Hope springs eternal among policy makers in Europe’s beleaguered periphery. At five minutes to midnight in Athens, and with a bank run having started in Madrid, these policy makers cling to the forlorn hope that somehow Germany is going to relent on its strong opposition to euro bonds.

We are not in a cold war with China. That is too simple a metaphor to describe the state of Sino-American relations.

No, the government shouldn’t eliminate tax breaks for private universities.

Does Romney still need to appeal to conservative Republicans, or should he start focusing on the broader electorate?

It’s the beauty part of free-market capitalism: To successfully pursue happiness, you must help others do likewise.

What does this election mean for Russia’s relations with the United States?

There are solid ways to move forward with high-speed rail in the United States, but a new line between San Francisco and Los Angeles is not among them.

Public school teacher compensation is roughly 50 percent above private sector levels. In addition to merit pay, fundamental reforms to help schools hire, promote and fire teachers according to the best interests of students is needed.