If partisan political bickering prevents us from recognizing the reality that Iran really has scored an important and damaging victory over the United States in Iraq through the failure of the these negotiations to extend our troop presence, then the prospects for any intelligent strategy to respond to that failure are dim indeed.

When candidates flip-flop, their poll numbers suffer, but when countries flip-flop, entire economies suffer. This scenario is playing out in India after the government flip-flopped on its decision to allow retail giants such as Wal-Mart to own a majority 51% stake in joint operations with a local partner.

Economic data for the second quarter reveal the first glance at the success (or lack thereof) of stimulus efforts.

After six months in the Oval Office, President Barack Obama has a lower job-approval rating than ten of the last twelve presidents at the same point in their presidencies.

Bracket creep--the failure of tax brackets to keep pace with rising incomes--means that tax revenues will rise, tax cut or no.

By opting for a hasty, major transformation of the U.S. economy after the financial crisis instead of a more measured approach, Congress and the president may be slowing the economic recovery.

The last legacy we need this Congress and president to leave us is another huge addition to the deficit and the debt.

The polls on the economyare little more than a sideshow; theydon't signal thatoil prices are high or that the economy is about to turn down. They are onlymeasuring political sentiment.