Politics
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Doyle McManus: Tulsi Gabbard as intelligence czar? The Trump Cabinet pick most likely to fail
WASHINGTON — Tulsi Gabbard, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to oversee the nation's 18 intelligence agencies, is a woman of strong views, vigorously expressed.
A former Bernie Sanders Democrat, she now says the Democratic Party is controlled by "an elitist cabal of warmongers" that includes "rogue intelligence and law enforcement ...Read more
John M. Crisp: Will the US ever elect a woman president?
Will the U.S. ever elect a woman president? I first considered this question in a column I wrote in August of 2016. Hillary Clinton, Yale-educated lawyer, former first lady, former senator from New York and former secretary of state, was running for president. Her opponent was a guy named Donald Trump, a reality TV star and a businessman of ...Read more
Commentary: Why we should care about arts education in public schools
Donald Trump has big plans for schools in his second term, which include gutting the Department of Education. His proposals have major implications for public school funding, and you can bet that arts education will be at the top of the list of cuts.
Support for the arts is an increasingly partisan issue, with conservatives calling for an end ...Read more
Bryan Clark: Trump's reelection means an assault on universities. It's time to prepare now
BOISE, Idaho -- The American university system has been at the center of our country’s intellectual innovation and technological and financial prosperity over the past century. The reason for that success is the academic freedom that has been rigorously maintained in higher education, despite changes in the country’s political winds.
But ...Read more
Commentary: Trump shouldn't return to maximum pressure on Iran
As President-elect Donald Trump staffs his national security team, speculation is swirling about how the incoming Trump administration will manage some of the most difficult international security problems of the day. While much of the attention thus far has been devoted to the war in Ukraine, the Iranian nuclear issue isn’t far behind on the ...Read more
Commentary: An impassioned plea to Generation Next
As this election cycle draws to a close, I'm experiencing a whirlwind of emotions — hope and worry, resolve and trepidation, clarity and uncertainty. But above all, my abiding faith in the power of our collective voice and the sacredness of our vote fuels me.
I'm a member of Generation X, a son of the African diaspora, a husband, a father and...Read more
Editorial: A small but important win for FDA under fire
Given how the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority is better known for limiting the authority of federal regulatory agencies than supporting them, this week’s small victory for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is an especially welcome one.
The justices served the nation’s interest by essentially doing nothing — declining to ...Read more
Editorial: A strong economy helps incumbents, right? The University of Chicago disagrees
Republican Donald J. Trump’s decisive win in the Nov. 5 election has inspired handwringing among Democrats about how a convicted felon who tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat could beat a mainstream candidate like Vice President Kamala Harris. Now along comes the University of Chicago with an explanation that not only makes some sense ...Read more
Commentary: Project 2025 -- Trump is humming a different tune
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump disavowed Project 2025. The post-election Donald Trump is humming a different tune.
Perhaps the ditty is called, “No One Should Confuse Campaigning With Governing.” Or maybe Russ Vought’s words are more apt for a song title: The rapture of “Graduate-Level Politics.” Either way, Trump certainly likes...Read more
Maureen Downey: Second Trump term means more political attacks on public education
ATLANTA — When I began covering education in Georgia 28 years ago, most legislation focused on proven drivers of student success including teacher quality, relevant curriculum and adequate funding. State education reform commissions pondered such questions as middle school design, high school size and ideal pupil-teacher ratios.
Today, ...Read more
Editorial: How we build our neighborhoods shapes our communities -- and kids' mental health
A September study in the Journal of the American Medical Association illustrates just how interconnected mental health and community truly are. By cross-referencing survey results about emotional well-being from over 2,000 Allegheny County teenagers with the locations of their homes, the study proved that living near community assets like ...Read more
Editorial: Costly government waste is why we need DOGE
The Democratic resistance is in full post-election swing, deriding President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet post choices and vowing to fight his policies tooth and nail once he’s sworn in – if not before.
The target of much derision has been the Department of Government Efficiency, to be run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. The “two ...Read more
Editorial: Pete Hegseth is the wrong person to lead the Pentagon
After forcing the withdrawal of one ethically challenged nominee, Republican senators seem inclined to overlook the checkered past of another of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, potential Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Even lawmakers unconcerned about Hegseth’s character should ask some hard questions about his resume and priorities.
Leading ...Read more
Mary Ellen Klas: The looming GOP divide over school vouchers
In announcing the nomination of Linda McMahon, a former professional wrestling executive, to his cabinet, President-elect Donald Trump proclaimed, “As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decision for families.”
It’s a ...Read more
Stephen L. Carter: It's time to change the way we elect the president
For those who’ve been unable to shake the post-election funk, I’d like to resurrect an idea that’s been kicking around for years: Instead of all the agonized stories about what Kamala Harris will do next, let her spend the next four years in her current job as vice president of the United States.
Wait, what?
Seriously. I’m suggesting, ...Read more
Stephen Mihm: Why does the US still have lead pipes? Blame this trade group
In October, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a ruling mandating the removal of all lead pipes supplying drinking water in the U.S. Whether the rule will survive the incoming Donald Trump administration is an open question — one that could have serious, even life-threatening implications for the more than nine million or so homes that...Read more
Catherine Thorbecke: US cannot repeat Trump's attacks on Chinese scientists
Donald Trump’s return to the White House is stoking fears that he could reinstate a failed program launched during his first term that aimed to crack down on Chinese espionage, but ended up becoming more of a witch-hunt. Doing so would not only be destructive to American innovation, but give China an upper-hand in the tech race.
The China ...Read more
Commentary: Economic advice for Trump and Powell -- First, do no harm
If U.S. economic growth is so good, then why does the Fed need to cut interest rates?
That was essentially the question put to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently after a speech in Dallas. It would be more constructive to examine the premise — why is growth so good? — and ask what the Fed and others can do to keep it that way.
...Read more
Editorial: 'Pro-democracy' Democrats eager to obstruct democracy
Prominent Democrats spent the run-up to the November election professing their desire to protect “democracy.” Court documents reveal that was a cynical sham.
On Sunday, The Washington Post featured a report on the lengths that Democratic operatives went to keep a potential No Labels third-party candidate off of state presidential ballots. ...Read more
Lynn Schmidt: How could Dems win back workers? Start with respecting the value of work
If the Democratic Party wants to win future elections outside of deep blue areas, they might just need to take inspiration from Goodwill Industries and embrace their philosophy of “A hand up, not a handout.”
In the election analysis business, there is a tendency to attribute President-elect Donald Trump’s win to one or two major factors, ...Read more