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Sorry, Bad Bunny — U.S. is, indeed, ‘America’

Columns

It might be the first time that Bad Bunny has been suspected of cribbing from Irving Berlin. Near the end of his Super Bowl halftime show, the Puerto Rican rapper said, “God bless, America.” For many Americans, they were the only words they could understand and ones they, presumably, appreciated. We’ve come a long way, though, from Irving Berlin’s World War I-era song that asks for God’s blessings on America and invokes the geographic majesty of our vast nation “from the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam.” Bad Bunny didn’t mean America the ...

Immigration is shaking things up in Britain, Europe and the U.S.

Columns

As British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces calls to resign for his appointment of Epstein-tied Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States, one is struck by the sudden instability of British governments. In the 28 years between 1979 and 2007, Britain had only three prime ministers, while in the 19 years since 2007, it has had seven, and may soon have eight. Only one of those, David Cameron, carried his party to a re-election victory, and he resigned a year after being beaten in the Brexit referendum. It’s not just leaders who have stumbled. Even historically long-lasting ...

Who are Jeffries and Schumer to complain about Trump’s video?

Columns

On President Donald Trump’s social media platform, someone in the administration — the White House offered different versions of how this happened — posted a 62-second cartoon video set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” This was posted on a Thursday night and, following cries of “racism,” was removed by noon the following day. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the reaction “fake outrage.” Trump said: “I guess during the end of it, there was some kind of picture people don’t like. I wouldn’t like it either, but I didn’t see it. I just, I looked ...

A clearer outlook for weather

Editorials

Belmont County will be better prepared for storms before they even hit the area, thanks to a new web-based weather data software product procured by the county’s Emergency Management Agency. The technology, from Baron Weather, Inc., gives the agency access to weather information that the general public doesn’t have access to, Belmont County EMA Director Dave Ivan said. With the program, the agency can set perimeter rings at various distances so, when the storm crosses that perimeter, the agency will know how much lightning is in the area. But the most important things about the ...

Self-inflicted wounds can be just as deadly

Columns

On the night of Sept. 21, 1788, Austrian hussars scouting for the Ottoman Army stumbled upon gypsies who offered them schnapps. The Austrians got drunk, encountered part of their infantry, refused to share the alcohol and a fight broke out. One soldier fired his gun; the rest of the army presumed the Ottomans were attacking and the Austrian General of Artillery thought the Ottoman cavalry was upon them. He ordered the artillery to fire. The Battle of Karansabas would go down in history as the world’s worst friendly fire incident. Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, so demoralized from ...

Democrats have an opportunity — if they can take it

Columns

President Donald Trump’s approval rating is sinking and gasping for air. His average net approval stands at -13.7, which is lower than Joe Biden’s was at this point in his term. This matters beyond cosmic justice: The president’s approval rating is the best predictor of midterm election outcomes. When it falls below 50%, his party tends to lose seats, as in the 1982, 1994, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 elections. So the Democratic Party, written off as dead by some a few months ago, stands poised for victory in November. That’s good, but not good enough. The stakes are so high ...