Opinion

Cartoon of the Day

<br>Lisa Benson/Washington Post Writers Group

GOP inadvertently benefiting Obamacare

If they want to repeal, replace or merely fix Obamacare, Senate Republicans now have no choice but to try to legislate piecemeal changes the old-fashioned way — with hearings, open debate and even a measure of bipartisanship.

DeVos right to revisit campus sexual assault guidance

There’s no denying that sexual assault on campus was historically underreported and largely unaddressed, but that is no longer the case. The pendulum has swung too far in the other direction.

Even the best generals can only do so much

Relying on generals to determine questions of war and peace creates unrealistic — and troubling — expectations for those same generals to craft policy and oversee, unchecked, a military that was intentionally designed to follow the command of a civilian.

OPINION

US position on the poles still carries weight

Melting polar ice is revealing enormous mineral deposits previously unavailable. That is changing political dynamics both within and between nations.

OPINION

Liu’s death marks dark times for dissent in China

Dissent and critical expression have been chilled, and it seems increasingly clear that Chinese officials aren’t bothered by censure from abroad.

OPINION

US disrespecting wartime allies who served at great risk

Nine years ago, Taliban insurgents attacked me and my squad during a routine mission in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province. Those insurgents would have killed us had it not been for Janis Shenwary, our Afghan translator, who shot and killed two of them.

OPINION

Iraqi Kurds want US to play divorce lawyer

But Baghdad opposes talk of secession, and with the United States committed to a one-Iraq policy, it’s going to be an uphill fight.

OPINION

Sky’s no longer the limit for Air Force

Only the United States has the capacity to be, as retired Adm. Gary Roughead and Kori Schake say in a Brookings Institution study, “guarantors of the global commons — the seaways and airways, and now the cyber conduits.”

OPINION

Congress achieves bipartisan failure on Obamacare

At this moment, however, neither party looks likely to take responsibility for its own failures, much less for fixing the problem.

<br>Walt Handelsman/Tribune Content Agency

OPINION

When repeal and replace becomes regroup

It wasn’t quite a wicked-witch-is-dead Munchkin happy dance, but the white noise of foregone conclusions drowned out Republicans’ relatively muted regret over their failure to repeal and replace Obamacare.

OPINION

Is quiet persuasion more effective than shouting?

If a political narrative is repeated often enough, backed by a chorus of cheerleaders, it’s very hard to rebut directly.

OPINION

Meeting with a Russian isn’t smart, but it’s not a crime

Criminalizing all dumb moves in political campaigns would effectively eviscerate the First Amendment.

OPINION

Terrorism threat posed by ISIS isn’t going away

The fall of Mosul and Raqqa won’t solve the problem that led to ISIS’ rise: the misrule of Sunni Muslim areas by governments in Baghdad and Damascus.

OPINION

Venezuelans rocked the vote on their own

Since it lost control of parliament in the national vote in December 2015, the increasingly authoritarian government seems to have concluded that democratic elections are a luxury it can no longer afford.
OPINION

N. Korea is bombastic, and its threat is overstated

The threat North Korea poses is serious, but not an imminent one to the U.S. homeland.
OPINION

Smaller carbon footprint via fewer footprints?

Children are ruining the world, according to recent reporting at least. The overpopulation doomsayers are at it again.
OPINION

Trinity: The test that changed the world

As the Manhattan Project showed, perseverance and resources matter.
Opinion

Tuskegee Airmen justly honored once again

Thumbs up to the Waseca County Free Fair, which this week provided a platform for two surviving members of the fabled Tuskegee Airmen squadron to tell their remarkable stories.
Opinion

Those who died represented all Americans with courage and honor

MARSOC may not be a familiar military acronym to most Americans. Marine Raiders, a far more stirring name, goes back to World War II and is associated with some of the most daring exploits in the Pacific theater. Marines are tough. Raiders are their best. There are only 2,700. Thirty-one Raiders have been killed in combat since 2006. These losses are costly.
OPINION

The West again has work to do in the Balkans

Engulfed by a plethora of challenges, the European Union has clearly relegated the integration of the western Balkans to the back burner.
OPINION

Why China’s leaders are so terrified of dissent

What fear could motivate such cruelty?
OPINION

Media’s martyr complex complicates coverage

That there is relatively little organic reaction to the president’s criticisms outside of offended newsrooms is the best proof of the merits of Trump’s complaints.
OPINION

Pence lauded humble leaders, then cited Trump

The list of Trump’s boasts are endless.
OPINION

On a mission to protect national monuments

A veteran wouldn’t give that treasure away. A veteran would protect it, fight for it and preserve it for all Americans, for all generations.
OPINION

How to make ISIS’ defeat permanent

Their defeat diminishes the inspiration for violent extremists, or simply lost souls on social media, to attack Americans and our friends.
OPINION

Embrace the courage of modern moderates

Speaking moderately doesn’t mean being without conviction. The moderate must speak firmly to both sides.
OPINION

Is Pence betting Trump will leave the equation?

Pence’s activities seem to signal doubts about whether there will even be a Trump-Pence ticket to run in 2020.
OPINION

Only Russian connection question now is depth

Whether Russian efforts made a difference in the vote tally, they should certainly make a difference in America’s view of its president.
OPINION

Journalists need to stop taking Trump’s bait

The media have a bad habit of turning themselves into the story.
OPINION

A warriors’ kinship helped defeat ISIS

The marriage of local ground forces with U.S. drones, warplanes and intelligence has been potent.
OPINION

Republicans won’t stop fighting with each other

The small band of moderate Republicans is objecting to the substance and optics of giving goodies to the rich while slicing social programs. Fiscal hawks are fretting over spiraling deficits even as supply-side colleagues and those representing special interests believe most any tax cut is good.
OPINION

At G-20, Trump showed hopeful signs

Trump finally made it clear that he accepts the 68-year-old obligation to defend NATO countries from Russian pressure.
OPINION

Scorecards force low-ranked nations to act

If your country is at the bottom of a well-respected scorecard for “Ease of Doing Business,” you might find that international businesses start to avoid investing in your economy.
OPINION

Employ ‘safe harbor’ plan for hiring older workers

The key to helping older workers find jobs is to reduce the costs of letting them go.
Opinion

Strong words from the Revolution, some see as fitting description of modern times

Over the Fourth of July holiday, National Public Radio tweeted out the exact text of the Declaration of Independence, and some took it as a political statement and radical call against the current administration.
OPINION

Trump seeks unity at site where Poles had to go it alone

In essence, Trump called on Poland to help the United States in the struggle of Western civilization against Islamist terrorism — though at times he made it sound as if the real enemy were cultural, not political.
OPINION

Kim playing last card: Nuclear game theory

Kim Jong Un appears to believe his regime is resilient enough as it is as long as the U.S. cannot use military force against it. Because of that, further sanctions won’t change his calculus.
OPINION

The world is about to change even faster

It is easy to ignore not only the speed at which disruption caused by technology is affecting society but the acceleration in the pace of change. This acceleration and its effect on markets, companies and labor is astonishing.
OPINION

‘Retail apocalypse’ can bring suburban renaissance

The decline of physical retail will thus force the U.S. to rethink its entire idea of what a city is for. Why do people live near each other, if not to shop at the same places?
Military update

Vets online exchange benefit being tested, nearer for millions

Veterans’ online exchange shopping, currently in beta testing, is set to open for millions of honorably discharged veterans on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
OPINION

It’s time to prepare for Iran’s political collapse

The planning must start today; once the crisis breaks out, it will be too late for America to be a player.
OPINION

How to push China to do more on N. Korea

North Korea is the land of lousy options. We should be looking for a strategy that gives us not only a better chance of success but also some advantages if it fails.
OPINION

Republican health plan should be more ambitious

Health care continues to vex Republicans, with the demands of conservatives, moderates, the Senate parliamentarian and the public at large seemingly incapable of being reconciled.
OPINION

Complications for pre-existing conditions

We are already sick with worry about the actual health of our children; we shouldn’t also be sick over what being sick could mean to our wallets.
OPINION

Fix Military Lending Act’s growing pains

Ironically, rules intended to protect military families from abusive lending practices are driving some away from responsible financial institutions and back into the arms of the predatory lenders.
OPINION

Working with Russia could improve Syria

Working with Russia may be the only way to reduce the level of violence in Syria and to create a foundation for a calmer, more decentralized nation that can eventually recover from its tragic war.
OPINION

Why are these tweets different from the rest?

If these tweets fortify Trump's base, that speaks volumes about those who would be buoyed by such conduct. But that’s an exercise in diminishing returns.
OPINION

The Bible played a role in the creation of the US

Not all of the founders acknowledged the Bible as the revealed Word of God. Nonetheless, it was widely regarded as a receptacle of great wisdom and, especially Jesus’ teachings, a handbook for ethical and virtuous conduct.
OPINION

Baker’s business, and artistic freedom, on the line

Those who oppose Phillips argue that the interests of same-sex couples seeking artists should outweigh his freedom. This argument, however, misperceives the competing interests.
OPINION

Trump loves bill that breaks his promises

Republicans would give people a choice between plans they couldn’t afford to buy and plans they couldn’t afford to use.
OPINION

Republicans have a case for reforming Medicaid

Republican efforts to pass health care legislation are in jeopardy again, in part because of controversy over its potential impact on Medicaid. But the Republican reforms are more moderate, and more worthwhile, than they are getting credit for.
OPINION

Why ‘God Bless the USA’ speaks to this American

When Lee Greenwood sings in “God Bless the U.S.A.” that he’d “gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today,” it’s easy to understand where that sentiment comes from. You fight for what you love.
OPINION

Modify Obamacare to satisfy both parties

Looking at health care more broadly, there are two areas where Republicans and Democrats enthusiastically agree: the need to address the opioid crisis and the need to lower medical spending.
OPINION

It’s a good time to listen to young Lincoln

Independence Day arrives this year during a period of intense political polarization, anger and distrust, potentially jeopardizing the ideals for which the American Revolution was fought.
OPINION

Happy Independence Day from Poland

As a proud and active member of NATO, we are grateful to be allied to the most powerful nation in the world, America, a country with which we share a love of liberty.
Opinion

'We sort of choked:' How US presidents missed the Russia threat

"I feel like we sort of choked." That's how one former administration official recently described President Barack Obama's failure to react to intelligence reports on Kremlin attempts to influence the U.S. election. Plenty of other people have also asked why more wasn't done.
OPINION

Room for skepticism on wider Syria policy

When the White House announced that Syria might be preparing another poison gas attack — and warned of dire consequences — critics were wary. Some saw the warning as a “wag the dog” feint. Others saw the warning as a pure pretext for sending thousands of U.S. ground troops to Syria in the near future.
Opinion

On Cuba, Trump is right

The regime of Raul Castro and his late brother Fidel has murdered people left and right, mainly on the right, those who aspire to freedom. There are still political prisoners, the elections are fake and protest can get you in deep trouble.
OPINION

‘Repeal and replace’? Try ‘tweak and move on.’

A market-driven health care system with government at the periphery would implement the lesson of Social Security: Government is good at sending checks to identifiable cohorts. It should send support to those who need it for purchasing premiums, then get out of the way.
OPINION

A sign to go slow on reaching $15 an hour

Nonguaranteed working hours give employers a new way to defray the higher costs imposed by a minimum-wage increase.
OPINION

High court review will expose travel ban’s flaws

The president needs to issue an actual “finding” that immigrants of these nationalities would be detrimental if allowed to enter. It is not good enough for him simply to recite the law’s words and assert without explanation that certain foreigners are detrimental.
OPINION

Obamacare’s faulty premise infects process

Somewhere between the thorny cliffs of Dire Straits and the gently sweeping shores of Obamaland is a big enough boat to get us to market-based health care reform.
OPINION

[Country X] First: The global politics of selfishness

The nearly universal slogan among countries that might once have acted with more restraint seems to be: “Go for it.”
OPINION

Justices weaken the church-state divide

In a decision of historical significance, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that a church is entitled to direct government funding to resurface its playground. It’s the first time the court has used the free exercise clause of the Constitution to require a direct transfer of taxpayers’ money to a church.
OPINION

Churchill defies Trump’s tycoon template

Is running a country essentially the same as running a business? Many Americans — especially those who voted for Trump — instinctively assume that the answer is yes.
OPINION

Is there still room in Arlington for Rebel soldiers?

With today’s full-out mania to wipe away visible Civil War history, at least the tributes to the South’s heroes, perhaps some plots could be freed up by removing what some see as symbols of treason.
OPINION

Mattis has power, but that’s not support

A foreign policy, like an economic policy, can succeed only if it has political backing. Difficult decisions will be accepted by the public only if they have political legitimacy.
Opinion

Strike balance between deterrence, reducing Okinawa's US base burden

Maintaining the deterrence power of the U.S. military is indispensable to securing peace for Japan. At the same time, it is necessary to reduce the excessive burdens imposed on Okinawa Prefecture for hosting U.S. bases. Striking a balance between these two is essential.
Opinion

Senate health-care bill could be one of the GOP's greatest accomplishments

For decades, free-market health-reform advocates have argued that the single best idea for improving U.S. health care is to maximize the number of Americans who can afford to buy health insurance for themselves, instead of having to depend on the government or their employer. The Senate bill transforms the American health insurance landscape in this direction.
OPINION

When political differences become contempt

The culture of contempt permeating our politics has now had near-fatal consequences. We need to put on the brakes and learn how to distinguish once again between our opponents and our enemies.
OPINION

Why Republicans will pass health bill

Health care legislation is a vehicle to achieve a pre-eminent goal of the Republican Party — transferring more wealth to the wealthy.
OPINION

Uber’s boss didn’t resign for bad behavior

The truth is more prosaic. The other problems compounded the basic one: He lost a lot of money.
OPINION

Neighbors’ blockade on Qatar is a smokescreen

The blockading countries are clearly seeking to drive a wedge between Qatar and the United States for their own political gain.
OPINION

China won’t – and can’t – solve North Korea

Beijing would rather deal with consequences of a trade war with Washington than with those of a real war nearby — even though it is no hurry to advertise this position.
OPINION

The ‘government we deserve’ axiom still reigns

Both an informed, engaged electorate that turns out to vote and an uninformed, apathetic electorate that stays home deserve what they get.
OPINION

Even police act with a fear of blackness

What becomes of a society where race warps the functioning of the justice system, where juries, observing these horrors on video, nevertheless deem fear of blackness reasonable?
OPINION

The constitutional crisis that almost was

Our vulnerability to terrorism remains great; we know that decapitating our government is a prime goal of terrorist organizations.
OPINION

VA can’t meet vets’ needs short 49,300 workers

What can we do today to make it right today? We can ask lawmakers to fill the vacant positions at the VA immediately.
OPINION

Teen’s callousness alone isn’t a crime

Not even her own sense of blame and remorse, as subsequently expressed in texts to friends, should be construed as legal guilt.
OPINION

Partisan gerrymandering inhibits democracy

The principle is simple: Elections should be fair and should be designed so that voters choose their elected officials, not the other way around.
OPINION

On-camera briefings can seem silly, but they’re vital

Press briefings provide a vivid, daily accounting to the public of the president’s actions, and, more critically, his and the White House’s competence and credibility.
OPINION

Gun saturation, preoccupation: Scary pop culture

Americans have always been fond of guns, but as an index on our current interest, try to count the number of gunshots you hear during the trailers for coming attractions the next time you go to the movies.
OPINION

Recent uses of military lacked a strategic vision

We have the strongest military in the world. What is rarely considered, however, is what the successful application of that military power is intended to accomplish.
OPINION

This congressman’s going to carry a gun

I owe it to the people in my community, God help me, to try to stop a threat to their safety, should it ever occur because of my presence.
OPINION

Law makes VA treat some family caregivers better than others

The sacrifice of caregivers is too often overlooked. For Donna Joyner and Jason Courneen, it's more like they were bypassed.
OPINION

Why I can’t stop thinking about Otto Warmbier

The gulag of the Soviet Union, the concentration camps of Nazi Germany — they have been roughly replicated in North Korea. The whole world knows this — the U.N. report is a public document — and yet the regime lives on. How can that be?
OPINION

Sad times if Congress can’t connect

While some steps are obviously prudent, we become a different country if every backbench legislator is accompanied by a security detail on trips to the grocery story or the Little League field.
OPINION

US sanctions Russia; Europe says ouch

U.S. legislators' zeal in trying to punish Russia shouldn’t be served at the expense of the Western alliance’s already diminished cohesion.
OPINION

Wider world doesn’t care for Beltway news

Against real news of real tragedy, the manufactured outrage of the day just doesn’t impress.
OPINION

‘Let Rex handle it’ strategy’s 1st test is Qatar

Trump’s instinct was to side with the Saudis and Emiratis. But over the subsequent 10 days, Trump decided to give Tillerson responsibility for negotiating a solution.
OPINION

London fire a window into West’s woes

Some of the theories about the fire may prove to be overblown. But that such ideas are even being aired tells you a lot about the problems festering in British society.
OPINION

Attack on GOP baseball practice was a hate crime

Maybe we ourselves are the problem, we are the infection, we with our harsh and brutal words scattered across the internet miles with impunity.
OPINION

Trump should look into why he lashes out

Trump’s go-to move when he feels under attack is to respond in a way that exacerbates the situation.
OPINION

Resist impulse to exploit ballfield shooting

Even rough-and-tumble rhetoric, even stupid, vulgar demagoguery, does not necessarily incite violence. Yet in times of polarization, the constant barrage of such words can, and does, deplete reservoirs of trust that society must draw upon in response to violence.
OPINION

We need courage to face our gun-safety problem

We must stand together. And serve together. And work toward solutions together.
OPINION

What the Comey hearing confirmed about Washington

It was the kind of empty spectacle Americans are used to from Washington, entertaining perhaps in a gossipy sort of way, but signifying and changing nothing.
OPINION

Few clear heads when Trump acts, we react

The trouble is that when one is daily immersed in clouds of distraction, it’s difficult to recall what “normal” looks like.
OPINION

The folly of ADA regulations in the digital age

Congress should either exempt websites and their related content from the requirements of the ADA, or enact detailed guidelines for the accommodations required by the law.
OPINION

Wise move is to leave Mueller in place

The president’s friends are now pressing the argument that Mueller must go. If so, this crippling scandal could veer into a much more dangerous phase of presidential lawlessness.
OPINION

Few willing to sacrifice to cut carbon

It’s easy to howl about Paris. It’s much harder to accept the reality that our current standards of living would have to drastically change to make any kind of significant difference in carbon emissions.