Hopes for the Obama Presidency

President Barack Obama will need to act swiftly and invest political capital -- along with trillions of dollars -- in a sustained recovery program. While many caution our new president to tread carefully, the reality is that half-steps will not lay the groundwork for a new economy that is more just and fair. Only by effectively marshaling the power of government can Mr. Obama improve the actual conditions of peoples' lives -- and consign antigovernment evangelists to the dustbin of history.