'Relying on unelected justices to read rights into the Constitution is dangerous business'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
'Democrats should publicly and vociferously disavow all efforts to remove Trump from the ballot'
Jeanne Sheehan Zaino in the Washington Examiner
The moves to keep former President Donald Trump off the ballots in Colorado and Maine are symptoms of a lingering problem — the "distinctly American tendency to look to the judiciary to resolve political questions," says Jeanne Sheehan Zaino in the Washington Examiner. Democrats apparently learned nothing when the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade triggered multiple state ballot initiatives protecting abortion access. In a democracy, it's best to win political fights "at the ballot box."
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.
'A compelling rebuke of Netanyahu's attempt to subvert the judiciary'
Jennifer Rubin in The Washington Post
Israel's top court just "struck a blow in support of democracy and judicial independence," says Jennifer Rubin in The Washington Post. By overturning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "inaptly named 'judicial reform'" restricting the court's ability to strike down unreasonable laws, "the court helped preserve the core values of the country." Taking this stand while Israel fights Hamas showed that Netanyahu's "unpopular government cannot hide behind the exigencies of war to maintain its authoritarian agenda."
'In my fantasy life, I do not use social media'
Shannon Palus at Slate
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
It's no secret "social media can tank your mental health and destroy your brain," says Shannon Palus at Slate. But "fully quitting" would be too hard and could make us "less connected," because "these platforms are just part of the fabric of how we interact with the world now." Aiming lower and limiting ourselves to 30 minutes daily, though, would leave more time for books, yoga, and other things "to go online and brag about."
'Cutting off your nose to spite your face'
Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times
Young voters disappointed over Gaza, abortion bans, climate change, and student loans are threatening to stay home on Election Day, says Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times. Voters between ages 18 and 24 "were squarely in Biden's corner" in 2020. Losing them would significantly hurt Biden's chances of beating former President Donald Trump in a rematch. "Teach Democrats a lesson by electing a democracy-destroying authoritarian?" This shows a "fundamentally weak grasp" of how things work.
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.
-
Political cartoons for January 17Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include hard hats, compliance, and more
-
Ultimate pasta alla NormaThe Week Recommends White miso and eggplant enrich the flavour of this classic pasta dish
-
Death in Minneapolis: a shooting dividing the USIn the Spotlight Federal response to Renee Good’s shooting suggest priority is ‘vilifying Trump’s perceived enemies rather than informing the public’
-
‘The economics of WhatsApp have been mysterious for years’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump threatens Minnesota with Insurrection ActSpeed Read The law was passed in 1807 but has rarely been used
-
San Francisco tackles affordability problems with free child careThe Explainer The free child care will be offered to thousands of families in the city
-
‘It may portend something more ominous’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
‘The surest way to shorten our lives even more is to scare us about sleep’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
White House ends TPS protections for SomalisSpeed Read The Trump administration has given these Somalis until March 17 to leave the US
-
Why is Trump threatening defense firms?Talking Points CEO pay and stock buybacks will be restricted
-
‘The security implications are harder still to dismiss’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
