Obama seemed poised to realign American politics after his stunning 2008 victory. But the economy remains worse than even the administration's worst-case scenarios and the long legislative battles over health care reform financial services reform and the national debt and deficit have taken their toll. Obama no longer looks invincible.

One lesson that every nation can learn from China is to focus more on creating village-level enterprises quality health services and educational facilities.

Memorial Day this year is especially important as we are reminded almost daily of the great sacrifices that the men and women of the Armed Services make to defend our way of life.

I feel an independent accountability commission should audit all government services.

To Republicans I humbly suggest that we make it possible for Democrats to give up their quest for redistribution of income and wealth by our acceptance of an appropriate role for government in financing those public goods and services necessary to secure a social safety net below which no American would be allowed to fall.

I hate big government but I really hate a government that doesn't work. So when 'they say we either have to raise taxes or cut core services ' it's actually a 'false choice.'

After-school tutoring programs care for the elderly shelters for the homeless disaster relief work and a variety of other services would all benefit from government funding.

From the beginning there have been some religious leaders who greeted the funding of faith-based social services by government with ambivalence.

It may be laid down as a primary position and the basis of our system that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a Free Government owes not only a proportion of his property but even of his personal services to the defense of it.

UNICEF has repeatedly called on governments to ensure basic services for children and this includes providing food where the need exists.

Everyone would talk about their diets and working out and what it made me do was go to craft services where all the food for the cast and crew was and I would eat.

Our strength in finance has led us to set up an international financial centre with medium and long-term objectives especially to develop Islamic financial and insurance services.

The more anxious isolated and time-deprived we are the more likely we are to turn to paid personal services. To finance these extra services we work longer hours. This leaves less time to spend with family friends and neighbors we become less likely to call on them for help and they on us.

It's long been accepted as fact that the availability of family planning services saves lives. Where women have access to these services children and families are healthier and society at large benefits.

Failure to properly control our borders costs citizens in many ways: schools become overcrowded medical resources are stretched too thin other government services are overtaxed and taxes increase further.

If bringing up the next generation is important why aren't they the best qualified the best paid? Why aren't we as concerned about their career progression as we are about those who work in the education or health services?

I cherish the creation of public space and services especially health housing and the comprehensive education system which dared to give so many of us ideas 'above our station.'

Delaware State began as a school bent on service - teaching education social services and nursing.

As a former recipient of these services I can honestly say that the overwhelming majority of TANF recipients are hard-working Americans who are down on their luck and just want an opportunity to better their lives and those of their family through work and access to education.

By cutting critical domestic programs such as education health environmental protection and veterans' services this budget reveals misplaced priorities.

Of all the public services education is the one I'm most interested in. You get a more dynamic economy you deal with most social problems and it's morally right.

Reforming public education cutting property taxes fixing adult and child protective services and funding our budget can all occur when Democrats and Republicans engage in consensus and cooperation - not cynicism and combat.

The valor and courage of our young women and men in the armed services are a shining example to all of the world and we owe them and their families our deepest respect.

Imagine if the pension funds and endowments that own much of the equity in our financial services companies demanded that those companies revisit the way mortgages were marketed to those without adequate skills to understand the products they were being sold. Management would have to change the way things were done.