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‘Making a political donation shouldn’t be this dangerous’

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By Justin Klawans

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‘Making a political donation shouldn’t be this dangerous’

Opinion, comment and editorials of the day

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Americans ‘shouldn’t have to risk their personal safety to participate in democracy’

(Image credit: Emily Elconin / Bloomberg / Getty Images)

Justin Klawans, The Week US

25 September 2025

‘Making a political donation shouldn’t be this dangerous’
Dara Lindenbaum at The Washington Post

Many Americans “don’t realize that a small political contribution can result in their home address being posted online,” and in “some cases, this reporting requirement poses real safety risks,” says Dara Lindenbaum. Congress “should amend the relevant provisions of the act to eliminate the requirement that the FEC publish individual contributors’ street names and numbers.” The public has a “right to know who is funding political campaigns,” but “Americans shouldn’t have to risk their personal safety to participate in democracy.”

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‘The new citizenship test is still useless’
Stephen Mihm at Bloomberg

The “Trump administration has been routinely targeting legal pathways to citizenship,” so it’s “no surprise that the White House is now reinstating an expanded citizenship exam,” says Stephen Mihm. Some “argue the test is meant to instill American values, but it’s long been a poor tool for that purpose because it awards rote memorization — rather than genuine understanding — of U.S. history and government.” It’s “time for the U.S. to reassess how it assesses qualifications for citizenship.”

‘Qatar strike creates rift but not rupture in Gulf-Israel ties’
Mina Al-Oraibi at Foreign Policy
In “hitting a Gulf country, the Israeli prime minister crossed a geopolitical line his country had never crossed,” says Mina Al-Oraibi. The “fallout from the Doha strike will be felt in four realms — Doha’s role as mediator, Israel’s relationship with Qatar, threat perceptions in the Gulf, and the wider Israel-Palestine dynamic.” Gulf countries “continue to be committed to a longer-term peace deal with Israel, but there is increasingly a sense that the current government has no interest in peace.”

‘There’s too much of everything’
Christian Schneider at the National Review
Whether it’s the “Star Wars extended universe or the DC Comics world, these beloved brands are drowning us,” says Christian Schneider. Where it was “once a challenge to seek out merchandise related to your favorite movie or show, now it’s difficult to avoid.” While in “some respects this era of entertainment and information abundance has improved our lives, it has also devalued our favorite things.” The “more information we are deluged with, the less important it all becomes.”

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

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Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.

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