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Columns/Opinion

Here’s why I trust the COVID vaccines

by Jenna Mermer There are currently three COVID-19 vaccines awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA approval will trigger millions of vaccine doses to be distributed across the U.S. and administered to the first “tier” of recipients, likely consisting of health care workers and congregant living residents. What was only a thought experiment this summer — “would I be willing to get a COVID vaccine developed in the time frame of less than a year?” — has become a question I answered in reality last week as my health department began planning its ...

Ramifications of Georgia Senate runoff

by Carl P. Leubsdorf Both Republicans and Democrats agree why the Jan. 5 runoffs for Georgia’s two U.S. Senate seats are important. But there is far less agreement on how they will be important and considerable exaggeration from both sides. Republicans have a 50-48 lead in the new Senate, which means they need to win at least one of the two Georgia races to keep their current majority. By contrast, Democrats need both to take control, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris then able to cast the deciding vote to break the 50-50 tie. Maintenance of a GOP majority would at ...

Facebook’s political ‘ad’ ban hurts publications

by Norman Stockwell Shortly before this year’s presidential election, Facebook — chastened by public opinion and congressional hearings — announced that it would cease all political ads in order to slow the flood of misinformation and disinformation that abounded on its platform. That made sense, given the power the social media website had over public opinion. But, more ominously, the platform with more than 2.7 billion active monthly users also announced that, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 4, the day after the election, it would ban all ads “about social issues, ...

Even before Trump, politicians had loose relationship with truth

by Dave Anderson Politicians are known for many things, but telling the truth is not regarded as one of their chief strengths. Long before President Donald Trump came to Washington, U.S. senators, representatives, presidents, vice presidents and Cabinet members have shown themselves to be highly skilled at saying what they need to say in given circumstances to achieve their objectives. If withholding information is needed to achieve an objective, then information is withheld. If spinning information in a certain way will help your boss or increase the chances that a bill ...

by Rex Huppke Thanksgiving is over and it’s time to talk seriously about Christmas cookies. “But, Rex,” you say, rudely assuming we’re on a first-name basis. “I just finished my leftover turkey, and it’s still digesting.” SILENCE, PERSON I CREATED IN MY MIND! It’s never too soon to talk about Christmas cookies. Of all the holiday comestibles, none engender more passion than frosted sugar cookies in festive holiday shapes. If you Google “Christmas cookies,” your laptop will explode. If you Google “best Christmas cookie recipe,” your phone will ...

It’s incumbent on us to avoid the spoils

by Edward McMahon Many of my fellow Democrats have spent the past four weeks aghast at the reality that more than 73 million of our co-citizens saw fit to vote for the reelection of Donald Trump. “How could they do that?” we ask. After four years of his presidency, there is no longer any question of how manifestly unfit he is to lead this country. How could our fellow Americans have voted for a feral autocrat, a misogynistic racist, a narcissist, a liar and a cheat? The list could continue. What could possibly have motivated them to make such a choice? Of course we know ...