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Tradition of transitions

Tuesday’s presidential debate has us thinking about peaceful transitions of power and accepting the results of an election. As painful as it is to lose, the script is practically boilerplate across America. The vanquished candidate puts on a stiff upper lip and goes out to face the cameras. They thank their families and supporters for the faith they showed. The campaign staff is recognized for all its hard work. Then comes the most important part. The politician pledges to work with their former opponent to do the best for the community, state or nation. If an incumbent has been ...

Stop politics, help Kenosha

Gov. Tony Evers and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., made headlines together recently, sending a letter to President Donald Trump asking him to make good on his pledge to send federal funds to Kenosha. The state’s two top Democrats reminded Trump of his commitment, made during his visit here to view the rioting damage and meet with law enforcement, “to help the city and state recover and rebuild . . . You told local business owners you would help them rebuild completely and also help with economic development.” Evers and Baldwin questioned the funding announced, saying it ...

Include minority groups in trials

Scientists and researchers have long failed at inclusiveness in clinical research trials. African Americans, Native Americans and Hispanic patients in particular are largely underrepresented in research into drugs and other disease treatments. Overall, African Americans make up about 13 percent of the population, but just 5 percent of clinical trials. And Hispanics fare even worse; they make up 18 percent of the population, but just 1 percent of clinical trial research, according to Clinical Research Pathways. A 2018 ProPublica analysis found this is true even when a particular disease ...

Face masks for everyone

There’s a lot of back and forth regarding Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden’s declaration that he would impose a federal mask mandate to combat the spread of COVID-19 if elected president. He announced the planned mandate at the Democrat National Convention in August but now he’s unsure. On Sept. 16, he said, “The question is whether I have the legal authority as president to sign an executive order. We think we do, but can’t guarantee you that yet.” Then, during a CNN town hall event Sept. 17, he said he would not have the authority to mandate people wear face ...

GOP should follow its rule

For all their crawfishing now about when it’s appropriate in a presidential term to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court, no one captures the shamelessness of the Republican majority in the Senate more than South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. In 2016, shortly after Antonin Scalia died, opening the way for then President Barack Obama to try to fill that seat on the high court with someone less conservative, Graham helped block that from happening. “I want you to use my words against me,” Graham said at the time. “If there’s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy ...

Shooting, shouts both abhorrent acts

The ambush-style shooting Sept. 12 of two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies as they sat in their patrol car at the L.A. Metro station in Compton was cruel and disgusting, as were the words that some demonstrators reportedly shouted outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where the two deputies were being treated. Witnesses said some in the crowd outside the hospital shouted, “Death to police” and “Kill the police.” The Sheriff’s Department tweeted that some shouted, “We hope they die,” and blocked the hospital’s emergency entrances. At this time, there is ...