Editorial

The overwhelming majority of Democrats and Republicans agree that the only place to settle their often-profound differences is in the voting booth. When all the votes are counted, and some recounted, and all the lawsuits decided, we will be left with this extraordinary fact: More Americans exercised their right to vote in 2020, at the height of a deadly pandemic, than in any other election year in this nation’s 244-year history. That’s something not only to celebrate, but to see as a reflection of the greatness of our democratic … [Read more...] about Now is the time to celebrate American democracy, not sow more division

By JASON HAYES Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has said she wants to make sure residents of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have reliable and affordable sources of energy to heat and power their lives, which is why she created the Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force. But from her first day in office, the governor has struggled to close the Line 5 pipeline, an effort which works contrary to her stated goal. The single most effective policy Gov. Whitmer can implement to help ensure energy security for the U.P. today would be to stop her campaign … [Read more...] about Build the Line 5 Tunnel

By LEE H. HAMILTON Like any American who cares about this country, I have a deep interest in the results of this election. But as a politician (I think one never really retires from that job), I take a professional interest, as well. Not only for policy or partisan concerns, but because I’m always interested in how people make up their minds on how to vote. This is an occupational hazard, I think. I was on the ballot 34 times over the course of my career and have spent a lot of time thinking about why people vote as they do. To … [Read more...] about What helps voters decide?

The anticipated “blue wave” Tuesday didn’t sweep as many Democrats into office as expected, and Republicans have managed to keep an important bulwark in Michigan. It looks like the state House will remain under Republican control — a prize Michigan Democrats have worked hard to take this election cycle. Democrats needed to flip four seats to upset the current 58-52 GOP majority. Republicans also control the state Senate. Democrats were holding out hope, saying that all votes still needed to be counted. But Republicans claimed … [Read more...] about GOP keeps a key bulwark

Joe Biden wants to take one of the great American success stories of the past several decades and drive it into the ground. He would turn his back on the stupendous wealth represented by proven reserves of oil and gas in this country. Rather than focusing on producing cheap, abundant energy — a key ingredient to human progress through all of human history — he’d embark on the fool’s errand of trying to adjust the world’s thermostat 80 years from now. After a 50-year effort to diminish our reliance on Middle Eastern oil, which … [Read more...] about Joe Biden is targeting a great U.S. industry

The Trumpsters are hanging on to threads of hope that somehow, some way, they will pull off a November surprise and win re-election for the big guy. And Joe Biden, try as he might to avoid his usual goofiness — make that his gaffe-iness — has unraveled one of those verbal threads that Donald Trump hopes to climb. Biden lived up to his reputation, or down to his reputation, for habitually uttering self-damaging ... what does he call it? ... malarkey at the most inopportune times. It happened in the final debate. Perhaps Uncle Joe … [Read more...] about What oil gaffe?

The COVID-19 pandemic is more than sickness. It’s an economic struggle that may put millions out of their homes. A reality of our national struggle with this pandemic is that we just haven’t seen yet the full depth of its impact on our economy. Some of the struggle it is causing remains hidden, but one of those struggles is so serious and threatens such lasting harm that we must deal with it as a country before the year is out. We are talking about the real possibility of people losing the roofs over their heads at the turn of … [Read more...] about The nation’s new housing crisis is eviction

Joe Biden is the most cosseted presidential candidate in memory. He’s run a minimalist campaign that’s avoided the press as much as possible, while the press hasn’t been braying for more access and answers, but eager to avoid anything that could be discomfiting to the campaign. Never before has the media been so openly fearful of asking or reporting something that might hurt a presidential candidate. Even the lowest common denominator of news — simply being interesting — has been tossed aside. Boring and uneventful is the new … [Read more...] about Press covers for Biden

Mark the day. Nov. 26 is Thanksgiving 2020. It’s a Turkey Day unlike any other. If Tony Fauci gets his way, it will be a “Zoom holiday,” not the family gathering it usually is. In his words, “You may have to bite the bullet and sacrifice that social gathering, unless you’re pretty certain that the people that you’re dealing with are not infected.” More importantly, it is 22 days after Election Day. They might be through counting the votes by then. And Donald Trump and his Republican axis of evil might be done with all the … [Read more...] about Turkey Day

As the Senate held hearings and debated the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, attention understandably focused on the policy implications of a sixth conservative vote. What got less notice was an important political fact: If she’s confirmed as expected, it will mean a majority of the Court will have been put there by senators representing a minority of the American people. Four justices on the Court already — Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh — were confirmed by a Senate “majority” put in office by … [Read more...] about The power of the minority