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EV’s slow rule changes

It may be tempting to look at new rules finalized Wednesday by the Biden administration boosting sales of electric vehicles as a big step toward slashing climate-changing pollution. But the Environmental Protection Agency rules are more an incremental move, too weak and slow to respond appropriately to the gravity of the unfolding environmental crisis. And that’s a shame, because with a divided Congress, administrative action is the only way for the federal government to do big things such as protect the public from climate change and pollution. The administration blew this ...

Shrinking GOP majority

Democrats are lapping Republicans in this year’s election fund-raising, and could that be because GOP donors are wondering what they get for their money? Donors, both small-dollar and large, helped Republicans retake the House in 2022, and all they’ve received in return is a majority that revels in operating like a functional minority. Soon it may not even be a majority at all. Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher, one of the GOP’s best Members, announced on Friday that he’s resigning from the House on April 19. Colorado Rep. Ken Buck’s last day was Friday. You can criticize both ...

Bringing back the SAT

The SAT and ACT are making a small but important comeback after the tests were widely dropped as a requirement for college applications during the pandemic. Most schools went test-optional, meaning students could submit scores if they wanted but not doing so wouldn’t count against them. The University of California won’t consider test scores at all. Only a handful of schools have resurrected the testing requirement, but among them are heavyweights in the world of higher education: MIT, Dartmouth and Georgetown. Additional competitive schools are likely to join the group, along ...

Homophobic legislation

There was widespread horror and condemnation last year when Uganda passed a draconian anti-gay law that included the death penalty for some same-sex acts and a 20-year sentence for “promoting” homosexuality. Yet it was only the harshest in a wave of homophobic new legislation across Africa, which has yet to ebb. In February, Ghana’s parliament passed a bill making “wilful promotion, sponsorship or support of LGBTQ+ activities” punishable with up to five years in jail, and identifying as gay with up to three years’ imprisonment. It was supported by both major parties, though ...

Biden and Iran sanctions

The Wall Street Journal on Biden and Iran sanctions Two days after reissuing a $10 billion Iran sanctions waiver, the Biden Administration on Friday threatened coordinated Group of Seven sanctions against Iran if it delivers ballistic missiles to Russia. The policy signal these two moves send is incoherence. G-7 leaders are talking tough. “Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia,” they write, “we are prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner including with new and significant measures against Iran.” Russia has ...

Murky waters of charity

The United Nations has acknowledged that employees of its permanent refugee organization for Palestinians (Unrwa) supported Hamas and participated in the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel. Should tax-exempt groups supporting Unrwa be held responsible for funding the atrocities? That’s the subject of a lawsuit that accuses a Washington, D.C.-based charity of providing material support for terrorism through its donations to Unrwa. Unrwa USA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charity that describes its mission as “support for the humanitarian work” of Unrwa through “fundraising, advocacy, and ...