A Journal of Ideas

Symposium

Trump 2.0: Learning the Hard Lessons

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 1 MIN READ

Features

Needed: A Transparency Guardian

Our FOIA system was once the world’s gold standard. Here’s how it became sclerotic—and what we need to do to fix it.

By Margaret B. Kwoka

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 27 MIN READ

Book Reviews

Creatures of the Swamp

“Shame is for sissies”: inside the ugly world of American lobbyists for corrupt and violent governments.

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 12 MIN READ

THE LATEST FROM DEMOCRACY

Sign up for our email newsletter! We'll send periodic reminders of what's new and what's coming.

Book Reviews

When the Personal Was Political

By Jill Filipovic

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 15 MIN READ

Book Reviews

Mr. Moral Authority

John Lewis wasn’t much of a legislator. But he was still one of the most revered Congress members of his era.

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 15 MIN READ

Arguments

A Blog of Ideas

The Alcove

What's in the
Little Magazines

Briefing Book

Wonks in Exile

Magazine

Issue Contents

Latest

Features

Needed: A Transparency Guardian

Our FOIA system was once the world’s gold standard. Here’s how it became sclerotic—and what we need to do to fix it.

By Margaret B. Kwoka

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 27 MIN READ

Book Reviews

Mr. Moral Authority

John Lewis wasn’t much of a legislator. But he was still one of the most revered Congress members of his era.

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 15 MIN READ

Book Reviews

When the Personal Was Political

Second-wave feminists meant business—but they had a lot of fun at it, too.

By Jill Filipovic

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 15 MIN READ

Book Reviews

Creatures of the Swamp

“Shame is for sissies”: inside the ugly world of American lobbyists for corrupt and violent governments.

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 12 MIN READ

Book Reviews

Playing Chicken with Workers’ Lives

The powerless—and courageous—immigrants fighting for dignity inside the country’s slaughterhouses.

By Tom Philpott

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 15 MIN READ

Book Reviews

Our Plastic Obsession

The story of credit cards is the story of industry versus regulators. Industry won.

By Richard Vague

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 14 MIN READ

Features

Consciousness-Raising and Its Limits

Personal reflection can help change people’s racial attitudes. But attitudes aren’t what drives racial disparities.

By Patrick Mason Larry Mishel

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 21 MIN READ

Symposium

Donald Trump Exploits Our Great Paradox

As the founders knew, the only way to bring about the rupture of democracy is through the very exercise of democracy.

By Fernand Amandi

Winter 2025, No. 75 – 7 MIN READ

Magazine