First, the year 2004, the year past, the Comptroller General of the United States, David A. Walker, said that arguably it was the worst year in American fiscal history, clearly setting our Nation on an unsustainable path.

This Congress is simply not doing its job under Republican leadership.

Equality under the law is the slow triumph of hope over history.

Politicians are terrified of losing touch with folks back home but content to be clueless about government's failure to fix real problems.

Leadership is the other side of the coin of loneliness, and he who is a leader must always act alone. And acting alone, accept everything alone.

Artists look at the environment, and the best artists correctly diagnose the problem. I'm not saying artists can't be leaders, but that's not the job of art, to lead. Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Harry Belafonte - there are artists all through history who have become leaders, but that was already in them, nothing to do with their art.

The people of Missouri said they expect their elected leaders to support public schools because they know that education is the best economic development tool there is.

Canadians are known for having a social conscience, and so our political leaders need to do more to uphold that reputation on the international stage.