Back in April, I suggested that Rep. Lamar Smith’s (R-TX) harassment of climate scientists should become a focus of discussion in the 2016 presidential election. Smith’s abuse of his position as head of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and his attempts to destroy the lives of those who have tried to raise […]
Are the Elderly Holding America Back?
A new book treats old age, or ‘gerontocracy,’ as the central crisis of modern politics. The framing obscures more than it explains.
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Remember When We Used to Take World War III Seriously?
In the 1980s, serious people feared World War III and acted to prevent it. Today, our slouch toward World War III is being orchestrated by egotistical sociopaths.
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The Return of the Native
Nicholas Lemann’s family history illuminates what it means to be Jewish in America and explains how we choose our religious and ethnic identities.
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The Roberts Court’s Gutting of the Voting Rights Act Nears Completion
Two rulings this year, including one this month, have laid bare the court’s fundamental misinterpretation of the landmark law and the Reconstruction Era Constitutional amendments that transformed America.
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A Liberal Without the Elitism: Robert Coles, RIP
I studied with the late Harvard professor who had a nuanced understanding of class and race in America.
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The Defeat of Spencer Pratt Is a Defeat of AI Slop
The Los Angeles Republican mayoral candidate was seen as a cutting-edge adopter of artificial intelligence, but it only cut down his chances of winning.
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The Washington Monthly Announces Finalists for 2026 Kukula Award Book Review Prize
One-of-a-kind journalism prize, named in honor of the late Monthly book editor, honors exemplary nonfiction book reviewing that elucidates key issues of our times.
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