All Editorials
The Monitor's ViewHow 'play ball' can also mean 'play fair'After Major League Baseball suspended Brewers' star outfielder Ryan Braun for violating drug rules, other MLB players and the players union reacted with surprising support for restoring integrity to pro ball. That's a welcome shift for honest sport.
OpinionTo cut entitlements, US can look to one of Europe's welfare statesThe mounting cost of entitlements will only grow larger as baby boomers age. Four senators have proposed bipartisan legislation to fix one part of the mess, but more is needed. Congress should look to an unlikely model 鈥� Sweden's bipartisan pension reform of the 90s.
Readers respond: How well did the media cover the Zimmerman trial?Public reaction remains strong to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin. In a recent Monitor op-ed, Doug Spero decried what he saw as biased coverage of the case. Monitor readers on Facebook had strong views on the topic, too.
The Monitor's ViewWhat will drive Israelis, Palestinians to talksWith Secretary John Kerry confident of talks starting soon, the new imperatives in the US and Middle East can help drive a peace deal between Israel and Palestinian leaders.
OpinionObama's proposal to tax municipal bonds will hurt states, cities, and AmericansA proposal to impose a federal tax on revenues from municipal bonds would be a destructive and unconstitutional way for profligate Washington to raise funds. The tax would deter investors and squeeze cash-strapped states and cities like Detroit. Americans would pay the price.
The Monitor's ViewSaving children's innocence from Internet pornIn a bold move, British Prime Minister David Cameron strikes a welcome balance between Internet freedom and society's hope to protect children from Internet pornography and the child-murderers who act on it.
OpinionHow TV news failed Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, and American peopleIn the hours of continuous broadcast coverage I monitored during and after the trial of George Zimmerman for the death of Trayvon Martin, I couldn鈥檛 believe the lack of balance in coverage. Walter聽Cronkite warned that without a strong unbiased press, democracy would struggle.
The Monitor's ViewJapan's election rings beyond its shoresSunday's election results in Japan give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a big political boost to push more economic reforms that may help Japan become an engine for global growth. The world needs a healthier Japan.
OpinionFinding peace for Israelis and Palestinians among people 鈥� not policiesJohn Kerry or the Arab League may prod a peace deal into place, but nothing can last unless ordinary people living under the policy see that every Israeli is not a settler and every Palestinian does not begrudge Israel a right to exist. I've seen the groundwork of that dialogue at work.
The Monitor's ViewA dubious drive to legalize online gamblingA Senate hearing focused on regulating Internet gambling 鈥� even though it remains banned interstate by Congress. Such backdoor maneuvers toward legalization only reveal the commercial interests pushing this wrongheaded move.
OpinionProgress in caring for survivors of military sexual assaultMilitary sexual trauma is too often exacerbated by poor care in the aftermath. While the Defense Department struggles to improve prevention and prosecution, the VA is has made strides to ensure veterans receive respect and treatment. But more work needs to be done.
The Monitor's ViewWhy Holder's probe of 'stand your ground' laws stands outUS Attorney General Eric Holder said after the George Zimmerman verdict that Justice will take a 'hard look' at the many 'stand your ground' state laws, such as Florida's. Such laws need challenging as they reverse history's path away from killing.
OpinionTo combat hunger, give land rights to world's poor womenA lack of land rights for the poor fuels global hunger. With no ownership, land is poorly cultivated, and families subsist as day laborers or indentured servants. Giving land to the poor, especially women, allows them to grow food for their families and sell crops to pay for education.
The Monitor's ViewWhat Senate filibuster deal tells young democracies like Egypt'sThe Senate filibuster deal avoids the severe political backlash of the 'nuclear option' 鈥� for now. It recognizes the filibuster's historic role in protecting minority interests, a lesson for newly democratic countries like Egypt.
OpinionUS must not miss new opportunity to engage with IranFor 30 years, the US and Iran have squandered engagement opportunities. President Obama 鈥� especially as US officials meet with allies in Brussels today to discuss next steps in nuclear negotiations with Tehran 鈥� should avoid a redux with Iran鈥檚 President-elect Hassan Rouhani.
The Monitor's ViewIn Sanford and Cairo, a call to worship 鈥� and post-conflict peaceEgypt's Muslims began the holy month of Ramadan with some calling for national unity. In Sanford, Fla., pastors sought to heal a divided community after the George Zimmerman not-guilty verdict.
OpinionUS can't afford to cede green energy industry to its competitorsAmerica used to be the leader in clean energy, but it has been surpassed by China and others. The US can't afford to lose the jobs and economic benefits of green energy. Like its competitors, America needs standards that mandate percentages of green energy by key deadlines.
The Monitor's ViewAs US eyes retreat in Afghanistan, it must listen to MalalaThe young Pakistani girl is a model for the global struggle against the anti-women Taliban. With Obama weighing troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, Malala's speech to the UN today gives reasons to finish the job.
OpinionFor Obama, Bush, Reagan, no vacation from politicsPresident Obama doesn鈥檛 have his own ranch or summer compound as a vacation retreat, so he stays in rental properties, which seem high-end. Obama has also spent much less time on vacation than his predecessor. In truth, presidents don't get a real break from their job 鈥� or from politics.
The Monitor's ViewAfter two political revolutions, Egypt needs a cultural revolutionEgypt's political identity won't be resolved by politics or protests alone. An upwelling of culture since 2011 could help resolve the nation's many identity conflicts.
