A new poll from ABC News shows support for incumbents is at the lowest level since 1994. Of course, you remember what happened in November, 1994, don't you?

Walter Russell Mead writes about the financial crisis in Europe. I was always skeptical about the European Union in general, and the Euro in particular, and it seems Mead shares that skepticism. An essential part of the success of the United States of America is the shared language, culture and history that led people in the early Republic to accept a sense of 'American' nationhood. Only the divisive nature of slavery and the differences that institution created between the Northern and Southern cultures kept the U.S. from an even stronger sense of shared identity. Of course, the Civil War ended that division, as references to the United States went from plural to singular (e.g., documents before the war referred to 'these United States' and after the war 'the United States'). On the other hand, there can be no such thing as 'The United States of Europe', as this new financial crisis once again affirms. The language and culture of Greece is far different than that of Germany, and it is folly to expect the two peoples to run their affairs the same way. The educated elites of Europe convinced themselves that the only way to prevent a recurrence of the disastrous European wars of the early 2oth century was to create an economic union, which would be followed by a political one. What they have created, though, will simply lead to economic disasters, which may very well be followed by political upheaval and war.

Here are the nuts and bolts of the European crisis as it stands at the moment.

Benny Avni writes about the continued dithering at the United Nations concerning sanctions against Iran for their continued intransigence concerning their nuclear program. The Iranian leaders understand that time is on their side, so expect more stonewalling.

George Will thinks the new law in Arizona that allows local police officers to check on the residency status of people is something the folks down there can live with. I don't like it much (it is very, well, 'European', for local police to ask to see your papers), but I understand the frustration of people in the Southwest. This is a loud and clear cry for the federal government to do something about our porous borders.

Katrina vanden Heuvel likes the ascension of Nick Clegg and the Liberal Party in British politics. Clegg was once an intern at vanden Heuvel's magazine, The Nation, back in 1990.