In the next month, Obama will set a tone for Washington that will likely endure as long as he does.

Despite the high-profile example of Steven Slater and his aggravating passenger, there is little evidence of an epidemic of rudeness, as Americans care about common courtesy and worry properly about its erosion.

Michelle Rhee's experience in Washington, D.C. proves it's not just about mayors, manners or academic momentum, but that turning troubled urban school systems around requires community cover and local political muscle.

With its planning reforms, the Government is betraying the heritage that so many have fought to preserve.

Should Republicans stoke the populist flames of their base or reach out more broadly, with a softer touch, to moderates and independents?

The prevailing attitude about contemporary art in British society is one of scorn and repudiation of old ideals, yet American visitors and many of the British people still believe that beauty matters, and that you cannot pour scorn on beauty without losing sight of the meaning of life.

It is culture that creates economics, and not the other way around.

The rate of marriage in America is steadily declining. Despite all the talk about "family values" and the breakup of marriages, little attention is paid to what makes a successful marriage or to how men and women can prepare for marriage. "Courting" has disappeared and no new customs have...