admin How to Contain the Oligarchs
Rule by the rich looks inevitable, but it’s not. From ancient Greece to New Deal America, democracies have found ways…
The Myth of the “Independent Creator”
Much like the economy at large, the platforms like Substack operate on superstar economics, favoring big players over independent creators.
The Exiles Who Sold Trump’s Wars
Iranian and Venezuelan émigré networks made the case for U.S. intervention. Then President Trump cut them loose.
The Power of Vote at Home
Voter turnout under California’s vote-at-home system was off-the-charts. That’s a far more important story than waiting a week for results.
How Local News Reduces Loneliness
Research suggests that whether it’s an obituary, a puff piece, or news of a community event, local news makes us…
The Iran War’s Biggest Loser? Definitely Netanyahu
Trump’s Iran war deal hurts his “Art of the Deal” image. But Netanyahu’s military-first strategy has left Israel isolated and…
Trump’s Dangerous Litmus Test for NIH Grants
A new OMB proposal stipulates that every federal research grant adhere to administration ideology, mixing science with political preference.
The 2026 Kukula Award Winners
The Washington Monthly’s annual Kukula award celebrates the best in nonfiction book reviewing and honors the memory of Kukula Kapoor…
Why You’ll Never Be an Online Star
Online sensations like Mr. Beast—the YouTuber with nearly 500 million subscribers—have spurred countless imitators with dreams...
Are the Elderly Holding America Back?
Samuel Moyn’s Gerontocracy in America treats old age as the central crisis of modern politics. The framing obscures more than…