law

"America did not invent Human Rights. Human Rights invented America." -US President Jimmy Carter US standing in the world has receded as America's human rights record has been dealt blows by a failure to observe the rule of law and scandals like Abu Ghraib and the military prison in Guantanamo, Cuba. The US must repair its record and standing in the world. THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS www.americanprogress.org

On Day One, I would tell the president to obey the Constitution, which means not engaging in torture or spying without a warrant. I would restore the confidence that the U.S. has lost in the world by letting the world know that America respects the law: our Constitution, international law, and human rights. We need to become a beacon of human rights again, and that means talking to our enemies, because you can never solve a problem without at least talking to people. www.RadioInsideScoop.com

I think high school is the place to do this -- introduce the kids to some important, simple but challenging concepts and realities about how our country and how the world works. Give students a realistic view of these things. I think if we did, that could reduce conspiracy-minded thinking. And there is an appalling amount of that out there.