Politics

There is an unfortunate trend these days to further erode the distinction between law and politics. The formation and enforcement of laws is, of course, connected with the political process. On the other hand, the interpretation of the law should be divorced from the political process as much as possible. The problem is that the … Read more

If anything, “Gov.’s Loan for Recall Ruled Illegal” (Jan. 27) shows the futility of trying to interpret and comply with the myriad laws, rules and regulations now on the books. The Legislature passes about 1,000 new laws each year. The inevitable result of laws piled on top of laws is that process (how something is … Read more

California, birthplace of the modern environmental movement, remains one of the greenest of blue states, even while it struggles to cope with levels of unemployment unseen since the Depression. That makes the budding relationship between Republican senatorial candidate Carly Fiorina and billionaire industrialists David and Charles Koch all the odder. The Kochs own and run … Read more

Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren’s six-year battle with California’s Indian tribes over slot machine gambling appeared headed for a truce this week–until Gov. Pete Wilson stepped in and declared he would kill the deal. Tensions between the state’s two highest Republican officeholders became apparent after a proposed settlement of the dispute over the casino slots was … Read more

President Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago club and estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday. (Pool Photo) President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday meant to expand access to and reduce costs of in vitro fertilization and issued a presidential memorandum calling for “radical transparency requirements” from the government, which he suggested could reduce wasteful … Read more

Texas Gov. George W. Bush wanted to talk about education reform, about using state-created tests to measure whether schools are doing a good job, about rewarding those that do with federal money and holding accountable those that don’t. He wanted to talk about raising teachers’ salaries, closing the achievement gap and giving local educators more … Read more

President Bush refers to himself as a wartime president, and he has shown resolve not to back down on the battlefield. But the budget he released this week waves a flag of surrender in another war, the 40-year “war on poverty.” The budget announces cuts of 28% — or $1.4 billion — from our arsenal … Read more

President Clinton will ask Congress on Monday to kill 115 federal programs–and make sharp cuts in hundreds more–as part of an austere 1995 budget that would reduce total federal spending by as much as $30 billion, Administration officials said Friday. Senior White House officials projected that the elimination of programs would save more than $3 … Read more

Former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, a frequent advisor to President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, has concluded that the United States must choose between stability and democracy in Iraq — and that democracy, for now, is out of reach. “I think that’s reality. I think that was true from the beginning,” Kissinger … Read more

Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the Oval Office at the White House recently. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) A federal judge refused Tuesday to immediately block billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing government data systems or participating in worker layoffs. U.S. District Judge Tanya … Read more