The real elephant in the room?

Republican gains in elections last week gave rise to Democratic complaints—some of them well-founded—about GOP weaponization of critical race theory. But a three-decade high in inflation surely played a role at the ballot box as well. Once again, it's the economy, stupid. President Biden, touting the new bipartisan infrastructure bill at the Port of Baltimore yesterday, acknowledged the inflation trend, calling it "worrisome," despite other positive signs of economic recovery. —CBS News

• — Perception is everything, right? As The Hill's Sylvan Lane, Morgan Chalfant, and Amie Parnes note, "Biden has presided over growth in the job market, increased consumer spending, greater household savings, and rising stocks. But people in polls seem more focused on rising prices, shortages, and other setbacks in the recovery." —The Hill
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• — Interpretation matters too. Former President Barack Obama's economic adviser Larry Summers accuses Washington policymakers of being behind the curve on inflation, which was an expected result of the pandemic. "They said it was transitory; it doesn't look so transitory. They said it was due to a few specific factors; [it] doesn't look to be a few specific factors. They said when September came and people went back to school, that the labor force would grow, and it didn't happen." Yikes. —The Hill
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• — Bad news for progressives. The inflation data seems to validate the instinct of Sen. Joe Manchin to punt Biden's Build Back Better agenda until next year. Manchin, along with Democratic moderates in the House, hopes to focus instead on funding the government, raising the debt ceiling, and passing the National Defense Authorization Act. They also want to see a Congressional Budget Office analysis of the true cost of each of Biden's proposed programs, as well as the tax proposals to fund them. —Axios

MORE: William Galston: The Democratic guide to losing elections —The Wall Street Journal

Corbin: Disinformation, misinformation, and our social media problem

"We've got to manage the social media animal we permitted to get out of the cage that has taken dangerous control with unfounded conspiracies and other harm. As a start, it wouldn't hurt for critical thinking and logical reasoning courses to be offered in all K-12 and postsecondary institutions so people will learn how to discern fact from fiction and truth from conspiracy nonsense." —Steve Corbin on nwestiowa.com

Steve Corbin is a professor emeritus at the University of Northern Iowa.

MORE: Cyber agency beefing up disinformation, misinformation team —The Hill

'I thought it looked cool'

In the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, the 18-year-old defendant testified on his own behalf yesterday, breaking down on the stand at one point. Rittenhouse has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, reckless homicide, and attempted intentional homicide for killing two people and injuring a third in August 2020, during violent protests in Kenosha, Wis., following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, went to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic weapon—chosen, he said, because it looked "cool"—in what he claims was an attempt to protect property after rioters had set fires and ransacked businesses on previous nights. During cross-examination, he admitted that he knew that he was not legally allowed to possess the gun, but argued that he acted in self-defense. "I didn't do anything wrong," he said. "I defended myself." —Politico

MORE: Ahmaud Arbery killing trial: Second witness testifies Gregory McMichael didn't know whether Arbery had committed crime prior to pursuit —CNN

Nemat: A thin line separates democracy from tyranny

"If Western democracies are not on guard, their citizens can fall prey to the same kinds of leaders who now control Iran's political infrastructure. The revolutionary leaders were populists who promised to return power to the people after decades of monarchical rule, and for many disenfranchised voters in democracies who feel their elected officials have ignored their struggles, the populist messaging can have quite a strong appeal—even if it is just a ploy. But the risk is not only in losing civil or democratic rights, but in being punished for challenging the authority figures who have stripped citizens of those rights." —Marina Nemat on CNN

Marina Nemat is the author of two memoirs, "Prisoner of Tehran" and "After Tehran," and a fellow of the Renew Democracy Initiative's Frontlines of Freedom project.

MORE: Domestic extremists pushing violence against Congress and health officials —NBC News

Mancuso: Immigration and climate are intertwined

"Next year, voters will cast their ballots in the midterm elections. With the entire House and 34 Senate seats up for grabs next November, there will be a lot of talk about immigration, and rightfully so, as the immigration system is broken. But it's not entirely for the reasons you think. Migration patterns of people coming to the United States are being exacerbated by the climate crisis. … As politicians call for changes to America's immigration policy, they are missing the mark if they don't likewise advocate for climate policy. The influx of immigrants is a symptom of the larger problem of climate change. Thus, reforming immigration alone, without concurrently addressing climate change, is going to be like crossing fingers that sea walls will hold." —Mary Anna Mancuso in Orlando Sentinel

Mary Anna Mancuso is a political strategist and a spokesperson for RepublicEn.org.

MORE: U.S.-China climate deal at COP26 breaks through superpower standoff —Bloomberg

Focus on ranked-choice voting

Ranked-choice voting, an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots, is gaining traction around the country, and for good reason. RCV opens up electoral opportunities to unifying candidates who may not otherwise have had a shot. Thirty-two cities in seven states (Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Utah) used RCV on Election Day last week—in 22 of these cities, it was used for the first time. Additionally, voters in three cities approved ballot measures that will enable them to hold RCV elections in the future.

• — Colorado. In the city of Broomfield, voters approved Question 2A 52% to 48%. Question 2A provides for the use of RCV in mayoral and city council elections starting in Nov. 2023. Broomfield joins Boulder, Basalt, Carbondale, and Telluride in conducting at least some municipal elections using a ranked-choice system.
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• — Maine. Voters in Westbrook approved a referendum providing for the use of RCV in elections for mayor, city council, and school committee. This makes Westbrook the second city in Maine to adopt the system for select municipal elections (the first was Portland). In 2016, Maine became the first state to adopt RCV for federal elections. 
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• — Michigan. Ann Arbor voters approved Proposal B 73% to 27%. Proposal B provides for the use of RCV in mayoral and city council elections, but only if the state enacts a law authorizing the method. This is the second time Ann Arbor voters have approved RCV for municipal elections, having first done so way back in 1974 (the system was repealed two years later). —Ballotpedia News

Rubin: Hey biz, put your money where your mouth is

"Businesses might consider a pro-voting pledge: No money for backers of voter suppression, filibusters against voting rights, or gimmicks to overturn elections. Partner with voting groups to help register all eligible employees to vote. Give workers paid time off to vote and to volunteer as poll workers. Provide their facilities for early and Election Day voting. The 2022 midterms are right around the corner. This is perfect time to put corporate money and muscle where their mouths have been." —Jennifer Rubin in The Washington Post

Jennifer Rubin is an attorney and political opinion columnist at The Washington Post.

MORE: Former top officials warn democracy in 'jeopardy' without congressional action on election security —The Hill

I do not think people fully understand the absolute trouble Donald Trump is in. His base, which, numbers-wise, is not that big, is not the so-called force that people claim it is. He has criminal troubles in Georgia, New York, and D.C. Plus, people forget that the Mueller Report found and proved he committed obstruction of justice 10 times. His continued criminal activities, business- and tax-wise, put him in even more legal jeopardy.

The Jan. 6 terrorists, including Trump, will be exposed and dealt with. Remember, the stolen election nonsense is being taken apart and proven a lie by the same attorneys that helped spread the lie. Under oath in sworn depositions, they are not so loud and sure or unleashing any "Krakens," except on themselves. One thing is for sure, if the legal system fails us, we know how to march to the ballot box and fix the problem—only if people open their eyes, ears, minds, and morals.

As for Joe Biden, some criticism of him is justified, but think what happened before he was in office. Trump defied the will of the people and committed an act of treason to stay in power. Biden was denied the routine transfer-of-power duties between administrations. Biden had to deal with the treason committed by Trump in Afghanistan by selling out to America's enemies, the Taliban. Biden had to contend with Trump's lack of coordinated work on the pandemic, which created unnecessary death and destruction.

Biden started behind before he was ever inaugurated. Trump almost destroyed us, but it took four years. Biden has been in office since Jan. 20, less than 10 months. Look at the number of vaccinated people in America. Plus, Biden has had to make very serious decisions concerning the Jan. 6 committee requests.

Give him time. FYI, I am not a Democrat. I was a Republican until 2016 and the rise of Trump. —Donna C., California

The views expressed in "What's Your Take?" are submitted by readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff or the Stand Up Republic Foundation.