Our Opinion Writers
An alliance of state lawmakers deserves credit for a collective effort to fight disenfranchisement of minority and Democratic voters. But they will need a lot more support to win the fight to protect the sacred right to vote.
A tale of two trains: When something bad happens, local and state officials increasingly are shouldered aside. The people and the pundits now expect all solutions to come from Washington.
Research has found that computer models can predict the likely fate of proposed legislative amendments and the most effective pathways for lobbyists. This technology mixed with micro-legislation could muddle transparency.
Remote work presents myriad fiscal challenges to cities as well as employers. Business tax incentives are also in peril. Are “15-minute cities” the ultimate remedy?
Focusing just a small fraction of our economic development resources on supporting entrepreneurs can benefit all communities. And it’s good politics.
It would be a dereliction of duty for public treasurers and other institutional investors to ignore climate change, environmental degradation, water shortages and poor company governance.
Lawmakers in some states are pushing to make it harder for defendants to avoid pretrial detention. There are better ways to protect public safety that don’t conflict with the presumption of innocence.
When a police officer exhibits courtesy and empathy, it brings into focus the nuanced, complex relationship between law enforcement and the African American community.
The river’s Lower Basin states need a water-sharing agreement. It’s time for them to check their historical grievances at the door, make difficult compromises and be open to new and innovative solutions.
It has put the ability to deliver essential services at risk, and when government fails, people can die. There are real solutions that will make the public sector more competitive to attract and retain talent.
Lawmakers in several states are pushing legislation banning the use of a new credit-card merchant code for firearms retailers. But its use to flag unusual purchases might have prevented some mass shootings.
With a bond issue earmarked for community projects and marketed to individual investors as well as institutional buyers, Chicago is trying to move the needle on social equity. Is it the start of a durable trend, or just a cute public finance anomaly?
Holding a state’s executive branch accountable has a lot more impact on the day-to-day lives of Americans than congressional efforts to embarrass political opponents. We need to expect better of state lawmakers.
These teachings challenge the biased view that enslaved people brought nothing of value from Africa. Banning them is robbing all students of vital history and knowledge of how the nation got to be what it is today.
Proposed reforms to several states’ antitrust laws would give workers, small businesses and entrepreneurs a fighting chance against abusive monopolistic practices and workplace dominance.
For hard-liners in both parties, aggressive action from Washington at the expense of state and local autonomy is more popular than ever. With both parties’ centrists also in the mix, the presidential election looks to be a four-way battle.
