Blue wave offers hope

While victories in a few key states enabled President Trump’s election two years ago despite a popular-vote defeat, his fellow Republicans couldn’t be saved by the formidable advantages of incumbency, gerrymandering and geographic distribution. It’s a testament to the scope of the Democratic sweep that Republicans could have given up as many as 22 seats — and lost the overall vote by more than twice as much as Trump did — and still held onto the House.

That they didn’t is a powerful rebuke indeed.

Nov. 7

Furious at Facebook over breaches

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg — once considered a possible Democratic presidential candidate — and the company’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg — once considered a potential Cabinet appointee for a Hillary Clinton administration and a very public champion for women’s empowerment — come off especially badly.

Instead of aggressively fighting Russian disinformation on their platform, they allegedly downplayed the seriousness of reports from their own executives. They tried to deflect blame onto their rivals. When that failed, they sought special favors from politicians — and hired consultants to discredit anti-Facebook activists.

Nov. 19

Pelosi deserves to get gavel back

Nancy Pelosi, the once and perhaps future House speaker, predicted that the midterm “blue wave” would consist of “little drops of water,” which sounds prophetic after a slow trickle of results in California and other states has swelled into a tidal Democratic victory. Now, according to Pelosi’s latest aquatic metaphor, the “water’s warm,” so her rumored challengers for the speakership should “come on in.”

Pelosi has reason to be confident. Despite vilification by the party opposite and unrest within her ranks, she is in a commanding position to reclaim the speaker’s gavel. And she’s earned it.

Nov. 20

Burned by wildfire politics

If only the president and his team would back up and scan the horizon. The wildfire causes are coursing together in ways that make it impossible to pick out one as the culprit, much as President Trump or Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke would like. The full picture of human living patterns, climate change and inadequate forestry tactics offers a better explanation than choosing an easy sound bite and flying back to Washington.

California needs help, not politics.

Nov. 25

Honoring George H.W. Bush

George H.W. Bush was a son of privilege who repeatedly stepped up to serve his nation without a trace of entitlement. His was a history of bouncing back from political setbacks that would have deterred a lesser patriot. He was ever willing to put his pride, and even his life, on the line for his country . ... The gracious note he left to his successor in the Oval Office — “Your success now is our country’s success. ... I am rooting hard for you” — spoke volumes about Bush’s sense of decency and commitment to American ideals that transcend partisan alliances or personal rivalries.

Dec. 3

Senseless shutdown

This senseless shutdown, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, is the product of an impetuous president who issued a threat, caved when it became apparent he could not deliver on it, then caved yet again when he started taking a rhetorical pounding about his retreat on the wall demand from conservative commentators such as Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, a handful of ideologically rigid lawmakers, and even his usual apologists on “Fox & Friends.”

What a disgraceful display of leadership. And what a waste.

Dec. 24