left in this government? I don't see any. If Obama is reaching out, why not to them too?

And finally: I find BooMan's comments the ultimate irony, and the perfect example of what is rotten in our political system. Kucinich to the Kiddie Table? And yet, all these "adults" were wrong about Iraq, and Kucinich was right! Dessert is the very least he deserves!

Amen!

Or, to put it in a way football fans would understand:

If a general manager of a football team was hired on promises to implement the West Coast offense, wouldn't fans be alarmed if he then hired a head coach who was a proponent of the wish-bone offense?

Maybe the GM never had any intentions of establishing the West Coast offense in the first place. Or maybe the GM is trying to please everyone. Either way as a fan I'd smell a rat.

I'd like to think that I'm as smart as a football fan (because I am one!). I don't think it is premature to criticize Obama for his establishment-pleasing appointments, as he did run on an anti-establishment message. Like the hypothetical GM, I think Obama is going to find out midway through the season that his choices aren't working out.

Yes! That is what I hope.

Reality is going to be increasingly hard to ignore. Obama is by all accounts a smart person who wishes to succeed, so I'm pinning my hopes on his willingness to change tacks. I think the Obama presidency can have one of 3 outcomes:

• His appointments really do work out, his critics eat crow, but are pleased with the positive outcome.
• His appointments don't work out, but he's smart enough to learn from his mistakes and listens to criticism. He tacks in time to make his first term a success.
• His appointments don't work out, but he displays G. W. Bush-like pigheadedness and his administration is a disaster.

I think the second outcome is the most likely. Therefore, despite my criticisms, I remain hopeful.

Add a 5th point to your four:

5. Our popular culture is tending towards promoting aristocracy over meritocracy as the norm. Kids are exposed to this idea by Disney at a quite early age (Lion King, and countless others).

As for the inherited wealth point, that is a very good one, and brings out why we desperately need a capital gains tax that is progressive and comparable to the income tax, and why we desperately need to restore a proper estate tax. For "death tax" it is not. Al Franken more properly termed it the "Paris Hilton Tax."

There must be "flexibility" in "extreme cases."

No. If our principles have "flexibility" then they are not principles. Anyone can be an angel on a sunny day, as is clearly the case with Feinstein and Wyden.

One of our principles is that we do not torture. We respect human rights. If we abandon this, we are no better than the jackals who you wish to torture.

Further, all so-called "ticking-bomb" scenarios like the one you gave are bogus because they ignore one thing: torture does not work. People will say anything - anything - to stop the torture. And what they most likely will say is what they think you want to hear, not the truth. So--with the clock ticking--are you willing to be led astray because you used torture instead of more effective methods?

Like Tomhere said: "24" is garbage. It's not how real-life works.

I think it's the usual Democratic pusillanimous crap: now that their posturing has a chance to become reality they are afraid it will make them look "weak" on terror if something happens and all the wbgonnes come out of the woodwork pointing fingers at them.

Couldn't agree more. I was waiting for something inspirational and 'pffft.' Deflated.

She's poor. Her mom was poor. Many more of us will be poor if Obama and Congress do nothing to stop the plutocrats from looting our remaining wealth and shipping our remaining jobs overseas.

Get this man on Paul Volcker's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, ASAP!

Being right all along disqualifies someone from high office.