Joe Klein is the flower of American political journalism, a sharp raconteur who shows traces of the gonzo style that was in vogue when he was honing his craft at Rolling Stone back in the day.

Governing was always difficult for conservatives, but as they return to the opposition, they are rediscovering their skill at blame evasion.

These days, of course, the focus of talk about popular liberation through products is mostly associated with the Internet. I've been collecting computer ads and ads dealing with Internet industries.

Republicans run the machine when it's their turn, and then hand the wheel over to Democrats when the public has had enough.

Liberal that I am, I support health-care reform on its merits alone. My liberal blood boils, for example, when I read that half of the personal bankruptcies in this country are brought on, in part, by medical expenses.

Conservatism is not a doctrine of contentment. Not a doctrine for the satisfied and the smug. It's a politics that's at war with the world.

Is Wall Street the rightful master of our economic fate? Or should we choose a broader form of sovereignty?