At least two causes work to keep food prices high. First was the labor shortage after the pandemic, driving up wages. Then, unchecked consolidation in the retail food industry and its new twist, called “greedflation,” in which corporations raise prices rather than compete on price.

Construction estimates have the cost of upgrading the rails, bridges, signaling, safety systems and one-time purchase of equipment at well over $250 million, and that estimate was built on pre-COVID dollars. It’s likely $300 million now and climbing, as federal spending will continue to push inflation to whatever levels.

Heaven knows the left fringe has its share of ludicrous dictates. The difference between the far left and the far right, though, is that the former tend to lose national or statewide elections, whereas the right-wing crazies more often prevail.

There may be no good alternative to President Biden for Democrats, but having to hold your breath every time he climbs or descends the steps of Air Force One is a big problem, and one that isn’t going away from now until Nov. 5, 2024.

In view of the long-running dysfunction brought on by the hyperpartisan political environment, the passage of the debt ceiling measure represents a major achievement. It shouldn’t be so hard for such valuable agreements to be reached.

People like me who rationalized that a vote for Trump was a vote for his policies and not his corrosive personality made the political equivalent of a bargain with the Devil.

Seemingly overnight, we’ve ended up coexisting with artificial intelligence. It’s making spoof photos of the pope, scaring the stock market with fake explosions and helping us with our emotional issues. But some are wondering whether there are better uses for the technology: Though intended to be funny, that tweet raises an interesting question: Could AI […]

The Sackler family is immune from being sued by anyone else whose life was devastated by the drugs they got filthy rich from. But they aren’t immune from the continued public scorn that we could — and should — offer them.