Politics
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John Rash: The cultural odyssey of 'The Odyssey'
“The Odyssey” is on its own odyssey.
The epic poem from ancient Greece about the mythical Ithacan King Odysseus’ ordeal getting home after the Trojan War wandered into America’s culture wars after some prominent conservatives concluded that Christopher Nolan’s film version, which premiered last week, was “woke” because of the ...Read more
Editorial: Behold the new rules of a Midwest summer. One, check the air quality first
Remember when planning a summer day meant glancing out the window to see if it might rain?
Summer now comes with a checklist. What’s the temperature? What’s the heat index? Is there a thunderstorm coming? What’s the air quality index? Is wildfire smoke drifting in from Canada? Should the kids bring swimsuits or stay inside? Will tonight�...Read more
Editorial: Is the US overplaying its hand in Iran?
President Donald Trump recently justified renewed military action against Iran by saying Tehran “did not obey what they’re supposed to obey” under a memorandum of understanding intended to halt the fighting. Whether one believes Iran violated that agreement or not, one word deserves closer examination: obey.
In international affairs, ...Read more
Editorial: US, foreign guests forged connections during World Cup
Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday wasn’t the most entertaining match but still served as the culmination of a monthlong celebration that spanned the North American continent. From Vancouver to Miami, Los Angeles to Mexico City, the three host nations collaborated to produce an experience that was as ...Read more
Editorial: Trump returns to old theme with voting grievances
President Donald Trump returned to a familiar theme last week, delivering a prime-time address on election integrity which implied that many states allow those in the country illegally to vote. He called the system “dishonest” and even singled out Nevada.
Democrats responded that the president was trying to undermine faith in the upcoming ...Read more
James Stavridis: How Canada can gear up for the Arctic great game
At the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit this month, Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada repeatedly emphasized that his nation is undertaking a massive buildup in defense spending. “Canada is on a clear path to meet NATO’s target of investing 5% of gross domestic product in defense by 2035,” he indicated in a post-summit statement...Read more
Commentary: Government-owned AI is a terrible idea
In the push to regulate artificial intelligence, a dangerous idea is gaining ground in Washington: handing the government ownership stakes in the biggest AI companies. Both parties see immediate dollar signs. Neither is thinking longer-term. Somewhere, Karl Marx is smiling.
It’s not surprising that Vermont’s socialist senator wants to ...Read more
Commentary: AI, like a hovering parent, protects students from the failures they need
Not long ago, a student at my school forgot to submit a homework assignment. Before the school day even began, my colleague received an email from the parent — to ask if they could upload the assignment on the student’s behalf. The student was 17 years old.
We are in the midst of a parenting and educational crisis. Students are increasingly...Read more
Commentary: Brace yourself for the AI public relations blitz
For years, Silicon Valley executives warned artificial intelligence would transform society, replace jobs and perhaps pose existential risks. They built products grounded in what should be considered the largest copyright infringement of human history. They fired their own coders who helped build their AI while warning more firings were to come ...Read more
Mark Gongloff: A $5 trillion idea to save energy is hiding in plain sight
While we’re waiting around for cold fusion, space mirrors, matrioshka brains or whatever other complicated world-savers the tech wizards are cooking up these days to address soaring energy demand, a simple, effective solution is already available. It would create trillions of dollars in economic value and millions of jobs while also ...Read more
Commentary: RFK Jr. received compassion when he was arrested for heroin, but my patients do not
In 1983, while on a flight to South Dakota, a 29-year-old Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was reported to have developed profuse sweating, pallor, and a weak pulse. Authorities searched his luggage and discovered two-tenths of a gram of heroin.
He pled guilty to a felony charge, and the judge ordered him to two years of probation instead of a possible ...Read more
Commentary: Survivors' justice needs more than just laws
Early this year, New Jersey became the sixth state to enact a law that lets courts consider past history of abuse as a mitigating factor in sentencing for survivors of domestic violence.
Similar laws have passed in New York, Illinois, California, Oklahoma and Georgia over the past seven years. A bill is pending in Massachusetts, and the ...Read more
Gustavo Arellano: Trump's noncitizen voting fraud claims will backfire. Just look at history
Thirty years ago this fall, a Republican politician cried electoral fraud after losing a close race.
Orange County Rep. Bob Dornan couldn't accept the most logical explanations for why Loretta Sanchez beat him in a historic upset: that voters had tired of his polarizing politics. That his Latino-majority district wanted one of their own to ...Read more
Commentary: Air conditioning alone won't save us from killer heat
From my desk in London, I’ve watched Los Angeles with a jolt of recognition. As dangerous heat settles over the city, it’s opening more than a hundred cooling centers and running air-conditioned buses to reach people with nowhere cool to go. It’s a life-saving response to a growing problem. It’s also a quiet admission: For many Angelenos...Read more
Editorial: Get Graham's Russia sanctions bill to Trump's desk
Services for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham will take place this month in Washington, D.C., and his home state of South Carolina. In the meantime, Congress could honor his legacy by passing the bipartisan Russian sanctions bill he spent his last months working to advance.
Sen. Graham died this month of a sudden cardiac event. He had served in the...Read more
Editorial: Four people killed by ICE agents. A lawless administration. It won't stop unless voters act
A poet, a nurse, a construction worker and a food delivery driver. The four people killed in 2026 by federal immigration agents were regular folks trying to live their lives in peace before they were crushed by the unchecked power of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.
The brief respite between the killings of Renee Good and ...Read more
Editorial: A rush job on redistricting spells problems
When President Donald Trump asked Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State to “find 11,780 votes” in 2020 to keep him in power, Brad Raffensperger said no.
When Trump asked Texas Republicans to create new congressional districts to keep Congress in his power, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott could not say yes fast enough. Neither could Gov. Ron ...Read more
Steve Lopez: The doctor who helped save her is in another state, and telemedicine follow-up is prohibited
LOS ANGELES — In her fight against an aggressive form of cancer, Santa Clarita Valley resident Robin Clough is winning, for now.
But in her fight for the right to have telemedicine followups with the out-of-state doctor who helped save her life, she is losing. And legislation that would have eased the way for her and other California patients...Read more
Editorial: Finally, a new bridge from the Midwest to Canada. No thanks to Donald Trump
Beginning next week, Midwesterners driving to Canada finally should have an alternative to the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, notorious for its delays, poor maintenance and costly tolls. Behold the new Gordie Howe International Bridge, replete with six traffic lanes, 16 toll lanes and 60 inspection bays and offering a direct connection ...Read more
Anita Chabria: Trump's voter fraud speech was bait. Stop biting
It pains me to say that most of us are missing the point when it comes to President Donald Trump's rambling election fraud speech. Which is exactly what he wants.
Within minutes of its airing Thursday night, the internet and pundits were abuzz debating whether voting machines were secure and whether the federal government has a right, or even a...Read more




















































