Political Op-Eds

Rep. Henry Cuellar writes that a physical border wall will not stop illicit immigration or drug flows. Enhanced modern technology and an increased number of border patrol agents will.

President Donald Trump is about to come face-to-face with his next quarterly brush with Armageddon. Should he, or shouldn't he, scrap the Iran nuclear accord?

Michael D'Antonio says the President may have shown that he can run a meeting, but the larger and more difficult challenge is to demonstrate that he is serious about a compassionate immigration policy

Suppose that in the last two years, you didn't show up to vote. Perhaps you couldn't make it to the polls, despite your best efforts, because it conflicted with your unpredictable work or child care schedule. Or perhaps you decided to abstain from voting in protest because you weren't pleased with any of the candidates. Or maybe you just forgot.

Craig Shirley and John Heubusch write that there's no evidence Reagan was ill as president: It's clear from the documents that Reagan fully carried out the responsibilities of his office and was actively occupied in that role throughout his two terms.

When Barack Obama was a prospective presidential candidate in 2007, David Axelrod gave him some advice. Here's what he'd say to Oprah.

The ongoing conservative civil war came to a head Tuesday with the ouster of Steve Bannon at Breitbart News. This latest twist comes in the wake of a dispute between President Trump and Bannon, triggered by bombshell quotes in Michael Wolff's "Fire and Fury" book.

Monday night, Donald Trump made an appearance at the College Football Playoff national championship game in Atlanta. But when he joined members of the military on the field for the National Anthem before the game, it became clear he couldn't -- or wouldn't fully sing along. At different points, he mouthed some things, smiled painfully, and had his mouth closed.

Raul Reyes writes that Trump's decision to end Temporary Protected Status for nearly 200,000 people from El Salvador is the latest chapter in the administration ugly anti-immigrant crusade.

If Congress approves funding for a wall along the Mexico border, it will greatly benefit drug cartels who see it as an excellent distraction from their illicit activities, writes Alice Driver.

A year after the Director of National Intelligence published its report detailing Russia's attack on our country, US national security is even worse, writes Samantha Vinograd.

Robert Arnberger and Steve Martin write that the Grand Canyon is sacred land, and the Trump administration should abandon any plans it has for mining in its vicinity.

It's unprecedented to see a president trying to keep a book off the shelves — and rare to see a publisher moving up that book's on-sale date -- as has happened with Michael Wolff's explosive "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," which prompted "cease and desist" threats from one of Donald Trump's lawyers against Wolff, his publisher, and former chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Michael D'Antonio writes that Trump's behavior since the start of the New Year -- from his tweets to his rebuke of Steve Bannon -- indicates that he is unable to comport himself in the manner fitting of the presidency.

As the extraordinary vanities and profanities of the drama of President Donald Trump's inner circle combusting continue to crackle, those of us around the rest of the world can take comfort in one thing: at least he is busy.

History has shown that tit-for-tat provocations, mistakes and miscommunications can lead to large unintended conflicts--including "war by accident." Instead of rash actions and Tweets the President needs to use creative diplomacy to bring lasting peace to the Korean peninsula, writes Sen.Tim Kaine.

The showdown between Donald Trump and Steve Bannon sparked by Michael Wolff's book was inevitable, says Kurt Bardella.

Arsla Jawaid writes that Trump's latest attacks against Pakistan are factually incorrect and grossly underestimate the role Pakistan has played in the war on terror.

The explosive comments attributed to the former chief strategist to President Donald Trump -- and Trump's blistering response to them -- both capture and continue a level of chaos and infighting that could capsize the administration.

Dean Obeidallah says he's changed his view on the president's tweets; he should keep them coming because they are a tremendous help to Democrats hoping to take control of Congress in November's midterms

Scott Jennings says Trump's tweets may not be a good thing geopolitically, but asking a corporation to censor him would present a danger to American democracy.

2017 is the year we somehow got away with it.

Regardless of who may be in the Oval Office, the stakes are too high, the potential outcome too horrific to leave the arsenal of the nuclear football entirely in the hands of any one president -- especially President Donald Trump, who, according to MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, asked during the campaign, "If we have them, why can't we use them?"

Sports is often said to be the great equalizer, but can it also be a great therapist?

President Donald Trump's Justice Department is proposing a new question for the US Census that could throw a chill over the nation's decennial headcount.

To reverse the outrage of the blatant blue-state tax, voters in the high-cost states must flip control of the House to Democrats, writes Froma Harrop.

Following past patterns of behavior, President Trump issued his first tweet of 2018 insulting Pakistan and building on his threat to cut off foreign military financing that is one piece of the massive assistance package that the US gives the country each year.

Swanee Hunt and Andrea Dew Steele write that there is a massive shift taking place -- a titanic infusion of women running for all levels of government.

#MAGA. #MeToo. #Fake News. A trio of hashtags that have dominated 2017 -- a polarizing year dominated by the arrival of Donald J. Trump in the Oval Office.

2017 was the year that resolved next to nothing. It was a year of transitions and of unresolved conflicts on the global stage and across continents. Above all, 2017 was a year that posed momentous questions and left them open for the future -- mostly for the near future.

Kara Alaimo says it's a mistake for the library to stop archiving all tweets; in fact, it should expand the archive to include deleted tweets and ones with visual elements.

Peter Bergen says that while there are many open questions about Trump's approach to the world, his team has made some progress in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan

Too often, we forget that this remarkable and fragile place is our only home.

As painful as it has been to watch Trump and his supporters rally, theirs is a dying world view, says Mel Robbins.Theirs is not the reality of America.

Ted Kennedy Jr. writes that while legislation has helped improve the lives of Americans with disabilities, we have not done enough to address employment inequalities.

His presidential "challenge coin" looks like a flashy, self-promotion souvenir that he would have sold in his casino gift shops, Dean Obeidallah says.

Samantha Vinograd probes the motivations of the 100 countries that voted against the Trump administration and the small number of countries that voted with the US or abstained.

The United States took a shellacking today at the United Nations, when 128 countries voted to denounce President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

More than half a millennium ago, the bubonic plague wiped out half the population of Europe. But it has not disappeared from the Earth: an epidemic appeared suddenly earlier this year in Madagascar.

2017 was a year when discussions of press freedom and the media's choices reached a new level of intensity.

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides affordable health insurance for children whose families make too much to qualify for Medicare, is in jeopardy, writes Dean Obeidallah

President Donald Trump's nomination of Matthew Spencer Petersen to a lifetime appointment as a federal district court judge demonstrates the President's utter contempt for the judiciary.

Julian Zelizer writes that Trump's fierce attacks on Robert Mueller, coupled with weak congressional probes into Russia, could bring an untimely end to Mueller's critical work.

Two months ago President Trump was quick to take credit for the looming defeat of ISIS when Raqqa fell to US-backed forces. But the credit belongs with the storied "Golden Division" of Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service, led by Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, writes Peter Bergen.

Since the election of President Donald Trump, Democrats have been obsessed with the disaffected Trump voter. I hate to break it to Democrats, but these voters just aren't that into you. Want proof? Look no further than Tuesday's shocker in Alabama.

Sarah Sanders is teaching us a thing or two about the definition of confounding. As in, bewildering, astonishing, baffling, perplexing, mystifying or -- just plain confusing.

At a time when the Democratic Party has drastically scaled back operations nationwide in conservative bastions like Alabama, it fell to civil rights leaders -- including activists and ministers, attorneys and businessmen -- to organize and energize black voters to sweep the Democratic candidate to victory, writes Errol Louis.

Mitchell Baker, cofounder of Mozilla, writes that eliminating net neutrality will make internet service look more like cable TV, and we all know how much Americans despise their cable companies.

Roy Moore's defeat will send shock waves through the Republican Party as they contemplate the damage the White House reality show is doing to their brand, writes Julian Zelizer.

It is an Article 1 moment, write Madeleine Albright and David E. Price. With the President consistently falling short of the mature judgement and discerning decision-making required of the leader of the free world, Congress has no choice but to respond and compensate.

In a single day, Donald Trump suffered a profound defeat in the Alabama special election and the President lost a Twitter battle with New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, writes Michael D'Antonio

Voters in The Cotton State listened to native son Charles Barkley and drew a line in the sand. They showed the country that they are not "a bunch of damn idiots" and sent the message that policy is one thing, but the quality of the candidate is more important.

No, the entire world is not obsessed with Donald Trump, but you have to travel far to reach a place where people are not following closely -- and worrying deeply -- about what's happening in Washington.

The embarrassing inabilty of Trump's judicial nominee, Matthew Peterson, to answer basic legal questions highlights Trump's rapid drive to fill federal federal judgeships with conservatives--qualified or not--whose effects will be felt for decades, writes Jeffrey Toobin.

Brought to America as a baby, Salvador fought in World War II, earning citizenship through military service, and eventually opened a small business, writes Eric Garcetti. On this DACA Day of Action, urge Congress to give today's Dreamer the same chance to contribute.

My name is Arianne Zucker. Yes, I am the girl in the "Access Hollywood" video that caused huge controversy last October during the presidential campaign.

With prospects looking good for GOP tax reform and Roy Moore's elections, it's time Republicans realize that PC identity politics don't resonate with voters. Congressmen and women should get behind Trump or risk losing their jobs, writes Mark Bauerlein.

Roy Moore, a religious zealot running for a US Senate seat out of Alabama, has been credibly accused of pursuing and preying on teenage girls when he was in his 30s. One was just 14 years old when, she alleges, Moore -- stripped to his underpants -- touched her intimately and tried to get her to touch his genitals. Moore denies the allegations.

Joseph J. Ellis says the GOP tax plan spells the end of the social contract as we know it and has exposed the Republican agenda as the opposite of conservative -- it is a radical attempt to erase the 20th century.

Despite the increasing number of digital assaults against private industry and governments in the past couple of years, we are still in a state of denial about the prospects of a global cyber showdown.

Rolling back Dodd-Frank reforms is dangerous for the American economy and the American people, writes Senator Sherrod Brown

Michael D'Antonio writes that then-President Obama offered sage advice to Donald Trump to avoid giving Michael Flynn a top post, but Donald Trump went ahead anyway.

Can the president of United States be prosecuted for obstruction of justice under the US Constitution? The answer is yes, he most certainly can -- though the initial punishment for such an offense is impeachment and removal from office. The Constitution enables impeachment for "high crimes and misdemeanors," but does not define what those offenses are, though they could in theory include obstruction.

I am dying to know what's really going on with all the President's women. I vividly remember Ivanka Trump, in her blush-colored dress, introducing her father at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. So compelling, so savvy -- her dress cost $138 -- and so independent.

When Michael Flynn walked into a federal courthouse in Washington and entered into a plea and cooperation deal, some people thought this marked the beginning of the end for Donald Trump's presidency. Could Flynn be the man to take down this President, and maybe even send him to jail?

Sally Kohn writes that Trump's support of Republican tax reform proves that no matter how much he insists otherwise, he is in perfect lock-step with the Republican establishment -- and will likely continue to be.

I am writing from Beijing, China, where forward-looking policies in infrastructure, technology and diplomacy have fueled rapid economic growth and even more remarkable technological advancement. By the mid-2020s, China will most likely lead the world in key technologies for low-carbon energy, robotics and advanced transportation, among other areas targeted in China's long-term development strategy.

President Donald Trump is running a dual-track presidency.

Fear not, people. The Foreign Service isn't going anywhere.

An old adage says, "I didn't come this far to only come this far." The saying is quite apropos when it comes to federal prosecutors' offering a plea for lying.

Paul Callan says the charge against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn suggests the special counsel may be looking for a proof of a quid pro quo between the Trump campaign and the Russian government

After Michael Flynn's guilty plea in Russia probe, it's time for Americans to face the gravity of the scandal engulfing the White House--and for Pelosi and Democratic leaders to use it in 2018: people at highest level of Trump operation have been lying about Russia, writes Errol Louis.

Two members of Congress, both veterans, say it's not acceptable for President Trump to speak intemperately about North Korea; the consequences of a battle would be catastrophic.

If Donald Trump worked at my university in the UK, he would likely be fired for retweeting the Islamophobic posts of a far-right British group.

There are things in this world a president should never do, and those include standing before a portrait of a white man who signed the Indian Removal Act into law during an event ostensibly honoring Native Americans, and then verbally whipping a politician by calling her "Pocahontas."

Tax plans can be hard to decipher, but with each passing day, women and moms across the country understand more clearly how the GOP tax plans — both the US Senate and the House versions -- will affect their families and our economy.

The President of the United States woke up this morning and decided to retweet three videos from the account of Jayda Fransen -- the deputy leader of Britain First: a far-right, ultranationalist, neo-fascist hate group.

By aligning with Saudi Arabia in its war against Iran, President Trump has violated a cardinal rule of international diplomacy -- choose your friends wisely, writes David Andelman.

Fred Hochberg, former chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the US, says Mick Mulvaney is part of a pattern of nominees to lead agencies they had previously been intent on destroying or eliminating. This isn't normal.

The president can try to cast doubt on the authenticity of the tape he already apologized for, but it won't matter, writes Michael D'Antonio -- Trump can't erase the impact of the national conversation about sexual harassment, partly touched off by his own role in it

Josh Gottheimer and Tom Reed write that a group composed of 48 members of Congress -- half Democrat and half Republican -- come together nearly every week to find common ground on tough issues

It's not clear if anyone noticed last week when deputy press secretary Raj Shah fired a distress flare from the deck of a White House that is sinking into a swamp as deep as the sea.

David Gergen writes that the presidents who've built the best relationships with the press have enjoyed a give and take with reporters and care about the truth.

Twitter exploded Friday night and into Saturday after Donald Trump alleged that he was offered Time magazine's title of "Person of the Year" and Time responded by challenging the President's account of events.

Anushay Hossain writes that in the #MeToo era, Ivanka Trump can no longer portray herself or her father as advocates for women's rights.

Brandon Heffinger writes that Congress must do more to guarantee medical benefits to veterans who've been dishonorably discharged because of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Each of us who defended President Clinton by dismissing his accusers needs to reckon with it, writes Patti Solis Doyle; only by setting aside party, listening to and believing victims, and teaching our children will we do better.

When Americans gathered at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year, there was one person who was almost on everyone's mind -- President Donald Trump. Some families dove deep into debates about our President, while others depended on strict rules against any mention of politics.

The House and Senate tax bills take steps to right the inequity of the current tax system, writes Carrie Sheffield

I am a lifelong animal lover and vegetarian for whom the idea of killing animals for fun is repellent, and have committed my career to African wildlife conservation.

Donald Trump's sketchy friends and shadowy associates violate boundaries most people respect. These men reveal who Trump is, says Michael D'Antonio.