Topic: Alexander Hamilton

No, social security is not a ponzi scheme

"America is Greece!" and "Social security is a ponzi scheme!" are catchy sayings, but wild exaggeration about the U.S. economy doesn't solve anything.

The tea party and the debt deal: Fiscal 'terrorists' or principled heroes?

Shrugging off unfavorable polls and harsh criticism from Biden and other Democrats, the tea party faithful take stock of their influence on Capitol Hill's debt deal and look ahead to the next battle.

The Monitor's View: Obama's call for Americans to chime in on debt-ceiling deal

His request to call lawmakers in support of a debt-ceiling solution requires a great faith that Americans know how to handle their own debt or can reconcile competing impulses about taxes and spending.

In his federal retrial, Blagojevich takes the stand and center stage

Last summer, when a jury convicted Blagojevich on one count and deadlocked on all the rest, he didn't testify. This time defense lawyers apparently are betting on his personal charm.

The day the US defaulted on treasury bills

Saying that the US hasn't defaulted on federal debt since the days of Alexander Hamilton is great rhetoric. If only it were true.

Jennifer Egan plays with time, wins Pulitzer

Jennifer Egan won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel about the passage of time set in the digital upending of the music industry.

Opinion: Cost of US 'free' trade: collapse of two centuries of broadly shared prosperity

A reckless free-trade policy is destroying America's jobs machine. We must return to a policy of strategic, not unconditional, economic openness.

The Social Animal

New York Times columnist David Brooks uses brain science theory to argue that culture – and not reason – shapes our decisions.

Opinion: Battle over health-care reform: vital lessons from America's founding fathers

Despite the ongoing attempts of House Republicans to kill President Obama's health-care reform law, the history of America's intense debate over ratifying the Constitution should make us optimistic about the law being accepted, improved, and implemented.

To celebrate Washington's birthday: 5 best books about George Washington

If you're an American, you know that George Washington was "the Father of Our Country." But how many of us really know what that means? As we celebrate his 279th birthday, here are five outstanding books that help to bring George Washington and his accomplishments to light.

Man arrested after threats to Rep. Jim McDermott: 'I'll kill his family'

FBI agents arrest a California man who called Rep. Jim McDermott's Seattle office in December and left two threatening messages linked to the Democrat's stand on extending the Bush tax cuts.

Opinion: Obamacare, the Constitution, and the original meaning of the Commerce Clause

Several lawsuits over the health-care reform's individual mandate hinge on interpretations of the constitution's Commerce Clause. This clause is widely believed to grant Congress broad power over national markets. But that isn't what the founders had in mind.

Washington: A Life

America’s first president emerges from this marvelous biography an admirable, flawed, and very human figure.

Top 10 best value private colleges in America

A new ranking by Kiplinger's Personal Finance examines the best private colleges in America and then sifts them for best value. Which gives you the best education for the lowest net cost – the cost of tuition and fees after financial aid? Here are the Top 10 best values:

Notable architects of US foreign policy

From 'Seward's folly' to the marshall plan, a snapshot of American diplomacy of the past.

Opinion: Elena Kagan and the case for an elitist Supreme Court

The Supreme Court was designed by the Founders to be elitist.

The Monitor's View: The weak spot in the financial reform bill

Bank size doesn't matter much in the financial reform bill. But it should. The Senate needs a debate, with Republican support, on whether to trust regulators to decide the size of the biggest banks.

How George Washington racked up a $300,000 fine for overdue library books

In 1789 George Washington checked out a pair of books from a New York library. Their return is still awaited.

Our Founding Fathers' thoughts on the Supreme Court

Fed in hot water over secret bailouts

The Fed bailed out Bear Stearns without authorization from Congress or informing the public.

Alexander Hamilton

READER RECOMMENDATION

Letters to the Editor

Readers write about the continuing debate over the size of the federal government, why students should be protected by the Constitution in school, and how Obama shows strength.

Let’s talk, with civility, about the stinker economy

How to fix it is a topic of rancorous debate. Some set out to improve the conversation.

Opinion: How will Obama's liberalism shape America?

The answer lies in understanding the three waves of liberalism in America's past.

Alexander Hamilton