Summer 2007, No. 5

This issue puts forward ideas for reform of institutions critical to American life. Elizabeth Warren, the Leo Gottlieb Professor of Law at Harvard, argues that financial products—such as credit cards and mortgages—need regulatory oversight just as consumer products do. Jason Bordoff, of the Brookings Institution’s Hamilton Project, puts forward a new way to understand the obligations that the state, private sector, and citizens have to one another. Jason Kamras, former National Teacher of the Year, and Andrew Rotherham, a member of the Virginia Board of Education, call for an overhaul in how we educate, mentor, and compensate teachers. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, a physician and the head of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, examines the health of our health care system. And in response to Cristina Rodríguez’s article in our last issue, Yale Law School’s Peter Schuck argues that the bilingual education system fails the very immigrants it is supposed to promote.

Moving to important moral issues facing our nation, Jonathan Moreno of the University of Pennsylvania says that progressives need to take seriously the ethical challenges of advances in biotechnology, such as stem-cell research. Jonathan Rauch counters the conservative case against gay marriage. And William Galston—a frequent contributor and member of our Editorial Committee—argues for a distinctly progressive form of doubt to reenter public life.

Looking abroad, Carter Malkasian—who spent several months in Iraq’s Al Anbar province advising the Marines—posits that, once there is an American drawdown, what’s needed is a “grassroots Iraqization” that looks to Sunni militias and local police forces to keep the peace. Shadi Hamid of the Project on Middle East Democracy says that we must continue with democracy promotion and be willing to accept moderate, non-violent Islamist parties as part of that effort. And Kenneth Baer, writing the “Recounting” column, cautions progressives not to lose sight of future threats while dissecting what went wrong in Iraq.

Understanding our past is a key to understanding our future. Accordingly, in this issue, Fred Siegel of the Cooper Union takes a close look at the history of American liberalism, and Michael Kazin of Georgetown does the same for American communism. And Fred Wertheimer, who has worked on campaign finance reform for more than three decades, counters Mark Schmitt’s take on the historic accomplishments of the movement.

Back Issues Archive

Features

Unsafe at Any Rate

If it's good enough for microwaves, it's good enough for mortgages. Why we need a Financial Product Safety Commission.

By Elizabeth Warren

25 MIN READ

Broken Contract

It's time policymakers recognize that in the new global economy, growth and economic security go hand in hand.

By Jason Bordoff

26 MIN READ

A Thin Blue Line in the Sand

Iraqization is a dead-end strategy. But there is still some hope of saving the country, and it lies in an unlikely place: local Sunni militia and police.

By Carter Malkasian

24 MIN READ

When in Doubt

Thanks to Bush, doubt is back in American politics. But which form of doubt is right for progressives and good for America?

By William Galston

13 MIN READ

Parting the Veil

Now is no time to give up on supporting democracy in the Middle East. But to do so, the United States must embrace Islamist moderates.

By Shadi Hamid

20 MIN READ

America's Teaching Crisis

Our public schools are failing. To save them, we need to look to the head of the class.

By Jason Kamras Andrew Rotherham

22 MIN READ

Book Reviews

The Clone Wars

Progressives may recoil at neoconservative bioethics - but they haven't offered an alternative paradigm.

By Jonathan Moreno

15 MIN READ

Blinded by the Left

Liberals are at their best when they recognize the difference between themselves and radicalism. Too often in American history, they haven't.

By Fred Siegel

14 MIN READ

At the Vanguard

Communist governments created totalitarian nightmares. But ironically, communist movements often helped advance a liberal agenda.

By Michael Kazin

14 MIN READ

Quality Counts

Insuring all Americans is just the first step toward solving our health crisis.

By Risa Lavizzo-Mourey

10 MIN READ

Family Reunion

The case against the case against gay marriage.

By Jonathan Rauch

16 MIN READ

Responses

Speaking of Tongues

Bilingualism is a huge advantage in today's world. But as a policy goal, it is unrealistic. A response to Cristina Rodríguez.

By Peter Schuck

9 MIN READ

More Money, More Problems

Any serious campaign finance reform must recognize that money is the mother's milk of politics. A response to Mark Schmitt.

By Fred Wertheimer

10 MIN READ

Recounting

Middle East Myopia

Newly declassified documents illustrate the danger of letting military disaster blind us to emerging international threats.

By Kenneth Baer

8 MIN READ

Editor's Note

Editors' Note

Democracy marks its first anniversary.

By Kenneth Baer and Andrei Cherny

4 MIN READ

Letters

Letters to the Editor

Letters from our readers

By Democracy Readers

2 MIN READ

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