From Dissent, Michael Walzer on Obama's first year: It could have been worse (and more by Todd Gitlin, Lillian Rubin and Nelson Lichtenstein). From The Nation, a forum on Obama at One. From Harper's, Kevin Baker on Barack Hoover Obama: The best and the brightest blow it again. A look at how Obama is from the 80s Left, not the 60s. From PUP, the first chapter from Demanding Democracy: American Radicals in Search of a New Politics by Marc Stears. Bill Fletcher Jr. on why it’s time for the Left to get serious. No We Can't: Obama had millions of followers eager to fight for his agenda, but the president muzzled them — and he's paying the price. An excerpt from Stoking the Fire of Democracy: Our Generation's Introduction to Grassroots Organizing by Stephen Noble Smith. A review of Democratic Promise: The Populist Movement in America by Lawrence Goodwyn. Is democracy killing democracy? The founding fathers saw this coming, but the walls they erected to contain the mob may no longer hold. Down with the People: Blame the childish, ignorant American public — not politicians — for our political and economic crisis. Populism is democracy at work: The president is merely speaking for the people. The Populism Problem: James Surowiecki on why voters and economics don’t mix. Why do people vote against their own interests? David Runciman investigates (and a response). Realignment revisited: Until the Republicans come to their collective senses, depriving them of power must be the most urgent aim of progressive politics. Apostles of nihilism: Republicans are winning the war of political rhetoric — the president needs to fight back. Night of the Living Dead: An essay on the party of Palin and the brainless and soulless living-dead conservatives who will eat your brain. From Reason, a review of books on Sarah Palin. Marc Ambinder on getting Sarah Palin's paradigm (and more).
