'The Republican Party has become just another subsidiary of Donald Trump Inc.'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'Republicans are no longer a political party'
David A. Graham in The Atlantic
The GOP is nearing "its end as a functional party," says David A. Graham. Donald Trump made the Republican National Committee a branch of Trump Inc. by deposing Ronna McDaniel and endorsing "loyalist" North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley to replace her, with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as co-chair. This is "good news" for Trump. "Given what we know about the Trump Organization and the Trump White House, it is unlikely to be good news for the party."
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 Biden should do at the border'
Daniel Di Martino at National Review
If President Joe Biden wants to show Republican lawmakers he is "acting in good faith," he should do everything "in his power to solve the border crisis," says Daniel Di Martino. He can start by placing "every migrant encountered on the southern border into expedited removal proceedings" instead of paroling them. This would subject asylum seekers to a "credible-fear interview." Only half pass this credibility test. Maybe then Republicans would recognize it will take "congressional action" to fully secure the border.
'Why giving roses on Valentine's Day — or any day — is really a bad idea'
Amanda Shendruk in The Washington Post
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
This Valentine's Day, we need to ask the "unromantic question," "Can we live without roses?" says Amanda Shendruk. "The daily, nonstop, global race to get just-cut roses from greenhouses to your front door makes them punishing on the environment." They are spirited to us from "climate-controlled greenhouses" via "refrigerated trucks and a long, chilled flight," giving them a huge carbon footprint. Pay a little more for a favorite flower that's in season and grown locally. "Romance doesn't need to be limited to roses."
'Biden's commitment to reducing student debt offers hope to millions'
Diego Garcia in The Miami Herald
President Joe Biden's determination to ease "student loan debt burdens has given millions of Americans a glimmer of hope" in an uncertain world, says Diego Garcia. In January, Biden approved canceling debts for another 74,000 student loan borrowers, bringing the total number benefiting from his student debt relief initiatives to a "staggering 3.7 million." This shows a commitment to a "fairer, more equitable economy" that "should grow from the middle out, not the top down."
Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
-
Heirs and Graces: an ‘enthralling’ deep dive into the decline of nobility
The Week Recommends Eleanor Doughty explores the ‘bizarre fascination’ with the British aristocracy
-
The week’s best photos
In Pictures A monstrous pumpkin, a sumo showdown, and more
-
Western Alaska reels as storm aftermath prompts mass evacuations
UNDER THE RADAR Alaskan lawmakers point to climate change as airlifts relocate hundreds from coastal communities devastated by the remnants of Typhoon Halong
-
Western Alaska reels as storm aftermath prompts mass evacuations
UNDER THE RADAR Alaskan lawmakers point to climate change as airlifts relocate hundreds from coastal communities devastated by the remnants of Typhoon Halong
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Act
speed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
‘An exercise of the Republicans justifying their racist positions’
instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in Venezuela
Speed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
Are inflatable costumes and naked bike rides helping or hurting ICE protests?
Talking Points Trump administration efforts to portray Portland and Chicago as dystopian war zones have been met with dancing frogs, bare butts and a growing movement to mock MAGA doomsaying
-
‘Are we just going to stand in passive witness to the degradation of our democracy?’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Do Republicans have a health care plan?
Today's Big Question The shutdown hinges on the answer
-
The new age of book banning
The Explainer How America’s culture wars collided with parents and legislators who want to keep their kids away from ‘dangerous’ ideas