Editorial

Here’s a little inside-the-Beltway knowledge (in fact, it’s inside the White House gate): In the executive mansion, where people go only if they have a temporary or a permanent pass issued by the Secret Service, there’s a “drop” in the driveway outside the West Wing. A drop is a permanently installed live camera position. There are hundreds of these drops in official Washington and dozens within the White House gate, sealed off by unfriendly men and women of the protective detail who talk into their sleeves. The driveway drop is … [Read more...] about The art of no deal

We need more clarity on school authority over social media, but Mahanoy vs. B.L. moves us in the right direction. When Pennsylvania student Brandi Levy failed to make her high school’s varsity cheerleading team in 2017, she reacted with typical teenage melodrama. She cursed school, she cursed cheer, and she raised her middle finger for good measure. She did this on a Saturday at a convenience store, and she posted the rant to Snapchat, where her friends would see it for a fleeting moment before the post disappeared. Except … [Read more...] about Why a cheerleader’s Snapchat f-bombs are worthy of Supreme Court protection

Joe Biden isn’t known for his austerity, except when it comes to the nation’s defense. As part of his welcome emphasis on competition with China, the president cajoled reluctant European countries at the G-7 summit into releasing a statement critical of China, on top of the announcement of an infrastructure program meant to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative. That’s all fine as far as it goes, but a glaring omission from Biden’s campaign is a defense budget that reflects the growing challenge from Beijing. Indeed, Biden … [Read more...] about China Leapfrogs U.S. on Defense Spending

Twenty-eight million dollars! That’s how much some rich person successfully bid to fly as the first passenger to beyond the edge of space. The flight is scheduled to lift off July 20, and the winner will accompany Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon who, as any Washington Post reader knows, also owns that newspaper. He doesn’t own this paper, so Jeff will have to just suck it up if I call him an American oligarch who has too much money to spend. Bezos’ collection of playthings also includes Blue Origin, the aerospace company that is … [Read more...] about Up, Up and Away!

Democrats in the Michigan Legislature unveiled a package of bills last week aimed at restoring “public trust through increased accountability measures” for police officers. There are a number of proposals that would work against public safety. But the most alarming piece of the 16-bill package is tossing qualified immunity.  Qualified immunity is a protection for some government workers, including police, that acknowledges split-second decisions are necessary in the job and that officers shouldn't be held … [Read more...] about Don’t remove qualified immunity for cops

Joe Manchin is being pilloried for the offense of being consistent on the filibuster. Back in 2017, when Senate Democrats were desperate to stop Donald Trump’s agenda, 33 of them, including Manchin, signed a bipartisan letter backing the filibuster in ringing terms. “We are mindful of the unique role the Senate plays in the legislative process,” they wrote, “and we are steadfastly committed to ensuring that this great American institution continues to serve as the world’s greatest deliberative body.” Well, the commitment of … [Read more...] about The smear campaign against Joe Manchin

A typical day in the Divided States of America: The New York Times is reporting that Donald Trump — in case you’ve forgotten, the previous president — has been telling friends and associates that he will be “reinstated” by August. “He can simply be reinstated,” Sidney Powell told a meeting of QAnon, whose slogan is “Where the inmates run the asylum.” “Biden is told to move out of the White House, and President Trump should be moved back in,” she went on. “I’m sure there’s not going to be credit for time lost, unfortunately, because … [Read more...] about Trump ‘reinstated’

Refusal this week by the Supreme Court to hear a challenge to the military's men-only draft rule is the right call. As the court said, this is a policy decision that belongs with Congress, and in fact, lawmakers are discussing legislation to include women in the draft. Requiring women to register for the draft is a step Congress should take. The military has opened fully to women, including combat roles, and that equal opportunity should come with equal sacrifice. The National Coalition for Men sought to overturn a … [Read more...] about Congress should sign women up for the draft

We've all heard about the dearth of teachers in Michigan. Efforts by the state to coax retired educators back to the classroom by easing recertification mandates are the right idea, but it should scrap a program that's a clear boon to the teachers union. Even after the pandemic, the shortage of classroom instructors isn't going away. The Michigan Department of Education should pursue broader reforms that would make it easier for teachers to get in front of kids now — and down the road. It should simply do away with unnecessary … [Read more...] about Cut red tape to fix teacher shortage

There are several clues that Donald Trump is taking the possibility of his criminal prosecution seriously. First of all, he’s calling the investigations “witch hunts,” which is what he always does when he’s guilty as sin. “Which witch hunt?” those of you who have managed to put Trump out of your mind might ask. You and the fam might be deep in planning a summer vacation — perhaps a ballgame. The spotlight on COVID and that other disease, the deadly Trump blight, has faded. Still, it could flare up again. Right now, he’s not … [Read more...] about Prosecuting Trump