Column

I have written often that there is a common denominator in our deeply divided nation. That is the general sense that something is wrong. The points of departure among our large and diverse population are the perceptions about what the problems are and what must be done. In this spirit I ask, as many have over recent days, what message we might take from the coincidence of the inauguration day…

CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King, in her live coverage of the inauguration of President Donald Trump, said: “I have to say, I’m looking at this crowd, I do not see many people of color. Does any -- does anybody else besides me observe that? I’m fascinated by why that is.” The implication, of course, is that Trump, despite getting a greater percentage of the black vote than any…

President Donald Trump is now officially the 47th president of the United States. Trump’s first inauguration in 2017 was marred by violence from the left; it was also surreal. The media were utterly shocked by Trump’s victory — Trump himself seemed shocked, too — and that disbelief translated into four years of extraordinary efforts to deny that Trump had indeed won, ranging from attacks on…

This week, in a stunning volte-face, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would now be revising its censorship policies to accord with his older vision of free speech. Specifically, Zuckerberg committed Facebook to revising a series of standards: reliance on left-wing fact-checkers will end, replaced by an X-like community notes system in which fact-checking will be crowdsourced; political…

Winning the 2024 election was only the beginning — the Trump effect is now sweeping the globe. From Canada to the U.K. and continental Europe, left-liberal governments are tottering while right-leaning voters, especially young men, gravitate toward populist politics and take inspiration from Donald Trump’s success in America. It’s almost as if Trump himself were on the ballot in other advanced…

It finally happened. For the first time in President-elect Donald Trump’s nearly nine years in politics, his favorable ratings now exceed his unfavorable ratings. Consider Trump’s evolution since declaring his candidacy for president in 2015. It began with broad ridicule. How could the “crass,” “self-promoting” “braggart” win? As he began to be taken more seriously, critics compare the…

The Romans set January as the first month of the year. Originally, March had been the start of the new year. But the early Roman kings, before the republic, moved it to coincide with Janus, a two-faced god who looked backward with an old face and forward with a young face. Julius Caesar realigned Roman governance around January being the start of a new year of governance. The reality, however…

In past years I have suggested going beyond Christmas and other holiday gifts that will soon be forgotten, returned or worn out, in favor of one that will last for generations to come. Last year I wrote about the Children’s Scholarship Fund, which provides private school tuition for poor and middle-class children in failing public schools. Not only do the private schools offer them a better…

Communism didn’t win the Cold War, but it’s doing surprisingly well in the 21st century, including in America. Elsewhere, especially in East Asia, Communism is the tyrannical creed of a ruling class that stays in power by jailing its opponents — or rolling tanks over them. Here, especially on college campuses, Communism is a status marker and a way to make murder seem cool. Fascism isn’t the…

Democrats are slowly, but surely, building a permission structure for progressive activists to kill those they determine are bad. From the rise of antisemitism to, now, the murder of an insurance CEO, few Democrats seem capable of condemning violence without adding a “but.” To their credit, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania have condemned both without buts.…

Before this time of the month was hijacked by the secular progressives as “the holidays” in deference to everyone – except the ones who have a real reason for the season – it was called Christmas. Associated with Christmas, including sentiments on cards we once sent to friends and family before the postage rates and cost of cards became too expensive for many, were the words from Scripture…

One question emerging from the presidential election exit polls is the disconnect between Black men and women and Hispanic men and women. Donald Trump received support from 21% of Black men and 7% of Black women, a disparity of 14 points. He got support from 54% of Hispanic men and 39% of Hispanic women, a disparity of 15 points. There was also a disparity in Trump’s support among white men…

After months of insisting he would not pardon his son Hunter, President Joe Biden did just that -- as almost anyone other than left-wing cable news legal analysts and Trump-hating late-night comics expected. In doing so, Biden effectively confirmed the Trump “conspiracy theory” of a two-tiered justice system. The pardon covers not only Hunter Biden’s convictions on tax and gun charges but also…

Some union leaders are self-destructive idiots.

America’s ports have fallen behind. Not a single one ranks in the top 50 worldwide. A big reason is that dock unions stop innovation. This fall, the International Longshoremen’s Association shut down East and Gulf coast ports, striking for a raise and a ban on automation. They got the raise. Now union president Harold Daggett says…