| From Fareed Zakaria’s analysis of the Democratic Party’s woes among White, working-class voters. By contrast to 2024’s 13-point split, Joe Biden lost that constituency by only two points in 2020. Fareed understands how maddening this divergence can be, considering how many economic treats Democrats have showered on this demographic. A stark illustration: In the Texas congressional district that received more money from the Inflation Reduction Act than all but two other districts in the country, voters lunged for Trump. Fareed proposes an appealing explanation for the cratering of support, but he proposes an even more appealing path forward for Democrats exhausted by trying to win back workers: just stop trying. Chaser: George Will writes that Trump’s numbers still don’t give him a mandate — but what president needs one in this era of executive orders? More politics Two of our writers are setting out on yearlong projects I’m awfully excited about. First, Matt Bai is going to spend 2025 trying to understand the “Department of Government Efficiency,” led with (for now) seemingly endless enthusiasm by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Matt’s first essay sets up the battle to come — on one side, the juggernaut of bureaucracy that has knocked many a windmill-tilter cold, and on the other, the knights errant whose objective (again, for now) seems to be mostly destruction. Our other project comes from newly hired contributing columnist Rahm Emanuel, who has finally gotten himself a decent job after serving as congressman, Chicago mayor, White House chief of staff and ambassador to Japan. He’ll be with us for a year, commenting on politics, foreign policy, national security and, most of all, the future of the Democratic Party. His first essay is on how Trump is “already Nobel Peace Prize shopping, peering down the aisles of conflict and crisis to gauge the easiest route to capturing the coveted award to adorn the lobby of Mar-a-Lago.” Rahm argues that even Trump’s fiercest opponents ought to encourage this yen — and even root him on. Chaser: Shadi Hamid explains how Trump’s “madman theory” worked in Gaza when all else failed. Smartest, fastest It’s a goodbye. It’s a haiku. It’s … The Bye-Ku. Iran, Gaza, more … Shopping Trump should keep in mind: Ten items or less Plus! A Friday bye-ku (Fri-ku!) from reader Laura B.: What are the chances Chief Justice Roberts will say, “Please obey this oath”? *** Have your own newsy haiku? Email it to me, along with any questions/comments/ambiguities. Have a great weekend! | 
