Challenges In The News 10/05/08

Under state law, any group that seeks to amend Michigan's Constitution by citizen initiative is required to summarize the changes it proposes in a ballot question of no more than 100 words. That may prove an insurmountable challenge for the still-shadowy consortium that calls itself Reform Michigan Government Now.

Power failures are not the only challenges facing Ramadi’s new police force as it lurches toward self-efficiency.

Ninety-one percent of the decline in notices of default since April can be attributed to Countrywide Financial. Unfortunately, this is more likely due to the challenges of integrating two companies the size of Countrywide Financial and Bank of America than it is a fundamental shift in foreclosure activity.

Market forces have not yet met the challenge of controlling price increases.

An athletic woman who enjoyed physical challenges – she taught Portnoy how to body surf and water skied well into her 70’s – Hodgman was known for frequently challenging accepted wisdom.

It seems unlikely that courtrooms are where this legal dissonance will be resolved. This is especially true since 2005, when the Supreme Court heard a federal constitutional challenge to the Controlled Substances Act. In that case, Californians sought to protect the use of medical marijuana by stating that it is a purely intrastate matter, and thus beyond Congress’ reach. The high court rejected that argument, ruling that, as a whole, the drug law was a proper exercise of Congress’ power to regulate interstate commerce.

“It’s not going to be easy,” Lugo said of the challenge he faces. “But it won’t be impossible.”

The two men will also have very different objectives in three 90-minute presidential debates. McCain will try to convey his experience but must also show that “he has the energy and forward-looking vision to lead” when matched with a much younger challenger.

In addition to “Thunder”, the CG-animated “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” opens today. It should draw kids and maybe some die-hard fans of the “Star Wars” franchise and it could challenge “Knight” for second place by opening in the high teens.

An avid reader of The Times since his boyhood in Alhambra, he said, “I love challenges. I love complex issues and problems, and this certainly met all that.”

Anything is Possible – “Saying no never occurred to us. We took it as a challenge.”