Some 40 years ago, America made a pledge to coal miners to protect them from the dangers from coal mining, chief among them black lung disease. In 1969, a major law was passed, regulators were hired, and monitoring began – except it appears it was all a massive masquerade. This is the kind of mess in public life people want cleaned up.

Where, oh where has the presidential campaign gone in recent weeks, other than into the gutter? To get the discourse on a better trajectory, here’s a simple step for the candidates and their campaigns: over the next week, offer the American people a cogent thought about why they are running and a proposal or idea that helps shed light on where they want the nation to go.

Wisconsinites vote today on the recall of Governor Scott Walker. The recall provides an inkblot test for us about how we see politics and public life. I’ve laid out four possible options from which to choose – which one best fits your view? And how do these maybe help you to see another point of view?

The proper greeting for yesterday was “Happy Memorial Day.” Over the preceding days I said it a few times to neighbors and others, and then stopped. Surely, I want to honor those who died wearing our nation’s uniform. But on this Memorial Day, the word “happy” didn’t quite fit.

Amid all the upheavals throughout the world these days – including recent elections in France and Greece, the kick-off of the noisy presidential campaign, and terrorist plots –Maurice Sendak, the legendary children’s book author and illustrator, died. With Sendak in mind, I am writing this week with a simple request: tell me your favorite childhood book.