NEW YORK — The tussle over tariffs is the most significant political battle taking place in America right now — much broader than a dispute over steel and aluminum imports. It is the Republican Party’s last stand against a total takeover by Donald Trump. Having ceded ground to the president on everything from personal character […]
Op-Eds
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Maintain identity while supporting others
Isaiah Berlin once inferred “it is the notion of Freedom in its positive sense that is at the heart of the demands for national or social self-direction which animate the most powerful and morally just movements of our time.” This reflects the innate compulsion of Americans to unite as a group in order to fortify […]
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Pity the poor bureaucrat
No, that headline is not how I really feel about public employees, but they are coming in for a beating these days and it may not be entirely their fault. Consider these instances in which public employees have come up short. On Feb. 25, Marissa Kennedy, 10, was beaten to death in Stockton Springs, and […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Why would anyone believe North Korea?
To what shall North Korea’s latest pronouncement to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for certain “security” guarantees be compared? Choose from one of the following familiar promises: Of course I’ll respect you in the morning; I promise to pay you back; I’m from the government and I’m here to help. There are more […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Marijuana not as harmless as has been reported in the past
Recently, law enforcement officials made major marijuana-related busts in Lewiston and Auburn. Many community members commented online through news outlets, Facebook, and the Sun Journal that marijuana is legal in Maine, a natural plant, and that, historically, there have been no deaths from using marijuana, so they did not see why those busts were a […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Does debt bother you?
Although the economy is booming, I am concerned that most of the public is not aware of the current debt situation. After the 2008 crash of the housing industry, which was brought about by banks and other lenders providing loans to individuals with little or poor credit, it appears that we are headed toward another […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Trump's tariffs — a triumph of pride over policy
WASHINGTON — The controversy over President Trump’s proposed tariffs on imports of steel (25 percent) and aluminum (10 percent) is less about economics than ego — Trump’s ego. Frustrated by special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and the reported chaos in the White House, the president, it seems, had to show who’s boss and who’s driving […]
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A U.S. family leave plan that pays for itself
By Ramesh Ponnuru Bloomberg View Proposals to have the federal government help new parents take paid leave from their employment have generally come with serious disadvantages. If the government makes companies eat the cost, it might also make them less willing to promote or hire women of child-bearing age. If the government instead makes taxpayers […]
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Canada, Mexico look elsewhere for trade partners
The United States under President Trump has been retreating from leadership roles in Asia and Europe. Closer to home, his hot rhetoric about trade with Mexico and Canada is propelling our neighbors to start pulling away. Two truths here: One is that the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement — a three-country deal […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Korea denuclearization a possibility?
North Korea’s criminal dictatorship routinely violates weapons and security agreements, so reports that dictator Kim Jong Un wants to “dialogue” with the U.S. and South Korea about his precious nuclear weapons warrant deep skepticism. However, Pyongyang’s latest offer to hold “discussions about more discussions” may not be completely superficial. North Korea’s rapid move from the […]