A free society cannot function without vibrant professional newspapers. In light of that truism, the latest dire news for the news business — that McClatchy newspapers, publisher of The Kansas City Star and almost 30 other newspapers in 14 states across America, is filing for bankruptcy — should worry every American who cares about our democracy. In this era of politicians who too often see accurate information as the enemy, real journalism needs all the public support it can get.

Darth Vader, Rosanne Barr, Sammy Sosa and Lil Nas X. Flo from the Progressive Insurance commercials, RuPaul, Spider-Man and Pete the Cat.

It isn’t yet clear whether improper political influence led the Justice Department to ask for a more lenient sentence for Roger Stone, a longtime confidant of President Trump, than the one originally proposed by federal prosecutors. But Trump’s outrageous comments about the original sentence recommendation — and his history of interfering in the administration of justice — require that the decision be investigated.

Nonprofits and organizations using a .org domain should have concerns over an impending sale that could threaten the stability of their digital operations.

Most of the media focus after a presidential primary naturally falls on who won, who did better than expected, who quit and whose candle is dangerously close to flickering out. But the most significant takeaway from Tuesday’s Democratic primary in New Hampshire is just how much disarray the Democratic Party finds itself in.

For once, President Trump spoke the truth.

One hallmark of President Trump’s tenure is the zeal with which federal agencies have sought to shred federal regulations, either by repealing or simply not enforcing them. That’s been true even in cases where the deregulation is likely to raise costs for the public more than it will lower them for industry, as is the case with the administration’s effort to ease limits on methane emissions.

Despite what some might think, journalism is full of rules.

President Donald Trump’s attempt at a State of the Union victory lap Tuesday night deserved the silent reception it received from congressional Democrats along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s brash closing gesture of disapproval. No amount of excessively enthusiastic cheering from Republicans can hide the fact that Trump will forever stand impeached for his blatant abuse of office. Wednesday’s Senate vote to let him stay in office neither erases his crimes nor repairs the damage he inflicted.

Maybe the most ridiculous if also the most common progressive complaint about Republicans refusing to impeach President Donald Trump is that he now really, truly will see himself as king, that he will behave like a dictator, that he will know he can get away with anything. What’s more, it’s said, future presidents will figure on indulging in the same privileges, Congress will be a nothing branch of government, the Constitution will be meaningless and the rule of law will fear to ever enter the Oval Office.

WASHINGTON — Every once in a long while a single act of conscience can repair the nation’s soul.

It’s an amazing time to be an American. The average American is wealthier, safer, and more comfortable than at any other point in our history. Things aren’t perfect, though. Our suburban street corners are plagued by child criminals running illegal businesses.

In the 1940s, Steve Shelton’s grandfather dressed up — white shirt, tie, fedora — to take the streetcar to the steel mill where he would change into work clothes, and would shower before dressing up to return home. “There was,” Shelton says, “such dignity in the trades back then.”

As President Trump’s impeachment trial speeds to a close, likely without any witnesses, the result looks to be a worst-case scenario.

Scattered in with the legitimate news headlines circulating on social media regarding the deadly coronavirus outbreak are a worrisome number of fake news items and outright hoaxes.

WASHINGTON — Republicans are in the process of binding their future ever more tightly to the fate of Donald Trump — a political and moral choice that defies both prudence and morality. At the same time, some Democrats are on the verge of mistakes that could badly hurt their cause and the country.

More than six decades ago, I asked Sen. John Kennedy at a college editors’ conference why he felt qualified for the presidency, since his political career was wholly in Congress and lacked managerial or executive experience.

You can call John Bolton a lot of things — bully, brawler, neocon — but not many would call him a dummy.