Recommended Reading

Slate is running a series of articles under the umbrella title, "Fixing It." They're about how to repair the damages done to the world by the Bush administration. And first up, we get two (well, one and a half) Fred Kaplan articles. In this one, he lays down some proposals for putting U.S. diplomacy on the right track. And he co-authored this one, which is about what needs to be done to get our military back to where we want it in terms of size and budget and efficiency.

Whether you agree with Mr. Kaplan or not, these are the kinds of plans I'd love to hear all the candidates weigh in upon. Instead of just saying over and over they'll restore America's honor, I'd like to see them write with at least this level of specifics if not a greater one, how they figure to restore military enlistment and other concerns that need to be put right.