The expensive lessons of the failed Harris campaign
Money can’t buy happiness or a presidential election. Democratic donors just learned that the hard way.
Lame-duck Biden makes a hot spot hotter
The Biden administration has failed to distinguish itself on the world stage over the past three years. The president is apparently eager to keep that lamentable record intact as he leaves the Oval Office.
A better way to pay for extending the Trump tax cuts
One of the first orders of business in 2025 for Congress and the incoming administration will be the extension of President Donald Trump’s signature 2017 tax law, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), most of whose individual provisions are set to expire late next year. There’s one problem: America’s debt trajectory is unsustainable.
RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard have to be rejected
On Saturday afternoon, at 4:17, Donald Trump used his Truth Social to announce the last of his cabinet secretaries, Brooke Rollins for USDA, finishing naming the 15 positions far faster than any other incoming president. His speed might be because he’s been here before, so he knows what he’s doing, which is definitely fine, or he’s not having the normal FBI background checks on the picks, which is not definitely fine.
Why understanding the ‘other side’ is more important than ever
For some of us, just reading the title of this piece may be irritating — even maddening. If you’re scared about Trump’s election, being asked to understand the “other side” can seem a distant concern compared to your fears of what might happen during his presidency. If you’re glad Trump won, you may be tempted to say, “We’ve won; we don’t need to listen” — or maybe you’re angry about the pushback you see on the “other side.”
Trump’s pick to lead the NIH gets some things right
It’s a welcome sign that, unlike many of Donald Trump’s picks to lead parts of the nation’s health system, his pick for director of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, is actually qualified. Though his record during the COVID-19 pandemic includes making catastrophically wrong predictions, he was also correct, especially later, on the need to consider the societal cost of prolonging early pandemic measures, including closures, hospital rules limiting visits, extended mask and vaccine mandates and social distancing rules.
Deportation will restore faith in US management of immigration
President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to launch an intensive campaign of immigration enforcement, or “mass deportations” for short, is feasible and will be beneficial to Americans.
Your Views for November 28
Posing a question for NYT columnist
How super glue saved my childhood Thanksgivings
For most kids, Grandma and Grandpa’s house is their favorite place to visit. Filled with toys and endless affection, treats and hugs. For ordinary people, Thanksgiving is a particularly special time to spend with family.
A thousand days of hell: Ukraine war continues as Trump presidency looms
As the Ukraine war, launched by the imperialist invasion by Russian despot Vladimir Putin, passed its 1,000-day mark this month, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s troops are newly empowered by the Biden administration to use long-range ATACMS missiles to attack targets in Russia, which they did. And Moscow responded by launching its own new mid-range ballistic missile.
Your Views for November 27
Parking fees are a bad idea for Kona
Crony capitalism is coming to America
It’s late 2025, and Donald Trump has done what he said he would do: impose high tariffs — taxes on imports — on goods coming from abroad, with extremely high tariffs on imports from China. These tariffs have had exactly the effect many economists predicted, although Trump insisted otherwise: higher prices for American buyers.
Trump should bring on a great American housing boom
Most Americans, from both parties, say the government needs to increase the supply of affordable housing. For President-elect Donald Trump, that should offer a good opportunity to summon his instincts for development — and self-promotion — to get America building again. Call it the “Trump Building Boom.”
Time for post-election sanity: Approve Nippon-US Steel deal
Every knowledgeable observer of the Nippon Steel-U.S. Steel drama knows that the politics of the presidential election had warped what should have been a simple decision: to approve the best available offer for the legacy American steel company, and the only one likely to keep steel manufacturing in the Steel City.
Senate shouldn’t abrogate its authority over nominees
Presidents deserve wide latitude in selecting members of their Cabinet. But, at the same time, the Senate must take its advice and consent role seriously if the balance of power is to be preserved.
Musk hopes to make budget cutting cool
If Donald Trump doesn’t kill Elon Musk before Musk offs Vivek Ramaswamy, together the three best bros have a chance to achieve something every administration promises, but none has delivered: Rid the federal budget of waste, fraud and inefficiency.
Now is the time to celebrate Care Heroes
Every November, we celebrate National Hospice and Palliative Care Month to recognize the vital role that compassionate care plays in the lives of patients and families across Hawaii. As CEO of Hawaii Care Choices, I see firsthand the comfort and dignity our services provide to those facing serious illnesses.
US Senate must pass PRESS Act now
The U.S. Senate has little time left in this tumultuous year but it must make sure to pass the PRESS Act.
GOP targets Medicaid with the return of a terrible idea
In any contest to name the cruelest and most useless health care “reform” favored by Republicans and conservatives, it would be hard to beat the idea of applying work requirements to Medicaid.
Give turkeys a reason to purr
When I was offered an internship at a sanctuary for farmed animals some years ago, I jumped at the chance. I’ve always had an affinity for animals, and I imagined myself cuddling cows and brushing goats— and I did get to do those things. But what took me most by surprise was meeting the turkeys. I had given little thought to these birds, other than being reminded every Thanksgiving how many are slaughtered.