To the Point

More than a million species of plants, animals, fish and insects are going extinct because of human activity. A massive report from the UN blames it partly on climate change. The Trump Administration signed on.  But talk is not action. What needs to be done?

Get ready for more debate about health insurance as Trump runs for re-election. Democratic hopefuls are debating reforms while Republicans accuse them of “socialized medicine.” What does that mean? What’s the difference between “Medicare for All” and “Medicare for America?” You may need to know.

Partisanship is more powerful than science, even for conservative environmentalists. They don’t buy warnings about an existential crisis. But, mounting evidence of climate change has pressured GOP officials into offering plans. How does their “New Manhattan Project” compare with the Democrats’ “Green New Deal?”  

Big Tech is a benefit to the modern world. But unlimited data collection may lead to unlimited power. The cost already includes invasion of privacy, political manipulation, terrorism and possible tyranny. Can Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple be brought under control?

It’s invisible in some places, but dirty air kills millions of people all over the world. That’s even true in America, despite the Clean Air Act and California’s Air Resources Board. But, after Volkswagen’s diesel scandal, Europe can’t brag.

Democrats are divided: impeachment now or further investigations? Top aides don’t do what the president tells them. News and social media report on chaos as government workers struggle to follow the law.

Tech workers at Amazon are risking their jobs to combat climate change. They’ve signed a petition that challenges billionaire CEO Jeff Bezos to stop helping oil and gas companies develop more fossil fuels. With a new source of profit at stake, will Bezos get the message?    

Even the Wild West had gun control. Most Americans want it now--especially kids afraid of school shootings. But politicians offer “thoughts and prayers,” instead of enacting protections. What about a plan for a safer future with fewer guns?

What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic. It’s not just glacial melting and rising seas, but rising temperatures mean trouble for plants and animals. New studies show the Arctic faces a new reality--and so does the rest of the world.

Oil sanctions for Venezuela and aid cuts to Central America:   Trump claims they promote democracy and curb illegal immigration. Will they make life better or worse for poverty-stricken people in repressive regimes of both the Left and the Right?