Unemployment? That's hard to say. We may well finally be bottoming out in that department. As far as further tax cuts, I'd have to say "no" because of all the pollution of the special interests. What I *would* say is that this would be a good time to OVERHAUL the tax code. We should put all the options on the table. Maybe we want to move to more consumption taxes and fewer income taxes - to stimulate savings and help uncover the "underground economy". I'd certainly like FLATTER taxes.

Health care. Having worked in this industry, I can tell you there are SO many things wrong that you almost get a feeling of "where do I start?" and it seems like 'too much'. But we need more competition and we need transparency. In another thread I suggested mandating all companies to give their employees a raise commensurate to the employer contribution to their health care premiums and then making the employee write the check. Again - we pay the most and aren't even in the Top 30 countries for what we get. We have to make people more aware of how much is really being paid - what THEY ARE PAYING even when they don't "see" it. That should get some righteous outrage going.

Afghanistan? They've had 8 years to get their act together. It took us from 1775 to 1781 to gain our independence and until 1787 to get our Constitution in order. The time limit shouldn't be phrased in a way of saying "We're leaving by [date]..". It should be phrased as "If you can't get your act together by [date], we're not going spill more of our blood for you..."