Trump and Harris want weed legalized, but they ignore the downsides
Legalizing marijuana isn’t as hot-button an issue in this election as abortion or immigration, but both presidential candidates former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have weighed in, and for once, they’re in agreement.
Without aid, this famine may become one of history’s worst
Famine has already been officially declared in Sudan, and by some estimates, it could claim millions of lives and end up as one of the worst famines in world history. For now, it’s in the early stages, but there are already far too many starving children. When I traveled to the Chad-Sudan border last month, I met one of them with his mom in a hospital operated by Doctors Without Borders.
UN speeches reflect grim global realities
The world, warned President Joe Biden, is at an “inflection point.”
The Eric Adams indictment may be just the start of his problems
When a ship is going down, the rats begin to flee. The same is true when it comes to the downfall of a powerful public official.
The unfair Electoral College: The Nebraska and Maine plan would be better provided every state divided their votes
Nebraska has long counted its electoral votes in presidential elections differently than almost every other state in the union. Forty-eight states are winner-take-all, meaning that the candidate who gets the most popular votes gets all of that state’s electoral votes. A single-vote victory in California or Texas or Florida or New York yields all those states’ 54 or 40 or 30 or 28 electoral votes, putting a candidate well on their way to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.
Voter ID would increase election integrity
Right now, Nevadans must show more identification to buy alcohol than to vote. Question 7 would change that.
Is the devil you know better than the devil you don’t when voting?
The 2024 election is shaping up to be a “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know” kind of contest.
Getting it right: Weinstein charges require careful prosecution
Since the avalanche of accusations against Harvey Weinstein in 2017, we’ve always suspected that there were probably more incidents of sexual misconduct against the former movie power player than were publicly acknowledged.
Trumponomics: From trickle-down to upside-down
Bring back voodoo economics!
Trump’s welcome SALT switch: Restore the tax break back to what it was
Donald Trump is a late convert to restoring the federal income tax deduction of state and local taxes (SALT) that were capped at $10,000 when he signed his big Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2018. But Trump’s support is still most welcome and his fellow Republicans in Congress should follow his lead. The current law is simply unfair.
Telegram CEO’s arrest smacks of empty posturing
The arrest in France of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has brought into sharp focus one of the major conflicts of our age. On one hand, we want privacy in our digital lives, which is why we like the kind of end-to-end encryption Telegram promises. On the other, we want the government to be able to stamp out repugnant online activities — like child pornography or terrorist plotting. The reality is that we can’t have our cake and eat it, too.
MAGA’s Trumpbilly Elegy
For the second time this summer, Americans have witnessed a presidential campaign debate unlike anything we’ve seen since the dawning of the Television Age.
Not a value ad: Google’s ad services monopoly needs to end
This week began the federal antitrust trial against Google for alleged monopolistic practices when it comes to the online advertising space, with the Justice Department contending that the company has outsize dominion over what is a lifeline for industries including online publishing. Google, of course, doesn’t see it that way.
Presidential race remains close after fiery debate
The reason both leading presidential candidates have favorability ratings under 50% was on full display during Tuesday’s presidential debate.
I nominate Hunter Biden for most perfect troll of the year
Gotta hand it to Hunter Biden. He has been beating the MAGA congressional Republicans at their own game.
Editorial: Found not guilty, but still sentenced for the crime
In the American justice system, those accused of criminal conduct are presumed innocent until proved guilty and convicted by a jury of their peers. Yet many people might be surprised to learn that some federal defendants are punished for charges that they were actually acquitted of.
Commentary: Trump’s attempt to intimidate a federal appeals court could ensure his defeat
During arguments Tuesday, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit expressed appropriate skepticism about Donald Trump’s claim of immunity from charges that he attempted to overturn the 2020 election. But what happened afterward may have been even worse for Trump than the hearing itself: The former president refused to rule out violence if the appeals court’s decision goes against him, as he appears to think it will.
Editorial: Politicians are are using AI to mislead voters. Florida has a chance to act
The political ad aired in Iowa ahead of the country’s first Republican primary. It had audio of Donald Trump attacking the state’s popular Republican governor. To the unsuspecting viewer, the audio may sound like Trump’s voice, but it was a fabrication by a pro-Ron DeSantis super PAC using artificial intelligence.
Editorial: As Americans struggle, record raises for federal workers
Bidenomics has made life miserable for many American families struggling with higher prices for food and other staples. But while private-sector stiffs face challenges navigating the wreckage of the president’s policies, federal government employees will have it a bit easier in 2024.
Commentary: Lots of great things were achieved for animals in 2023
When doom and gloom drive headlines, it’s easy to think that 2023 was a year of nothing but conflict and chaos. But for animals, who endure so much suffering at the hands of humans, the year just past brought many positive changes.