Is the “Vibecession” Over?
Consumer confidence is up, and inflation is down. But will the economy improve enough by November to buoy Biden’s flagging reelection prospects?
Search Result(s) for: “Obama”
Boeing’s Self-Inspection Program Is Deeply Flawed
The Federal Aviation Administration has long allowed Boeing to conduct its own aircraft safety inspections. A new government investigation suggests that the self-inspection program could have played a role in multiple plane crashes.
Officials Keep Admitting Biden’s Anger at Israel Isn’t Real
Since October 7, US officials have been quietly admitting in the press that Joe Biden fully supports Israel’s war — and that talk about the president’s supposed anger at massive civilian casualties in Gaza is purely PR to keep the war going.
Wall Street Is Finding New Ways to Milk the Prison System
Some states have taken on the cost of prison phone calls to keep private equity–backed telecom companies from price gouging inmates and their loved ones. Yet these companies have found new ways to exploit prisoners.
America’s Origin Story Is a Myth
The foundational myths of the United States celebrate the conquest of the frontier as the creation of a nation founded on principles of equality. Nick Estes thinks it’s time Americans grappled with the truth.
The Koch Network Is Lobbying Against Rail Safety
In the wake of last year’s toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, new legislation was proposed with the aim of making railways safer. But thanks to incessant lobbying from the Koch network and its web of conservative operatives, the bill has been all but killed.
How Britain Became America’s Stooge
As Britain lost the ability to maintain its empire, the US took on the role of managing the global order. In Someone Else’s Empire, Tom Stevenson shows how American dominance, aided and abetted by Britain, has caused untold suffering across the world.
Big-Money Forces Want Antitrust Regulators’ Budget Slashed
Funded by corporations seeking to suppress antitrust scrutiny, Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen has put forth new legislation that would cut the budget of federal antitrust enforcers.
The Plutocratic Plan to Remake Colorado Elections
A “philanthropic venture fund” backed by elites is trying to remake Colorado’s electoral system to make it easier for the wealthy to buy up elections.
The Gary Convention Elided Black America’s Internal Disunity
In 1972, black political leaders and activists convened in Gary, Indiana, to develop a unified black political program. But the convention’s emphasis on racial cohesion overlooked the realities of black class stratification and internal ideological divisions.
Itamar Moses’s The Ally Is an Exercise in Liberal Ambivalence
Itamar Moses’s new play The Ally, about free speech and Israel, boldly broaches the topic of Palestine activism on US college campuses. But the play ultimately stays on the safe side, endorsing agnosticism and inaction in a time of massacres.
How US “Foreign Aid” Has Helped Destabilize Haiti
A surge of gang violence in Haiti has now led to the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Through its heavy-handed use of foreign aid to intervene in Haitian politics, the US government bears significant responsibility for Haiti’s ongoing instability.
Joe Biden’s Support for Israel Might Cost Him the Election
Joe Biden and his top advisers believe that fear of a potential Trump presidency will be enough to secure the Democrats’ victory in this year’s election. Polling data does not support this view. If Biden does not change course, he’s likely to face defeat.
Tennessee Volkswagen Workers Have Filed for a Union Election
After the UAW’s stand-up strike against the Big 3, the union pledged to embark on an aggressive campaign to organize nonunion automakers. Today, the UAW announced it is filing an election at the Chattanooga, Tennessee, Volkswagen plant.
Why the Far Right Rules Modi’s India
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, the electoral arm of a Hindu nationalist movement, represents the largest and most organized far-right force on the planet. To understand its rise, we must look to India’s 20th-century history.
US Sanctions on Iran Are Devastating and Ineffective
US sanctions are causing crippling shortages for many Iranians. But far from bringing the Islamic Republic to its knees, the sanctions are an opportunity for elites to remodel the economy — and find new ways of profiting from misery.
The Junta and the Monks
Buddhist nationalism has been a central tenet of Myanmar’s politics since independence. A new alliance against the military dictatorship could finally change things.
A Biden Envoy to the Pacific Had Major Conflicts of Interest
When Joseph Yun was the chief US negotiator in the Pacific, he also led talks that are likely to deliver a lucrative advantage to the consulting firm where he currently works and the powerful defense contractor it represents in the region.
Liberals’ Heated Fascism Rhetoric Sidesteps Self-Reflection
In response to the threat of a second Donald Trump presidency, Democrats are dusting off apocalyptic rhetoric of looming fascism and total democratic collapse. It's a self-soothing deflection of responsibility more than anything else.
Dealignment of the Faithful?
It’s tempting to see America’s declining religiosity as nothing but good news for the Democrats. The real picture is more complicated.