Peggy Noonan believes President Obama redeclared war in his speech about the 'surge' in Afghanistan. If so, he did not generate much warlike enthusiasm from anyone. That is almost certainly due to the fact that the folks on the Right do not trust him to follow through, the folks in the middle are not sure the war is worth the cost, and the folks on the Left are bitterly disappointed that he is not withdrawing the troops.

Jay Cost examines why the public likes specific parts of the health reform bill but dislikes the whole. Uncertainty is the key word.

E.J. Dionne explains why he believes the Democrats must get a health bill passed in the Senate before the end of the year. Like so many measures of uncertain popularity, the best strategy is to ram it through and let the public complain later. Politically, Dionne believes the bill will be popular as it goes into effect, but I believe the opposite. If they pass something, the negative consequences will reverberate for a year, adding to the discontent that will jettison the Democrats from power in November, 2010.

Robert J. Samuelson explains why health costs continue to rise and inexorable swallow up more and more of our state and federal budgets. Essentially, we want the best possible care for ourselves and our family and friends, no matter what the cost. If we had a real market-based system, in which we were all responsible wholly and completely for our own care and the care of our families (as we are responsible for feeding them, clothing them, etc.), we would understand that we could only get the health care we could afford. But, because it offends our sensibilities that people's health, indeed, their very lives, are at the mercy of their economic circumstances when it comes to getting a doctor's care, we have erected this complex system which gets everyone else involved in paying for our individual health care. That means politicians cannot take really effective measures at cost containment, since we would be offended (and frightened) by such actions, and would vote them out.

George Will explains why the climate change debate is a travesty. Politicians will pretend to take action, while doing nothing, which is probably the best course, since the whole thing might turn out to be so much baloney.