Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

  • Advertisements

A trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange on the day after the “fiscal cliff” compromise. For all its chaos and controversy, the deal was enough to send the stock market shooting higher on the first trading day of the new year. (AP Photo)

3:45 pm ET -

Washington is now all too aware that foreign creditors and investors will punish it for any macroeconomic mismanagement. American competitiveness was at stake in the fiscal cliff negotiations.

Could you pass a US Citizenship test?

More The Monitor's View

  • Newtown shootings: What to say to ourselves

    The Newtown shooting of 20 children and 7 adults may be the strongest reminder that each individual must find ways to help end these kinds of mass slaughter.

  • Putin's drive for Russian identity

    In a big speech Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin said Russians lack 'spiritual braces.' He joins other world leaders who recently made similar warnings about their people. Should governments, especially those with weak democratic credentials, be promoting moral values?

  • Why a US-EU trade pact would be historic

    China's model of state-run capitalism needs a massive challenge from the two giant market economies. Obama must win a US-EU trade pact in his second term.

  • Shaping the world of 2030

    A US intelligence report to the president on global trends to the year 2030 is generally upbeat. But like any futuristic study, its foresight needs hindsight in the reading.

  • Why latest failure of global warming talks may be a success

    The weak outcome of the climate change talks in Doha only add to the momentum toward solutions at the local level, where values on the common good are more easily shared.

  • How to avoid revenge killings in post-Assad Syria

    The end appears near for the Assad regime in Syria. The opposition and world powers must do more to prevent the kind of post-conflict revenge – mainly against Alawites – that could ricochet in the Middle East.

  • Look to Lincoln to solve 'fiscal cliff'

    As the Spielberg movie 'Lincoln' and many books about Abraham Lincoln reveal, solving difficult standoffs in Washington takes more than savvy politics and horse-trading. Lincoln had to first turn to deeper ideals that then helped him win allies.

  • Making the world flat-out against corruption

    The latest ranking of perceived corruption among nations doesn't show much change. But other evidence points to a grassroots rebellion against graft in hopes of a culture of honesty.

  • Are Americans ready to deal with Syria's chemical weapons?

    On Monday, Obama strongly warned Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad not to use chemical weapons as rebels advance on Damascus. What is the national interest in threatening US action? Obama must sort out the moral purpose.

  • The holidays: extra shopping or extra kindness?

    Thanksgiving and Christmas are as far apart as they ever get. But instead of being a time for extra shopping how about a time for extra kindness?

  • Weekly review of global news and ideas
  • Balanced, insightful and trustworthy
  • Subscribe in print or digital

Special Offer

 

Doing Good

 

What happens when ordinary people decide to pay it forward? Extraordinary change...

Estela de Carlotto has spent nearly 34 years searching for her own missing grandson.

Estela de Carlotto hunts for Argentina's grandchildren 'stolen' decades ago

Estela de Carlotto heads the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, who seek to reunite children taken from their mothers during Argentina's military dictatorship with their real families.

 
 
Become a fan! Follow us! Google+ YouTube See our feeds!