He combined contemporaneous political issues with elements from a Chinese parable and the story of the judgment of Solomon, in which two women claim the same child.

WSJ: Review: 'Caucasian Chalk Circle' jabs at injustice

Few doubted that such across-the-board tax-rate increases would further depress the economy, so Republicans gave the president his more-modest requested tax increases in the forlorn hope that the electorate would exhibit the Wisdom of Solomon in their judgment of the accord.

FORBES: Republicans must mark their budget territory