In his column on Friday in The New York Times, conservative pundit David Brooks offered a surprisingly clear-eyed view of the Obama presidency more than a year into its first term—and the challenges that a rigidly partisan political culture poses for a leader like Obama.

Conservative Republicans denounce Obama as “a big-government liberal,” Brooks writes, who plays “by ruthless, Chicago politics”: “arrogant toward foes, condescending toward allies.” Liberal Democrats, on the other hand, complain that Obama is “an inspiring but overly intellectual leader who has trouble making up his mind and fighting for his positions. He has not defined a clear mission. He has allowed the Republicans to dominate debate.”

(NNPA)—Is the passage of health care reform a foregone conclusion? At this writing, Democrats lack enough votes in the House of Representatives to pass even a watered-down version of the initial legislation because, on the left, there is opposition to the absence of a public option and because, on the right, there are objections to market manipulations.

Still, between Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s commitment and President Obama’s high-risk brinksmanship on this issue, it is likely that some form of health care reform will be voted in before the end of this month. It won’t be enough to satisfy some, and too much for the taste of others, and yet it will be a step forward in the quest to make health care a right, not a privilege, something that progressives have been advocating for decades.

An overwhelming percentage of people from all races and genders agree that the Jordan Miles situation was an absolute example of excessive police force. This case, as tragic as it is, is a continuation of the absolute power the police possess when it involves life or death.

The newspaper estimated that there were at least 100 people in attendance at the Homewood branch of the Carnegie Library in response to Councilman Rev. Ricky Burgess’ proposed Miles’ Bill. The truth of the matter is that the meeting wound up being a discussion of police abuse of power, which resulted in the death of Jonny Gammage and Jerry Jackson—the miracle driver who allegedly attempted to turn his car around in the Armstrong tunnels, and justice was denied once again.

(REAL TIMES MEDIA)—I had several New Year’s resolutions for 2010. I would hit the gym on the regular, call family more often and not write one word about Tiger Woods until he returned to golf. It looks like I’ve gone three months into the new year, Tony Robbins would be proud. The latest Tiger story is just too important to pass up, not because I think his public scandal deserves more attention, (it has been analyzed to death) but because his latest move is worse than anything he did to cost himself endorsements last fall. The last thing anybody should do to re-habilitate their image is take advice from a member of the old Bush administration, but that’s exactly what Woods is doing.