Moreover, most allies haven't a clue how the pivot will manifest itself and what role they should be playing. If a "pivot" means anything, it is at the least keeping security commitments. Now Obama has made one -- helping Taiwan close the "fighter gap."

One approach for Mitt Romney would be what opponents might call a double-vanilla ticket, with another white male as vice presidential nominee. Four possibilities come to mind.

In past nuclear cooperation agreements, the US has required nations to commit to not enriching uranium and opening nuclear sites to inspections. The Obama administration has just done away with the requirement. Congress needs oversight to combat this possibility of nuclear proliferation.

We should repeal the War Powers Act and replace it with a framework for consulting with Congress on extended military action.

The wiretapping controversy has set up a classic confrontation between the executive and legislative branches.

In the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill, the Obama administration has failed to take charge of coordinating the long-term clean-up and restoration effort.

At this event, leading environmental policy experts, academics, and legal scholars will discuss their proposals for new and innovative reforms that challenge conventional conservation strategies and seek to enhance economic efficiency and environmental conservation simultaneously.

Just three weeks after Columbia's university senate voted in favor of engaging with ROTC, Columbia has announced it will reinstate its Navy ROTC program. Meanwhile, ROTC looks set to return to both Stanford and Yale.