Kansas City Star

The point of the letter is to oppose health care legislation. Instead, it shines a light on a different issue: The death of real debate in this country. It’s one of hundreds of letters floating around, manufactured by lobbying groups somewhere, forwarded again and again. All are intended to be personalized by the person who finally sends a letter off to a member of Congress or media outlet.

Shortly after Thanksgiving, President Barack Obama is expected to announce the way forward for the United States in Afghanistan. There is no simple solution, but it is clear that a radical rethink of our effort is needed. Nothing about Afghanistan has ever been easy. For millennia, it’s been the graveyard of empires. It has not changed.

With a mixture of wit, charm and excellent advice, Michael Kaiser this week challenged Kansas City to improve its already vibrant arts scene. It’s a worthy challenge. Kaiser, the president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, spoke to several hundred regional arts supporters gathered at the Lyric Theatre. And Kaiser knows the local arts turf, having reversed the fortunes of the Kansas City Ballet in the 1980s.

When Hillary Clinton made her first visit to Beijing as secretary of state, she said human rights could not be permitted to “interfere” with larger concerns, such as global climate change and financial-market mayhem. It was an unfortunate way for the administration to begin its relationship with China. Sadly, this week President Obama only reinforced the message.