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The GOP’s quiet rebellion: What it means for Trump, Congress and the Supreme Court

Columns

Something important is happening in Washington that many political observers did not expect to see this early in President Donald Trump’s second term. For the first time since Republicans regained unified control of Washington, significant numbers of Republican senators and House members are openly pushing back against the White House not on personality but on power. The issues vary: the proposed anti-weaponization fund, funding for a White House ballroom, questions surrounding congressional authority over military action involving Iran. Yet the common thread is unmistakable: ...

Dear Annie: Hoarding ruined my marriage

Columns

Dear Annie: Eight years ago, it felt like I had a mental breakdown trying to deal with all the clutter coming in our house. I told this to my wife, but her reply was to justify why she needed everything. Meanwhile, my frustration turned from anger to rage, and I started throwing things and shouting at her and not understanding how attached she was to her stuff. I threw boxes and boxes into the trash. Fast forward eight years to the present, and the situation hasn’t gotten any better. Her relationship with me has been put in a box and stored somewhere in the garage. These last eight ...

A requiem for privacy

Columns

When President Donald Trump appointed an obviously unqualified friend, a home builder executive, to be acting director of national intelligence, he inadvertently triggered attention to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The director of national intelligence is the head of the umbrella agency that gathers intelligence from the 17 federal spying agencies and from that data prepares and delivers the president’s daily briefing. Sec. 702, which permits warrantless spying, expires this month. Trump prefers to receive his briefings directly from the CIA and its ...

Antique flags can include copies, which can still be valuable

Columns

The Continental Congress established the design of the United States flag on June 14, 1776. There are several stories about the first Flag Day celebration, such as that it was in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1861, or that a New York kindergarten teacher celebrated it with his class in 1889, but ...

The humanities strike back

Columns

Last year Microsoft Research reported on the 10 jobs most threatened by artificial intelligence. Should I, dear reader, be running scared? Historians are No. 2 on the list. The report says 91% of what historians do is pretty much covered by AI queries. Uh-oh. I majored in history in college and went on to get a master’s. In the movie “Animal House,” Bluto laments throwing “seven years of college down the drain.” I guess the good news is maybe I only wasted six. Eventually, I pivoted to writing, with five novels published and another coming next year. And of course, ...

Dear Annie: A mother-in-law’s criticism could do more harm than good

Columns

Dear Annie: My son recently got married. My new daughter-in-law used to dress so cute. She always had makeup on and her hair done. But nowadays, she dresses like a slob. There are days I swear she doesn’t brush her hair. She’s told me herself that her mom has said to her, “What’s wrong with you? Since you got married, you’ve let yourself go,” and I think the same thing. I want to say something to her, but I don’t want to hurt her feelings. What should I do? — Troubled MIL Dear Troubled: Don’t say anything about her looks. Changes to appearance can sometimes point to ...