Opinion

Almanac for Nov. 9, 2026

Today is Monday, Nov. 9, the 313th day of 2026. There are 52 days left in the year. Today in history: On Nov. 9, 1989, communist East Germany threw open its borders, allowing citizens to travel freely to the West for the first time in decades — a landmark event often referred to as the fall of the Berlin Wall. Also on this date: In 1872, the Great Boston Fire began in a warehouse and went on to destroy hundreds of buildings and much of the city's financial district before it was tamed. Several firefighters were killed combating the flames. In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt made the ...

Editorial cartoon for Nov. 9, 2026

The U.S. investment boom has arrived

It’s hard to recall a time with such a large disconnect between how Americans feel about the economy and the data. The Commerce Department on Thursday reported that GDP grew 3.4% in the third quarter thanks to surging business investment and buoyant consumer spending. So why are Americans so glum? By objective measures, the economy is firing on most cylinders. Consumer spending remains healthy and contributed 2.52 percentage points to the third-quarter GDP increase. Even if consumers fume about higher prices, they aren’t tightening their belts. Spending on motor vehicles, household ...

What has the government done to our freedoms?

Does the government work for us, or do we work for the government? We pay its taxes, obey its laws and regulations, finance its wars and submit to its surveillance. We are told that all of this is necessary for personal safety, collective prosperity and national security. Yet the government ...

Editorial cartoon for Nov. 7, 2026

Democrats won. More importantly, democracy won

Stop the talk about a triumphal arch at the gates of Arlington Cemetery. Stop bullying the Kennedy Center into putting the Trump name on its front. Stop obsessing over the Reflecting Pool. Stop cutting down trees at a public golf course in Washington to make a championship course. These ...