What the United States actually is, according to its Constitution, is a country where each person, not the government, determines his or her own religious beliefs. The greatest number have determined to identify themselves as Christian, but their are wide differences in the understanding of exactly what that means and how it should be expressed in our common life. It is not a justification for the government to pursue policies that promote Christianity over any other religion, especially one specific branch of it.

Obama made an effort to work with Republicans on the stimulus package and the budget resolution and wound up with zero support from them. It's the Republicans who are failing to show any indication of willingness to work in a bipartisan way.

Many Christian churches have an event on Maunday Thursday which begins as a seder and concludes with the celebration of Holy Communion. I have no idea how the seder will work for the Obamas, but as a general thing I feel it is only positive to recognize the origins of our Christian celebrations of this season in the even older traditions of Judaism.

The attitude of the NRA and many of their supporters toward guns seems to me to be nothing short of idolatry. And I don't believe that such idolatry of guns exists anywhere else in the world. What I would like to know is...where does it come from?

You are so right about this. The fact that Queen Elizabeth actually seems to have made the first move has evidently escaped "some people". There are simply "some people" who are determined to put a negative slant on everything the Obamas do, no matter what it is. This also applies to the fuss kicked up about the gifts the Obamas gave the Queen, overlooking the fact that the iPod was personalized with pictures and video from the Queen's trip to the U.S. in 2007 and that she had apparently requested something of the sort.

(I've even seen someone maintain that it was loaded with Barack Obama's own speeches, though where the person got that notion I have no idea! Also there was the rare songbook signed by composer Richard Rodgers, which "some people" typically fail to mention.) Considering some of the gaffes George W. Bush made in front of the Queen (When did we celebrate our Bicentennial again?), not to mention his rubbing the German Chancellor's shoulders and walking into locked doors, it would behoove "some people" to avoid complaining so much about the Obamas.

Actually, the astounding thing is that some people actually seem to be expecting the public to be blaming Obama for the bad economy when he's been in office only a little over two months.

I've enjoyed Rick Steves' programs on PBS for a number of years now. It's good to see that he himself genuinely embodies that broader perspective which travel is meant to provide. He sounds like someone I would really enjoy getting together with.

This is the second column I've read about Mr. Geoghegan in the last two days. Harold Meyersen had a piece on him on the Washington Post site on Wednesday the 25th. Sounds like an interesting guy. Almost makes me wish I lived in that district so I could vote for him.

It's way past time to get this settled and get Franken seated! All these legal maneuvers are simply taking too long!

For the information of those who have made a point of the stock market falling today, a check of the Washington Post site, which keeps an updated figure, indicates that the market has climbed out of it's earlier hole and is at this point actually ahead about thirty points for the day. And the earlier drop is being attributed mostly to some poor figures about new housing starts.

1. There are a lot of things going on besides the president's speech that can have an impact on the market.

2. Don't put too much weight on any single day's results.

I loved the opening number and thought Hugh Jackman was great. I also liked the idea of having a group of previous winners in each of the acting categories come on to introduce this year's nominees. In a number of cases there were interesting connections between the previous winner and the current nominee they were speaking about. And the nominees seemed genuinely moved by what was being said.

Well, if budget considerations will get some states to reconsider support for the death penalty, I'll take it. But the fundamental reason to oppose capital punishment is the virtual certainty that the existence of the death penalty will result in mistaken executions of people who are in fact innocent. I have never seen anyone address that argument in any convincing way. And that consideration alone ought to be enough to get capital punishment thrown out.

Saying "no" to Dick Cheney on this matter is one of the very few things George Bush ever did that I actully approve of. In fact, I'm left wondering exactly why he refused to do this. A lot of people seemed to assume that he would pardon Libby in the end. The behind the scenes maneuvering about this would be fascinating to be let in on. Hopefully, the entire story of this...and so many other things...will eventually come out.

This whole obsession with how much some celebrity weighs is just absurd.

. Day 3 of the Jessica weight watch!!!

. The controversial photos!!!

. Her VERY FIRST appearance since the story broke!!!

Given all that is going on in the world it is disgraceful that the media are magnigying this non-issue to such a ridiculous extent. as though it were of genuine major significance.