Editorial

Trump’s reaction to the Reiners’ deaths disturbing

It’s time to ask the question plainly: Has Donald Trump finally, fully lost it? The latest indication that Trump is no longer just instinctively belligerent and cruel, but perhaps is experiencing something even more psychologically alarming, came on Dec. 15, in the form of (what else?) a social media post. “Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, commenting on the murders the previous weekend of the prominent Hollywood ...

State stresses ‘critical role’ of children’s vaccines

Michigan’s chief medical executive, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, has issued a standing recommendation regarding children’s vaccines, advising health care providers and families to follow the child and adolescent immunization schedule produced by the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American Academy of Family Physicians. “Public health experts across the country, including myself, are not in agreement with recent federal vaccine recommendations,” Bagdasarian said in a news release. “For decades, vaccines have played a critical role in the prevention and control of infectious ...

Are we in a productivity boom?

The U.S. economy has been marked this year by the paradox of a rising stock market but a slowing labor market. Could the explanation be a productivity boom, led in part by artificial intelligence? That seems possible given Wednesday’s report that the economy grew a robust 4.3% in the third quarter. The report, delayed by the government shutdown, came in well above most forecasts. Consumer confidence is down in surveys, but you wouldn’t know it from the healthy 2.4 percentage-point contribution to third quarter GDP. Health care, prescription drugs and international travel were ...

The Washington Post on conservatism and free markets

When American conservatives abandon free-market principles, there’s no telling what follows. The Heritage Foundation has been illustrating this the past few months. One of the largest conservative think tanks in D.C. has been bleeding talent. Three members of its board of trustees resigned. Longtime conservative movement leaders such as Chris DeMuth and Stephen Moore cut ties. Then, on Monday, three of Heritage’s research divisions moved almost as entire units to Advancing American Freedom, the conservative group founded by former vice president Mike Pence. The heads of the legal, ...

MDARD offers holiday food safety advice

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reminds Michiganders to keep food safety in mind as they prepare and serve holiday treats to families and friends. MDARD offers these simple precautions to help keep food safe, guests healthy and the holiday gathering successful — • Wash hands frequently: Handwashing is one of the most important steps to prevent foodborne illness. Research shows handwashing lowers the rates of certain respiratory and gastrointestinal infections up to 23% and 48%, respectively. Hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and warm, running ...

Cartoon commentary