The Highly Contingent, Deeply Uncertain Case for Economic Optimism
The new jobs numbers were a mixed bag.
Today's Liberal News
The Warning Signs of a Combustible Presidential Transition
LATROBE, Pennsylvania—President Donald Trump has long signaled that if he loses reelection, it would surely be illegitimate. With his base primed to believe that victory is the only acceptable outcome, the post-election period could be the most combustible in memory.
The Evolution of Racism
In June, as Black Lives Matter protests were in full swing after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, a dictionary definition made headlines. The definition that drew so much attention was the one that Merriam-Webster gave for the word racism. The news was that the dictionary publisher was going to be revising its entry for the term after hearing from a young Black activist from Missouri, Kennedy Mitchum.
As the Military Transformed, Their Friendship Grew
Each installment of The Friendship Files features a conversation between The Atlantic’s Julie Beck and two or more friends, exploring the history and significance of their relationship.This week she talks with two women who met as roommates during Army officer training. Emily, a queer woman, was wary of her roommate at first because of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. But they grew close and supported each other through their eventful military careers.
Claudia Rankine’s Quest for Racial Dialogue
Yael MalkaWhen Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric arrived in the fall of 2014, shortly before a St. Louis County grand jury decided not to charge Darren Wilson for Michael Brown’s murder, critics hailed it as a work very much of its moment. The book-length poem—the only such work to be a best seller on the New York Times nonfiction list—was in tune with the Black Lives Matter movement, which was then gathering momentum.
“We Are the 99%”: Occupy Wall Street Activist & Author David Graeber, Dead at 59, in His Own Words
Upon the death of acclaimed anthropologist and anarchist David Graeber, we feature his 2011 interview on Democracy Now!, two days after the Occupy encampment began. Graeber helped organize the initial Occupy Wall Street protest and was credited with helping to develop the slogan, “We are the 99%.” “The idea is the system is not going to save us; we’re going to have to save ourselves,” says Graeber.
“Death Is on the Ballot”: Lessons for the US, 50 Years After Allende’s Socialist Revolution in Chile
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the election of socialist President Salvador Allende in Chile, a significant moment in the history of political revolutions. We speak with Chilean American author, human rights defender and poet Ariel Dorfman, who was cultural and press adviser to Allende’s chief of staff in the last months of his presidency, about how the revolution used peaceful means to bring about radical change in Chile and beyond.
How Fascism Works: Trump’s “Law & Order” Is Lawlessness, Fueling Racist Violence & Chaos
As President Trump openly embraces the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon and promotes “law and order” while refusing to condemn armed followers of his who target antiracist protesters, we speak with Jason Stanley, Yale philosopher and scholar of propaganda, author of “How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them.
Help! My Roommate Has Claimed Our Common Space as Her Office—and Only Hers.
She sulks when I try to share the room and says she “can’t work around other people.
The Plastic Clog That Won’t Go Away
The polarizing nature of Crocs has brought the brand to the edge of oblivion and back to soaring popularity.
Dear Care and Feeding: My Sister Is Giving Her 5-Year-Old Adderall to Cover for Bad Parenting
Parenting advice on Adderall disagreements, romance obsessions, and pubic hair styles.
Trump’s Eviction Moratorium Is Only a Stopgap Measure
The government still isn’t doing nearly enough to stop an eviction crisis.
Beware, Outdoor Diners: There’s Already a Heat-Lamp Shortage
Restaurants know the only way they’ll survive the winter is to somehow function alfresco.
It’s All on Western Massachusetts to Give Democrats a Chance at Health Care Reform
If they want to meaningfully expand coverage, they should boot Rep. Richard Neal.
Why Is the Maker of Fortnite Fighting With Apple and Google?
It’s a surprisingly principled stand by a multibillionaire.
Trump pivots to narrow coronavirus testing strategy as election looms
The White House pivot amounts to a tacit admission that the administration’s months-long containment effort has failed.
‘That’s certainly not my approach’: Fauci rejects pursuing herd immunity
“We certainly are not wanting to wait back and just let people get infected,” he said.
Third virus vaccine reaches major hurdle: Final U.S. testing
AstraZeneca announced Monday its vaccine candidate has entered the final testing stage in the U.S.
Trudeau’s plan to revive Canada — and his political future
Canada’s prime minister is building a Covid-19 recovery plan he hopes will “change the future” — and turn the page for his Liberal Party.
Trump tries to dance around a devastating backdrop
Despite unemployment above 10 percent and millions of jobs vaporized, Trump is running on his economic record before the pandemic.
Economy hurting after Congress fails to act on stimulus
“When you have $60 billion less going to families,” former U.S. Treasury economist Ernie Tedeschi told POLITICO, “that means that there’s going to be something close to that less in spending.
Unemployment Isn’t Too High — Regular Wages Are Too Low
In the debate over Covid-19 relief, Congress is worried about the wrong problem.
Kenosha Journalist Quits over Coverage of Jacob Blake Protests, Citing Ignorance, Lack of Diversity
The mainstream media’s role in perpetuating racism has come under increased scrutiny during the nationwide uprisings against injustice, leading to resignations and firings at news outlets across the country and calls for more diverse newsrooms.
Photos of the Week: Salt Cathedral, Metro-Man, Shark Ballet
Hillside grazing in England’s Lake District, the skyline of Shanghai, a full moon over Istanbul, the Ukrainian Fashion Week, theater reopenings in Nicaragua, damage from Hurricane Laura, the Venice Film Festival, the MTV Video Music Awards, and much more.
Report: Trump refused to honor American war dead, calling them ‘losers’
Update by Kos: Clearly sensing the damage this is doing to him politically, Trump issued a three-tweet denial Thursday night.
..Country, had to be approved by me, as President, & I did so without hesitation or complaint. Quite the contrary, I felt it was well deserved. I even sent Air Force One to bring his body, in casket, from Arizona to Washington. It was my honor to do so. Also, I never called..— Donald J.
Unarmed Black dad and 10-year-old son returning U-Haul truck are shot at by white couple
Charles McMillon Jr., his 10-year-old son, and Kendrick Clemons had just dropped off a U-Haul van at Fountain Plaza parking lot, in Tallahassee, Florida, when suddenly bullets began whizzing around them. McMillon and the two others were reportedly sitting in the truck, typing in mileage onto the app, the way rentals like this work, when Wallace Fountain and his wife, Beverly Fountain, began shooting at them. Luckily, McMillon quickly drove off before anyone got hurt.
Family of man shot five times in back files wrongful death lawsuit against sheriff’s department
More than two months after he was shot five times in the back by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the family of 18-year-old Andrés Guardado has filed a wrongful death suit against the county, the sheriff’s department, and deputies Miguel Vega and partner Chris Hernandez, alleging they “not only used unreasonable and excessive force in fatally shooting the young man but were possibly acting in connection and in agreement with member
Facebook announces new preelection rules for political ads and claims—but will it follow through?
Facebook, the gargantuan and nation-bending social media behemoth, today announced a collection of new actions intended to make it look Slightly Less Bad in the final weeks of the 2020 elections. Facebook has been harshly criticized as one of the top venues, in any medium, for fake news and propaganda dissemination from political campaigns, from professional hoaxers seeking quick advertising revenue, and from your own particularly gullible relatives.