From Esquire, just who is Newton Leroy Gingrich, really? An epic and bizarre story of American power in an unsettled age. DL Adams on Saul Alinsky and the rise of amorality in American politics. On the new aristocracy: Victor Davis Hanson pities the postmodern cultural elite. Terry Teachout on the conversion of David Mamet. From TAS, the leftist, or at least mainly leftist, pseudo-intellectuals who infest certain portions of the Internet have become very fond recently of invoking something they call "Godwin's Law", but don't be scared of it; and a philosopher-king understands that infiltrating misleading words can gain an unwarranted political advantage. That Republicans have succeeded in blaming government is testimony to their political brilliance. An interview with Terence P. Jeffrey, author of Control Freaks: 7 Ways Liberals Plan to Ruin Your Life. Alyssa Battistoni on why politicians are right not to trust the public. From TAP, forget populism: "The people" are no more virtuous or incorruptible than elites, and pandering to them won't advance liberal political goals; Tea Partiers are getting all the press, but it's the anger on the left that spells trouble for Dems in the midterms; and is progressive excitement the key to Democratic victory in the fall? From TNR, Jonathan Cohn on the stupidity of liberal apathy (and a response and more). Mixed Messages: If only Democrats could agree what to say, they might be able to say it.
