NEW YORK — Republican leaders such as House Speaker Paul Ryan have explained that their core rationale in supporting Donald Trump is that only he can ensure the success of conservative, free market ideas. The alternative, Ryan notes, is Hillary Clinton, who would simply continue Barack Obama’s policies. One wonders how Ryan will continue to […]
Fareed Zakaria
Posted inOp-Eds
We know who Trump is, but what is the Republican Party?
The silence of the Republicans NEW YORK — Once Donald Trump locked up the nomination, Republicans were confident about his next moves. He would tone down his rhetoric and pivot to the center. “Donald Trump understands that this is not a primary season anymore,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus. Trump aide Paul Manafort […]
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Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Can Hillary Clinton win the presidency?
NEW YORK — Hillary Clinton has had a good run in recent days. She delivered her best speech yet, secured the Democratic nomination, beat Bernie Sanders in California and received President Obama’s endorsement. But will this last? Can she win in November? There are scholars who believe that the outcome of a presidential election is […]
Posted inOp-Eds
How long will we ignore Syria’s suffering?
NEW YORK — As the conflict in Syria has raged and spilled over its borders, I have been skeptical that there is an American military solution to the complex political and religious problems at the heart of the crisis. I remain skeptical, and am glad that the Obama administration has been reluctant to engage in […]
Posted inOp-Eds
U.S. the greatest but needs to stay strong
NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s positions on public policy have shifted over the years, months, even days. Last week, he managed to express two contradictory thoughts within one sentence: “I don’t want to have guns in classrooms, although in some cases teachers should have guns in classrooms, frankly.” But on one issue he has been […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Business startups decline as young people take less risks
PALO ALTO, Calif. — Silicon Valley has more than 23,000 startups, at least according to the networking site AngelList. It certainly feels that way when you’re in Palo Alto. But it turns out that this place is the exception to a worrying trend. It is by now well documented that startup activity has been slowing […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Do we really want to win in Iraq?
NEW YORK — Iraq is collapsing as a country. This week’s bombings in Baghdad, killing more than 90 people, were just one more reminder that the place remains deeply unstable and violent. There is a lesson to be drawn from this, one that is still resisted by many powerful people in Washington. As Iraq has […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Trump’s foreign policy speech embarrassing
NEW YORK — After Donald Trump’s “major” foreign policy address, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Republican Bob Corker, announced that he was very impressed, extolling “the broadness, the vision” of the speech. The Wall Street Journal said it was “serious.” The National Interest’s Jacob Heilbrunn opined that the candidate was “more restrained.” […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Saudi Arabia: Keep the devil you know
NEW YORK — Should the United States cut off its ties to Saudi Arabia? I’ve been a critic of Saudi Arabia for decades, but with all the problems, I think America is better off with the alliance than without. Congress might soon pass a bill that would allow individual Americans — relatives of those who […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Trump learns harsh lesson about politics
NEW YORK — Having recently discovered how the nomination process actually works in the Republican Party, Donald Trump is furious. “They wanted to keep people out,” he’s bellowed. “This is a dirty trick.” In fact, Mr. Trump is right on the first count and wrong on the second. Political parties do have mechanisms to “keep […]