Ted Van Dyk has been active in national policy and politics since 1961, serving in the White House and State Department and as policy director of several Democratic presidential campaigns. He is author of Heroes, Hacks and Fools and numerous essays in national publications. You can reach him in care of editor@crosscut.com.
Our veteran politico says initiatives and their kin merely make elected representatives lazy. But if we must make policy that way, here's how he views the major issues.
Our veteran insider grades the presidential candidates and derides them for a missed opportunity to strongly address the significance of the economic crisis.
Neither Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin nor Delaware Sen. Joe Biden did their campaigns harm in St. Louis. For the less-seasoned Palin, that was an accomplishment. But her ticket is still playing catch-up.
It will be a few more days before either the House or Senate take another stab at saving the American economy. Meanwhile, markets will be in turmoil and two vice presidential candidates face a...
Friday night's televised debate between Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama drew a big viewing audience and restarted a presidential campaign which had been interrupted by the still unresolved White...
With the financial bailout package still undefined and House Republicans, in particular, opposed to the present draft, financial markets almost certainly will fall during the day. How far they fall...
