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Atlantic Unbound | Archive
D.C. Dispatch ..... Legal Affairs: Innocents in PrisonMany thousands of wrongly convicted people are rotting in prisons and jails around the country. Social Studies: The Candidates' Four Detention CampsDeciding what to do with jihadist operatives is the country's most urgent legal question. But there's little sign that the presidential candidates have given it much thought. Off Message: Crowd ControlEverybody's buzzing about citizen journalism. But the "journalism" could use some editing. Political Pulse: Democratic SlugfestAn exchange of blows between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama was bound to happen. Legal Affairs: Shortsighted on JudgesSenate Democrats are playing a dangerous political game in opposing confirmation of Leslie Southwick, a wellqualified judicial nominee from Mississippi. Wealth of Nations: Beyond Trade Adjustment AssistanceWorkers who lose their jobs because of trade are no more deserving than workers whose jobs disappear for other reasons. Political Pulse: The Poverty CandidatesJohn Edwards made poverty an issue in his 2004 campaign for the White House. This time around, he has company: Barack Obama is also working to put poverty back on the political agenda. Legal Affairs: Are the Democrats Serious?Both sides deserve to lose the brewing battle between the White House and Congress over executive privilege. Political Pulse: Of Church and StateReligion now looms larger than economic class as a source of political division. Social Studies: Flying Blind in a Red-Tape BlizzardBased on spending, President Bush appears to be the biggest regulator since the Nixon-Ford years. Wealth of Nations: How Rove Charmed a Clinton CrowdThe real star of the show at last week's Aspen Ideas Festival wasn't Bill Clinton. It was Karl Rove. Off Message: The Daily DoseTwo multipart newspaper series provided intriguing looks at Dick Cheney and Mitt Romney. Political Pulse: Platinum PoliticsThis is an anti-establishment year, which is helping Barack Obama and hurting John McCain. Legal Affairs: Is There a Middle Ground on Race?The Supreme Court decision on school integration illustrates the pitfalls of both the conservative and the liberal approaches to the problem of race. Off Message: Who Are We?The flap over journalists making political donations confirmed the widespread suspicion that media outlets are hiding something. But it doesn't have to be this way. Political Pulse: The Bush CourtPresident Bush has made good on his pledge to move the Supreme Court to the right. As a result, the Court could be more of an issue in the 2008 presidential race than it was in 2004. Legal Affairs: A Judicial Overreaction to Bush Abuses?Congress needs to rethink the war on terrorism's detention and interrogation policy from the ground up. Social Studies: A Simpler, Better Immigration PlanWriting a perfect immigration bill is impossible, but writing a better one than the Senate's is a piece of cake. Political Pulse: Clear as MudThe collapse of the Senate immigration bill makes the 2008 GOP presidential race even muddier. Wealth of Nations: Fact and Fiction in Health Care ReformThe crux of health care reform is to give consumers real choices. This can happen only if employers are largely taken out of the equation. Legal Affairs: 'Injustice 5, Justice 4'The media's portrayal of a May 29 Supreme Court ruling on sex-based pay discrimination was way off the mark. Off Message: Bee AfraidInto the summer news void steps science, with stories of disappearing bees. Political Pulse: The Papa Bear FactorEven though he's a former senator, Fred Thompson is positioned to run against Washington. Legal Affairs: How Not to Make Terrorism PolicyFormer State Department official Philip Zelikow has opened a window into how the Bush administration's antiterrorism policy-making process went wrong. Off Message: In Their ElementBill and Hillary Clinton are the media's dream team. They never become old news. Political Pulse: United Against BushIn three competitive swing states, Muslim-American voters could make a difference. Legal Affairs: 'Hate Crimes' and Double StandardsThe House-passed hate crimes bill is an example of feel-good legislation likely to do more harm than good. Wealth of Nations: Still Baffled by ImmigrationThe immigration deal will not work, and it's hard to believe that the Senate negotiators honestly think otherwise. Off Message: The Biggest NicheDo we need a 24-hour radio channel devoted to presidential campaign coverage? Political Pulse: 44 Million StrongThe rise in Hispanic voters can help Democrats—unless an anti-immigrant backlash kicks in. Legal Affairs: Another Gonzales Horror StoryEvery day that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is allowed to remain in office is corrosive to constitutional governance. Social Studies: Staunch or Deluded? Bush Is BothWhere President Bush appears to be kidding himself is not about the military situation in Iraq but the political situation at home. Off Message: Dancing HorsesWhat a dancing horse tell us about the way digital technology is changing political news. Political Pulse: Intensely Anti-WarIraq doesn't sound like a kitchen-table issue, but it's what voters are most worried about. Legal Affairs: Terrorism Suspects and the LawNo satisfactory resolution of the debate over the treatment of suspected terrorists is likely until at least 2009. Wealth of Nations: The Baffling Politics of ImmigrationDisagreement over immigration cuts through every ideological alignment, setting brother against brother, and activist against activist. Off Message: Digging MurdochThe idea that The Wall Street Journal needs Rupert Murdoch is a howler. Political Pulse: Hardening Their PositionsThe legislative process pushes the parties together. The presidential campaign pulls them apart. Legal Affairs: Congress Should Censure GonzalesA vote by Congress to censure Alberto Gonzales would be both constitutional and supported by precedent. Off Message: The Dead Can DanceJournalists are using the deaths of prominent people to comment on current-day problems. Political Pulse: Violating the 11th CommandmentRepublican presidential candidates haven't hesitated to speak ill of their fellow hopefuls. Legal Affairs: 'Issue Ads' and Common SenseSupreme Court justices seemed to be missing the point during oral arguments over curbs that the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law imposes on free speech. Wealth of Nations: A Small Scandal and a Big QuestionPaul Wolfowitz has only made things worse at the World Bank. He has irretrievably lost control. Off Message: The Golden GaffeWhy the story of John Edwards's $400 haircuts has taken on a life of its own. Political Pulse: Framing the DebateDemocrats and Republicans are framing the Supreme Court abortion ruling in very different ways. Political Pulse: Triangulating Times?Bill Clinton triangulated on welfare reform. Can George W. Bush do the same on immigration? Off Message: Karma ChameleonsLike movies and professional sports, the mega-story is a social glue. But it can also be short-lived. Social Studies: Turning Lights Down, and Profits UpTo listen to many environmentalists talk, you would assume that capitalism is the enemy of conservation. They should visit Pratt & Whitney's turbine module factory. Wealth of Nations: Mistaking a Miracle for a CrisisWe are witnessing a transformation of the world economy. The implications of the upheaval are not widely appreciated or understood. Social Studies: Learning From IkeWhen politicians reach for foreign-policy models, they cite practically every president except Dwight Eisenhower. That's a pity. Off Message: Mutual SuspicionNew and old media vet one another's work, helping consumers decide what not to read. Political Pulse: Of Dollars and DiscontentFirst-quarter fundraising totals have opened up the presidential races in both parties. Opening Argument: 'Rape' and the Navy's P.C. PoliceA bogus rape charge shouldn't derail the Navy career of 23-year-old Lamar Owens Jr., the former quarterback of the Naval Academy's football team. Off Message: We're in the MoneyIn their presidential campaign coverage, the media have spoken: Raise gobs of money, or die. Political Pulse: Voter's RemorseBill Clinton's popularity has gone up as George W. Bush's has gone down. Wealth of Nations: Global Warming: Winners and LosersScientific evidence does not affirm Al Gore's most alarming hypotheticals about global warming or the costly changes in policy he recommends. Social Studies: Pardon Libby? Maybe, but Not AloneA Honduran business exective named David Henson McNab has been doing time since 2001 in a federal prison. President Bush should set him free. Off Message: Trading PlacesNot so long ago, when a journalist interviewed a presidential candidate, the news was about what the politican said. But as the flap over Katic Couric shows, the old rules no longer apply. Political Pulse: Bush's Firing SquadCongressional Republicans will start clamoring for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to go if they feel the U.S. attorney controversy has become politically threatening to them. Opening Argument: Choosing the Next Attorney GeneralRunning the Justice Department is a big, big job that can be done well only by people with superior abilities and judgment. Off Message: Look SharpNewspapers are run by people who care a lot about words and very little about design. Political Pulse: Irking New HampshireChanges in the presidential primary calendar will make New Hampshire more important than ever. Legal Affairs: A Right to Keep and Bear Arms?An appeals court ruling striking down a D.C. gun control law is right and should be affirmed. Wealth of Nations: Wall Street's Housing-Market MakeoverStock market declines have drawn attention to the housing market and especially to the condition of subprime mortgage lenders. Off Message: Brand AidIt took decades for the media to catch on, but now they're branding with a vengeance. Political Pulse: Turning Up the HeatDemocrats are facing intense pressure to cut off funding for the Iraq war immediately. Social Studies: Global Warming: The Convenient TruthSlow-but-steady is not only the easiest approach to dealing with global warming; it is also the most effective. Off Message: Toot, TootAs the Walter Reed story shows, in the solar system of journalism, newspapers are the sun. Political Pulse: Outsiders in the Fast LaneBarack Obama and Rudy Guiliani are the rock stars of the 2008 race. Legal Affairs: The Supreme Court: Place Your BetsA look at how the Supreme Court might change constitutional law on abortion, gay rights, and other big issues. Wealth of Nations: A Political Comedy of ErrorsWhat does an awful film starring Robin Williams have to do with America's economic prospects? More than you might think. Off Message: Twinkie TimeThe recent dustup between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama over remarks by David Geffen was a classic specimen of the wispy stuff of modern campaign coverage. Political Pulse: Hollywood Hedges Its BetsWith some Democrats wondering whether either Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama can be elected president, the 2008 primaries are likely to produce a lot of strategic voting. Opening Argument: The Case for a National Security CourtFor the good of the war on terrorism, the United States needs to create a National Security Court to try enemy combatants. Political Pulse: Race to the RightThe three leading Republican presidential contenders are all moving to the right. Wealth of Nations: The Message in the BudgetThe alternative minimum tax is a nuisance, but the Bush administration is relying on it to balance the budget. Social Studies: On Foreign Policy, Shades of AgreementAmerica's partisans want a foreign policy that is less confrontational than the one the Bush administration has given them. Off Message: Over the HedgeThe media are so saturated with coverage of the very wealthy, the story line is losing its novelty. Political Pulse: Don't BlinkThe presidential nomination fights could be over by early February 2008. Legal Affairs: Irrational Sentencing, Top to BottomDoes it make sense that we punish corporate malefactors who lie to stockholders more seriously than we punish most murders? Off Message: Mirror, MirrorFor better or worse, the Scooter Libby trial offers a glimpse into Washington as it really is. Political Pulse: The Middle-Class BluesDemocrats are picking up signs of middle-class anxiety about economic trends. Political Pulse: Betting on Private MoneyThe current presidential campaign finance system is likely about to collapse and die. Off Message: What Goes UpBarack Obama has everything going for him except what he really needs right now: a massive media disaster. Wealth of Nations: Don't Think I'm Defending Bush, But ...Once Bush is gone, not every idea that Bush has defended will be regarded as wrong merely for that reason. Opening Argument: The Great Black-White HopeAn Obama win in 2008 would be by far the best thing that has happened to African-Americans, and to race relations, in more than 50 years. Wealth of Nations: A Glimmer of Purpose in the PantomimeDemocrats ought to pass President Bush's health care proposal without delay, and demand that he sign it into law. Off Message: Serious PuffThe Web sites of the 2008 presidential hopefuls are a rich vein of information. Political Pulse: The 2008 CrowdOpinion polls could play an unusually big role in the selection of the presidential nominees. Social Studies: A Bad Idea That Deserves a TryEven though the Bush Surge is unlikely to work, Congress should not try to stop it. His plan is worth a try. Off Message: The Authority QuestionAs the Charles Stimson controversy shows, the media establishment still speaks with authority. Political Pulse: The Confidence GapPresident Bush has not succeeded in changing people's minds about Iraq. Political Pulse: Laying Down a MarkerNancy Pelosi has taken over in a more polarized environment than Newt Gingrich faced in 1994. Off Message: The Match GamePairing content with medium has become a make-or-break art in today's media world. Wealth of Nations: No Easy Exit From Iraq"Bad as the situation in Iraq may be, a precipitate retreat would make things worse" Social Studies: The Democrats' Best Shot at ReformWith the farm bill coming up this for renewal this year, Democrats in Congress have the opportunity to end farm welfare as we know it. Off Message: Let's Get SmallSmaller is considered better for most media delivery devices. But for The Wall Street Journal? Political Pulse: A Message About PrioritiesOpinion polls show that Americans have one big priority; resolving the situation in Iraq. Legal Affairs: This Time, Let's Get It RightIn the new year, Congress should resolve to repair the deeply flawed system for detaining terrorism suspects. Off Message: Fa La La La La'Tis the season for ringing the holiday bells instead of sounding the death knell for journalism. Political Pulse: Clinton, Obama, and the Third WayClinton's excessive baggage and Barack's light load of experience might not be the only options for Democrats. Legal Affairs: A Different Way to Integrate SchoolsSocioeconomic integration is more effective than racial balancing in improving the academic performance of poor children. Wealth of Nations: On Milton Friedman's Unfinished WorkDespite Milton Friedman's best efforts, economic liberty is widely regarded as very much a second-class kind of freedom. Political Pulse: One Tough DemocratFor decades, Democrats have been stereotyped as wimpy liberals. But Jim Webb, Virginia's new Democratic senator, is nobody's idea of a liberal. And his confrontational style is anything but wimpy. Legal Affairs: Global Warming: Time for a Court OrderThe Supreme Court should rule that EPA's posture about the dangers of global warming violates the Clean Air Act. Social Studies: A Pariah's Triumph—and America'sOnce in a blue moon a reporter meets a man who changes the world by the sheer force of will, character, and vision. Frank Kamney is such a man. Off Message: Let's Talk About UsThe more journalism declines into depression, the more journalists obsess about themselves. Political Pulse: The Price of PatienceWhen Americans feel bogged down in a war; they want to win or get out. Political Pulse: Swing TimeIndependents have always been around, but for the past 12 years they've split their votes pretty evenly between the two parties. This year, they swung. The independent vote went 57 percent to Democrats and 39 percent to Republicans—the biggest margin since the first exit polls in 1976. Political Pulse: Immigration: Election Issue Fade-OutNeither party holds a clear advantage on the issue. Social Studies: When One Party Rules, Both Parties FailLike a one-armed canoeist, lopsided rule has delivered neither efficiency nor effectiveness. Off Message: Viva, Vox PopPolls get all the attention because we are a numbers-obsessed culture. But there's another conduit for America's moods. Wealth of Nations: The Neglect of LibertariansPeople who are conservative on economics and liberal on social issues have a hard time identifying with either major political party. Political Pulse: Not a Pocketbook ElectionPocketbook elections occur when most people think the economy is either very bad or very good. This year, people are evenly divided about whether the economy is in good shape or not. Wealth of Nations: Prizing Independent ThinkingEdmund S. Phelps, the latest Nobel laureate in economics, has never commanded the attention outside the economics profession that his brillance warrants. Off Message: Snow CountryThe largely positive coverage of White House press secretary Tony Snow suggests that the media care more about pure gamesmanship than the principles underlying the game. Political Pulse: Of Close Calls and ChaosThis year's midterms could turn into another endless election in which we won't know who won the day after the balloting. Remembering 2000, neither side wants to be out-lawyered in any litigation battle. Social Studies: The Terror War Is an Honor WarA book by James Bowman makes a convincing case that the concept of honor is central to the liberal West's confrontation with militant Islam. Political Pulse: Stay-at-Home ConservativesIs President Bush in a position to throw his party a lifeline? We'll find out on Election Day. Wealth of Nations: A Wrong Turn in the War on TerrorThe compromise struck between Congress and the White House on interrogating suspected terrorists is a serious setback in the war on terror. Off Message: The Scandal FactoryScandals used to be rare and unpredictable. Today, they're common and routinized. Political Pulse: Opening Another FrontRevelations in Bob Woodward's new book are putting the White House on the defense. Political Pulse: Spotlight on Center StageThe political center is alive and well in Colorado's 7th Congressional District. Social Studies: The Right Approach to Rough TreatmentAfter a period of startling dereliction of duty, Congress has finally begun to create durable and accountable legal structures for the war against jihadism. Off Message: Driven to DespairBy playing the alarmist, the media reinforce the notion that newspapers have no future. Political Pulse: Pushing Prices DownThe decline in gasoline prices may be having an impact on attitudes about the economy. Wealth of Nations: Is It War, or Business as Usual?Democrats will be making a great mistake if they seem to downplay the seriousness of the security issue by deploring "alarminst" talk of war. Political Pulse: The Spread of DisillusionThe Bush administration's efforts to link Iraq with the war on terrorism could backfire. Wealth of Nations: Is a Recession Around the Corner?The chances of a recession appear to be rising, namely because housing prices are dripping in many markets, and household new worth along with them. Off Message: After the FallIf Republicans lose control of the House or Senate in November, don't be surprised if the media start tearing into the war in Iraq as they have never done before. The pack will smell blood. Political Pulse: Morphing Into Angry VotersThe early 1990s saw a wave of term-limit laws and anti-incumbent voting. Could voter concerns about Iraq, the economy, gas prices, and immigration trigger a repeat in 2006 and 2008? Social Studies: For an Iran Strategy, Look to JFKIran has discovered a dangerous gap in America's defenses and is exploiting and widening it by the day. For guidance on how to respond, U.S. strategists should look to JFK. Off Message: The Personality TestPersonality will be decisive in determining which kinds of media outlets survive. Political Pulse: Terrorism Still a Trump Card?Democrats have to convince voters that they are strong in confronting terrorism. Social Studies: Struggling to SurviveA year after Katrina, as a visitor drives block by block through St. Bernard Parish, a reality sinks in for which there is no preparing. Even knowing better, the visitor cannot help expecting to turn a corner and come upon an undamaged part of the parish. But every turn reveals more of the same—more destruction, more debris, more rebuilding still undone. Political Pulse: No Rallying 'Round BushOnly one Bush administration figure is getting high marks: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Wealth of Nations: Two Wrongs Don't Make a RightTwinning a radical cut in the estate tax with an increase in the minimum wage isn't just a cynical political ploy. It's bad policy--on both counts. Off Message: The Star ChamberThe broadsheets' lack of verve for celebrity coverage has been on display in recent days. Political Pulse: Did Bush Get It Backward?President Bush wants to put Iraq and Israel on the same side ("democracy"). But they're not. Wealth of Nations: A Clear-Cut Case of IncompetenceWhat a price the world, especially the poorest part of the world, will pay for the collapse of global trade talks. Off Message: Sticking to the PanLeisure coverage may not be weighty stuff, but it could be the golden egg that saves newspapers. Political Pulse: The Middle East and the MidtermsAmerican politics is bitterly divided over Iraq. But not over the conflict in the Middle East. Off Message: The Bard of the BubbleFor informed real estate coverage, look for David Streitfeld's byline in the Los Angeles Times. Political Pulse: Tehran Calls the ShotsIran is showing the West, by attacking the soft underbelly of Israeli security, that pushing it around will have consequences. Wealth of Nations: The Lure of EducationWe know how to improve education, and, politics aside, it is not even that difficult: It's clear that competition among schools raises standards. Off Message: Invisible GreedThe media are letting the rich off the hook with their coverage of philanthropy. Political Pulse: The Primary MessagePresident Bush's standing among Connecticut Democrats is bad news for Joe Lieberman. Legal Affairs: Distorting the Law and Facts in the Torture DebateA fog of confusion surrounds the question of what can be done to extract potentially lifesaving information. Social Studies: Not a Gas Tax—a Gas PactHere's an idea for President Bush: propose an international treaty whose signatories would agree to eliminate gasoline from their transportation systems. Political Pulse: The Clintons of New HampshireAfter Democrats lose a presidential race, their first impulse is to change the primary calendar. Legal Affairs: Supreme ConfusionThe Supreme Court's ruling on the Texas redistricting case illustrates a recurring problem: The Court has a tendency to make things more confusing, not more clear. Off Message: Put Up Your DukesAmerica needs to have a loud argument about the role of the press in a time of war and terrorism. Political Pulse: Staking Out a Middle GroundDemocrats need to go to the voters with some kind of position on Iraq. But what? Legal Affairs: Where's the Outrage?Republicans who minimize the CIA leak case resemble Democrats who trivialized the Monica Lewinsky case. Wealth of Nations: The Massachusetts ExperimentThe Achilles' heel of the new Massachusetts health care plan could be its failure to address rising costs. Off Message: Making WhoopeeWhen it comes to the gathering and selling of news, fun is a deeply serious matter. Political Pulse: Split DecisionsPolls indicate that Republican voters are more divided over Iraq than are Democrats. Legal Affairs: How Racial Preferences BackfireMost young black lawyers, according to a new study, do not fare well in large law firms precisely because of the racial preferences that get them hired in the first place. Off Message: They're EasyMedia outlets could be a lot more discriminating about the attention they lavish on some people. Political Pulse: The Politics of Illegal ImmigrationThe year's election is likely to be the first in which illegal immigration is a national issue. Legal Affairs: Gay Marriage and the Estate TaxIf there's poetic justice, the Republicans' focus on gay marriage and the estate tax will spur independent swing voters to sweep them from power. Social Studies: 'Real' Is Not a Four-Letter WordNo one in public life is making the respectable case for the eminently respectable doctrine of realism. Off Message: The Media RoyalsWatching the media cover its own superstars can induce a kind of cognitive dissonanace. Political Pulse: A Bipartisan Ticket in 2008?A movement hoping to elect a bipartisan ticket in 2008 brings back memories of Ross Perot. Wealth of Nations: The Politics of Global WarmingWe know what has happened to the climate so far, and we know why. Working out what is going to happen to it from now on is much more difficult. Off Message: Invasion of the NetrootsThe latest fashion accessory on the campaign beat is something called "netroots." Political Pulse: Taking On ArnoldPhil Angelides and Steve Westly are vying to take on California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Off Message: The Tsunami EffectCalamities that take up residence in the collective mind tend to share certain features. Opening Argument: Dumb and DumberDoes Attorney General Alberto Gonzales think that the Bush administration has the power to nullify the First Amendment? Social Studies: Gay Marriage Amendment: Case ClosedWhat many proponents of the Marriage Protection Amendment want to forestall is not judicially enacted gay marriage; it is gay marriage, period. Off Message: Everything Old Is NewCutting-edge media outlets could borrow an idea or two about news coverage from the past. Political Pulse: The Clinton in the Rearview MirrorThe American public now considers Bill Clinton more honest than George W. Bush. Opening Argument: In Duke Case, a Rogues' GalleryAcademics and journalists have joined in smearing presumptively innocent young Duke lacrosse players as racist, sexist brutes. Off Message: Sweet HierarchyOnline media could learn something about news hierarchy from their old-media brethren. Political Pulse: Teeth and SympathyAmericans want to do everything possible to keep more illegal immigrants from coming in. Legal Affairs: More Racial GerrymandersBeware of bipartisan legislation to extend a provision of the Voting Rights Act. The measure has little to do with voting rights. Wealth of Nations: John Kenneth Galbraith, RevisitedFor all his attributes, John Kenneth Galbraith was not what the American Left believes to have been: a front of economic truth. Off Message: Gore: The GameDoes Al Gore most resemble Tom Cruise, David Blaine, or Richard Nixon? Political Pulse: Looking for Someone to BlameThe public's instinctive reaction to high gas prices is that somebody is up to no good. Wealth of Nations: John Kenneth Galbraith, RevisitedFor all his attributes, John Kenneth Galbraith was not what the American Left believes him to have been: a font of economic truth. Social Studies: How the Government Let Down Its GuardAfter 9/11, a Connecticut technology company offered its homeland-security services to the federal government for $1. What happened next doesn't speak well for the government. Off Message: This Leaky WorldOther countries are struggling with the same questions we're facing about anonymous sources. Political Pulse: Identifying FeaturesIn the 2008 presidential race, will she call herself Hillary Clinton or Hillary Rodham Clinton? Wealth of Nations: Fixing the World Economy, Part 97The International Monetary Fund wants to help resolve global "economic imbalances." Good luck. Political Pulse: Pumped-Up PricesPresident Bush sounds worried that his party could pay for high gas prices at the polls. He should be worried. Those hit hardest by high gas prices say thay plan to vote Democratic in the fall. Opening Argument: An Outrageous Rush to JudgmentThe media's trashing of Duke's lacrosse team is in full cry even as the district attorney's case is falling apart. Legal Affairs: Emergency Powers Should Be TemporaryPresident Bush was right to start the domestic eavesdropping program during the post-9/11 emergency—but wrong to keep its existence secret and to resist congressional regulation. Off Message: Annual FixationAnniversaries are a media tradition, but are they also becoming a growth industry. Political Pulse: The Vietnam Syndrome MutatesAn "Iraq syndrome" may be emerging as disillusionment with the Iraq war intensifies. Wealth of Nations: Shameless GougersYear in, year out, the median pay of top executives rises much faster than wages and salaries overall. It's time for shareholders to demand an end to the gouging. Social Studies: A War on Jihadism—Not 'Terror'The threat against America can be defined as Jihadism, with a capital J. Jihadism engages in or supports the use of force to expand the rule of Islamic law. Off Message: The Fedora GapA little Jared Paul Stern color would be nice right now in White House-land. Political Pulse: Perhaps 'Nothing' Actually Can WinVoters are in a mood to "throw the bums out." And most of the "bums" are Republicans. Legal Affairs: Missing From the Immigration DebateEfforts to control illegal immigration will be futile unless Congress requires workers to have forgery-proof, theft-proof identity cards. Off Message: The Media KvetchContrary to popular belief, we may be witnessing a high-water mark in the media's evolution. Political Pulse: Beyond the CollapseThe old order has collapsed in Israel. But is this a new beginning, or another dead end? Social Studies: One Man, Many Wives, Big ProblemsPolygamy is a profoundly hazardous social policy. It could create a permanent subclass of young men prone to vice and violence. Wealth of Nations: Why Murray's Big Idea Won't WorkCharles Murray has an intriguing plan to dismantle the welfare state and give every adult $10,000. Too bad his numbers don't add up. Off Message: Do the Midterm Twist!From a news point of view, midterm elections exist for one reason: to kill the boredom. Political Pulse: Forcing the DebateThe politics of immigration reform suggest that Washington may do what it does best: nothing. Opening Argument: Decommission the CommissionsThe Supreme Court would be doing the president—and the country—a favor if it put the military commissions established to deal with terrorism suspects out of their misery. Off Message: The Alpha StoryGiven how grave things still are in Iraq, why is the war not an Alpha Story for the media? Political Pulse: Naked Political Calculation?How John McCain is positioning himself to win the 2008 GOP presidential nomination. Opening Argument: In Praise of Judicial ModestySupreme Court justices should exercise judicial modesty, in the sense of great hesitation to second-guess decisions by other branches of government. Social Studies: A Bad Tax With Good TimingThe alternative minimum tax could turn out to be a politically tolerable tax increase at a time when the country needs all the fiscal help it can get. Political Pulse: Along the Border, No Middle GroundArizona's 8th Congressional District is ground zero in the debate over illegal immigration. Wealth of Nations: A Third Industrial RevolutionA fascinating new article by former Fed Vice Chairman Alan Blinder argues that offshore outsourcing is potentially the timid beginning of a third Industrial Revolution. Off Message: Tippecanoe and Katie, TooIt's time we started choosing network anchors in a truly democratic way, through free and fair elections. Political Pulse: Discontent Is Again in SeasonAnti-incumbent sentiment is growing, just as it did in the early 1990's. Legal Affairs: The Trouble With TexasArguments in the Texas redistricting case show that the Supreme Court has no idea how to fix the mess that it has made of our politics. Social Studies: In Arabic, 'Internet' Means 'Freedom'A Baghdad scholar is secretly working to expose Arabs to Western books on democracy and liberalism via the Internet. Off Message: Those Busted BlogsBlogs find themselves in the same place as newspapers: not half as popular as they'd like to be. Political Pulse: Bush Shuffles the DeckOn the port-security issue, Republicans can score political points by defying an unpopular president. Opening Argument: Leak Prosecutions: The Gathering StormSome officials are itching to use the threat of long jail terms and massive fines to force reporters to finger their confidential sources. Wealth of Nations: The Brits May Be Onto SomethingThe success of Britain's The Economist may hold some lessons for American publications. Off Message: Profiles in PlasticWhat's frustrating about much of the coverage of 2008 presidential hopefuls is how unoriginal and old-fashioned it is. More attention needs to be paid to the image-makers at the core of the business of politics, and not just to the candidates. Political Pulse: Cheney's Self-Inflicted WoundThe Cheney hunting incident confirmed a damaging stereotype about the vice president and the rest of the Bush administration—that they don't want people to know what's going on. Legal Affairs: Wiretaps: How to Fix FISAIn the eavesdropping arena, giving the judiciary overly broad power to second-guess the executive could be a cure worse than the disease. Social Studies: Where the Missing Middle WentMost people who identify themselves as independents are not uncommitted swing voters. Off Message: What Torino TeachesThe media's coverage of the Olympics has itself become a kind of spectator sport, revealing all sorts of lessons about how journalists cover contests, including political ones. Political Pulse: The Immigration DivideGeorge Bush's conservative base is cracking, and the two biggest tremors causing the split are big government and immigration. Opening Argument: Dangerous Claims, Slippery GamesPresident Bush and his aides are twisting facts as well as law in their obsession with avoiding oversight of his electronic surveillance program. Wealth of Nations: Greenspan Era Not Quite OverThe Alan Greenspan era is not over yet. His bubbles may yet come home to burst. Off Message: 'Toon TerrificThe range and thoughtfulness of opinion in U.S. newspapers about the Muslim cartoon conflagration was an object lesson in what liberal democracy is all about. Political Pulse: Challenging Bush's 'Safety' DefenseEvan Bayh, the normally quiet Hoosier, takes on President Bush directly, saying that the war in Iraq has made terrorism worse and the U.S. less safe. Opening Argument: Falsehoods About GuantanamoThe administration's unspoken logic regarding enemy combatants appears to be: Better to ruin the lives of 10 innocent men than to let one who might be a terrorist go free. Social Studies: Abramoff and Me: The True TruthLet it be known that Jonathan Rauch has never, ever received any money from Jack Abramoff, but he is giving it back. Off Message: Good and GrumpyGrumpy old media guys like Ted Koppel and Dan Rather are ubiquitous these days, but they serve as a useful foil to hip, clever, happening zeitgeist jockeys. Political Pulse: Electing TerroristsDevelopments in the Middle East over the past year raise serious questions about the Bush doctrine of protecting America's security by promoting democracy abroad. Legal Affairs: Bush and His Critics Miss the PointPresident Bush and his critics should focus on amending the law regarding domestic surveillance. Wealth of Nations: Ford's Rough RideIn a couple of ways, government policies helped Ford's managers and unions make the mistakes they did. Off Message: Mags AliveThe decline of newspapers makes sense in every way. Are magazines also endangered? Political Pulse: Rove's Anti-Itch PrescriptionRepublicans have a 2006 game plan, the same one they used in 2002 and 2004. Social Studies: Why Republicans Can't Cut SpendingWhy are Republicans having such a hard time cutting federal spending? The answer has to do with a critical shift in the GOP's governing strategy, dating back to the late 1990s. Off Message: Who Needs Hollywood?Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay are giving Hollywood celebrities a run for their money. Political Pulse: K Street's Capitol ConnectionRepublicans are hoping that the corruption issue won't hurt them in November. Legal Affairs: Honest Nominees and Artless DodgersNo Supreme Court nominee of integrity could be confirmed if he or she gave direct and candid answers. Wealth of Nations: A Seasonal Shot of Necessary GloomThe risks to the U.S. economy are a lot bigger than most people, and most governments, seem to believe. Off Message: The Happy DanceTech news these days is a sort of comfort food—happy talk about happy new products. Political Pulse: Sharon's Party UnhingedCan a centrist political party thrive in Israel without Ariel Sharon? Social Studies: Bush's Battle Endangers the WarPresident Bush seems to have had no intention of regularizing his domestic surveillance program by building a legal framework for it. Opening Argument: The Case of Alito v. O'ConnorSamuel Alito believes that judges should be constrained by established legal rules and hard facts—and not be looking to promote political agendas. Off Message: Win, Lose, DrawGovernment and media are always struggling for power. So who's winning now? Political Pulse: Confidence GapPeople seem to have a problem when the president talks about "victory" in Iraq. Opening Argument: Coercive Interrogation: Can Anyone Straighten Out This Mess?Can anyone straighten out the mess over coercive interrogation methods? The best hopes seem to be Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and perhaps Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. Off Message: Breaking Up With GoogleJournalists have been making savage love to Google for several years now. Will it last? Political Pulse: Bush's Upward BlipIf U.S. troops are being withdrawn from Iraq by next fall, the issue could lose its political edge. Opening Argument: Alito: A Sampling of Misleading Media CoverageThe systematic slanting—conscious or unconscious—of news reports has helped fuel a disingenuous campaign to caricature Samuel Alito as a conservative ideologue. Wealth of Nations: A Chill In Montreal Despite The Hot AirThe dabate over global warming is marked by blithe complacency on one side and quasi-religious zealotry on the other. No wonder not much is happening. Off Message: Bye-Bye, BubbleBad news for the media: The real estate bubble is fading away as a story. Political Pulse: Define 'Victory'The American people want the same thing in Iraq that they wanted in Korea and Vietnam: Win and get out. Legal Affairs: Abortion Battles Without Much Effect On AbortionsAs is usual in abortion battles, the interest-group hysteria and media hype overstate what's really at stake in the cases currently before the Supreme Court. Social Studies: Every Way But Militarily, The Pullout From Iraq Has BegunPresident Bush may not know it yet—or, then again, he may—but in Iraq, he is about to do what Richard Nixon did in Vietnam. He's going to start withdrawing the troops. Off Message: Getting BobWhy are some journalists giddily celebrating Bob Woodward's fall from grace? Political Pulse: The Lost MiddleIt might be tough for a Republican closely associated with the Bush administration to win the presidency. Legal Affairs: Alito and His Critics: Who Is Outside the Mainstream?Samuel Alito's 1985 job application, when considered together with his 300 judicial opinions, places him much closer than his critics to the center of American public opinion. Wealth of Nations: Disenchanted With Politics? Who in The World Is Not?Strong leadership is definitely in short supply. When did the governments of the big Western democracies last look this feeble—and all at the same time? Off Message: Love Is in the AirBarack Obama is the one Democrat who elicits a McCain-like swoon from media people. Political Pulse: Escalating the Rhetoric OffensivePresident Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger are dealing with political setbacks in completely opposite ways. Legal Affairs: On This Issue, Bush and Cheney Need Adult SupervisionCongress and the Supreme Court are moving toward reining in the Bush administration's gratuitously harsh and arbitrary treatment of suspected enemy combatants. Better late than never. Social Studies: Palestine, Not Iraq, Is The Best Shot At an Arab DemocracyThe outcome of the footrace between democratization and destabilization in Palestine will figure centrally in U.S foreign policy for years to come. Off Message: Booming OnIf you can stand the narcissism, it's instructive to watch Baby Boomers grow old through the media. Political Pulse: Failing Their Own TestsVoters seem to be sending President Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger the same message. Wealth of Nations: How Good Is Bernanke? Here's Hoping We Never Find Out.Would Ben Bernanke, President Bush's choice to succeed Alan Greenspan at the Federal Reserve, keep his cool in a crisis? We may be unfortunate enough to find out. Legal Affairs: Borking Alito: He Is Neither Far-Right Nor ActivistThe claims that Samuel Alito is "a far-right activist" are laughable, except to the far-left activists. He takes the ideal of judicial restraint very seriously. Off Message: The First Shall Be LastWhy is the race to be first still such a dominant force in journalism? After all, times have changed. Political Pulse: Bush's Cheney ProblemDick Cheney has become a problem for George W. Bush. Don't be surprised if Cheney's influence suffers. Legal Affairs: The Lesson Of Miers: Excellence Should Be ParamountThe withdrawal of the Harriet Miers nomination shows that excellence does matter and that mediocrity isn't always rewarded. Social Studies: On the Web, Business Finds a New Way of Doing PoliticsBusinesses are using company-sponsored Web sites to spur employees to get involved in politics. See for yourself at www.igrc.net. Off Message: Get HappyThere are good reasons to view media scandals as encouraging developments. Political Pulse: Can Bush Recover?The key to a Bush recovery is still the economy. People are spending money, but they're worried. Legal Affairs: The CIA Leak Scandal: A Gallery of AntiheroesPerhaps the most depressing thing about the CIA leak investigation is that so many of the principal players have been guilty of ignoble conduct. Wealth of Nations: The Slippery Economics Of Health CareIs it really true that health care costs put American industry at an international disadvantage, as General Motors and other companies say? Off Message: Crisis of FaithWhen it comes to scandals, The New York Times and the Catholic Church have a lot in common. Political Pulse: Re-evaluating U.S. DebtIsn't there something worrisome about Communist China financing operations of the U.S. government? Legal Affairs: Does Miers Have What It Takes to Excel on the Bench?The most conspicuous exemplars of Miers's writing ability may be her notes telling then-gov. Bush he was "the best." Social Studies: At a Same-Sex Wedding, the New Is Made Old AgainThis marriage, so radical by some lights, aspires to reconstruct the deepest of marital traditions. Off Message: Six Billion HarrietsThe controversy over her nomination highlights the credentialism debate at issue throughout society, including the news business. Political Pulse: A Souter in a Skirt?If Miers changed once, how can Bush know she won't change again? Legal Affairs: Is the President's Crony Good Enough for the Court?The Senate should reject any Supreme Court nominee who has not proven herself to have extraordinary ability and independence of judgment unskewed by loyalty. Wealth of Nations: Real-World Economics: Still a BattlefieldThe biggest economic issues—the ones where the most is at stake, in terms of individual liberty and economic well-being—are as bitterly contested today as they ever were. Off Message: Welcome Back, CarterIn the media's telling, the Bush White House is becoming That '70s Show. Political Pulse: Second-Term BluesPresident Bush is exhibiting classic symptoms. Legal Affairs: Problems With 'Privacy,' and What to Do About RoeAs the John Roberts hearings demonstrated, the nebulous "right to privacy" has become holy writ and, for some, codespeak for abortion and gay rights. Social Studies: In the Wake Of Katrina, Will Anger at Government Storm Back?Post-Katrina fans of Big Government take note: Polls back to the '60s show that the more ambitious Washington becomes, the lower the public's confidence in it. Off Message: Star-CrossedWhen there's a real disaster, celebrity journalists can distract needlessly from an urgent story. Political Pulse: Ballot-Box PoisonArnold Schwarzenegger declared war on special interests. So far, the special interests are winning. Legal Affairs: Young John Roberts: Reasonable on Civil RightsJohn Roberts's views on civil rights during the 1980s and early 1990s were far more defensible than the media coverage might suggest. Wealth of Nations: Katrina and the Economy: a Toxic CombinationKatrina is causing the budget deficit to explode while also inflicting a supply-side shock on the economy. This is an especially toxic combination. Off Message: Paper LossThe Wall Street Journal's new Weekend Edition, which made its debut last Saturday, is like a scary cyborg of The Journal—it has a convincing, lifelike resemblance, but no heart or soul inside. Political Pulse: Pervasive Economic PessimismPresident Bush faces growing economic pessimism and a looming budget crisis. Legal Affairs: Why Must We Roll the Dice on a New Chief Justice?There is undeniably something strange and undemocratic about conferring one of the nation's most powerful offices upon a man who won't tell us what he thinks. Social Studies: The Loss of New Orleans Wasn't Just a Tragedy. It Was a Plan.The question is not whether the failure to improve New Orleans's flood protection was a mistake in hindsight, but whether it was a reasonable choice in foresight. Off Message: Hello, GoodbyeMega-stories have their own life cycles. And they often disappear before we should be done with them. Political Pulse: Catastrophic FailureThe advantage could go to whichever party offers bold ideas for improving government responses to crisis. Wealth of Nations: An America I Never Expected to SeeThe incompetence—the sustained, systemic, outrageous incompetence—that marked the government's response to Hurricane Katrina is genuinely hard to believe. Legal Affairs: The Roberts CourtAs Chief Justice, John Roberts would help decide whether courts will check the president's power to fight terrorism. Off Message: Storm SurgeKatrina let news people step into the classic roles journalists have been playing since time began. Political Pulse: Leadership VacuumBush's strength has always been his image as a take-charge guy. Legal Affairs: How John Roberts Might Change the LawRoberts may well tip the Court's precarious balance to the right on some big issues. Social Studies: America's Anti-Reagan Isn't Hillary Clinton. It's Rick Santorum.Post-Santorum, tax-cutting and court-bashing can hold the Republican coalition together for only so much longer. Political Pulse: Bush's New LowFor presidents, a 40 percent approval rating means trouble. Wealth of Nations: Britain, Its Muslims, and the War on TerrorFor years, British politics has preferred to ignore the issues posed by the unassimilated Muslim minority. Off Message: Past, Present, and PeterThe media are missing the mark in using Peter Jennings's death to lament the state of network news. Political Pulse: A Republican TownCould the war become a trauma that transforms Washington? Social Studies: Can a Little Lawsuit Shut Down a Big Tobacco Racket?Here's hoping that a lawsuit filed in federal court against the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement—otherwise known as the Tobacco Deal—is taken seriously. Off Message: Alive in LondonThe BBC News Web site feels the way great newspapers have always felt—vital, intelligent, crisp, and lucid. Political Pulse: The Doctor in the SenateDid Bill Frist's break with the White House make him look like a politician or a physician? Legal Affairs: Why Roberts Shouldn't Tell Us What He ThinksCandor at a confirmation hearing could corrupt the integrity and independence of a new justice. Wealth of Nations: Beijing Has Budged on the Yuan. It Doesn't Really Help.Both China and the United States need to remember that good economic policy starts at home. Off Message: Look Back in WonderDavid Shaw of the Los Angeles Times helped change the way the media covers the abortion debate. Political Pulse: De-EscalationJohn Roberts's nomination may result in something totally unexpected—a civil debate on the issues. Social Studies: George W. Bush, the Life-Preserver PresidentBush's and the Republicans' problem is that, except on one crucial issue, they have lost the center. Off Message: A Media SupremeA high-pressure story like the confirmation fight is a brutal test of the quality of the media. Political Pulse: From Denial to StonewallingCredibility, not criminality, is the biggest problem facing the White House in the Karl Rove controversy. Legal Affairs: Five Reasons Not to Put Gonzales On the CourtBeing a friend of the president shouldn't be your main qualification to serve on the Supreme Court. Alberto Gonzales doesn't deserve to be nominated. Wealth of Nations: The New New Economy Will Be All About EnergyWith a gentle push from the federal government, America's dependence on oil will shrink much faster than people think. And it would be good if it did. Off Message: If Newspapers Were LattesNewspaper executives could learn a thing or two from Starbucks about serving the needs of customers. Political Pulse: The Same War?The attack in London is likely to intensify the debate over the war in Iraq. Social Studies: Guantanamo's Problem Isn't in Cuba. It's in Washington.Congress's failure to write legislation creating due process for the foreign detainees at Guantanamo Bay has blotted America's reputation and mocked the rule of law. Off Message: The Gloom GangThe court ruling against Judith Miller shouldn't prompt the press to declare the end of free journalism in America, as so many media crape-hangers are eager to do. Political Pulse: Hurling ThreatsThreat-making has suddenly taken over politics, thanks to the Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Legal Affairs: How O'Connor and the Court Have Drifted LeftwardIt has become increasingly common over the past two decades to see Sandra Day O'Connor side with the Supreme Court's four most liberal members. Wealth of Nations: The G-8: How to Make a Success Out of a StuntThe G-8 summit in Scotland will qualify as more than a political stunt if the gathering spurs an increase in well-designed aid to Africa. Off Message: The China CanardChina has become the place to be, the beating heart of media buzz. Political Pulse: One War or Two?The public views the war in Iraq and the war on terrorism as two different things. Political Pulse: Second Thoughts on IraqAmericans hear news of continuing violence in Iraq and wonder what, exactly, is being accomplished. Off Message: The Buffoonery of 'Balance'Republicans should recognize that liberal broadcasting has real value, of the Machiavellian kind, for them. Legal Affairs: Life Tenure Is Too Long for Supreme Court JusticesAllowing Supreme Court justices to serve for life is causing too many problems. It's time to consider setting 18-year term limits for all future justices. Social Studies: To Confirm Their Judge, Republicans Abandoned Their IdeasTo listen to Republicans defending Janice Rogers Brown, you would almost think she was Walter Mondale. Lacking was any defense of her views. Legal Affairs: Liberal Drug Warriors! Conservative Pot-Coddlers!The Supreme Court's decision to allow federal prosecution of medical-marijuana users was less about medical marijuana than about congressional power to override state law. Wealth of Nations: After 'Non' and 'Nee,' Where Does Europe Go Now?In rejecting the new European constitution, voters in France and the Netherlands have done themselves and their fellow citizens of the European Union a great favor. Off Message: Throat ClearingThe resolution of the Deep Throat mystery didn't clear up much of anything for the media. Political Pulse: The 33-Year GapMark Felt kept quiet for decades, watching others get rich off his story. Off Message: Bio ExhaustionThe season of political biography is here again. Media people are political groupies at heart, and nothing fascinates them more than imagining they live among giants, and actually get to know them personally. Political Pulse: How 'Extraordinary'?Faith-based politics? That's what will be needed if the filibuster compromise is going to work, particularly if President Bush gets the opportunity to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. Legal Affairs: The Moderates Take Charge!The best thing about the deal on filibusters is that it should deter President Bush from picking a conservative idealogue to fill any Supreme Court vacancy. Political Pulse: Triumph of a Latino UnifierAs mayor of Los Angeles, James Hahn made the mistake of losing his base. Social Studies: Democracy Everywhere? What a Nutty Idea.A preview of Washington's next scandal: the Bush administration's scheme to impose democracy on the world. Off Message: Conventionally YoursMedia scandals are becoming as routinized as a Japanese tea ceremony, although the scandals differ hugely. Political Pulse: Spoiling for a FightFights over the Supreme Court are most intense when ideological balance is at stake. Legal Affairs: Lloyd Cutler: The Last SuperlawyerThere will never be another superlawyer on the scale of Lloyd Cutler, who died on May 8 at the age of 87. He was the preeminent statesman of his generation. Wealth of Nations: Why Does Capitalism Get Such A Bum Rap?The idea that capitalism is the enemy of social progress calls for an impressive resistance to some large and pretty obvious facts. Off Message: Will Work for FoodNewspapers are going to great lengths to stop the readership decline. Political Pulse: A Casualty of IraqBritain's voters bloodied the nose of Blair over his handling of the war in Iraq. Legal Affairs: Filibusters: Two Wrongs Won't Make Things RightThis fight is not about principle, it's about politics. It's the kind of dispute a healthy democracy resolves by compromise. Social Studies: Here's a New Campaign Finance Reform Plan: Just StopCongress and the country are on the brink of deciding between unlimited contributions in politics and unlimited regulation of politics. Off Message: The Good UncleWhy is the media coverage of Warren Buffet muted, lacking in verve, and often downright sympathetic? Political Pulse: What Political Capital?Bush's job rating hit a new low for a President just three months into a second term. Legal Affairs: Does the President Agree With This Nominee?Why are Democrats blocking Janice Rogers Brown from serving on the federal appeals court? A look at her speeches and judicial opinions shows why. Wealth of Nations: How France Might Astound Europe—and Do It Some GoodIt appears that French voters are going to reject the new European Union constitution. What will that mean for Europe? Off Message: Anchors Away!Old or young? Diva or Commentator? A look at the theories about the perfect television news anchor. Political Pulse: No Lawsuit Left BehindStates are suing Uncle Sam over education mandates in the "No Child" act. Legal Affairs: How the Republicans Lost Their MajorityHow detonating the "nuclear option" could end up costing Republicans the House, the Senate, and the presidency in 2008. Social Studies: In Arizona, a Democrat Shows How to Thrive on GOP TurfCentrist Democrats could do worse than look to Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano for a model of how to win over red-state voters. Political Pulse: Revolt of the Propertied ClassThere's one tax that growing numbers of Americans resent: the property tax. Legal Affairs: Patriot Act Hysteria Meets RealityThe emerging expert consensus contradicts the hype: for the most part, the Patriot Act is a good law. Wealth of Nations: Blair Is Unpopular. He Will Win Anyway.Blair, once so popular, once so trusted, is now regarded by voters as a hollow waffler. Off Message: Middle MarchMore and more establishment news operations are giving the blogging form a whirl. Political Pulse: The Power of the PollsSenate Republicans need to separate the filibuster issue from the Terri Schiavo case. Social Studies: The Right Went Wrong on Schiavo Because Law Trumps LifeConservatives believe that sound law depends on predictability and finality—or they did before Schiavo. Political Pulse: The Strong and the WeakThe "culture of life" is a simple idea: the strong must protect the weak. Legal Affairs: What Terri Schiavo's Case Should Teach UsThe choices we face are all the harder because they are not only about religion. They are also about money. Wealth of Nations: Shock and Awe Come to the World BankThe Bush administration's critics at home and abroad are astounded, scandalized, and reeling from the decision to name Paul Wolfowitz the next head of the World Bank. Off Message: The Human TouchThe news media could learn something from Oprah Winfrey about admitting one's own flaws. Political Pulse: The Public to Politicians: 'Keep Out'The Schiavo case helped neither party; every move was seen as political. Social Studies: Cheer Up, Karen Hughes. Your Job Is Not Quite Impossible.In his first term, Bush demonstrated the worst ear for international public diplomacy since—well, since ever. Off Message: Gas BubbleLike economics itself, economic journalism is a dismal, foggy realm where the hapless news consumer is constantly bumping into weird conditionals and subjunctives. Political Pulse: Bush's Separation SolutionPresident Bush is pursuing a "separation strategy" in selling his Social Security ideas to the public: Separate the issue of personal investment accounts from the issue of the solvency of the Social Security system. Legal Affairs: Moderate Republicans Should Not Go 'Nuclear'—YetBoth Republicans and Democrats claim that the Constitution is on their side in the battle over filibusters of judicial nominees. Both are wrong. Wealth of Nations: America's Economy: More Fragile Than It LooksSteps to curb the budget deficit would make the U.S. economy, and the world economy, much safer. Off Message: The Extrapolation FallacyEven talking about "the media" is beginning to seem absurd. Yet we still do it every day. Political Pulse: The Trouble With HahnThe Los Angeles mayor has alienated the very groups that were his base. Legal Affairs: Revisiting Iraq, and Rooting for BushMore and more Bush-bashers are flirting with the heresy that he may just have been right. Social Studies: If Paul Shanley Is a Monster, the State Didn't Prove ItThe Shanley case should never have reached a jury without some corroborating evidence of a crime. Off Message: Sleeping With the EnemyThe hubbub over a blogger getting inside the White House briefing room shows that the blogging story has become a cottage industry—a cultural fashion trend. Political Pulse: The DisconnectMost people say Bush's solution won't save Social Security's problem. Legal Affairs: The Court, and Foreign Friends, as Constitutional ConventionThe Supreme Court veered into making law, rather than interpreting it, in barring capital punishment for juvenile offenders. Wealth of Nations: A Strange Twist in the Politics of Northern IrelandRecent developments in Northern Ireland offer some sobering lessons for those who would negotiate with terrorists. Off Message: Storm TroopersThe more people in politics and the media talk about "the perfect storm," the less they actually say. Political Pulse: The Permanent Negative CampaignAt least by one measure of partisanship, things in Washington are worse than ever before. Legal Affairs: Males, Females, and Math: the EvidenceBy shouting down all discussion of innate male-female differences, feminist censors are advancing their own agenda. Social Studies: In Hindsight, the War on Terror Began With Salman RushdieIt is not outlandish to think of the World Trade Center as The Satanic Verses, magnified immeasurably. Political Pulse: Schwarzenegger Hits the RoadThe governor plans a promotional tour to market his redistricting idea. Legal Affairs: Genocide in Darfur: Crime Without Punishment?Only the International Criminal Court is ready, willing, and able to investigate war crimes in Darfur now. Wealth of Nations: Are America and Europe Now Friends? Maybe Not for LongWhat separates the U.S. and Europe is not just differences in style, but differences in substance—some that are intractable. Off Message: Why Blogs Are Like Tulips |