How Republicans Learned to Excuse Political Violence
Plus: Having Women in Combat Is Still Controversial—But Shouldn’t Be
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WILL SALETAN: How Republicans Learned to Excuse Political Violence
HOW DOES A POLITICAL PARTY get comfortable with the use of violence? How does a constitutional democracy drift toward authoritarianism? The answers are right in front of us. It’s happening in the United States.
On Monday, his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump ordered an end to the incarceration or prosecution of anyone involved in the January 6th insurrection. He granted commutations, with instructions for instant release, to fourteen people convicted of seditious conspiracy or other crimes related to orchestrating the attack. He also issued “a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.”
BRIAN STEWART: Russia Invaded Ukraine. Blame America First.
THE WORD “HUBRIS” HAS COME UP frequently since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine. The most straightforward and obvious application is to the architects of the unprovoked, unjust, and so far spectacularly unsuccessful aggression that has failed to subjugate Ukraine at the cost of some 600,000 Russians (and North Koreans and others) killed and wounded and untold injury to the Russian economy. It takes a little more circuity to apply the word to American and European policymakers. By some accounts, it is not the hard men in the Kremlin, but the leaders of the liberal West that are almost exclusively guilty of the arrogance of power.
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MARK HERTLING: Having Women in Combat Is Still Controversial—But Shouldn’t Be
THE SUBJECT OF WOMEN IN THE MILITARY—especially in combat roles—has been in the news recently, mostly because of statements made by Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense. In his confirmation hearing, senators on the Armed Services Committee grilled Hegseth about his views regarding the role of women in the armed forces. The process of incorporating women into every part of the military took the better part of a century, and I saw the evolution of those roles from inside the force throughout my career. If removing sex-based distinctions from the military was an experiment, the results—in my view—have been positive and crystal clear.
CATHY YOUNG: Trump’s DEI Crackdown Is a Bad Solution to a Real Problem
AMONG THE AVALANCHE of executive orders that Donald Trump loosed upon his return to power are several related to high-profile culture-war issues. Foremost among these is a pair of executive orders relating to “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI, sometimes known as DEIA for “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility”). One bans DEI programs in the federal workforce and corporations with federal contracts. The other directs the government to investigate “DEI discrimination and preferences” across the private sector, including large academic institutions.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Friday… Another broken promise by our neighborhood Vice President, who pledged that Trump would stop any Graeters / Skyline collaboration. It is happening.
Donald Trump in fiery call… with Denmark’s prime minister over Greenland. (FT)
Panda-monium… In the Nation’s Capital, as the pandas have returned.
The two levels of hypocrisy… In Donald Trump cancelling Anthony Fauci’s security detail. (Don Moynihan)
ICE agents denied entry to South Side elementary school… Chicago Public Schools claims.
How Trump will fail. The problem with populism is that it doesn’t work. (David Brooks, NYT 🎁)
Banned from D.C… Judge Mehta has posted a condition of release that bars Stewart Rhodes and the Oathkeepers from January 6 from D.C. and the Capitol.
Is Sheldon Whitehouse in play… For RFK?
Mexico refuses… to accept a U.S. deportation flight (NBC)
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Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article.
