'Shoplifting has clearly become a bigger problem'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'Shoplifting is a real problem. Denying it doesn't help.'
Megan McArdle at The Washington Post
It is "hard to pick just one favorite form of internet insanity, but, if I had to, it would definitely be shoplifting denialism," says Megan McArdle. People will "dismiss it as a moral panic and declare that companies are blaming shoplifting for their own poor management." Though "they're wrong to deny shoplifting is happening, they're right that it's too simplistic an explanation." Calling "other issues the real problem, and treating the theft as a sideshow misses the point."
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'Return-to-office mandates are causing more federal workers to unionize'
Gleb Tsipursky at The Hill
Return-to-office mandates have "stirred significant unrest among employees across various sectors, culminating in noteworthy union advocacy and opposition," in the DOJ, says Gleb Tsipursky. The "push for unionization in response to return-to-office mandates is not limited to the Justice Department," but it "evinces a broader trend of increased labor advocacy in response to return-to-office mandates and political uncertainties." As "organizations navigate the complexities of post-pandemic work arrangements and technological advancements, the voices of employees are becoming increasingly pivotal."
'Project 2025 would reserve good health for the rich. We can help.'
Reps. Judy Chu, Nanette Barragan and Steven Horsford at Newsweek
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For "people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, rural populations, and low-income neighborhoods, health outcome disparities can be jarring," say Judy Chu, Nanette Barragan and Steven Horsford. Project 2025 "would end all public-private partnerships with the NIH, including those working to cure devastating diseases," but "there's another path forward, and that's our Health Equity and Accountability Act," which would "build on the ACA and Inflation Reduction Act." Americans "deserve leaders who will be honest about their plans."
'CVS shows women are hired to do impossible jobs'
Beth Kowitt at Bloomberg
Pharmacies like CVS were "one of the few sectors in corporate America where women could make it to the very top," but "each company had an impossible job that needed to get done. And impossible jobs often go to women," says Beth Kowitt. One theory "holds that women are mostly likely to get a shot at a big job when a company is in crisis," and if they "fail, boards then have an excuse to return to the leadership status quo."
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.
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