Don’t Lose Sight of the Oligarchy
Last weekend’s massive “No Kings” rallies proved Donald Trump’s deep unpopularity. But Trump should be opposed as a symptom of America’s vast warmongering, oligarchic elite, not a simply a grotesque anomaly.
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Silicon Valley Was Woke. Now They Want Blood.
The Big Data firm Palantir spent years developing lethal military tech. Now it’s leading a transformation in Silicon Valley, with tech giants abandoning their progressive posturing to join the battle for American military supremacy.
The Kneecap Trial Exposed Britain’s Free Speech Crisis
This week, Mo Chara, a member of the Irish language rap group Kneecap, stood trial on charges of terrorism. Rather than making an example of the musician, the fiasco exposed the deeply illiberal nature of Britain’s political class.
Rust Belt Voters Are Sick of Both Parties
Polling shows Americans are ready to support independent populists running on economic platforms. But what they don’t want is anything associated with the Democratic Party’s brand.
Zohran Mamdani Has Won Over Key Segments of Organized Labor
In an era when unions routinely endorse candidates beholden to the bosses, Zohran Mamdani’s inroads with organized labor are a significant step forward.
Like George W. Bush, Donald Trump Is Lying His Way Into War
Donald Trump built his ascent on public hatred for George W. Bush’s forever wars. As he lies his way into a war with Iran, he’s poised to take up Bush’s legacy as his own.
Kamala Harris Didn’t Lose Because of Racism
Many Democrats continue to believe that the racism of average Americans — many of whom voted for Barack Obama twice — explains why Donald Trump won. This moralism suits party elites who would rather demonize the public than address growing inequality.
Spotify Deserves the Hate. But Don’t Forget the Major Labels.
Spotify’s excesses — ghost artists, boring mood playlists, and AI — don’t indicate some evil inherent to streaming. They stem from the major labels’ effective oligarchy over the music industry.
West Papua’s Forever War
Prabowo Subianto first made his name as an Indonesian military leader trying to crush East Timor’s push for independence. Today he is president — and his government is fighting another colonial war in West Papua.
Materialists Tries to Update the Rom-Com for the Tinder Generation
Writer-director Celine Song’s Materialists follows a professional NYC matchmaker split between two charming suitors. It’s yet another attempt to update the Jane Austen formula, but without the poignancy and beauty of Song’s acclaimed Past Lives.
Big Pharma Can Tweak Drugs to Keep Generics Off the Market
Taking advantage of a broken patent system, Big Pharma is making minor tweaks to medications just to keep affordable generics off the market, a new report suggests. They’ve made billions of dollars in the process.
The Bad Argument Against Zohran Mamdani’s Free Bus Proposal
In his campaign for NYC mayor, Zohran Mamdani has proposed making city buses fare-free. Critics of the proposal say this would deprive buses of needed funds, but their argument is based on a mistaken understanding of government revenue.