'The problem with deliverism is that it presumes voters will notice'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
'Biden's failure to deliver this campaign promise might have cost Democrats'
Ryan Teague Beckwith at MSNBC
If Americans "want to debate what Biden should have done to put the Democratic ticket in a better place, we should start with what he wanted to do and couldn't," says Ryan Teague Beckwith. This "includes most of the social safety net expansion that Biden campaigned on." To "break through that wall of indifference, a president needs not only to deliver, but to do it in such a tangible way that voters notice and connect the results with the president's actions."
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.
'How America embraced gender war'
Jia Tolentino at The New Yorker
The "big two genders are said to be at war. The results of the presidential election can hardly be read otherwise," says Jia Tolentino. Kamala Harris' strategy "reflected a reality that has since been unveiled by the results — a gendered battle intensified by young people, who are fighting for a sense of individual purchase on a world they have barely begun to properly live in." For "those of us whom God made heterosexual, the intimate realm is politicized."
'Massie should go full Milei on the USDA'
Dominic Pino at the National Review
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) "would be a good person to lead" the USDA, which is "perhaps our most socialistic government department," says Dominic Pino. Massie "would be a positive sign that Trump intends to keep his promise to shake up the federal bureaucracy." Massie would be a "departure from Trump's first term, when he increased subsidies and the farm bill continued its long-running expansion." It "could be a good test case of the new powers available to cut the administrative state."
'Why Trump being president again is not actually good for Truth Social'
Alex Kirshner at Slate
There is a "paradox behind Trump's win," says Alex Kirshner. While "his victory has already been good for Trump Media stock, his return to power is unambiguously horrible for Truth Social's actual business." The "business fundamentals of Truth Social have so far been untethered from its company's stock performance," but Truth Social's "path to being a serious player as a social media platform is even longer than it was before Trump beat Kamala Harris."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Prop 6, inmate firefighters and the state of prison labor
The Explainer The long-standing controversial practice raises questions about exploitation
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: January 20, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: January 20, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Silicon Valley: bending the knee to Donald Trump
Talking Point Mark Zuckerberg's dismantling of fact-checking and moderating safeguards on Meta ushers in a 'new era of lies'
By The Week UK Published
-
Will auto safety be diminished in Trump's second administration?
Today's Big Question The president-elect has reportedly considered scrapping a mandatory crash-reporting rule
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
As DNC chair race heats up, what's at stake for Democrats?
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Desperate to bounce back after their 2024 drubbing, Democrats look for new leadership at the dawn of a second Trump administration
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Democrats have many electoral advantages'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Five things Biden will be remembered for
The Explainer Key missteps mean history may not be kind to the outgoing US president
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
'A good deal is one in which everyone walks away happy or everyone walks away mad'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Pam Bondi downplays politics at confirmation hearing
Speed Read Trump's pick for attorney general claimed her Justice Department would not prosecute anyone for political reasons
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden warns of oligarchy in farewell address
Speed Read The president issued a stark warning about the dangers of unchecked power in the hands of the ultra-wealthy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published