'Thanks to a stale, uncompetitive electoral system, leadership is nowhere'
Rachel Leven in the Chicago Tribune
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.
'McConnell's political strength is flagging'
A.B. Stoddard in The Bulwark
Sen. Mitch McConnell's long reign as Senate Republican leader "is coming to an end," says A.B. Stoddard in The Bulwark. His "aging is pronounced" but it's the changes within the Republican Party that will push him out of power. McConnell warned about "Donald Trump's wacko election-denier candidates" in 2022. Since then, the GOP's "surrender to MAGA" has become "nearly complete." Now the question is whether McConnell goes out quietly or "in a blaze" of anti-MAGA glory.
'If James triumphs here, New York's economy will be paying the price'
New York Post editorial board
New York Attorney General Letitia James' civil fraud suit against Donald Trump "may be great for her career, but it's a disaster for New York's economy," says the New York Post editorial board. Trump has an iffy business reputation but "he's plainly being railroaded." His trial serves as "a warning to anyone doing, or thinking of doing, business here: A headline-hunting prosecutor" can hijack the courts "and use perverse New York laws to potentially destroy your company."
'Getting students back into the classroom consistently is not an easy task'
Adam Harris in The Atlantic
Schools are struggling to address absenteeism rates that exploded with the pandemic, says Adam Harris in The Atlantic. The number of chronically absent students increased by 91% between 2018 and 2022. Researchers say "building strong relationships with families and students" can get students back "one by one." But such individualized attention is "difficult to imagine when the scale of the problem is so large, and the resources to meet it are so few."
-
What’s the best way to use your year-end bonus?the explainer Pay down debt, add it to an emergency fund or put it toward retirement
-
10 concert tours to see this winterThe Week Recommends Keep cozy this winter with a series of concerts from big-name artists
-
What are portable mortgages and how do they work?the explainer Homeowners can transfer their old rates to a new property in the UK and Canada. The Trump administration is considering making it possible in the US.
-
‘Every teacher is a literacy teacher’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump’s Ukraine peace talks advance amid leaked callSpeed Read Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Russia next week
-
‘These attacks rely on a political repurposing’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Memo signals Trump review of 233k refugeesSpeed Read The memo also ordered all green card applications for the refugees to be halted
-
Pentagon targets Kelly over ‘illegal orders’ videoSpeed Read The Pentagon threatened to recall Kelly to active duty
-
Judge tosses Trump DOJ cases against Comey, JamesSpeed Read Both cases could potentially be brought again
-
X’s location update exposes international troll industryIn the Spotlight Social media platform’s new transparency feature reveals ‘scope and geographical breadth’ of accounts spreading misinformation
-
Tariffs: Will Trump’s reversal lower prices?Feature Retailers may not pass on the savings from tariff reductions to consumers
