At first glance, Tuesday’s election might seem less significant than some we’ve seen — no candidates for president or governor on the ballot, no earth-shattering, society-altering cultural issues to confront.

“We sacrifice a little bit of freedom for every dollar the government spends.” – Lance Dutson, CEO, Maine Heritage Policy Center

Franklin Roosevelt assured the country there was nothing to fear but fear itself. Ronald Reagan urged us to stay the course. Bill Clinton found hope in pop culture and Fleetwood Mac, serving up inspiration with a song: “Don’t stop, thinking about tomorrow …”

Wouldn’t you know it? And just when things seem to be going so well.

There are bad ideas and there are really bad ideas. Maine’s budget-cutting task force was presented with a really bad idea last week and should reject it out of hand.

The Republican presidential campaign just gets curiouser and curiouser.

Unlike his Home Affordable Refinance Program that failed to garner widespread participation owing to unaccountable complexity, President Barack Obama’s new initiative eliminates homeowner fees associated with refinancing, removes squirrelly income requirements, provides loans at rock-bottom prices and reduces risk for the banks involved.

An advisory panel of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will start reviewing Japan’s system to prevent beef contaminated with mad cow disease from entering the human food chain. The panel will consider whether the nation’s guidelines for testing cattle for the disease, which are arguably the strictest in the world, and its restrictions on beef imports based on the guidelines are reasonable.

After nearly nine years, the deaths of more than 115,000 Iraqi civilians and more than 4,400 U.S. troops, and the expenditure of hundreds of billions of dollars, President Barack Obama has said the last American soldier would leave Iraq by year’s end with his head held high.

With the release of the iPhone 4S, Apple Inc. has put artificial intelligence into the hands of millions.