archive

Formidable reach

Calvert W. Jones (Maryland) and Celia Paris (Toronto): It’s the End of the World and They Know It: How Dystopian Fiction Shapes Political Attitudes. Daniel Drezner on the limits of the executive branch. Here is why people are terrified of a “no-deal” Brexit. David A. Graham on James Mattis’s final protest against the president (and more). The growth of Sinclair’s conservative media empire: The company has achieved formidable reach by focussing on small markets where its TV stations can have a big influence. Sarah Mesle interviews American Studies Association president Rod Ferguson on what might emerge — politically, subjectively, spiritually — from intellectual engagement with American Studies in the crises of our present time.

The 2020 Democratic presidential primary will not be a repeat of 2016 (and more). Mikhaila Fogel and Benjamin Wittes on Bill Barr’s very strange memo on obstruction of justice. Congress is enraged at Facebook: “These guys are out of control” (and more). Is Facebook a psychopath? If corporations are people, they need to abide by the standards of decent, civilized behavior. The Facebook scandal isn’t really about social media — it’s about capitalism. The U.S. suicide rate is at its highest in a half-century. One year after Trump’s tax cuts, the only obvious winners are investors. “Election night” is an outdated and dangerous relic of the past. Trump and Congress just legalized hemp. So, is Trump’s America great yet?