'Are mass shootings really like natural disasters?'

'Treating mass shootings like earthquakes'

Peter Hanink in the Los Angeles Times

"No one was shocked" by this week’s mass shooting that killed 18 people in Maine, says Peter Hanink in the Los Angeles Times. Americans look at these massacres like natural disasters. "We can't prevent them; we can only prepare for them." We conduct active shooter exercises, and drill home the message of "run, fight, hide." But "common sense" reforms like background checks and assault rifle bans can save lives. "We must do better."

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'When the people who make up an economy say it is not doing well, it isn't'

Ramesh Ponnuru in The Washington Post

The economy grew at an annualized rate of nearly 5 percent last quarter, says Ramesh Ponnuru in The Washington Post. "Unemployment is low, and inflation is falling." So why are people "still unhappy about the economy"? The truth is, average wages have fallen, adjusting for inflation, since President Biden took office. "They are roughly 3 percent lower than their peak in April 2020." American workers "remember what a good economy looks like, and this isn't it."

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'An emphatic win for second-wave feminism'

Jill Lawrence in The Bulwark

Taylor Swift is "the antidote we need" in the poisonous Trump era, says Jill Lawrence in The Bulwark. "She shows young girls, women, and her many male fans that you can be a rich celebrity while also treating others with kindness and respect. You can give away extra money to people who work for you, instead of stiffing them." Crowds are flocking to Swift's concert movie because she's a "sorely needed role model for our times." 

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'The UAW deal will cost Ford'

The Wall Street Journal editorial board

Ford is paying dearly for "labor peace," says The Wall Street Journal editorial board. As the United Auto Workers threatened to expand a painful strike, the automaker reached a deal that will "raise wages 25% over four years and restore cost-of-living adjustments" — a big boost from its initial 15% offer. Now "the real test will be whether Ford can stay competitive" with heavily automated rivals like Tesla as it invests in "producing money-losing EVs that governments are mandating." 

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