Contributor: If Trump were one of the rogues from Homer’s ‘Iliad,’ which would he be?
Among the books I have returned to again and again throughout my life, seeking solace, wisdom, joy or self-understanding, Homer’s “Iliad” ranks very high. As…
Contributor: Trump is cutting the funding that ensures funds are well spent
Donald Trump’s first term as president was characterized by an unprecedented volume of false and misleading statements — exceeding 30,000, according to multiple news organizations.…
Contributor: Trump’s latest trade war with China is sorely needed
On Wednesday, President Trump abruptly announced a 90-day pause on most of his planned country-specific “reciprocal” tariffs — with the notable exception of the People’s…
Contributor: The Trump administration is ignoring far-right terrorism. That only makes it more dangerous
Intelligence chiefs testified recently on Capitol Hill about the U.S. intelligence community’s newly published annual threat assessment. In a stark departure from previous reports, this…
Contributor: Republicans want to fool you into thinking a massive tax cut has zero costs
Congressional Republicans are trying to pass a budget this week with a massive tax cut that they say isn’t a tax cut — sleight-of-hand that…
Contributor: L.A.’s ‘mansion tax’ needs a remodel. Here’s how to fix it
In 2022, Los Angeles voters approved Measure ULA, a transfer tax on the sale of high-value properties inside the city limits. Nicknamed the mansion tax…
Contributor: The Statue of Liberty was a welcome sign. Now the U.S. vibe is ‘stay out’
A little over a year ago, while trying to secure votes to pass a $1.2-trillion spending package, House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly told the fiscal…
Contributor: We do need some tariffs, applied strategically and predictably
Whenever the subject of trade comes up, many right-leaning free traders and left-leaning neoliberals alike trot out the same talking point: “The economists all agree…
Contributor: What Selena’s murder says about our fascination with death
Selena may be long gone from this earth, but in 2025, she is far from absent. Her face and signature appear on countless products, ranging…
Trump's ever-widening sadism will undermine his movement
Americans are famously tolerant of other people’s suffering, but they have an extremely low tolerance for their own. And more and more Americans are feeling…
Contributor: Can Hegseth ever regain the trust of the troops?
On March 15, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared sensitive details about an imminent attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen — including timing and targets —…
Contributor: The American Revolution has not ended … yet
The ironies abound. As the United States looks forward to the 250th anniversary of American independence, the sitting president is pictured wearing a crown and…
Contributor: Deportation raids terrorized my family. And we had papers
I grew up believing I was the grandson of an undocumented immigrant. My mother, raised in an adobe home in New Mexico behind the county…
Contributor: California needs to think outside the blue box
Perhaps Gov. Gavin Newsom was channeling his inner Republican when he hosted conservative commentator Charlie Kirk for an 81-minute interview on the debut of his…
Contributor: Democrats have four theories to beat Trump. Good luck
Donald Trump’s presidency has all the stability of a flaming garbage truck careening down a mountain. Yet, somehow, he’s still behind the wheel, grinning like…
Contributor: NPR faces a real threat in defunding fight that’s coming
In February, Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency put the nation’s public radio network on notice. “Defund NPR,” he wrote on X. “It…
Contributor: Deporting Mahmoud Khalil wouldn’t be unlawful
The stock market of late has been on a veritable roller coaster, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency continues to ruffle feathers, Iran marches ever…
Contributor: Should the Dodgers balk at a White House invitation?
In 2019, Mookie Betts, then an outfielder for the Boston Red Sox, refused President Trump’s invitation to visit the White House, along with eight of…
Contributor: Mahmoud Khalil’s comments are not grounds for deportation
I have been outspoken, including in the Los Angeles Times, about my concern about increasing antisemitism on college campuses. But the solution cannot be to…
Contributor: In Trump war on NOAA, Americans and the economy will lose
Last month, close to 1,000 National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration workers, including weather forecasters, were fired. The Trump administration has now told agency leaders to…