'Biden's execrable polling has completely eliminated any possibility of making an electability argument against Trump'
Rich Lowry in Politico
President Joe Biden's "abysmal" poll numbers are undercutting former President Donald Trump's rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, says Rich Lowry in Politico. Republicans have underperformed since Trump's 2020 loss. Since then, "the most salient doubt about Trump among on-the-fence Republicans" has been "his ability to win," not his policies or "conduct after the 2020 election." The collapse of Biden's favorability ratings is like a "neon sign" telling GOP skeptics, "Trump can win."
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Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
'The COP28 agreement, weak as it is, reflects the arrogance of global elites'
The Wall Street Journal editorial board
The COP28 climate summit's promise to "transition" away from fossil fuels is wishful thinking, says The Wall Street Journal editorial board. All it does is "preserve the West's illusion that its climate policies are accomplishing something." But China — the world's biggest polluter — and oil producers blocked a stronger call to "phase out" fossil fuels. Besides, the deal isn't binding. "It won't stop China from building more coal plants or the United Arab Emirates from drilling more oil."
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'By trying to get rid of bad people, you could make science worse'
Megan McArdle in The Washington Post
"We need more jerks" in this world, says Megan McArdle in The Washington Post. "Or at least the kind of people who get called jerks for saying things their colleagues don’t want to hear." These people are especially valuable in "knowledge-making fields such as journalism and academia," where their willingness to ask "uncomfortable questions" and say what's on their minds, even if it upsets people, helps them "ferret out untruths, deconstruct popular pieties, and dismantle conventional wisdom."
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'A growing number of Republicans simply don't care about Ukraine'
Fred Kaplan in Slate
Republicans sent a "dangerous" message to the world by "brushing" off Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, says Fred Kaplan in Slate. Ukraine's troops are "running out of ammunition" to "fight off Russia's invading army," but Republicans are blocking Ukraine aid unless they get their "radical immigration bill." Some Republicans don't get how wrong this is. Others do, but care more about appeasing MAGA extremists. Either way, they're showing friends and foes alike that America’s "not a reliable ally."
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