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Columns/Opinion

Elizabeth, the essential queen, dies

“The Queen is dead. Long live the King.”Some would add to that traditional and ringing appeal, “God save the monarchy.”It may not need saving, but the British monarchy won’t be the same. Queen Elizabeth II was a one-off, as they say.I clearly remember the death of King George VI and the ascent of the 23-year-old Elizabeth. I was living in a far corner of the British Empire, in Southern Rhodesia.In the colonies, we were a study in patriotism, and we believed in Britain and the empire itself as nearly a divine intention. We almost believed in the divinity of the monarch.More, we ...

A bold idea for Liz Cheney

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Following her Republican primary defeat on Aug. 16, Rep. Liz Cheney referenced Lincoln’s words while introducing the establishment of her new leadership PAC, called The Great Task. This great task that Cheney is undertaking is enormous and it will require innovative political tactics.I propose thinking of the Great Task as a triangle, whose mission is to save our democracy. The three angles are all important on their own, but would yield the greatest benefit if they all work together. The first angle is as Cheney has already laid out: ...

Is the Republican ‘Red Wave’ fading for media?

People who follow politics are familiar with the scenario. When a Republican “wave” appears likely, or a Republican presidential candidate develops a significant lead over the Democrat candidate, the media begin reporting “stories” that the wave is receding, and the Democrat is gaining ground. Television networks prefer close races because it adds to ratings. For once influential newspapers, it used to help sales. Are these claims true? It doesn’t matter to the media. A majority of journalists identify as liberals/Democrats.Neither does it matter how often polls are ...

Scourge of originalism taking over SCOTUS

In 1987, the Senate rejected the nomination of Judge Robert Bork for the Supreme Court because it found his originalist views unacceptable. As a law professor, Bork argued that the meaning of a constitutional provision is fixed when it is adopted and can be changed only by amendment.Under this view, there would be no constitutional protection for abortion or other privacy rights, no protection for women or gays and lesbians from discrimination, and no right to freedom of speech except for political expression. Bork, who was impeccably qualified, was defeated by the largest margin of any ...

Good luck getting a glass of water in Jackson, Miss.

There is no water in Jackson, Miss. Not at this writing, at least. At this writing, the nearly 150,000 residents of the state capital have been advised that even if they are able to coax some of the precious liquid from their taps — water pressure is feeble — it is unsafe for drinking, bathing, or washing dishes.Note, please, that they were already under a boil-water order — the latest in a series. Then heavy rains and flooding overwhelmed the primary water treatment plant in a city where some of the pipes date to the days Model T’s still trundled dirt roads and biplanes carved ...