if he showed some kind of recognition of and compassion for the millions of Americans who are suffering financially right now. We need the heartfelt empathy, the leadership, and the governing competence of a Bill Clinton. Instead, we have a cold, uncaring, incompetent tool sitting in the White House who doesn't seem to recognize or to care about the plight of many, many Americans. (Yeah, Joan, I'd say that this "incompetence" and "insensitivity" is analogous to Bush's handling of Katrina. Obama is incompetent (look at his track record in the White House thus far. And, frankly, his insensitivity is evidence of his incompetence.) It is absolutely mind-reeling to me that Obama takes lavish vacations, throws opulent state dinners, and focuses so much attention on international matters when so many Americans are in so much pain--jobless, homeless, penniless, hungy. This presidency is a disaster, and I predict it won't get any better: deeply flawed man, deeply flawed presidency.

I actually have a lot of fun mindlessly ramming you with my shopping cart the way you mindlessly ram me with your stroller; completely ignoring you when I've positioned myself in your way and you're trying to get around me; purposely scaring you when you're in a crosswalk and I speed by you in my car; and (most of all) urinating on those strollers that you leave outside of businesses. You actually provide me with a lot of entertainment. Keep it up, you breeding cows!

Irina is soul-less, and her shallow personality completely lacks authenticity. I suspect that her heart is as black and boring and cold as her collection was. Yeah, this season was a complete snoozer. But I've gotta say that even worse than that was the fact that Heidi Klum drove me crazy this season. When the hell is she going to learn how to speak properly? Seriously. There are lots of training programs out there that she could enroll in that would enable her to lose her annoying, repellant accent and her off-putting syntax. She sounds like a complete idiot. Her constantly pronouncing Marie Claire as "Mary" Claire was simply inexcusable. And what's up with her total inability to use the word "will"--"I see you on the runway." No, Heidi, it's "I WILL see you on the runway."

Alex writes that the quote in the first paragraph was made "last April."

"Last April" would be April 2009. But the quote seems to come from April 2008. Can you clarify Alex?

"the first major overhaul of the U.S. health[care] [system] in almost half a decade." Will this really be the first major overhaul in "half a decade"? I'm trying to think of anything that happened in the last five years. Did you mean "half a century," Alex?

Newsom is a complete poseur. He's been a total disaster as the mayor of San Francisco. (Really much like Obama, he's done absolutely nothing in office; he travels around, makes speeches, but there's no substance and no accomplishments.)

I'm not much of a Jerry Brown fan either. His office was recently caught violating state law by illegally tape recording conversations (a la Richard Nixon) with reporters. You'd think that as the Attorney General he'd know better.

Best comment about Lieberman . . . ever!

Your story touches my heart. You are in my thoughts and prayers. And I sincerely hope good fortune visits you again soon.

I won't be renewing my Salon membership.

you can count me as one of those Democrats.

all the JOEMENTUM on the issue of healthcare?

must have been born in Kenya.

is the one who resigns from office in the very near future so that he can travel the world giving much vaunted speeches and guest-appearing at the grand openings of all new McDonalds and Starbucks.

Obama, your being elected to be the president of the US was "a call to action." The fact that there are millions of Americans living in poverty is a "call to action." The fact that global climate change is going unchecked is a "call to action." The fact that Gitmo and the war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan still exist is a "call to action" The fact that torturers are going unpunished is a "call to action." The fact that millions of Americans are still legally discriminated against because of their sexual orientation is a "call to action." The fact that millions of Americans are losing their homes is a "call to action." The fact that millions of Americans are unemployed and millions more have inadequate health insurance is a "call to action." YOU'VE HAD NUMEROUS CALLS TO ACTION, DUDE. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING?

At this point haven't we all accepted the the fact that Obama is going to be a do-nothing president--not only on issues of GLBT equality but also on all other important issues facing the US and the rest of the world? Yeah, he'll make some great speeches and will take some pretty cool vacations, but I think we all know in our heart of hearts that he's not going to accomplish anything while he's in office.

and he speaks truth in a government that thrives on lies and deception. What a shame that he seems to be the only one of his kind!

but the American people don't? Yeah, let's have a new WPA that'll create jobs for people and that'll bolster our infrastructure, as Mr. Reich describes. But let's also have a direct cash infusion (i.e., a "bailout") for the people.