The closures "will consolidate underutilized schools and programs to provide students with the quality, 21st century education they need to succeed in the classroom, " Chicago Public Schools said in a statement Wednesday.

CNN: Chicago board votes to close 50 schools

And with public opinion behind them, they are likely to succeed over the coming four years in changing some of Iran's constitutional checks and balances.

ECONOMIST: Iran: How fast and how far? | The

Like Carter before him, Obama may succeed for a time in evading public scrutiny for his foreign-policy failures because the public will be too concerned with his domestic failures to notice them.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Ideologue-in-chief