Opinion

Welcome to “political silly season,” as an Oklahoma legislative observer once called it. It’s the period of time from December through May where Oklahomans get a front-row seat to all sorts of outlandish legislative bills and public debates.

Dear Annie: Our little girl died. She was ill for a relatively short period of time, terminally, and while she lived longer than expected, it will never have been enough.

National Public Radio is a sandbox for the Left. The “news” there is manufactured by leftists, for leftists. You can find it easily in the latest interviews about the Biden reelection campaign. The interviewers are clearly nervous that President Joe Biden’s messaging isn’t working. It’s not that Biden’s incompetent; it’s that voters are ignorant.

Dear Annie: My daughter, “Emily,” has been dating “Ben” for almost two years. Ben is a great guy, aside from one issue that’s been bugging me: He refuses to drive anywhere and instead has my daughter drive him. He says it’s because a few years ago he was in a car accident and has been scared to drive since. (He was not hurt in the accident.) He has Emily drive him to and from work every day. Emily never complains about it, but it drives me insane because Emily and her kids were also in a car accident a few years back and suffer PTSD from that accident. Ben is aware of this, but doesn’t seem to get it. He thinks it’s no big deal for Emily to get over her fear while avoiding getting over his fear. I want to say something to him so badly, but I haven’t. And every time I say something to my daughter, she gets upset with me. How can I approach the situation without making it worse? Miffed Mom Dear Miffed: Your intentions are good, and your irritation is understandable. But Emily is the one behind the wheel, figuratively and literally. When she’s tired of driving him, she can stop. Meanwhile, you can earn interest by keeping your two cents in the bank: If you avoid offering advice when your daughter hasn’t asked, she’ll be more likely to ask you for advice.

Excising Donald Trump’s cancerous affect on our democracy should be up to the voters, not the courts. After all, what better way to repudiate someone — or a movement — espousing plainly anti-democratic values and policies than through the ballot box?

Is democracy at risk this election year? Yup, is the answer given by President Joe Biden in his speech last Friday, ahead of the third anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the United States Capitol as both houses of Congress were assembled to receive the electoral votes for the November 2020 election.

Dear Annie: This letter is a message to “Fed Up,” the reader whose husband dotes on their daughters. She needs to know that her husband, as well-meaning as he is, is NOT doing your daughters any favors. I know this all too well by example. My mother never learned to be independent. From her earliest childhood, my grandparents took care of my mother and father: Paying for their mortgage, bailing them out when they got into monetary trouble because of my father, and so much more.

The French actor Gerard Depardieu is world-known as a lusty, usually charming pursuer of the carnal. He’s now being accused of crimes against women, some violent in nature. A star of French cinema, Depardieu is being defended by French President Emmanuel Macron. Other supporters are former French first lady Carla Bruni, actress Charlotte Rampling and Depardieu’s former partner, actress Carole Bouquet.

A very happy Chuck Schumer went down to the Senate floor on Monday to brag about the deal he had cut on federal spending with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson. “First, I have excellent news on government funding,” Schumer said.

This year, 2024, marks the 60th anniversary of the signing into law of the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act. Soon we observe the national day set aside to note and honor the leader of the movement that led to that act becoming law: Dr.