Opinion

Commentators in the print and video media often complain about President Donald Trump’s aggressive actions regarding immigration, tariffs, health care, climate change, guns, the Iran nuclear agreement, and other controversial topics, but they recognize that he won the election. Reluctantly, they acknowledge that Trump has a mandate to take strong positions on the issues. But they are wrong. Donald Trump does not possess impressive authority to move the nation dramatically in new directions. Pundits and politicians should refrain from treating the 2016 election as evidence of public approval for extraordinary exercises in presidential power.

As conservative darling and EPA administrator Scott Pruitt collapsed under the weight of his own mountain of corruption and scandals Thursday, conservative media figures were already working to spin the Cabinet member's long-overdue resignation as some kind of nefarious liberal plot.

In a striking case of life imitating art -- or at least being shaped by it -- Rob Reiner became a prominent political activist after playing one on TV. As Mike, aka "Meathead," Archie Bunker's left-wing son-in-law on the legendary 1970s sitcom "All in the Family," Reiner seemed to symbolize the rebellious spirit of an entire generation.

Halfway through 2018, it's clear that the year will be remembered by the history books as a time when the Donald Trump administration started its drastic escalation of what amounts to an ethnic cleansing campaign aimed at nonwhite immigrants. So far, the administration has made it a priority to shake the trees to find every legal avenue possible to throw out people Trump considers too dark-skinned. This has included getting the Supreme Court to approve a Muslim travel ban, finding legal loopholes to prosecute people who are legitimately seeking political asylum, and ending temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of people from countries such as Haiti and El Salvador.

Big business has long been a major backer of the Republican Party, and with the election of President Donald Trump, who has slashed regulations and corporate taxes, many industry leaders basked in the success of their brand of politics.

Conservative columnist George F. Will, who has been a pillar of the American right for decades, has just predicted that President Donald Trump's upcoming meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will be a disaster — and he cited Trump's failure during his summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un as proof.

It sure seems like Sen. Ted Cruz wants to pick Donald Trump's second Supreme Court nominee. The Texas Republican is suggesting that the president fill the impending vacancy on the nation's highest court caused by Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement with one of his closest friends — Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah — and openly lobbying against another one of Trump's top contenders.

In the spring semester of the school year, I teach a class called ‘Happiness’. It’s always packed with students because, like most people, they want to learn the secret to feeling fulfilled.

When it comes to the Republican Party, Donald Trump can do no wrong. Sure, he's ignorant and undisciplined and has taken a wrecking ball to our democracy at home and our alliances abroad. His administration is the most openly corrupt in history and he is personally under investigation for possible conspiracy with a foreign power. But nobody's perfect! His followers love him, the economy is working well for rich people again, they're going to get their solid Supreme Court majority and he signed their massive tax cut bill. Who are they to rock the boat over rampant corruption and betrayal of national security?

Why did so many working class voters choose a selfish, thin-skinned, petulant, lying, narcissistic, boastful, megalomaniac for president?

1. On July 4, 1776, the United States declared itself an independent nation. This is almost true, but the timing is a tad off. According to the historical record, we should be celebrating Independence Day on July 2, the day Congress finally approved the motion made by Richard Henry Lee on June 7: “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”i

As Americans across the country celebrate Independence Day with parades, barbecues, and fireworks displays, the story of a woman begging bystanders not to call an ambulance after she was injured in an accident went viral this week—with universal healthcare advocates pointing to the incident as clear evidence that a Medicare for All system would bring gravely-needed relief to all Americans.