By nearly any measure the war in Afghanistan is not going as well as many had hoped. To be sure, it is no easy task to eradicate the Taliban in a failing nation without a credible central government. However, during the campaign President Obama consistently pointed out that Afghanistan is a war of necessity that was mistakenly placed on the back burner while the U.S. waged a war of choice in Iraq.

The healthcare reform debate has entered a new stage now, after the Finance committee’s supposed bipartisan plan has been released. The plan seeks to raise revenue by taxing so-called “Cadillac” plans, or those that exceed $8,000 for individuals and $21,000 for families.

In a sign of the times, there is uproar over President Obama’s decision to speak to schoolchildren and convey a message of studying hard and staying in school. Parents have appeared on the cable news stations crying out in anger at the idea that President Obama would dare speak to the nation’s children. First and foremost, Barack Obama is the President of the United States, a fact that eludes many U.S. children. He is the leader of the free world and is held to a higher standard and in higher regard than other politicians. Second, that the President wishes to dedicate time towards reaching out to schoolchildren is mutually beneficial and exposes students to the idea of nation and community.

“What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin,” wrote Mark Twain. Those making over $250,000 may soon prefer the taxidermist. President Obama is desperately trying to adhere to his campaign promise of not raising taxes on those earning below $250,000. This is ill-conceived policy that is unsurprisingly supported by congressional Democrats, namely those on the far left of the party.