Michael Gerson, though I have accused him of having a lizard brain and doing the Douthat Twist, shows a heart with ambition, calling for a great national project to lift up African American young men:
If the reelection of President Obama is to mark a new era of liberal governance, let’s at least have some causes worthy of the liberal moral impulse. The one advantage of a social challenge on this scale is that it offers broad opportunities for creative policy: promoting early childhood education and parenting skills; encouraging youth development and mentoring; expanding technical education and apprenticeships; fostering college enrollment and completion; offering greater opportunities for national service; extending wage subsidies to low-income, noncustodial fathers; reforming sentencing and easing prisoner reentry. When there is a canyon to fill, just about everyone can usefully take a shovel.
Right, let’s do that. But no tricks, okay? When a conservative talks about “creative policy” I can’t help but feel like they’re gonna slip some Jesus or no-taxes-for-rich-people thing in there or something. Benefit of the doubt, then.
Near-Earth Object 