Here’s what to read from left to right

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We live in a partisan age, and our news habits can reinforce our own views. Consider this an effort to expand our collective perspective on essays beyond the range of our typical choices.

FROM THE LEFT

From Lets Be Clear: Trump Threatens to Take His MAGA Base and Walk If He’s Not the GOP Nominee, by Kerry Eleveld at The Daily Kos at tinyurl.com/548dkujv.

The context, from the author: If (Donald) Trump were to weaken today, that possibility would still send shivers down the spine of every Republican Party loyalist across the country.

The quote: Running as an independent isn’t the only way Trump can hurt Republicans. If he doesn’t win the nomination, he can devote all of his energies to trashing the nominee, the party and the GOP establishment, which his acolytes already despise with fury. A simple trash fire media tour will probably be enough to ignite the party. Trump also took time during the (recent) interview to remind listeners that none of his rivals are worth more than dirt until he gets them out of the dark.

US Is Doing Worse Than Floating Balloons in Other Countries Airspace, by Branko Marcetic at Jacobin at tinyurl.com/7wn8srfp.

The context, from the author: Lets assume, for arguments sake, that the recent shot-down Chinese balloon is really spying. The US doesn’t want other countries spying on them something the US is constantly doing all over the planet.

The quote: It’s worth asking ourselves: What might other countries and populations feel and what kind of effect does that have on how foreign people and governments feel about the United States when the US government does the same thing, more regular and deadly. result? Under the US drone program, the US military regularly violates the airspace and sovereignty of other countries not by sending spy balloons, but flying robots armed with missiles.

From Legalize Jaywalking! by Abigail Weinberg at Mother Jones at tinyurl.com/322hd7kz.

The context, from the author: If you walk regularly in any American city, chances are you’ve crossed a street against a signal or outside a designated crosswalk. Sure, one could argue that crosswalks were created as a way to protect pedestrians from potentially dangerous vehicles. But why would breaking those limits be a petty crime? Thanks to a century-long auto industry campaign to push pedestrians off the streets, jaywalking is now, in most places, punishable by a hefty ticket ranging from $68 in Seattle to $250 in New York City.

The passage: This could be put in the realm of being merely annoying, but in fact, there is a serious injustice embedded in the process. According to research in several cities, pedestrian policing behavior disproportionately affects low-income people and people of color. Plus, making jaywalking an offense doesn’t keep people safe. Today, a growing number of cities and states are striking these outdated laws from their books.

FROM THE RIGHT

From Hindi, Slavery Didnt Create Capitalism, by Rich Lowry in The National Review at tinyurl.com/2r4n77vx.

The context, from the author: Slavery has been a fact of human existence throughout recorded history. Why did it suddenly create capitalism a few centuries ago in some select areas?

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The excerpt: A new episode (of the 1619 Project on Hulu) focuses on the idea that slavery created American capitalism and is about as subtle as a Disney+ cartoon, relying heavily on commentary by Marxist academic Robin DG Kelley. If there was any doubt about the 1619 Project’s radical agenda masquerading as a neutral pursuit of historical truth, the Hulu show should dispel it. It argues that, as (Nikole) Hannah-Jones says, our economic system is founded on the buying and selling of Black people. Imprinted by this legacy, American capitalism is brutal and exploitative to this day. In fact, there is a direct line from antebellum cotton plantations to Amazon warehouses in the 21st century.

From The Most Influential Man in China, by John Mac Ghlionn at The American Conservative at tinyurl.com/5n7yak2s.

The context, from the author: Wang Hunings diagnosis of Wests dysfunction has shaped 30 years of Chinese policy.

The passage: There is a distinct difference between power and influence. The first allows an individual, organization, or government to impose its will on others. The latter, meanwhile, is a more subtle way of affecting the behaviors and attitudes of others. Xi Jinping is certainly the most powerful man in China, but he is not the most influential man. That title goes to Wang Huning, a man who has been shaping Chinese policy for decades, long before Xi rose to prominence. Without his work, China probably wouldn’t be the powerhouse it is today. Without his unique views, it is unlikely that China would pose such a serious threat to the United States. A relative unknown outside of China, Wang has been the country’s leading ideological theorist for more than 30 years.

From Non-Serious People in a Serious Moment, by Noah Rothman in Commentary Magazine at tinyurl.com/3r5ky3s9.

The context, from the author: This is a serious moment. It would be good if we had serious people in government capable of navigating this.

The excerpt: It’s not every day that a giant, self-propelled Chinese surveillance balloon crosses the continental United States, becoming a source of national curiosity and scandal before being shot out of the sky by a Sidewinder missile. The Biden administration has run its course on the crisis, leaving a variety of conflicting statements and unanswered questions in its wake. Before anyone makes any more sudden moves, those questions need to be answered.

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