Here are the institutions that save lives, save money, and serve social justice.
July/August 2020
A Note From Our Partner, the Lown Institute
Here’s how they developed their rankings.
Why Hospitals Keep Their Prices Secret
They don’t want you to know what the other guy is paying.
Elite Hospitals Have an Epidemic of Greed
How the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and “charitable” hospital systems like it put making money ahead of service to the public.
How We Calculated the Best Hospitals for America
A note on methodology.
A Hospital Ranking That Makes Sense
Inside the Washington Monthly’s 10-year effort to redefine what “best” means in healthcare.
Why Can’t Republicans Elect Women?
For decades, the number of GOP women in congress has barely grown. Will that change in 2020?
How the GOP Built a Loyal Hispanic Base
For decades, Republicans used appointments and policies to win a reliable third of the Latino vote.
Humans Don’t Have a Monopoly on Culture
A new book explains how species pass skills and knowledge down generations—and what it means for conservation goals.
What Motivates the Republican Party?
The GOP seems wildly hypocritical and unprincipled, until you understand its guiding idea.
Capitalism’s Nine Lives
Predicting the end of the free market system is a mug’s game, but a bigger welfare state is a pretty sure bet.
What Makes Today’s Dictators Different
They rely more on demagoguery than secret police—but they’re just as dangerous.
From Katrina to COVID-19: There Are Reasons Disasters Hurt the Poor the Most
A new book shows how policy choices have made some people more vulnerable than others.
Can Anything Dislodge the Electoral College?
Today’s reformers join a long history of groups that have tried, and failed, to eliminate the institution.
The Unfulfilled Promise of the Public Defender
Despite a century of progress, the poor still don’t get a fair day in court.
The Benefits of Boredom
COVID-19 is going to last a long while. Here’s the psychology behind making the best of it.
Watching Rachel Maddow Is Not Enough
Obsessively following the news but doing nothing to help your side gain power is less than useful.
