Tweaking Trump: The president-elect is “a weakling,” William Saletan maintains, who is eminently tractable. Saletan lists 12 aspects of Trump’s personality (No. 10: “He’s obtuse to the pain he inflicts”; No. 12: “He’s easily manipulated”), along with suggestions for how opponents could use these characteristics to their own advantage.
Things to come: How could Trump’s administration corrupt the United States? Economist Ray Fisman and political scientist Miriam Golden fear a scenario in which the drive for innovation morphs into a relentless attempt to curry favors.
When a lie is not a lie: We can debunk Trump’s tweets all we want, Jamelle Bouie writes. By disseminating untruths, he is calling a new reality into being.
Not joking: Trump’s pick for secretary of health and human services, Georgia Rep. Tom Price, shows that his campaign promises to dismantle the Affordable Care Act were serious, according to Jordan Weissmann.
Trumpland on TV: Take a look at CBS’ fall lineup, David Canfield argues. Family sitcoms featuring retro visions of gender. Science fiction that celebrates wealth over inquiry. Boring comedies mocking millennials. This is Trump’s America in a microcosm.
For fun: How scientists are tracking whales swimming off the shores of New York City.
They’re out there,
Rebecca
