Em Dashes

The NYT Op-Ed includes many examples of em dashes. This is not unusual in editorials and could also be a reflection of New York Times style as much as the author's original intent.

However, there are strong similarities between the use of em dashes in the editorial and in Rosen's other writings. Rosen frequently and liberally uses em dashes, both in his legal and popular writing. I don't think there is any point in trying to make an exhaustive catalog of examples. I could produce dozens here. But I will provide some illustrative examples below, of ones that are similar to the examples in the NYT Op-Ed. First, all of the uses in the Op-Ed:

The dilemma — which he does not fully grasp — is that many of the senior officials

But these successes have come despite — not because of — the president’s leadership style

But his national security team knew better — such actions had to be taken, to hold Moscow accountable.

So we will do what we can to steer the administration in the right direction until — one way or another — it’s over.

But we will always have his example — a lodestar for restoring honor to public life and our national dialogue.

Here are a few of many examples from the National Affairs article:

it is important that the budget caps apply to costs — not to benefits — just as with the fiscal budget. 

The second key challenge is ensuring the reliability and integrity of the costs — and enforcing the application of the budget caps to them. 

The enormous volume of existing rules — and the costs they already impose — will also need to be considered. 

Here are some examples from his prepared testimony for the Department of Transportation

If one looks only at NEC train operations -- separate from the heavily subsidized NEC infrastructure -- this is the one area

Amtrak’s fifteen long-distance trains have seen declining revenues and ridership -- and increasing costs -- over the last ten years.

 we provide intercity passenger rail service in this country -- a single, nationwide monopoly called Amtrak -- is unworkable and is not adequately positioned

better off with Amtrak able to focus on one thing -- operating trains -- and doing it well. 

Here are some examples from his amicus brief:

a threat to First Amendment rights in another vital context -- our Nation's public universities.

the cost of self-censorship -- particularly in the university context -- simply cannot be overstated

the first amendment protections applies to campus speech -- irrespective of the identity or cause of the speaker

In reality, requiring -- as the Sixth Circuit did below -- that plaintiffs must prove

and from another amicus brief:

Ordinary meaning is therefore informed by — but different from — a pure dictionary definition.

retain not only its records but its entire inventory — not just samples for testing — for the duration