Hits and Misses
You could almost hear the sighs of relief around the world when Emmanuel Macron won a second term as France’s president Sunday. Despite having only tepid approval ratings with the French public, Macron managed to beat far-right rival Marine Le Pen in the final vote by almost 20 points. Macron didn’t do as well as he did in 2017 against Le Pen, but managed to outpace polls that predicted a closer outcome. Macron is also the first French president to be reelected since term limits were put in place in 2008. The French people might not be swooning over Macron, but they decided he was vastly better than the alternative. Le Pen has played footsie with Vladimir Putin, has talked about withdrawing France both from NATO’s military structure and placing French law over European law, which would have weakened the European Union. The victory of an incumbent French president might not seem to matter all that much if you’re on this side of the Atlantic, but at a moment when the world is mostly united in opposing Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, Macron’s triumph is also a victory for stability.
This is entirely unsurprising in an election season, but America’s high rate of inflation has been seized upon as an issue, with promises to bring it down. What has been almost entirely lost in the debate is that inflation is not a uniquely American issue right now – it’s a worldwide phenomenon. Canada is experiencing 5.7% inflation, a 30-year high for our neighbors to the north. Britain’s inflation rate is 7%, and Germany’s is 7.3%, its highest rate in 40 years. A recent analysis by the Brookings Institution pointed out that inflation across the globe is being driven by, among other things, “pent-up demand, persistent supply disruptions and surging commodity prices.” Right now, the misery of American inflation has plenty of company.
California University of Pennsylvania is due to merge with Edinboro and Clarion universities on July 1, with the combined institution going under the name Pennsylvania Western University. Some students and alumni have been worried, though, about how each university’s athletic teams would be handled. Many of those concerns were laid to rest last week when the NCAA gave approval for each school to retain individual programs and teams. This means the Edinboro Fighting Scots, Clarion’s Golden Eagles and Cal U.’s Vulcans will continue competing under those names. Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, president of Clarion University and interim president of California and Edinboro universities, said, “This approval reflects the confidence in our campuses to successfully operate these programs and the important role that a strong intercollegiate program plays on a college campus. It also recognizes the impact that our student athletes have on our campuses and in our communities.”
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill McSwain passed through Washington, Greene and Fayette counties last week, trying to drum up excitement for his bid in advance of the May 17 primary. McSwain’s campaign took a big hit earlier this month after former President Trump issued an “anti-endorsement” of him because, as a federal prosecutor in the Philadelphia region, he didn’t further Trump’s baseless claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Nevertheless, McSwain supports the idea of doing away with no-excuse, mail-in ballots in the commonwealth, even though there is no evidence they are anything other than perfectly safe and secure. McSwain said voting in person is a way to see neighbors and be part of democracy in action, which is a fine sentiment, but what about individuals who would like to vote but can’t on Election Day due to job duties, or they have to care for a loved one who can’t be left alone? If McSwain and his fellow Republicans want to do away with mail-in voting, they should answer these questions.