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Why I vote Democratic

Letters To The Editor

To the Journal editor: The first time I ever voted, I chose all Republican candidates. Growing up, I was deeply influenced by my conservative (and loving) grandfather. However, the Republican Party in those years was very different from the party it is today. The leaders of the Republican Party have evolved into individuals who put self-interests over what is best for our country, starting decades ago with legislation that continuously lowered taxes on the rich. Federal income tax rates for the top earners in 1965 were 70%. Today the top rate is 37% and the top corporate rate is 21%, a ...

States stress need for vaccines as children return to schools

Editorial

As several area school districts start classes this week, there's been some recent disquieting developments concerning childhood vaccinations. The Associated Press reported a week ago that U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data. The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements reached 4.2%, up from 3.6% the year before. That's an estimated 155,000 children nationally during the 2025-2026 school year, according to AP. It's the fourth consecutive year the ...

Who is Natalie Harp? Americans have a right to know

Columns

It's summertime, and the living is uneasy, particularly in Washington newsrooms and bureaus. At this time of year, historically, serious news can be harder to find than the newspeople available to cover it. The result is what journalists call "the silly season," when you can never guess what ...

Todd Blanche's one promise: Dishonesty

Columns

Todd Blanche was Donald Trump's personal attorney, so it was natural that when he was elevated to attorney general, a journalist asked whether he would "pledge that the Justice Department will always act independently of the White House?" The correct answer to such a question is obvious: The ...

AAA: Speeding becoming the norm carries dangerous risks

Editorial

Feel like you're going too slow by following the speed limit when driving? Recent research shows you're not alone in that perception. Speeding has become so common that many drivers consider going 10 mph over the posted speed limit acceptable, while nearly half believe keeping up with traffic is safer than obeying the speed limit, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The findings suggest many drivers no longer define speeding by the posted speed limit alone, AAA states in a news release. Three in 10 drivers agreed with the statement, "No one actually drives the speed ...

In defense of Sara Cambensey

Letters To The Editor

On November's ballot, there will be three candidates for outgoing State Sen. Ed McBroom's seat in the 38th District. Dave Prestin, Kelly Van Ginhoven and former State Rep. Sara Cambensey. Sara is running as an independent. I've seen many people of both parties not react well to that, even to the point of longtime friendships being tested over support for her. I've seen accusations flying wild and insults online even from people who endorsed her in 2016. For this reason, I feel compelled to re-frame the conversation around her independent run. We hear things like “Fake Democrat” ...