AnnotatedOpinions.com

Myths on health care: Scare tactics mustn’t obscure the facts about fixing our broken system. Will change be free? No. But doing nothing would be even more costly. [USA Today]

Call off the coup in Honduras: The revolt against a democratically elected government is wrong; both sides need to pull back and
return to the constitution. [LA Times]

A bad test for racial equity: Affirmative action still has a place in a diverse society. New Haven’s clumsy handling of a promotion exam
for firefighters muddies the issue. So does a too-sweeping ruling from the US Supreme Court. [Boston Globe]

Court turns a blind eye [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Jackson lived a tragic, yet ‘world-changing’ life [USA Today]

Bring voter systems into 21st century [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

‘Extraordinarily evil’ – Bernie Madoff [Chicago Tribune]

Bernard Madoff [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Getting a second opinion on healthcare reform: There are voices besides the AMA Lawmakers should understand that the group represents an increasingly narrow segment of the medical profession and that other organizations are more in touch with the public. [LA
Times]

The First Deadline: Before its troops leave for good in 2011, the U.S. has a responsibility and a strong strategic interest to help Iraq emerge as a functioning, sovereign and reasonably democratic state. [New York
Times]

A health emergency awaits: The H1N1 pandemic reveals the fallacy of relying on public health emergency laws to contain an epidemic.
Even with enhanced surveillance, H1N1 had already spread widely in many parts of Mexico and the United States before it had been identified [Boston Globe]

Code of conduct needed for health insurers, too [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Sotomayor vs. the court [Chicago Tribune]

Bernard Madoff’s sorry apology: Like too many politicians, CEOs and sports stars who crossed the line, the convicted swindler’s expression of regret came only after he was caught. [LA Times]

Privatizing fire protection: As fire danger climbs in the West, fire protection is gradually being added to the list of essential services for which the rich are better off than their less fortunate neighbors. [Boston Globe]

Mission Not Accomplished: The withdrawal of U.S. forces marks the beginning of an uncertain chapter, says Iraq’s interior minister. [Washington Post]

Health Intervention: To pass reform, Obama doesn’t need stone tablets, just an iron will. [Washington Post]

Those (Gov. Sanford) who live in glass …[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Betraying the Planet: Climate change poses a clear and present danger to our way of life. How can anyone justify failing to act? [New York Times]

The value, tradition of revolution: Tumult in the streets of Iran has made palpable an “inalienable” longing for power that respects persons. [Boston Globe]

Silent crisis: Hunger woes compounded by recession are affecting 1.2 billion around globe Somber as these figures are, the fight against hunger is winnable, experts maintain. [Houston Chronicle]

No Velvet Revolution for Iran:: Although the regime’s legitimacy has cracked, it will probably be able to consolidate power. [Washington
Post]

Insurance Company Schemes: As health care reform moves forward, Congress must impose tighter regulation of companies that are not
doing enough to regulate themselves. [New York Times]

Focus on results, not treatments: The way to cut costs is to base payments on medical outcomes rather than pouring money into
individual medical services. [LA Times]

Witch hunts and torture: Western religious history can shed some useful light on today’s discussion of ‘enhanced interrogation’ — or
as they referred to such practices back in the 15th century, torture. [USA Today]

The House and Global Warming: The House should pass a bill that puts a price on carbon emissions, the first step toward averting the worst damage from climate change. [New York Times]

Putting a price on carbon: Defeat of the climate bill before the House of Representatives today would leave US negotiators with empty hands in December talks for a new international treaty on climate change. [Boston Globe]

A big step against climate change: The energy and climate bill up for a vote today in the House raises unanswered questions, but it’s an important first step toward addressing the very real problem of climate change. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

The prescience of protest: The West should listen to the dissidents in Iran craving freedom — they can feel the future. [LA Times]

Iran? It’s the nukes [Chicago Tribune]

An Unreasonable Search: A Supreme Court decision will rightly discourage schools from conducting unconstitutional strip searches of
their students. [New York Times]

The Greenland example: Post-colonial conflict zones could learn something from the pacific way that Greenlanders pursued self-determination — and the reasonable way that Denmark relinquished its hold over another people. [Boston Globe]

When to Ration Health: Less isn’t necessarily worse, but the ‘threat’ of rationing could kill Obamacare. [Washington Post]

Can Obama still talk to Iran? [Chicago Tribune]

Now nobody cares about low-key NOW: Last weekend NOW (National Organization for Women) held its annual meeting in Indianapolis and elected a new leader. The news media hardly noticed, and nobody  seemed to care. [USA Today]

The farm lobby vs. the global warming bill: The agriculture lobby’s fingerprints are all over a crucial bill aimed at fighting global warming. [LA Times]

The Fast-Draw-but-Don’t-Drink Law: Politicians continue to cave in to the gun lobby’s agenda that insists there is no place that should
be off limits to guns. [New York Times]

Poisonous Poultry: Why do our chicken, our water and our air contain arsenic? [Washington Post]

Journalism in the era of Twitter: I am not going to call the situation in Iran the Twitter Revolution. That’s far too cute a handle for the dramatic and dangerous uprising. [Boston Globe]

Sanford turns up, joins growing list of shamed politicians [Houston Chronicle]

How not to help the poor: Revelations before Congress of the bloodless practices by insurance companies only point up the need for a public-plan alternative. [Boston Globe]

Breaking Silence on Iran: These days, the most noise in the Arab world is found online. [Washington Post]

Pro & Con: Should U.S. take a harder line in the Iranian election crisis? [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Death and American Guns in Mexico: While the Obama dministration has sketched a new strategy to combat gun trafficking, a new report warns of considerable obstacles. [New York Times]

75 years later: A nation in crisis – again [Chicago Tribune]

Global warming bill still contains some smoke and mirrors: The European-style ‘cap and trade’ provisions on emissions will fuel only
failure and should be replaced by a carbon tax. [LA Times]

The Drug Industry’s Offer: Washington needs to be sure that the drug companies, as well as other health care industries, are contributing their fair share of cost savings to the reform effort. [New York Times]

Courtly Politics: Political considerations will always figure on the high court. [Washington Post]

An old flame: The couple who were arrested and charged with being agents for Cuba earlier this month were caught up in romantic
naivete about the Fidel Castro’s revolution. [Boston Globe]

A Paper-Thin Electoral Process: Honor America’s core democratic values by modernizing the registration system. [Washington Post]

In protest: Iran makes war on Iranians [Chicago Tribune]

One More Threat to Clean Water: A Supreme Court ruling ignores the Clean Water Act and puts an Alaskan lake at risk of becoming an
industrial dump unless Washington steps in to reverse the measure. [New York Times]

No pension reform laurels just yet: A pension reform bill was just signed with much fanfare. But that should be the beginning, not the
end, of the pension reform conversation. [Boston Globe]

Wanted: organ donors: Did Steve Jobs jump the waiting list? [USA Today]

A vote for D.C.: Ridiculous wrangling over a gun-control amendment is keeping residents of the District of Columbia from getting a vote in Congress. [LA Times]

Metro: A Bill Comes Due: Among the issues for crash probers should be the price of insufficient revenue. [Washington Post]

Unraveling debate on health care [Chicago Tribune]

Health insurance for all U.S. children would be a bargain, study finds [Houston Chronicle]

Health-Care Deja Vu? There are some reasons for hoping we can avoid the Clintons’ 1993 debacle. [Washington Post]

Voting act lives, for now: The Supreme Court’s decision not to strike down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act was both a surprise and the best outcome possible. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

The Followers of Neda: A martyred woman symbolizes Iran’s first wave of change and pathway to revolution. [Washington Post]

Court muddies water act [USA Today]

Graduation Dreams: The Dream Act, a bill that would offer citizenship to undocumented high school graduates who completed two years of
college or military service, has languished in Congress for too long. [New York Times]

Saving our forests will reduce global warming [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Obama is right to not saber-rattle on Iran [Chicago Tribune]

Obama’s hitting the exact right note on Iran: Calling for regime change would probably backfire, but condemning the crackdown encourages dissidents while not interfering with internal politics. [LA Times]

A new North Korea strategy: With China’s hand — and U.S. support — Pyongyang could be brought to its knees and given a choice: Watch your economy collapse or give up your nuclear weapons. [USA
Today]

Real Consumer Protection: The Obama administration’s proposal to create a new agency that focuses directly on protecting consumers
from deceptive mortgage practices deserves support in Congress. [New York Times]

Tyranny’s new nightmare: Twitter: As new media spreads its Web worldwide, authoritarians like those in Iran will have a difficult time
maintaining absolute control in the face of the technology’s chaotic
democracy. [LA Times]

Religious freedom unkept vow in U.S. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Paycheck Fairness: President Obama should help push through a bill stalled in Congress aimed at combating gender-based wage discrimination. [New York Times]

New life for fisheries in New England [Boston Globe]

California has to lean harder on Obama: Why aren’t the state’s leaders fighting for real help from the feds? [LA Times]

The U.S. must be a quiet ally to Iran’s protesters: History shows that Obama can do more harm than good by speaking out too forcibly. [LA Times]  

Obama’s shrewd words [Chicago Tribune]

Mr. Cool Plays It Right: Obama wisely resists the temptation to plunge into Iran’s turmoil. [Washington Post]

Failing the test: Court denies right to DNA evidence: Justice shouldn’t depend on the location where one happens to be tried and convicted.
[Houston Chronicle]

A victory for the Voting Rights Act: The Supreme Court’s decision to preserve a key provision of the 1965 legislation is a welcome
outcome. [LA Times]

The Voting Rights Act Survives: The Supreme Court must continue to remember that Section 5, a safeguard for the voting rights of
American minorities, is both necessary and constitutional. [New York
Times]

The heroes of Iran [Chicago Tribune]

Afghanistan’s Failing Forces: To confront the Taliban head-on, Gen. Stanley McChrystal must build and train an effective Afghan
Army and a robust national police force. [New York Times]

A Real Force in Iran: Not Obama, not Bush, not Twitter. It’s women who are shaking the regime. [Washington Post]

Congress needs to make full confession on slavery: Last week, the U.S. Senate apologized for slavery and the Jim Crow century that
followed. But like the House of Representatives, which passed a similar
resolution last July, it failed to give a detailed confession of its
complicity in this great crime. [USA Today]

Adrift on Sudan: U.S. leadership is needed to stop a slide toward civil war. [Washington Post]

Beginning the end in Iraq: The departure of US troops from Iraqi cities increases the need for political cooperation among factions, but
it’s hardly clear whether that cooperation is on the way. [Boston
Globe]

Inhaling a heart attack: Research links smog to devastating effects not just on lungs but on hearts, brains and fetal development. [LA Times]

Blunting a Pandemic: What we can do — and what we can’t — to ease the impact of the H1N1 virus. [Washington Post]

Proof and pain: The science of DNA can correct injustices, but it can also verify heartache. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Health Care Showdown: American voters are ready to change the ailing health care system, and “centrist” Democrats who oppose the public option run the risk of undermining effective reform. [New York Times]

Market won’t fix Rx care [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Good health isn’t cheap: In the last week, a daunting prospect arose for the nation’s troubled health-care system – namely, that it’s too expensive to keep running as is, yet also may be too costly to fix. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Obama’s Iran Dilemma: America’s bottom line must be: no matter how committed we are to negotiation, we are also committed to democracy. [Washington Post]

Financial hall monitors: Since taxpayers are spending so much to stabilize the nation’s financial system, they deserve a regulatory
overhaul that protects them from this kind of failure happening again. [Boston Globe]

Obama Is Right on Iran: Critics suffer from the illusion that the U.S. can have a decisive influence on Iran’s political evolution. [Washington Post]

How to Trust Electronic Voting: Congress should pass a bill introduced by Representative Rush Holt that would ban paperless electronic voting in all federal elections. [New York Times]

Striking right balance on Iran [Chicago Tribune]

Diagnosing the problem: There is fundamental agreement about what needs to be fixed: rising costs, questionable quality of care, and holes in coverage. [LA Times]

Ending a Shell game: Shell Oil settles a public health and environmental lawsuit with the beleaguered people of Nigeria, signaling a welcome end to corporate impunity in the developing world. [Boston Globe]

Ocean Rescue: A well-managed American fisheries system, modeled on the market-based “catch shares” approach, would help address overfishing at home and serve as a global standard. [New York Times]

Super Barack to everyone’s rescue [Chicago Tribune]

The big constitutional convention question: Who’s going to fix California? We could appoint delegates or elect them, but just randomly selecting them might be the most promising idea. [LA Times]

More than mere lunacy: When James Wenneker von Brunn murdered Stephen T. Johns at the Holocaust Memorial Museum earlier this month, history was less made than revealed. [Boston Globe]

Bulldozing our cities may wreck our future: Back-to-nature plans may make financial sense, but are they in society’s best interest? [LA Times] 

Unhealthy numbers: Bankruptcies, uncontrolled costs argue convincingly for health-care reform [Houston Chronicle]

The Supreme Court’s DNA ruling: Wrong on rights: Themajority opinion by five conservative justice belittles the protections of
the Bill of Rights. [LA Times]

Unparalleled and Denied: It is appalling that the Supreme Court ruled against post-conviction DNA testing that might prove a prisoner’s
innocence. [New York Times]

How not to help Iranians: The popular uprising in Iran is no reason for President Obama to fan the flames. [Boston Globe]

Fragile at the Core: The Iranian elections have stirred a whirlwind that will lead, someday, to the regime’s collapse. [New York Times]

Raw Politics: Unarmed Iranians defying soldiers with guns — the stuff of which revolutions are made. [Washington Post]

Another predictable Supreme Court: As the Senate is poised to confirm Obama’s creditable nominee, let’s pause to consider the many jurists who were not nominated to the court. [Boston Globe]

Enviro monster mash: Cap-and-trade [Chicago Tribune]

Immigration: It’s Time: As illegal immigrants wait for a legalization bill, they are suffering under unjust laws and corrupt policing that routinely suppresses their rights. [New York Times]

Colombia’s refusal to extradite guerrilla leader is the correct call: Even though Americans were allegedly among his captives, Martin Sombra’s countrymen need to see him face justice in their own country. [LA Times]

Gays in the Military: Let the Evidence Speak [Washington Post]

Health-Care Incoherence: Good policy — not a full bipartisanship — should be the goal. [Washington Post]

Twitter revolution in Iran? Not so fast [Chicago Tribune]

Finding a home for Guantanamo detainees: If the U.S. expects European nations to resettle Guantanamo Bay detainees, it must practice what it preaches. [LA Times]

Latest U.S. climate study predicts sweltering future [Houston Chronicle]

Iran’s blame game: It didn’t take Tehran long to blame the U.S. for what is an internal political fight. [LA Times]

The Eavesdropping Continues: Congress needs to repeal and re-examine the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which gives the government too broad of a power to eavesdrop. [New York Times]

Once a twit, now a major player: The crisis in Iran has pushed tweeting — the newest, shortest and most abused social networking
technology — into the big leagues. [LA Times]

Iran’s Nonrepublic: More violence against the Iranian people will only highlight the government’s illegitimacy. To resolve this impasse, a new election must be held. [New York Times]

Upheaval in Iran doesn’t change nuclear calculus: Upheaval
in Iran doesn’t change nuclear calculus [USA Today]

Daschle-Dole Health Plan: The retired senators ask their fellow partisans to choke down some bitter medicine. [Washington Post]

Inside Iran, a rebellion that is familiar and unpredictable: As I walk through Tehran, scenes bring back childhood memories of the 1979 revolution. But this is a very different kind of uprising. [LA Times]

Benefits for Same-Sex Partners: The administration has more work to do, on employee benefits and other issues, to keep its promise to strive for equal rights for gay Americans. [New York Times]

North Korea’s Threats: The new sanctions adopted by the United Nations Security Council must be enforced if there is any chance of deterring more dangerous actions by North Korea. [New York Times]

Follow the money in Rx debate [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Netanyahu’s juggling act: His sudden acceptance of a Palestinian state is less than it appears. [Boston Globe]

Should U.S. deny citizenship to children of illegal immigrants? Two views [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

The devil and the FDA: As Congress and President Obama move closer toward bringing tobacco products under federal oversight for the first time, they have to wonder if they’re also making a pact with the devil. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Malpractice and Health Care Reform: President Obama’s promise to
help doctors limit their vulnerability to malpractice lawsuits is a
reasonable offer, but only if malpractice reform is done carefully. [New York Times]

Obama’s restraint on Iran: The Obama White House seems to be taking a page from the first President Bush’s 1989 playbook. [Boston Globe]

Decline of the American male: The recession has been particularly unkind to men and has larger implications for their health, safety and well-being. The Obama administration should address this disparity. [USA Today]

Obama’s gay rights gap: The president has done precious little to advance gay rights, despite campaign promises. [LA Times]

The hurdles to expanded healthcare: One came Monday in the form of a Congressional Budget Office analysis. [Boston Globe]

Iran’s election opens generational fissure: The split between younger Iranians and their revolutionary or religious elders presents risks to the nation and the reason. [LA Times]

Governor’s decision to reject stimulus puts Texas on hook [Houston Chronicle]

Pilots and Fatigue: Federal officials need to rewrite the decades-old rules that govern how long pilots can fly before they rest. [New York Times]