'Does the president have the right to order military action without a vote from Congress?'

'With respect to a wartime action, the Constitution is quite clear'

Daniel DePetris in the Chicago Tribune

President Joe Biden's decision to attack Houthi militants in Yemen surprised nobody, says Daniel DePetris in the Chicago Tribune.  It should have. The Constitution states Congress, not the commander-in-chief, has "sole responsibility" for ordering military action, but presidents seem to feel free to pull the trigger whenever they see fit, "without Congress' buy-in." Lawmakers have to show "some backbone" and take tough votes instead of hiding "under the desk" whenever "the subject of war comes up." 

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'Widespread dissatisfaction with Biden's economic performance is an emergency for American democracy'

Matt Johnson in The Bulwark

It's "no surprise" Republican voters overwhelmingly back Donald Trump, says Matt Johnson in The Bulwark. What's "alarming" is that "so many Americans' grievances" about President Joe Biden "outweigh" their concerns regarding Trump's "effort to overthrow the 2020 election." Beyond Biden's age, millions of Americans "understandably" criticize him on immigration. But they "also refuse to acknowledge" his successes on foreign policy and the economy. "This has drastically increased the probability of a second Trump term."

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'Not even the home is free from the assault on religious conviction'

Andrea Picciotti-Bayer in National Review

Oregon is attacking families' religious convictions, says Andrea Picciotti-Bayer in National Review. Unless courts intervene, "families of faith in Oregon will be denied the chance to foster or adopt children based on their objections to the demands of gender ideology." And the Biden administration is changing the rule on what constitutes "a safe and appropriate" foster-care environment as one that "will 'affirm' a child's gender identity." If that's counter to your religious beliefs, too bad. 

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'It's mindboggling that some in the US would choose not to protect their children'

Lisa Jarvis at Bloomberg

The "weakening support for routine childhood vaccinations" is alarming, says Lisa Jarvis at Bloomberg. "A cluster of measles cases in the Northeast is putting a spotlight on how easily the highly contagious disease can spread." It's baffling that some parents "skip" the routine combination shot that protects children from measles, mumps, and rubella, given its mild side effects and the high hospitalization danger the potentially deadly virus poses. The "partisan divide" on vaccines puts kids at risk.

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