Oct 14, 2016 4 min read

Editorial voices from newspapers around the United States:

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a message to Indiana’s absentee governor, and it did so in forceful terms, saying that the state can’t discriminate against individuals or groups based on their religion, ethnicity or national origin.

The three-judge panel dismissed Gov. Mike Pence’s fears that Syrian refugees immigrating to the U.S. pose a threat to the safety and security of the state. The ruling blocks his attempt to prevent state agencies from helping the immigrants resettle here.

Pence, of course, was one of a number of governors from mostly Republican states who resisted allowing in Syrian refugees following the terrorist attacks last November in Paris. The ruling is no surprise and should have been anticipated by the Pence administration and the Indiana attorney general’s office, which argued the state’s case to the court. But it was another in a line of Pence-supported policies or legislation that have not passed constitutional muster. And it added one more item to the litany of disturbing strikes against the state for being an unwelcoming place that is willing to make discrimination a part of public policy.

Whatever the outcome of November’s presidential election, one particular note should be apparent to political leaders going forward: Populism is alive and strong in American politics.

But it’s not unique to the United States this year; populism is trending globally.

There is an evident global frustration with those in the political class who are viewed to be out of touch with the average person. These folks are voting for what they believe will disrupt the political system and displace the establishment.

To that aim, 2016 has numerous examples: In the United Kingdom voters surprisingly voted to exit the European Union in June. In May, the Philippines elected Rodrigo Duterte, a brash politician known for making cringe-worthy statements that often rightly inspire global condemnation.

And closer to home, Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has been built on tapping into populist frustrations of Americans who feel as though they are unrepresented, disenfranchised, left behind and poorly served by the American government.

It’s easy for politicians and government leaders to dismiss these populist winds, but that’s a dangerous proposition. Voters are frustrated because government has become ineffective, political leaders are out of touch and unaccountable, and the fortunes of the elite seem to improve while the many stagnate or get worse.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of the 2016 election is that populism is bred when the political class fails to listen and act.

The shoppers have spoken and Mall of America has listened.

The mall in Bloomington, Minn., the largest in the nation, will close for Thanksgiving this year, mall officials announced recently.

That is great news for thousands of families who will be able to spend the day together. That included the approximately 1,200 employees working directly for the mall and the other 13,000 workers employed by stores in the mall.

It seems the public has spoken and over the years, there has been a widespread push back from what was becoming the “Black Friday Creep” to the good old “Black Friday.”

It was getting ridiculous for a while as the time crept from 5 a.m. Friday to midnight and then up to 10 p.m. or 8 p.m. Some stores even started as early as 8 a.m. Thursday and opted not to close at all for the holiday. At least that trend is now reversing.

Looking forward to this upcoming holiday season, we encourage retailers to follow Mall of America’s example.