Syndicated Columnists

“A Classic Childhood Pastime Is Fading,” blared a recent headline in “The Atlantic.” The article lamented the fact that the number of youngsters (ages 7 to 17) who report having

Has it really been less than a month since Elon Musk flew off the handle, trashed his benefactor, the president, pledged to kill the administration’s top legislative priority, and, on

Jerry Brown once described reform of the California Environmental Quality Act as “the lord’s work” but he, like other recent governors, was not willing to invest enough political capital to

During his first governorship a half-century ago, Jerry Brown acquired a reputation for making abrupt changes of position, sometimes contradicting himself. The starkest example occurred in 1978 when Proposition 13,

When I’m in Italy, I tend to focus on all things Italian. I consume ridiculous quantities of pasta. I drink Italian wines, although I did slip in a Bailey’s on

California’s self-designated deadline for achieving net zero emissions of greenhouse gases is 20 years away. But what is happening — or not happening — in multiple arenas now may determine

What were the Democrats in New York thinking? Eight months after being humiliated by Donald Trump, they’ve chosen a devout socialist to run for mayor of arguably the country’s most

There are four holidays that occur in quick succession and symbolize our love of country: Memorial Day, D-Day, Flag Day and July Fourth. The first and the last are the

After California became a U.S. state in 1850, its Legislature grappled with how state and local governments would be structured. One decree was that counties, beginning with Los Angeles, would

This column is about the current dreadful state of the Democratic Party. But begin with this extraordinary fact: At this time eight years ago, in the first year of Donald

Editor’s note: This column was written before U.S. forces bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend. It could just be me, but 2025 is starting to look like 1980. If

There’s an old saying that a perfect marriage would unite a sadist and masochist who could be mutually supportive of each other’s neuroses. The adage comes to mind as President

For days, Donald Trump — impetuous, intuitive, instinctive, but not known for introspection — grappled with the path forward in Iran, and with his historical legacy.  Would he unleash the

I have watched with bemusement as some Democrats have excused, justified or otherwise supported the so-called “peaceful protests” in Los Angeles and elsewhere around the country. They have seen cars burning,

If you’ve been Back East watching the news coverage of the riots in Los Angeles, you probably don’t know what’s really been going on out here. That’s because, as usual,

World War II was the most massive military conflict in recorded history and one that redefined effective military strategy, moving away from the static set-piece battles of previous wars and

Throughout the rioting in her city, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has frequently lashed out at President Donald Trump’s decision to send National Guard and active-duty troops to protect federal

An aggressive administration fires federal employees, changes geographical names and appoints a vaccine skeptic to high office. Opponents of the president challenge many of his initiatives in court. The executive

The Supreme Court of the United States recently heard oral arguments on two interconnected constitutional questions: the legality of national injunctions imposed by lower district courts on the executive branch,