'American democracy now seems perilously close to the point of no return'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'Obliterating the fundamental components of a functioning democracy'
Glenn C. Altschuler at The Hill
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) attempt to relax the chamber's dress code flopped, says Glenn C. Altschuler at The Hill. Critics said letting senators dress like Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman, who prefers hoodies and shorts, would further erode respect for government. Senators reinstated the code, but making politicians wear fancy clothes hasn't quieted the "vulgar and violent rhetoric" that is "obliterating the fundamental components" of democracy, "including the 'loyal opposition' and the rule of law."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
'Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley have partisans. Donald Trump has fans'
Ben Jacobs in Slate
Donald Trump "has merged fan culture with American politics," says Ben Jacobs in Slate. The former president's rallies are merchandising bonanzas filled with "superfans" who "treat his events with the same regard that Deadheads used to treat a live show with." Trump loyalists don't make up a majority of the Republican Party, but might be "the decisive reason for Trump's political strength" despite 91 criminal charges and solid GOP challengers like Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley.
'Iran is off-limits'
Jay Mens in Tablet
The Biden administration is letting Iran off the hook for its involvement in Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel, says Jay Mens in Tablet. The White House, determined to de-escalate tensions, is pretending Iran is distinct from "military proxies" — Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad — "it arms, funds, and trains" to "wage cost-free proxy warfare" against Israel and the United States. "Obfuscating Iran's role" only validates "Tehran's regional strategy, thereby shielding it against retaliation."
'School choice is now a reality in half a dozen states'
Douglas Carswell in the Washington Examiner
School choice "is no longer unthinkable," says Douglas Carswell in the Washington Examiner. Several states now "give each child an Education Freedom Account, into which the state pays about $8,000 to 10,000 each year." Parents "can then allocate that money to either a public, private, or church school of their choice." Some critics object, saying this will "defund public education," but that's a bogus argument. "Allowing families to choose their grocery store does not 'defund' Walmart."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
-
July 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include new TSA rules, FEMA cuts, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy complimenting Donald Trump's new wardrobe
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Could Trump really 'take over' American cities?
Today's Big Question Trump has proposed a federal takeover of New York City and Washington, D.C.
-
'Alaska has the resources, but America needs the will'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
Is the Trump-Putin bromance over... again?
Today's Big Question The US president has admitted he's 'p*ssed off' with his opposite number
-
'The risk to educational media for children has seemingly been lost'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day