http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/voices/editorials/stories: Editorialsen-us271352http://www.feedburner.comhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/358934801/The ceremonial back-to-school rituals are in full swing — new clothes, book bags, school supplies and no-tax shopping. Unfortunately, this school year, some kids will choose not return to the classroom. In fact, according to the America's Promise Alliance, every 26 seconds, a student drops out of high school. "That adds up to more than 1.1 million students per year. Future prospects are dim for young people who don't graduate high school. Many of those who do graduate, are not prepared for college and work," the alliance says. Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:16:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/07/start-with-literacy/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/07/start-with-literacy/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/358934800/Paying rent to the landlord is as basic a legal and business premise as there is. If there are disputes about the property — bad plumbing, water damage, leaky roofs — you work with the landlord to get them resolved. But you still have to pay the rent. Not so apparently for the Washington Nationals. Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:15:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/07/baseball-vs-dc/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/07/baseball-vs-dc/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/358199789/China's last-minute revocation of a visa for Joey Cheek - a 2006 gold medalist in speed skating and vocal critic of the genocide in Sudan - is an affront to America and the spirit of the Olympic Games. Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:10:02 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/07/chinas-olympic-size-muzzle/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/07/chinas-olympic-size-muzzle/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/358199792/The popularity of a president is notoriously fickle. Put your stock in polling and you can get a good sense of how the general public feels about the nation's 43rd president right now. But is he really the boogeyman he has been portrayed to be? The arbiter of all things evil and wrong with our country? Is there nothing good to his credit? History will be the ultimate judge, but we would argue that despite the "all-time low" ranking, it is not reflective of what this "unpopular" president has really accomplished during his eight-year presidency. Furthermore, politicians on the right and left who continue to capitalize on the president's mistakes for political fodder could do so to their detriment. Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/07/bush-isnt-the-bad-guy/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/07/bush-isnt-the-bad-guy/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/357203257/House Republicans are on good footing along the path of redemption. Their effort to forego the month-long vacation called the "August recess" and stay in Washington to work on energy solutions is certainly the right thing to do, and it is in the best interests of the American people. Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:10:03 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/republicans-working-for-a-living/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/republicans-working-for-a-living/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/357203252/House Chief Deputy Minority Whip Eric Cantor would bring a number of strengths to the Republican ticket. If Mr. McCain were to select Mr. Cantor it would send a clear message to the conservative Republican base that has had a difficult, uneasy relationship with Mr. McCain. Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/eric-cantor-for-vice-president/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/eric-cantor-for-vice-president/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/357203253/It never occurred to us that moving to Fairfax County from the District would be a bit like moving to a foreign country. During the week we have been in our new home, we have had maintenance crews from Mexico, and our garden has been done by an elegant Chilean garden service owner. The cable installation was done by a Venezuelan; our cleaning lady is from Bolivia; and the baby-sitter from Peru. To many Americans, this would not seem a surprising state of affairs as the country has gotten used to the luxury of plentiful manual labor from south of the border. Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/immigration-question/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/immigration-question/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/357203254/It's getting tricky to know how to refer to he who presumes to be the next president. It was made clear several months ago that mentioning his middle name was a forbidden act. (Pass out more egg shells.) Then, last week "he" warned his followers that, having nothing honorable to say, Sen. John McCain would try to scare voters by pointing to Barack Obama's "funny name" and the fact that "he doesn't look like all those other presidents on those dollar bills." Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/obama-is-who-he-is/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/obama-is-who-he-is/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/357203255/I have met many remarkable people in my life: presidents, kings, diplomats. One of the most memorable of these encounters - and certainly most moving - came a bit more than a year ago, when I met a group of HIV-positive staff members at the United Nations. Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/the-stigma-factor/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/the-stigma-factor/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/357203256/I recently spoke with a Republican Hill staffer whom I had not seen since the Democrats took control of Congress. After joking with him about the shift from the strategic offensive to playing defense, I asked if Republican members were ready to refurbish their brand by opposing earmarks, controlling spending and even confronting the largest Death Star of all, federal entitlements - Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/where-is-the-party-of-small-government/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/06/where-is-the-party-of-small-government/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/356142267/There is a neighborhood adjacent to Capitol Hill in Washington that is under siege. But the police can't turn things around on their own. On any given day, residents and visitors to the Trinidad area of Northeast are forced to traverse unfamiliar streets because D.C. police have barricaded the neighborhood as an anti-crime tactic - and when law enforcers accomplish that they are intent and in effect creating a police state in the nation's capital. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:10:03 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/there-is-a-neighborhood/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/there-is-a-neighborhood/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/356142265/There is a neighborhood adjacent to Capitol Hill in Washington that is under siege. But the police can't turn things around on their own. On any given day, residents and visitors to the Trinidad area of Northeast are forced to traverse unfamiliar streets because D.C. police have barricaded the neighborhood as an anti-crime tactic - and when law enforcers accomplish that they are intent and in effect creating a police state in the nation's capital. Granted, there is considerable blood being shed in Trinidad. But how undemocratic to set up check points. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/a-dc-police-state/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/a-dc-police-state/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/356142266/The 2008 presidential election to this point has been subject to a great deal of indecision by the American people and the candidates. Some issues seem too complex for voters to determine which candidate has the right answer. But that is because the candidates themselves waver and flip-flop. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/undecided-no-kidding/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/undecided-no-kidding/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/356142268/You have to admire a man who can stay mad for almost four decades. No matter how dedicated and fired up most of us may be initially, we cop out, wear out or burn out long before that. Not former Democratic Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska, again this year, long-long-shot presidential candidate. Mr. Gravel gets mad, usually for good reason, and then, eschewing the conventional wisdom, never gets over it. You gotta like the guy, and thanks to his able co-author, Joe Lauria, you gotta like his book. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/righteous-anger/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/righteous-anger/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/356142269/The United States is leading in the fight against disease and improving health worldwide, most notably by preventing and treating HIV/AIDS, eliminating malaria and combating tuberculosis. With the reauthorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), this administration and the Congress keeps our nation boldly at the forefront of efforts to reduce poverty and enhance the lives of people around the world for years to come. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/pepfar-funding/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/pepfar-funding/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/356142270/Kudos to John McCain. He stood up and refused to accept being labeled a racist lying down. After his third attempt to inject race into the race, Barack Obama was stopped dead in his tracks when he made these remarks last week: Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/the-color-of-politics/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/the-color-of-politics/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/356142271/novelist, social critic, historian, spiritual and moral giant. He was renowned for his moving portrait of the gulags, or the Siberian labor camps during the Soviet empire that annihilated millions of people. With tremendous courage and moral clarity, he bore witness to the plight of the victims of communism; he depicted the evil of totalitarianism. In his masterpiece works such as "The Gulag Archipelago" and "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," Mr. Solzhenitsyn awakened the West to the horrors of "utopia" gone awry. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1970. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/05/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/355836321/Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may still salvage a shelf agreement - the articulation of a framework to inform future negotiations - before the next president takes office. But the Bush administration's prospects of achieving the full and final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, that was their original intention in convening the November 2007 Annapolis conference, look increasingly dim. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:32:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/04/berkowitz-plans-mideast-peace/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/04/berkowitz-plans-mideast-peace/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/355119865/With all the talk of the wars, gas prices, job losses and home foreclosures, and tax breaks, neither candidate is really talking about how their tax proposals are going to pay to fix these problems. John McCain asserts that Barack Obama is going to raise taxes on energy, businesses, investors and the rich. High income taxes are bad for everyone, particularly working-class consumers whose combined wealth and spending drives our economy. Both Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama say they are not going to raise "middle-class" taxes or in this case allow to expire the tax cuts already in place under President Bush. That's great news for the 220 million average joes in America who could be described as middle class, but it doesn't address how tax policies will affect the American way of life. Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:10:02 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/04/tax-time-for-america/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/04/tax-time-for-america/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Editorial-TheWashingtonTimesAmericasNewspaper/~3/355119862/Many of the Olympics' 63 sponsors and partners will be advertising during the Games. One product you can't buy at a local store is Barack Obama, who has bought $5 million campaign time on NBC and its cable stations as the Communist dictatorship host glorifies its global image. Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0000http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/04/china-and-darfur-genocide/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/04/china-and-darfur-genocide/