WASHINGTON — Two events last week are exceptionally helpful to understanding the state of the Republican Party. They seem to point in opposite directions. In fact, they reinforce each other. The first is the CNN/ORC Poll released on Friday that showed Donald Trump as the overwhelming leader for the Republican presidential nomination. Trump had 36 […]
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Pfizer has prescription to counter feds
It’s one thing for Pfizer to renounce its U.S. citizenship, moving its official residence to Dublin, Ireland, as a tax dodge — all the while continuing to run the business in the United States. That disgusting tactic happens to be disgustingly legal, thanks to our indolent Congress and its failure to fix the corporate tax […]
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Rubio, Cruz represent GOP’s future
A funny thing is happening on the way to the GOP meltdown. According to the latest Quinnipiac poll, the two most popular and broadly acceptable candidates in the field are perhaps the most talented and most reliably conservative. Oh, and by the way, they are Hispanics in their 40s. Donald Trump is still leading the […]
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Taxing multinationals a problem for next president
WASHINGTON — Whoever wins the White House next year will have to deal with an issue of almost-impenetrable complexity and contentiousness: How to tax multinational companies? On the one hand, large global firms — which have never been shy about minimizing their taxes through deft accounting maneuvers — are becoming more aggressive. On the other, […]
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Live life to the end, or not — your choice
In the new movie “Creed,” Rocky Balboa once again mounts the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In the original “Rocky,” the climb up those stairs was the climax of a training montage that has since become iconic. With the gladiatorial horns and sweeping strings of Bill Conti’s soundtrack pumping full out behind him, […]
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Misguided anti-Muslim rhetoric dehumanizing and un-American
NEW YORK — The most recent act of horrific violence in America — in San Bernardino, California — was perpetrated by a Muslim man and woman. There are around 3 million Muslims in the United States, almost all of whom are law-abiding citizens. How should they react to the actions of the couple who killed […]
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Israel thrives, despite threats of destruction
JERUSALEM — More than a decade after my 19th trip to Israel and the Middle East, this 20th visit shows how some things have changed, but the important ones remain the same. What one notices first is the large amount of new construction, which suggests a certain Israeli permanency against religious opposition, hatred and threats […]
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President Obama left with nothing to say
The presidency has changed Barack Obama. His hair has gone gray, which is to be expected, and he looks older, which is also to be expected, but his eloquence has been replaced by petulance and he has lost the power to persuade, which is something of a surprise. You can speculate that if the Barack […]
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Mall-ification of America made shopping a bore
First there was “Black Friday.” Then there was “Cyber Monday.” The holiday shopping markers plod through the calendar like a procession of Groundhog Days. The big difference is that Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog sometimes offers surprise. Will he see his shadow this year or bite his handler? The latest retailing news predictably relates the change […]
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Turkey, Russia avoid war; ISIL remains
The Nov. 24 downing of an intruding Russian bomber by Turkish jet fighters produced understandable anger in Moscow. A trace of Cold War-era angst spread throughout the civilized world. The incident had Cold War echoes. Russia lacks the Soviet Union’s armed might, but has nuclear weapons. Last year its bullyboy president, Vladimir Putin, shook the […]