How to end gerrymandering: Texas lawmakers' partisan redistricting push seems likely to kick off an arms race in the short term as blue states respond in kind. But there is a way out in the long run, writes Lone Star State political analyst Matthew Dowd. Democrats need to show they won't back down, so that Republicans don't gain a permanent lock on the House of Representatives. Voters need to punish Republicans for pursuing this plan, and Congress needs to step up with a solution that applies to every state. Read more. |
You deserve a price break today: McDonald's announced it is reducing the price of its combo meals as it tries to restore a reputation for affordability. But there are broader economic forces at work, as companies from Walmart to Procter & Gamble have announced price increases, writes James Downie. The reasons are obvious: Trump's tariffs on a broad range of foreign goods, not to mention higher electricity prices and continued high housing costs. And the president's polling is taking a hit as a result. Read more. |
Man on fire: A new portrait of Trump hanging in the White House shows the president striding forcefully between two rows of American flags. But the portrait may have accidentally gotten something right, as the bright orange and red streaks in the background give the appearance of a country on fire, writes Zeeshan Aleem. It's an aesthetic Rorschach test, and just one more example of the way Trump is redecorating the White House to mirror his gaudy personal style — and flatter his ego. Read more. |
A legacy of fear: One of James Dobson's more famous books, "The Strong-Willed Child," advocated hitting children as punishment. The founder of Focus on the Family, who died Thursday, promoted a harsh, disciplinarian form of Christianity that vilified gay people and promoted traditional gender roles, writes religious studies professor Anthea Butler. Dobson's philosophy left an indelible mark on the Republican Party, which has come to embrace many of its tenets. Read more. |
Fit check: The premise of "The Biggest Loser" was simple: Everyday Americans struggling with obesity worked with full-time coaches and a doctor to see who could lose the most money within 30 weeks. The TV show became a cultural juggernaut and turned its coaches into celebrities. But a new three-part Netflix docuseries, "Fit for TV," shows the emotional manipulation and unhealthy dieting tactics that the show relied on, and raises important questions about our approach to weight loss, Hannah Holland writes. |
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Every election season, Democrats vow to protect Social Security and Medicare and point out how Republicans would endanger the programs if given the chance. Republicans always feign indignation at the charge, but no one should fall for that any more, writes Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. Trump and congressional Republicans have already begun destabilizing Social Security, Medicare and even the rest of the American health care system. At Social Security, Elon Musk's changes have led to soaring wait times for callers, while one of Trump's advisers slipped up and admitted his new Trump accounts a "backdoor for privatizing Social Security." Read the column here. — Ryan Teague Beckwith, newsletter editor |
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