‘Consistency at the ballot box isn’t nearly as meaningful to many voters here’

‘The hunting tradition that explains Pennsylvania’s wild politics’

Salena Zito at The Washington Post

Bear camp is “about much more than hunting, and for anyone trying to understand Pennsylvania politics, it’s essential,” says Salena Zito. It “sits at the crossroads of rural and urban, illuminating Pennsylvanians’ sense of place and their traditions.” Pennsylvania’s “lack of affiliation to political parties and stubborn refusal to fit nicely into pigeonholes promise to confound pundits.” Hunting is “emblematic of what makes voters in this state tick — because the core principles animating bear camp are not political.”

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‘Australia just banned kids from social media. Shouldn’t we all?’

Robin Abcarian at the Los Angeles Times

Australia became the “first country in the world to enact a social media ban for kids under 16,” and the “ban is an incredibly bold, life-affirming move,” says Robin Abcarian. Americans “will look back at this period of unbridled social media use, free-for-all texting and never-ending screen time and wonder how we could have done this to our kids.” While “parents bear some of the responsibility for out-of-control social media use of their kids, they can only do so much.”

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‘The needless rift between America and Colombia’

Kevin Whitaker at Foreign Affairs

After “decades of successful cooperation on fighting drug trafficking and transnational crime, relations between Colombia and the United States are at a historic nadir,” says Kevin Whitaker. It is “possible that the U.S.-Colombian relationship could collapse entirely, bringing an end to the array of political, diplomatic, law enforcement, military, and judicial cooperation developed over the last four decades.” For “Colombia, a definitive break would dramatically worsen security, especially in rural areas, and enable armed groups to extend their reach.”

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‘How Mayor Brandon Scott curbed violence in Baltimore’

Liz Skalka at The New Republic

With Mayor Brandon Scott “at its helm, Baltimore has achieved what many see as remarkable progress: homicides began a year-over-year downward slide in 2023, and the city will very likely close out 2025 at a new record low,” says Liz Skalka. Scott’s strategy “employs focused deterrence, using carrots and sticks.” The carrot includes “access to resources, including mentorship and job training.” Scott’s “understanding of what drives — and cures — violent crime is at odds with the conventional wisdom out of Trump’s federal government.”

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