THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION appears to have found an elegant way out of its contraceptive problem ? or, perhaps more to the point, to the political problem created by its approach to contraceptive coverage. As we wrote after the previous policy was announced last month, increased access to contraception is important; requiring contraception as part of the standard health insurance package, without deductibles or co-payments, makes sense. But given the strong objections of the Catholic Church to contraception, it also makes sense to exempt religious employers from having to spend their own money on a service that violates their moral views. The administration recognized the need for such a carve-out, but it erred in drawing it too narrowly, to cover churches but not Catholic hospitals, charities and other such religiously affiliated institutions.

THE EXISTENCE ? and, until recently, the rapid proliferation ? of congressional earmarks presents a quandary. Lawmakers have a legitimate interest in securing funding for their districts. The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, and earmarks reflect the exercise of that authority. On the other hand, the explosion of earmarked spending threatens to elevate political clout over the merits of a project. The existence of earmarks may not increase overall spending, but they may send limited dollars to where they?re not most needed. When bridges are crumbling, the country cannot afford bridges to nowhere.

THE NUMBER of Americans killed in traffic accidents has plummeted in the past couple of decades, thanks to safer cars, wider use of seat belts, public awareness campaigns, better laws and enforcement and, most recently, reduced mileage among younger drivers, a byproduct of the recession. Among the most encouraging trends has been a dramatic drop in alcohol-related traffic deaths, which account for about 30 percent of all road fatalities today, down from 60 percent 30 years ago, when drunken driving was almost a cultural norm.

AT LONG LAST, federal and state authorities have reached an out-of-court settlement with five leading mortgage lenders, a major step in resolving the furor over ?robo-signing? and other dubious foreclosure practices that came to light in October 2010. Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial will pony up $26 billion in return for a measure of legal immunity; the figure could grow to $30 billion if an additional nine banks join the deal. The Obama administration and state attorneys general said the deal would salve an ailing housing market and deliver justice to ?victim borrowers,? as U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. put it.