The tech industry finds more ways to tarnish its image

With Silicon Valley Bank's collapse and fallout, the public's patience with the tech industry is wearing thin.

Why tax-free Social Security doesn't make sense

March 20
There are multiple legislative proposals to reduce or eliminate state income taxes on Social Security benefits.
Instead of cutting taxes for a narrow band of wealthier seniors, we should address the struggles of low- and middle-income seniors.

The meaning of Ramadan

March 20
A Palestinian shopkeeper hangs Ramadan lanterns ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in the West Bank city of Nablus in 2021
During this time, Muslims devote their time, attention ‎and ‎energy to serving God. But it's important to remember Muslims are a heterogeneous group with ‎‎diverse practices.

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A U.S. Marine watched a statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled in in downtown Baghdad on April 9, 2003. “Two decades on,” writes Mortada Gzar, a n

For Iraqis like me, the U.S. invasion 20 years ago isn't a distant memory.

It's our daily devastation.
Matthew Yglesias
21 minutes ago
Dr. Francis Collins left his role as director of the National Institutes of Health near the end of 2021, and the position has been vacant since. “At

Want better government? Pay bureaucrats more.

Several consequences flow from not paying them competitively.
Ross Douthat
March 20
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses the crowd before publicly signing HB 7, “individual freedom,” also dubbed the “Stop W.O.K.E.” bill during

Let me try to explain 'woke,' as if I believed in its logic

What is America all about, at its best? What is the left all about, at its best?
Opinion
March 20
“The same year that 44% of teenagers reported suffering from serious sadness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41.5% of

What if kids are sad and stressed because their parents are?

There are plenty of indicators saying the adults aren't all right, either.
Doyle McManus
March 20
A woman who was part of a line entering the Silicon Valley Bank’s headquarters paused for a selfie in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, March 13, 2023

Silicon Valley Bank's collapse: Wake-up calls around

For regulators who were asleep at the switch, for libertarians who found they suddenly needed government, and more.
Nicholas Kristof
March 20
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He's the world's most popular leader. Beware.

Assessing Indian democracy under the rule of Narendra Modi.
John Farrell
March 19
Pictured is an electric vehicle charging station in Pennsylvania.

Utility lobbying violates ratepayers' free speech

Regardless of whether you agree with the positions, you are forced to pay for utilities' lobbying activities through your bills.
Susan Fleurant and Jonah Giese
March 19
“With the right allocation of resources, Minnesota can advance the civil rights and economic inclusion of all people with disabilities. The bills be

Counterpoint: Workers with disabilities deserve more

Proposed legislation will put the people first.
Carlisle Ford Runge
March 19
Minnesota State Capitol.

Counterpoint: Real equality recognizes differences

Proposed legislation misapprehends both the basic realities of the Minnesota labor market and the standards of equity it purports to defend.
D.J. Tice
March 18
“But real law enforcement culture change only becomes achievable, I was told, when a police force is confident that its community and political lead

Does Minnesota 'get' crime?

Recent events have me leaning toward "no."
John Rash
March 17
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China's unexpected diplomatic coup changes the Mideast puzzle

A Beijing-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia alters regional, and maybe even geopolitical, dynamics.
Glenn Sacks
March 17
A photo taken in 1978 shows U.S. President Jimmy Carter phoning at his desk at the White House in Washington, D.C.

Jimmy Carter's biggest mistake

His Cold War anti-Soviet policy in Afghanistan nourished the Mideast terror threat.
Moises Saman
March 17
A view of Baghdad after being hit by an American cruise missile during nighttime bombing on March 21, 2003.

20 years on from that hotel roof in Baghdad, I know the limits of my trade

I learned that there's no such thing as an objective narrator in human conflict.
Gail Collins
March 17
 A multiple-exposure image from a video broadcast of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris during the State of the Union Address in the

The Kamala removal fantasy

Heck, Joe Biden could live to 96.8 years.
McKayla Murphy Zelaya
March 16
Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill March 3 that will restore voting rights to some 53,000 Minnesotans currently serving probation, parole or supervised relea

Democracy should reach behind bars as well

The new law restoring votes to felons released from prison or jail should go a step further.
Marshall H. Tanick
March 16
Abortion-rights protesters gather following Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, federally protected right to abortion, outside the Sup

When overturning precedent expanded our rights

It's not always a bad thing for the court to change its mind.
William Cory Labovitch
March 16
An Election Day scene in Welch, Minn.

Counterpoint: Too many 'third parties' make democracy safe for spoilers

Candidates can try to exploit third parties simply to tilt elections, which contaminates the system.
Paul Krugman
March 15
A worker told customers that the Silicon Valley Bank headquarters was closed on March 10 in Santa Clara, Calif.

How bad is the Silicon Valley Bank bailout?

Despite our general discomfort with bailouts, the risks of doing nothing outweighed the risks of doing too much.
David French
March 15
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Liberty under fire from left and right alike

The stakes of political conflict are rising, and the dissenters will suffer.
Daniel DePetris
March 15
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Wang Yi, China’s most senior diplomat, center, presides over a closed meeting between Iran, led by Ali

Is China overtaking the U.S. in Mideast influence?

The former gets the credit for improving Iran-Saudi Arabia ties — but the latter benefits.
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