Summary # 3 T. Burns

In the essay "Perfecting the Union" written by Roger Cohen, the author conveys that things are starting to change for America. With all the changes that have happened just with President Barrak Obama elected on 5 November 2008, there is no way things couldn't get better. "Obama has spoken without cease about his conviction of American possibility born from this experience." He likes all of Obamas idea's and thinks a lot of good will come out of his presidency. He states "At a time of national soul-searching, what could better symbolize a "more perfect union" and the overcoming of the wounds of that original sin than the election to the White House of an African-American?" He knows it won't be easy but it will get better.

Summary # 2 T. Burns

In the essay "Kidnapped in Pakistan: The End of American Ideals?" Hady Amr writes of his close friend Ayesha and the kidnapping of her brother, Imran, an American citizen that was kidnapped in Pakistan. Ayesha and her family did not want to take advantage of Hady Amr's relationships he had developed while working in Washington D.C. over the years to get the government to help with the locating of the brother at a higher lever. They chose not to because "she felt that the chances of negotiating her brother's release with criminals, terrorists-or both-were higher if the U.S. government, loathed on the local scene, was kept out of the picture and if local channels handled the matter." His take on the situation is that many are to blame due to a "severely damaged reputation" that America now has after the actions that were taken in the following of 9/11. Now America is a distrusted country rather than a trusted.

Summary # 1 T. Burns

"A Fire In The Basement" T. Burns

When Bob Herbert titled his essay "A Fire In The Basement", he is actually referring to a fire in the basement of the United States. He disagrees with a lot of what goes on in the World today as far as politics, economy, and the justice system go. Young men and women these days are joining the military in hopes for a secure job, constant paycheck, and a higher education . It seems times are worse now than they were during the Great Depression. Schools are closing early and closing all together because of lack of funds and he quoted a highschool physics teacher as saying "During the Great Depression we didn't close schools". Basically he is saying the situation seems worse now than it was even then. The justice system is letting people down because people are getting detained even if they are innocent and the government is not worried about that. They like to sort things out later. Any "middle class" tax cuts that President Bush put into affect are not helping the poor. They are giving more money to the richest of the population. Back in the 50's and 60's there were bad times but always seemed to be moving in the right direction. The US, in Bob Herbert's opinion, is not moving in the right direction. He states "Time is not on our side." With all that is going on most seem blind to it. That is why he referes to the United States basement being on fire. The blindness comes in when no one can smell it.