'A symbol of the faceless corporate desire'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'Cracker Barrel's logo was never the problem'
David A. Graham at The Atlantic
Cracker Barrel is "reverting to its old logo," and the "right-wing backlash to the company's redesign stems from the claim that an avatar of small-town southern authenticity is being overrun by woke culture," says David A. Graham. But "nothing about the change suggests wokeness." Cracker Barrel has "always been a simulacrum of rural life, a corporate behemoth masquerading as a mom-and-pop lunch counter." The "rebrand was a natural progression of Cracker Barrel's original mission."
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.
'What the Iranian regime does best'
The Wall Street Journal editorial board
If "you ever get geopolitical amnesia and forget what the current Iranian regime is all about, don't worry. It will remind you," says The Wall Street Journal editorial board. Take the "news from Australia, where the Prime Minister says Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps orchestrated attacks on Jewish neighborhoods." The "Iranian regime won't give up its forever war voluntarily." But "after June's successful strikes on Iran's nuclear and missile programs, the West has leverage."
'I traded debt for dirt. America needs more students who'll do the same.'
Amanda McVay at USA Today
Americans "take on crushing debt for graduate degrees in business, law or medicine. Yet, in agriculture, the industry that feeds us, you can go to graduate school for free," says Amanda McVay. For the "past century, the cultural messaging was to 'get off the farm.'" But in "steering people away from agriculture, we might have closed the door on a truly rewarding career path." This is the "perfect time to put agriculture back on the career map."
'Why Trump's attacks on the Fed isn't spooking Wall Street'
Nathan Tankus at Politico
There is an "unprecedented weakness of the response from major institutions to the Trump administration's actions," says Nathan Tankus. Wall Street's "passivity amid Trump's unprecedented attack on the Fed is only the latest example." Economists "think absolute independence from the president and Congress is the best result for the economy in the long term." But investors have "continued to have undue confidence in the Fed's, and specifically Powell's, capacity to uniquely withstand attacks from Trump."
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?
Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
‘Conspiracy theories about her disappearance do a disservice’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Miami Freedom Tower’s MAGA library squeeze
THE EXPLAINER Plans to place Donald Trump’s presidential library next to an iconic symbol of Florida’s Cuban immigrant community has South Florida divided
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US