Obama has trapped himself in an ideological oxymoron. He wants us to believe, wants himself to believe, that government is the solution when we all know that government is the problem.

◼ America the Broken - Roger L Simon at Pajamas Media

Someone finally has to cut this Gordian knot. We are living at a time when we need a man or woman in the presidency of true courage and what we have is a smug coward — the worst possible combination. Nothing of significance is likely to happen.

We are already in full presidential campaign mode and America will remain broken — and with it the world — until 2012. Those of us who want genuine change are going to have to buckle up and accept this. Also, we are going to have to keep our eyes closely glued to the 2012 ball.