Biden’s lead widens

Lots of people in Washington seem to want more distance from President Trump as his actions have grown even more erratic and his poll numbers have deteriorated. This week, General Mark Milley, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff apologized for appearing with President Trump in that infamous church photo opp. Mitt Romney got a lot of attention for marching in support of Black Lives Matter. Michael Steele says it was partially political because the senator is unlikely to face retribution from his party or his constituents but it’s an important moral and personal move too.

This week, there was a pretty big contrast between President Trump’s calls for “law and order” and Joe Biden’s empathy, and the polls show Biden with a growing lead over the president. It appears Biden is more open and interested in policies further to the left. He might not be a full-blown leftist, but he appears to be open to influence, Christine Emba says.

Protests about policing are yielding government action. New York passed ten police reform laws, Minneapolis is moving toward efforts to abolish its police department, though it’s not entirely clear what that would mean or what institutions would be developed to replace it. Democrats in Congress have a suite of proposals and Republicans are working on their own slate. But some activists urge that we abolish or defund the police. What does that mean? Emily Owens says, too often, discussions about policing focus on its impact and benefits, and it’s important to consider the costs of policing — to communities, to the social safety net, and to people’s lives.

Plus, America is reopening despite the fact that COVID-19 cases appear to be spiking. President Trump even intends to resume campaign rallies. Are we ready if things get worse? Is the president?