Why Do So Many Americans Think Democrats Are Out of Touch?
The party appears to be struggling to convince the public it represents a better alternative to President Trump and the GOP.
Is There Any Room in the 'Big Tent' for Pro-Life Democrats?
Conflicts over reproductive rights have raised questions about who the party will accept, and who it will reject, in its coalition.
Rifts Over Abortion and Economic Populism Threaten to Divide Democrats
A debate over what it means to be a progressive is front-and-center as the party tries to rebuild.
A Divided Georgia District Braces for a Runoff as Jon Ossoff Falls Short
The Democratic challenger had a strong showing in a conservative district on Tuesday, but failed to earn enough votes to prevent another contest in June against Republican Karen Handel.
‘Protest Is Necessary, but Insufficient’
Anyone can create political power, Eric Liu argues in a new book, but opposition alone won’t win converts to a cause.
Is There a Case for Liberal Optimism in the Trump Era?
The Democratic Party has lost power at the national level and in state legislatures. Even so, Ruy Teixeira argues that liberals should feel hopeful about the future.
Republican Lawmakers Face Hostile Town-Hall Crowds
In response, some GOP members of Congress are attempting to show sympathy for voter concerns.
A Triumphant Moment for Elizabeth Warren
The Massachusetts senator is in the spotlight for criticizing the president’s agenda. The louder she opposes Trump, however, the more she may find her own actions closely scrutinized, and harshly judged.
Donald Trump and the Threat of Global Conflict
A conversation with Robert Jervis of Columbia University on the potential consequences of the president’s combative rhetoric
'He's Going to Continue to Create Chaos'
Dan P. McAdams, the author of The Atlantic’s June 2016 cover story “The Mind of Donald Trump,” shares what he learned about Trump and what might be expected during his presidency.
Why Some Democrats in Congress Refuse to Attend Trump's Inauguration
“Trump is absolutely trying to attack our democratic institutions and to make the country more authoritarian,” one Democratic lawmaker warns.
Can Evangelicals Help Trump Thaw Relations With Russia?
They were Ronald Reagan’s allies during the Cold War. But some now want the president-elect to build bridges with Vladimir Putin.
A Fight Over Ethics in the Age of Trump
Republican Jason Chaffetz, chair of the House Oversight Committee, has taken aim at a federal watchdog.
Why Trump’s Conflict-of-Interest Plan Won't Prevent Conflicts of Interest
“This isn’t the way the presidency has worked since Congress passed the Ethics in Government Act in 1978,” the director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics said on Wednesday.
The Republican Women Donald Trump Alienated
Conservative women who oppose the incoming president must decide whether to stay in the GOP or leave.
Will Blue-Collar Whites Change Their Minds About Obamacare?
These voters overwhelmingly oppose the Affordable Care Act. Yet millions of them have gained health-care coverage under the law.
The Democratic Party Faces a Daunting Future
It won’t be easy for the party to win back voters lost to the GOP.
'He Was the Nationalist Candidate'
The editor of First Things on Donald Trump and the limits of multi-cultural democracy
The Year in Religion and Politics
Selections from The Atlantic’s coverage of 2016—from religious-liberty bills to Donald Trump's polarizing effect on evangelicals.
The Year in Race, Identity, and Criminal Justice
Selections from The Atlantic’s coverage of 2016, when longstanding tensions over race and identity erupted into conflict.
Democrats Have a Religion Problem
A conversation with Michael Wear, a former Obama White House staffer, about the party’s illiteracy on and hostility toward white evangelicals
The Religious-Liberty Showdowns Coming in 2017
From mosque surveillance to new religious-exemption laws, a look at some of the issues likely to come up under Trump
Donald Trump and the Triumph of Climate-Change Denial
The science of man-made global warming has only grown more conclusive. So why have Republicans become less convinced it’s real over the past decade and a half?
How Will the House Freedom Caucus Respond to Trump?
Representative Mark Meadows, the group’s new chairman, is hoping an early push for deregulation will do the trick.
Trump Is Making Little Attempt to Reconcile the Country
His tone and temperament haven’t changed since the campaign, and he’s poised to enter office with historically low approval ratings.
How One Reporter Turned to His Readers to Investigate Donald Trump
The Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold opened up to his audience, using crowdsourcing to explore the president-elect’s charitable activities.
Donald Trump Wins the Electoral College Vote
Texas’s slate of electors put him over the top.
Newt Gingrich Tries to Explain How Trump Will Remake America
He summed up the president-elect’s plans simply: “Donald Trump’s gonna kick over the table.”
How Carbon Emissions Explain Trump's Win
The states with the highest emissions levels mostly voted for the president-elect. Now, he’s selecting officials for his Cabinet who likely won’t try to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Will Rick Perry Promote Science at the Department of Energy?
The former Texas governor has questioned the scientific consensus on climate change and once forgot the name of the agency when listing those he wanted to eliminate.
Why Trump and the Tech Industry Are on a Collision Course
The president-elect and Silicon Valley leaders are foils, with contrasting values, interests, and visions for the future.
President Obama's Approval Rating Is the Highest in Years
A post-election survey has good news for the outgoing commander in chief—and suggests Republicans are optimistic about a GOP takeover of Washington.
Trump Is Bringing Progressive Protestants Back to Church
Some mainline congregations have seen a bump in attendance since the election. But the most powerful changes to come may be theological.
Should Anti-Trump Evangelicals Leave the Movement?
Members disillusioned by support for the president-elect can more easily effect change if they stay put.
Democrats Plan Fight to Save Obamacare
Progressive groups will launch a coalition aimed at pressuring Republicans bent on repealing the Affordable Care Act.
More Americans Look to Congressional Democrats Than to Trump for Solutions
A new survey suggests many might prefer a kind of multipolar Washington, with three distinct orbits of power checking each other.
How Will Donald Trump Handle Europe's Populist Right?
Political parties there are benefiting from the same working-class alienation over demographic and economic change that helped the U.S. president-elect.
Are Democrats Wasting Their Time Taking On the Electoral College?
Long-shot efforts to stop Donald Trump or change the election system risk taking up time and energy with little to show at the end.
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Are Jews White?
Trump’s election has reopened questions that have long seemed settled in America—including the acceptability of open discrimination against minority groups.
How Muslims Defined American 'Cool'
A conversation with the Purdue University professor Su’ad Abdul Khabeer, whose new book documents the connection between Islam and hip-hop culture in the United States
Can Trump’s Defenders Stop Stein's Recounts?
The president-elect’s allies are seeking to stop recounts in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Where Hillary Clinton Fell Short
Critics say she failed to energize the Democratic base. But vote totals show her biggest shortcomings were in counties that opposed Barack Obama the most.
Will Democrats Miss Their Last Chance to Win a Senate Seat?
Maybe. But they may never have had much of a chance in the first place.
Why White Evangelicals Are Feeling Hopeful About Trump
They’re worried about poverty, hunger, drug addiction, and the “softness” of the country. And they’ve got high expectations for their president.
The Mayor of Phoenix Prepares to Take On Trump
Big cities are economically ascendant, but politically isolated—and ready to fight to maintain economic growth and cultural diversity.
Donald Trump and the Legacy of Andrew Jackson
There’s no shortage of parallels between the two populists—but there’s at least one crucial difference.
The Republican Congress Is Filling Trump's Cabinet
In the battle for power in Washington, GOP leaders on Capitol Hill are scoring early victories with key appointments.
Has Trump's Election Breached His D.C. Hotel Lease?
A legal analysis of a provision in the contract that may pose problems for the president-elect
Will the Department of Defense Invest in People or Technology?
The Trump administration will determine the future of the Third Offset, a plan for ensuring the long-term competitive advantage of the U.S. armed forces.
Will Hillary Clinton's Defeat Set Back Women in Politics?
Her high-profile loss could discourage women from running for office—but it might also motivate them to become more politically engaged.
Donald Trump's Fragile Hold on America
In a future campaign, the president-elect would need to keep his supporters faithful, while not further alienating groups who opposed him this year.
Hillary Clinton's Lead Is Greater Than Multiple Former Presidents'
It’s a reminder to her supporters that more Americans voted the way they did than voted for her opponent.
Should Hillary Clinton Call for a Recount?
There’s a case to be made for routine election audits—but not for spreading unsubstantiated claims or speculation about the outcome of an election.
'An Erosion of Democratic Norms in America'
The president-elect is testing the limits of political convention.
Clinton's Popular-Vote Lead Now Exceeds 1.5 Million—and It's Growing
Millions of mail-in and absentee ballots haven’t been counted yet. They won’t change anything, though.
Donald Trump’s Pick for Attorney General
The president-elect has tapped Senator Jeff Sessions for the role.
Will Trump Be Ready to Govern?
The early days of his transition have looked like chaos, but veterans of the process say the president-elect has time to catch up.
What Bernie Sanders Wants From Donald Trump
The Vermont senator has outlined an agenda where Democrats might find common ground with the next president.
How Will the Press Respond to Trump's Secrecy?
Clashes between the media and presidents over access aren’t new—but that doesn’t make them any less important.