L.A. Times - Commentary

Contributor: May we never grow inured to homelessness

Alison Owings — Tue, 5 May 2026 10:03:00 GMT

In California, we've grown tragically used to homelessness — the homelessness of others.

Contributor: How the waste in healthcare drives the U.S. debt

James Weinstein — Tue, 5 May 2026 10:01:00 GMT

About half of U.S. healthcare spending yields no added health benefit. Taxpayers foot much of that bill.

Contributor: Yes, billionaires must pay a wealth tax to save healthcare and democracy

Bernie Sanders — Mon, 4 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

California's grotesque level of income and wealth inequality is an issue that we can no longer ignore and that we must confront.

Abcarian: Take a cue from the California billionaire unbothered by a targeted tax

Robin Abcarian — Sun, 3 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The so-called "billionaires tax" appears to be headed for the California ballot. Not all billionaires think it's reason to flee the state.

Contributor: The face Hollywood reserves for evil

Charlene Pell — Sat, 2 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Why are stories of bitter, dangerous, disfigured burn survivors still a predominant villain narrative on primetime TV?

Contributor: Trump's priorities are revenge and posing

Matt K. Lewis — Fri, 1 May 2026 10:07:00 GMT

After a gunman interrupted an event last week, the president had the nation's attention and could have done something productive. He didn't.

Granderson: What the audience has learned since the first 'Devil Wears Prada'

LZ Granderson — Fri, 1 May 2026 10:02:00 GMT

Gen X identified with the protagonist 20 years ago. After two bruising decades in the job market, we might see her actions as more foolish than heroic.

Contributor: The inequality gap we should be talking about: marriage

Veronique de Rugy — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 17:00:00 GMT

If the government can reliably replace the economic function of a spouse, will people stop choosing marriage?

Contributor: Supreme Court's decision against Voting Rights Act will be devastating

Erwin Chemerinsky — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Wednesday's ruling could allow some states to redraw their election districts in time for the 2026 elections.

Contributor: An emergency room is no place for immigration enforcement

Alana Slavin, Marina Martinez and Sascha Bercovitch — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:02:00 GMT

Hospitals have largely cooperated with ICE rather than protect patients and staff.

Calmes: Americans aren't buying Trump's schtick anymore

Jackie Calmes — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

A growing majority of Americans see Trump as a cartoonish caricature of himself. And that includes some of his own voters.

Contributor: California's ocean is breaking heat records — but we can control it

Sean Bothwell — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

We're failing our marine wildlife and undermining an economic engine that supports our communities.

Contributor: Politics has come to work, once an apolitical space

Jerel Ezell — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:02:00 GMT

Now you don't have to 'talk politics' to highlight a political divide in the workplace. The colors people wear and the cars they drive can be enough to telegraph allegiances.

Contributor: The U.S. is still killing people at sea. It must explain why.

Jon Duffy — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Without legal justification the ongoing boat strikes are not normal, not constitutional and not something a free nation can simply get used to.

Column: Whenever political violence erupts, Washington starts playing the blame game

Jonah Goldberg — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMT

The hypocrisy of today's political rhetoric is bipartisan, fueling the idea that our opponents are existential enemies.

Contributor: Trump votes by mail. He just doesn't want you to

Alex Padilla and Brian Lemek — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Not only is Trump's recent executive order attacking mail-in voting dangerous and unconstitutional, it is profoundly un-American.

Contributor: How Spanish speakers are shut out of L.A.'s planning processes

Chris Corrao — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Most public agencies in California are serious about their obligation to seek community input, but just translating fliers into Spanish is not a meaningful invitation to participate.

Contributor: What's driving political violence, and what will quell it

James Piazza — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:58:00 GMT

The violence at the White House Correspondents' Assn. dinner on Saturday underscores how dangerous this political moment is in the United States.

Contributor: A sex test for Olympic contenders harms all women

Chris Mosier and Erika Lorshbough — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:20:00 GMT

All girls and women with Olympic dreams will be subjected to mandatory genetic testing. That's a violation of privacy and a move away from guaranteeing equal access.

Contributor: AI could democratize medicine, but better regulation comes first

Hashem Zikry — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence has the potential to fundamentally change healthcare, and the possibilities are neither radical nor experimental.

Contributor: Carlson's cautious apology does little to repair Trumpism's damage

Matt K. Lewis — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The podcaster is not conceding that the 'Never Trump' crowd got it right — which is what we have been dying to hear for a decade.

Contributor: How to nominate a truly conservative justice

Josh Hammer — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:41:00 GMT

This summer, conservatives may have yet another opportunity to prove they have finally learned their lesson: 'No more Souters.'

Granderson: Tucker Carlson's reversal on Trump is a familiar script

LZ Granderson — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Everyone has that line they won't cross for the president. For this podcaster and Fox News alumnus, Trump's war in Iran was the breaking point.

Contributor: Regulate the 'Enhanced Games' as a medical experiment and a marketing stunt

Fabricio Ramos dos Santos — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:18:00 GMT

An event celebrating performance-enhancing drugs is dangerous, and children in particular should not be exposed to it.

Calmes: Even Trump's base doesn't believe him anymore

Jackie Calmes — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

People who once stood behind the president's most favored conspiracy theories (birtherism) are now promoting theories in which he is the deceiver (Butler assassination attempt).

Contributor: Drug courts fail women, but there's a solution

Elijah Williams — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

These courts in L.A. and elsewhere operate on models built around male patterns of addiction and accountability. Hawaii tried something different.

Contributor: ICE raids and migrant pay cuts are devastating California economies

Matt Kinsella-Walsh — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:02:00 GMT

Many of the harms of recent immigration enforcement are incalculable. But researchers have put a number on the economic toll in Southern California's agricultural communities.

Contributor: How some bad math could ruin housing in Los Angeles

Dan Yukelson — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

While L.A. officials boast of subsidizing 'affordable' housing projects, they're regulating thousands of already standing affordable apartments out of existence.

Contributor: Keep artificial intelligence out of American classrooms

Jonah Goldberg — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:00:00 GMT

All of the cliches about how kids learn by doing are true. AI just removes the doing.

Contributor: Oil industry's wish list is not the way to help Californians

Ryan Cummings and Neale Mahoney — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:02:00 GMT

The state should expand import infrastructure to protect against the refinery outages that disrupt our fuel supply.

America is already diminished by this war

Jon Duffy — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Among the United States' greatest losses is its legitimacy on the world stage.

Contributor: We need to stop confusing diplomacy with making 'deals'

Atom Ariola — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

That language may work in business, but it doesn't describe the reality of geopolitics, where interests overlap and outcomes depend less on a single agreement than on whether anything holds together over time.

Contributor: Focus on the real causes of the shortage in hormone treatments

Jennifer Weiss-Wolf and Suzanne Gilberg — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:02:00 GMT

Don't blame a menopause fad. There is little incentive for pharmacy companies to ensure smooth, consistent access.

Contributor: California is now the front line of America's maternal mortality crisis

Sylvia Ghazarian — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

As patients continue to arrive from states where care is restricted or denied, the strain on California providers and support systems will only grow.

Contributor: Trump's empty bluster worked until he took on the pope and Iran

Matt K. Lewis — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:17:00 GMT

After years of bullying secular, "rational" opponents, he is fighting a two-front war against people who see their struggles as moral and spiritual.

Granderson: If you keep listening, Prince's lyrics will keep teaching

LZ Granderson — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

The songwriter's wisdom and observations reverberate more than the sexual innuendos he initially was known for.

Contributor: Debunking five myths of the American tax system

Veronique de Rugy — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:45:59 GMT

Placing the tax burden squarely on billionaires and corporations isn't going to get us out of this mess.

Calmes: Pay attention to the deficit, even if Trump won't

Jackie Calmes — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:12:00 GMT

President Trump said he would balance the federal budget "overnight." In reality, debt is now approaching the highest level in U.S. history.

Contributor: A boom of independent bookstores, just when we need them most

Mark Pearson — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

In 2025, 422 new bookstores opened in the U.S., a 31% jump from the year before. Why? Because amid frustration and anger, booksellers support learning, organizing and respite.

Contributor: What the tangle of cables under L.A.'s streets can tell us about the city

Carlo Ratti and Biondo Biondi — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Fiber-optic lines carry the lifeblood of the information economy. They could also tell crucial stories about city life, infrastructure health and even earthquake risk.

Contributor: Hollywood still isn't ready for women to take risks

Nicole Ackermann — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The industry often claims to want new voices. But when a woman delivers a film as unapologetically rooted in female subjectivity as 'The Bride!,' the risk is rarely rewarded.

Column: What the end of Viktor Orban means for the New Right

Jonah Goldberg — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:17:15 GMT

It's fine to say Orban lost because the Hungarian economy was a mess. But that mess stemmed from his own corruption.

Contributor: Swalwell resignation shows that the default is no longer to shame accusers

Katy Butler — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:31:30 GMT

In a reversal of age-old cultural patterns, public revulsion and scrutiny focused mainly on the accusations about his behavior, and not on the women who accused him.

Contributor: The results are in, and same-sex marriage was a win for children and society

Benjamin Karney — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:02:00 GMT

Two decades ago, fears about same-sex unions were baseless. Now the claims against marriage equality are demonstrably incorrect.

Contributor: Jokes about Newsom's dyslexia reveal harmful, persistent myth

Sherri Helvie — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students has learning or attention issues, and we know how to unlock their potential to thrive as California's governor has.

Contributor: In Iran negotiations, the White House's military options are dwindling

Dana L. Stroul — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:00:00 GMT

The U.S. is just one step short of returning to full war. But appetite for more fighting is low, and the costs very high.

Contributor: Why the 38 million Americans who live alone need a 'buddy system'

Rebecca Edmisten — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Those who reside on their own should check in with the same someone every day, rain or shine, no matter what.

Contributor: Artemis II does for our era what Apollo 8 did for 1968

Christopher Cokinos — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:10:53 GMT

The four astronauts' lunar flyby captures the American imagination just when we need it most.

Granderson: Faith lessons don't belong in public schools, and Christians know that

LZ Granderson — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The collection of warm and fuzzy scriptures being considered for Texas curricula is likely just a Trojan horse for more extreme theology.

Contributor: Fed up with Trump's chaos? Then his strategy is working

Matt K. Lewis — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

His playbook calls for generating so much disgust that Americans tune out and he can get away with anything.

Contributor: Artemis mission captures the spirit of unity America has needed

Josh Hammer — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 20:00:00 GMT

One astronaut said of the flight: 'It's the story of humanity — not Black history, not women's history.' This is a tremendous, and inspiring, rebuke of today's suffocating wokeism.

Contributor: Vaccine confusion sets up U.S. for a resurgence of hepatitis B in babies

Joshua Rothman — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:18:00 GMT

The lesson from the past is simple. When we stop using vaccines that work, the diseases they prevent come back.

Calmes: We're stuck with an unchecked mad king until January

Jackie Calmes — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

America has a president who lately has piled on the evidence that he is mentally unstable, unfit for the office.

Contributor: Women aren't too picky to date. They just don't need men to feel fulfilled

Amy Getubig — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The baseline for dating and relationships in Los Angeles has shifted in ways many people haven't fully caught up to yet.

Contributor: It's not just you. Being a consumer really has become hellacious

Diane Negra — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 10:19:00 GMT

'Customer service' has all but eliminated on-site staff with decision-making power and has normalized elaborate, time-consuming dispute-resolution practices that put the onus on the customer.

Contributor: My frustrations were global, but the solutions were local

Kabira Stokes — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Everything that kept me up at night about America's foreign policy was present in how we treated members of our own communities here at home.

Trump is burning every bridge America had left

Jonah Goldberg — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 18:15:00 GMT

The president's antics may work domestically, but he's now loathed among elected allied leaders across Western Europe.

Contributor: Simply holding ICE agents accountable isn't enough

Erwin Chemerinsky — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

If prisoners were treated the way migrants are, it would be immediately acknowledged as cruel and unusual punishment.

Contributor: Trump isn't ready to accept his strategic failures in Iran

Jon Duffy — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The president's justifications have shifted repeatedly, and claims of victory have grown theatrical as the results have grown less convincing.

Contributor: Americans deserve answers about civilian casualties in Iran

Sarah Yager — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Recent strikes on schools, with children once again among the dead, are undoing two decades of progress in U.S. efforts to reduce civilian harm.

Contributor: Unspoken cost of U.S. military is a stunning volume of pollution

Barret Baumgart — Sun, 5 Apr 2026 10:02:00 GMT

The Department of Defense buys and burns more petroleum than any other single institution on Earth.

Contributor: America has betrayed its global mission

Anatol Lieven — Sat, 4 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

With its war in Iran, the Trump administration is destroying the pillars of U.S. primacy and its legitimacy worldwide.

Contributor: For water and mining policy near Salton Sea, keep in mind local children's health

Jill Johnston and Shohreh Farzan — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 16:28:13 GMT

For years, community members have raised concerns about the high rates of asthma. New evidence bolsters their case.

Contributor: What can Democrats stand for when there's no Trump to stand against?

Matt K. Lewis — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 10:15:00 GMT

Even now, as Democrats appear to be surging, polling suggests that fewer than 40% of Americans view the party favorably.

Granderson: NATO has stepped up. So why would the U.S. now step out?

LZ Granderson — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 10:11:00 GMT

Trump and Congress should not withdraw the U.S. from an 80-year alliance simply because it refuses to escalate the Iran war. Americans themselves want to end that war, not expand it.

Granderson: Here's why Trump fired Pam Bondi

LZ Granderson — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 23:28:13 GMT

She couldn't make the Epstein files go away.

Contributor: Why the World Bank reversed its entire worldview

Veronique de Rugy — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 18:30:00 GMT

The organization now seems more interested in engaging with right- and left-wing populism than in promoting good economics.

Calmes: Given everything in the news, why care about the White House demolition?

Jackie Calmes — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 10:02:00 GMT

In a nation founded on ideals, after throwing off a king, the idea of a people's house that's not palatial is one worth protecting.

Contributor: How Tehran's proxy network could outlast the Iranian regime

Michael Jacobson and Matthew Levitt — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

While these groups still rely on Iranian support, they've developed their own independent terrorist, procurement, financial and logistical networks.

Contributor: U.S. sanctions to hurt Cuban civilians violate the Geneva Conventions

Mark Weisbrot — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 21:09:00 GMT

As Congress tries to halt President Trump's use of the military against Cuba, the relevance of international law against collective punishment of civilians during armed conflict is underscored.

Contributor: Harmless to practice French with ChatGPT? Au contraire

Michael Laser — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Though I know many reasons I should disapprove of AI in general, I can't help marveling at what La Chat can do.

Contributor: Investigate the AI campaigns flooding public agencies with fake comments

Mary Nichols — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Recent campaigns for corporate interests hit new lows in their attempts to misrepresent the will of the people and deceive officials.

Column: Trump never actually had a plan

Jonah Goldberg — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:00:00 GMT

There is no secret serious, detail-oriented Trump who is playing 4D chess with Iran. What we see is what we've got.

Contributor: At Passover, I think of families like mine, forced to wander

Daniela Gerson — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:27:00 GMT

As the U.S. closes its doors and refers to refugees as 'animals,' I return to the word that my grandparents claimed for themselves.

Contributor: How will Iran war end? Americans' pain will become unbearable

ML Cavanaugh — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:03:00 GMT

For the families who've lost sons and daughters, Trump's shifting explanations for the war are infuriating.

Contributor: Trump's limitation of birthright citizenship is so clearly unconstitutional

Erwin Chemerinsky — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Even if the text was not clear on this — which it is — Trump still would not have the authority to change the 14th Amendment by executive order.

Contributor: 'Eat real food' is great advice, but it's only part of the equation

Jennifer Massa — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The healthy choice needs to be the easy choice. And we believe it's possible.

Contributor: Preserving the best parts of César Chávez's legacy

Florencia Ramirez — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The work that so many people fought for remains. It never belonged to one person.

Contributor: At home and abroad, Trump's mission creep makes victory impossible

Matt K. Lewis — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:20:00 GMT

Even controlling the party that controls Washington, Trump can't get a budget deal or end his war, because he keeps moving the goal posts.

Granderson: The TSA is too important to be turned into a political pawn

LZ Granderson — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Agents' pay should be reinstated, and also significantly higher to reflect their role in keeping the nation safe.

Contributor: Passover and Easter remind Jews and Christians to stand together

Josh Hammer — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:01:00 GMT

These holidays' values — redemption, repentance, moral accountability — help constitute the bedrock of Western civilization today.

Contributor: Rent algorithms aren't the issue. California just needs more housing

Mario H. Lopez — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:06:00 GMT

Some Golden State cities are channeling energy into a policy experiment that risks making the housing affordability crisis worse.

Contributor: We shouldn't treat Disney adults like cultural abominations

Adam Kadlac — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Seeking an escape at one of Mickey's parks isn't any worse than checking out by playing video games, watching sports or reading smutty novels.

Contributor: Social media platforms aren't the new cigarettes. They're worse

Daniel Katz — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 19:38:00 GMT

Jurors found negligence by the owners of YouTube and Instagram. The platforms are engineered so that willpower alone is unlikely to be sufficient to break a habit.

Contributor: American Muslims' unique role against anti-U.S. sentiment and Islamophobia

Salam Al-Marayati — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:01:00 GMT

We understand both the promise of American pluralism and the aspirations of people in Muslim-majority societies.

Contributor: MLB's biggest rivalry this season will be players vs. owners

Kelly Candaele — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The league, unlike the NFL and the NBA, has no hard salary cap on what teams can spend on star talent. The star talent wants to keep it that way.

Column: Will oil prices pressure Trump to chicken out again?

Jonah Goldberg — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:30:00 GMT

The president is trying to single-handedly manage the price of oil, but Iranians' control over the Strait of Hormuz gives them all the leverage.

Contributor: Kamala Harris is polling well, which signifies nothing

Garry South — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:02:00 GMT

I've seen this movie before, and it didn't end well.

Contributor: Antisemitism appears from the left and the right, but not equally

David N. Myers and Joshua Goetz — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

There's another elephant in the room: Israeli military action as a catalyst to antisemitism.

Contributor: The Strait of Hormuz shows us the biggest flaw in America's Iran war strategy

Jon Duffy — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 17:29:54 GMT

The most obvious strategic move following strikes in Iran has become a central problem for the United States.

Granderson: Trump wants to 'take' Cuba, but we've done that repeatedly before

LZ Granderson — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The U.S. began its relationship with the free Cuban people not by inviting them to the negotiation table but by dictating terms.

Contributor: A Democratic takeover of the Senate is now imaginable

Matt K. Lewis — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

For the first time, prediction markets are indicating Republicans will lose both chambers in November.

Contributor: The time for Cesar Chavez to fall

Matt Garcia — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:50:00 GMT

The cult of personality around him overshadowed the contributions of many women, who after abuse allegations may now receive more recognition.

Contributor: The math being used by the wealth-tax crowd is wrong

Veronique de Rugy — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:30:00 GMT

The wealth tax will not save the hospitals or fix Medi-Cal. It will only accelerate the departure of taxpayers California is dependent on.

Contributor: If you're going to debate gender, make better arguments

Allison Daminger, Corinne Low and Eve Rodsky — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Some of the most widely circulated opinion pieces in recent months provided the argumentative equivalent of empty calories: vibes.

Contributor: Being insured in America is not the same as having access to care

David Robles — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Privilege in healthcare is shaped by geography, timing and a patient's ability to navigate an unforgiving system while in crisis.

Contributor: The real danger of AI is treating it like a human

Moti Mizrahi — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

If we want to trust the future of AI, we need to break our reflex to use it as a stand-in for therapists, friends or human connection.

Contributor: The U.S. desperately needs functional counterterrorism

Jacob Ware and Colin P. Clarke — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:05:00 GMT

America's defenses are divided, disorganized and under-resourced at a high-risk moment during the war against Iran.

Contributor: Ukraine's aid against Iran shows who the U.S. allies really are

Mikhail Alexseev — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:10:00 GMT

Kyiv has hard-won expertise on intercepting drones like the ones Tehran and its proxies are using against the U.S. and its allies.

Op-comic: What I learned when my father died

Navied Mahdavian — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:03:00 GMT

It is the tragedy and the gift of grief that only now, after my father and his problems are gone, can I see him in the context of his whole life.