Opinion Today: The Trump trial, disinflation and death by drowning

Updates from Times Opinion's blog.

View in browser|nytimes.com May 17, 2024 By Anna Marks Staff Editor, Opinion In today's newsletter, we're offering some of our favorite entries from The Point, Times Opinion's blog. This week, our writers told you what they think about Donald Trump's seamy past, the economy's consistent weirdness and a concerning rise in drowning deaths. Read the pieces below: Michelle Goldberg on Trump's seamy past → Paul Krugman on inflation and the economy → Mara Gay on preventing drowning deaths → Here's what we're focusing on today: Editors' Picks Damon Winter/The New York Times Jamelle Bouie When 'Stop the Steal' Becomes Your Motto With or without Trump, the Republican threat to democracy remains. By Jamelle Bouie ADVERTISEMENT More From Opinion Guest Essay The View Within Israel Turns Bleak Attitudes toward the "Palestinian problem" range from detached fatigue to the belief that driving Palestinians into submission is God's work. By Megan K. Stack Michelle Goldberg Wokeness Is Dying. We Might Miss It. Nellie Bowles's new book fights the last war. By Michelle Goldberg Katherine Miller The Biden Future Cannot Arrive Soon Enough In reporting about voters' views of Mr. Biden, it's clear at least some think he's hardly doing anything at all — and that if re-elected, there might be no change. By Katherine Miller David Brooks The Authoritarians Have the Momentum Liberalism's nice rules aren't enough of a sales pitch. By David Brooks Paul Krugman Beware the Pettiness of the Powerful Alas, some of Donald Trump's peculiarities aren't unique. By Paul Krugman Guest Essay What Hillary Clinton Got Wrong About Student Protesters Older folks' objections to protests and encampments may not be as reasoned as they claim. By Elizabeth Spiers guest essay Is There a Constitutional Right to Talk About Abortion? The First Amendment looms large in lower court cases that may find their way to the Supreme Court. By Linda Greenhouse Matter of Opinion Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Ride the 'Pollercoaster' The president has many problems this election. Is Kamala Harris one of them? 40 MIN LISTEN ADVERTISEMENT Frank Bruni When Donald Trump Met Hannibal Lecter Biden's bits of babble pale beside his predecessor's dark, deranged fantasies. By Frank Bruni The Ezra Klein Show The Disastrous Relationship Between Israel, Palestinians and the U.N. Aslı Ü. Bâli traces the history of the international legal system and its role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 59 MIN LISTEN Iran's Nuclear Expansion Remains a Threat to the Middle East If Tehran builds a bomb, it could set off a chain reaction in the region. By Spencer Cohen Finding an Opening, Trump's Team Catches Michael Cohen Unawares Even a single slip-up could harm a witness's credibility with a juror. By Jonathan Alter David French I Was a Republican Partisan. It Altered the Way I Saw the World. Your emotions will often lead you astray. By David French John McWhorter Lets Chill Out About Apostrophes If Chaucer got through life without fussing over that tiny punctuation mark, why shouldn't we? By John McWhorter Allison V. Smith for The New York Times letters Justices Speak, and Are Greeted With Dissent Readers discuss appearances by three of the justices at recent conferences and graduations. Also: Forms of oppression; G.O.P. hypocrisy on antisemitism. ADVERTISEMENT We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Opinion Today newsletter from The New York Times. To stop receiving Opinion Today, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018