I did not vote for Barack Obama, but I did wish him well, even publicly so on the pages of Perspectives in early 2009. As I wrote, I was not so much opposed to Mr. Obama as worried that a strongly Democratic Congress would push their former junior colleague in directions he might not on his own prefer. As such, I'm little surprised but much disappointed in what has happened in less than two years. Congress has always had difficulty…

I voted for Barack Obama in 2008, and half-way through this term I am more confident than ever that America and I chose well. From the night he gave that televised speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004, I have thought that this man has a vision for America grounded in some of the noblest hopes that this country has offered to its people, to immigrants, and to its admirers around the world. I find President Obama's vision and…

Discussions between theologians and economists can dissolve into a great mass of frustration and confusion. Since the subject matter often involves issues of public policy, like globalization, health care, recession, finance, workers' rights, or corporate wrongdoing, it is tempting to compare these episodes to the dysfunctional dialogues between the Republicans and the Democrats in Washington. At best, we attribute the problems to a simple failure to understand the academic discipline of the other party. I think it is more common,…

Enter the world of Facebook--over 400 million users with 60 million status updates per day. The average face on Facebook has 130 "friends."1 You can be whoever you want to be, as long as you categorically submit to the pre-determined sections of interest. You begin your virtual life by putting your best foot (or rather, face) forward. Post the picture of the "young you" photo-shopped in on a Caribbean cruise liner: tanned, strong, happy, and fulfilled. Your hobbies can be…