After 30 years of publication, the U.S. Department of Agriculture abruptly canceled its annual report on the prevalence of hunger in America. The USDA’s press release condemned the report as “politicized,” “subjective, liberal fodder” that did “nothing more than fear monger.”

In Portland, our intrepid legal affairs editor @garrettepps.bsky.social braves ICE and kombucha to report on the Justice Department’s Orwellian arguments and how a Trump-nominated jurist is holding the line for democracy. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/10/06/t...

The economic whiplash of Trump’s second term, combined with AI tools that are automating the lowest rungs of white-collar work, are making it harder for new grads to find jobs. But history and data tell us that the premium on degrees is going up, not down. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/30/t...

"The bartender with a doctorate will always be good copy. But the degree remains the surest, sturdiest path to prosperity." Excellent piece by @nateweisberg.bsky.social out in the Monthly today @washingtonmonthly.com

Yes, AI is reshaping entry-level work. No, the college degree isn’t losing value. My latest for @washingtonmonthly.com: washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/30/t...

Early next month, Syria is scheduled to hold its first parliamentary elections since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. But the conditions that have long stifled democracy in the Arab world remain firmly in place. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/29/s...

With the Corporation for Public Broadcasting eliminated, public radio and TV face their greatest crisis yet. But philanthropy can and should fill the gap. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/29/p...

NEW for @washingtonmonthly.com: why state courts should strike down mid-decade redistricting under state constitutions: washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/25/m... #UKLawProfResearch

Brett Kavanaugh Hits the Street! Justice Kavanaugh greenlit racial profiling by ICE agents. @garrettepps.bsky.social imagines how the jurist sees an encounter between an ICE agent and a Hispanic Appearing Person: washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/25/b...

The president’s decision to threaten mass layoffs of federal workers in the case of a shutdown should prompt Democrats to shift course. You can’t win a game with someone playing an entirely different game. So, stop playing. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/26/d...

absolutely shocked and disgusted to see France join the club of nations who throw former presidents in jail just because they "committed a bunch of crimes." I'm going to throw up www.wsj.com/world/europe...

Richard Kahlenberg, who’s argued to realign affirmative action away from race and towards social class, helped devise a race-blind College Board tool to identify prospects in low-income, high-crime neighborhoods. But the Trumpies shut that down, too. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/24/t...

“Republicans have filed for divorce with the free market, in favor of a threesome with authoritarianism and quackery.” –– @billscher.bsky.social washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/23/t...

More evidence of private equity's destructive impact on US health care: www.newsweek.com/er-patient-d...

I talked to the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator’s Joel Dodge about Trump’s unique brand of authoritarian-flavored industrial policy for this week’s @washingtonmonthly.com roundup: open.substack.com/pub/washingt...

The Social Security and Medicare Funding Problems Are Real And Congress keeps making them worse with a budget process that’s broken. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/22/t...

While Disney/ABC and Skydance/Paramount/CBS cave to MAGA bullying, others hold firm, including The New York Times: washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/20/f...

"One of the most troubling lessons of the past eight months is the extent to which avaricious self-interest, short-term thinking, and apathy have made our society weak. Michel Foucault titled a series of lectures, 'Society Must Be Defended.' Who is defending our society?"

Justice Jackson wrote: “If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”

Free Kimmel. Impeach Carr. Impeach Trump washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/19/f...

Last November I wrote that Republicans wanted to “socialize the means of cancellation” through the creation of a “Snitch State.” Feels relevant now. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

It's that time of year again! Why ranking colleges as if they were football teams has pushed schools, students, families, trustees etc in wrong directions. And some efforts to push back in better ways. Featuring @washingtonmonthly.com fallows.substack.com/p/making-col... Most of post 'open'

Let's say it again: 1) Harvard said "No," and Trump has backed off. 2) Chicago (and Illinois) said "No," and Trump has backed off. It's day by day. But those who said "OK, sure," have gained nothing at all. Except shame.

idk if you've seen this south korean editorial that ran a few days ago. google translate version scorched my eyebrows www.hani.co.kr/arti/opinion...

"Regret" for what? Every bit of this was Trump admin policy, including the arbitrary rounding up of everyone in sight, the appalling conditions of their confinement, and the delayed release. Is anyone in the Trump admin / DHS / ICE getting fired over it? No. Are any policies being changed? Also no.

The job of the Minority Leader is to have a plan to become Majority Leader and Chuck Schumer hasn’t explained one. www.slowboring.com/p/chuck-schu...

Squirrel!

“The Biden-Harris Relationship Makes Sense Now” — my latest for the @washingtonmonthly.com washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/11/b...

Charlie Kirk's Assassination War More Than Just Murder. The law makes distinctions between killings, and there’s a reason political assassination deserves a special circle of Hell – @mattizcoop.bsky.social: washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/11/t...

A much-maligned new book asks a fair question: Why do the excesses of the left offend voters more than those of the right? washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/11/t...

Putin Goes There: For the first time in its history, NATO engaged a Russian incursion into allied airspace. Trump shrugged. What happens next? washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/11/p...

Four years ago, @washingtonmonthly.com published this piece, which remains timely today as political violence smolders and news media face continued financial challenges: washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/11/t...

Let's make one thing clear from the start: Charlie Kirk was the victim of a shooting in a country where he, along with other right wing extremist influencers, had every right to speak freely and not to fear death by assassination. That really is all that needs to be said right now.

Make it make sense. Fannie and Freddie are the most successful government bailouts ever in terms of returns to the taxpayers. It's the exact kind of investment the government should want to KEEP if it is to create a sovereign wealth fund as Trump wants.

Today’s Washington Post features an opinion piece by RFKJ explaining that kids don’t need therapy; a piece by GOP candidate Earle- Sears warning against transgender rights; and an editorial celebrating the disnissal of charges against Michigan fake electors. Democracy died in darkness.

Scott Bessent’s threat to “punch” Bill Pulte in his “fucking face” makes better sense when you know what Pulte’s trying to do to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the midst of a national housing crisis. Why on earth are we privatizing these? My latest. newrepublic.com/article/2002...

... @lioneltrolling.bsky.social nails it:

Ezra Klein (Almost) Gets It Right Democrats shouldn’t abet authoritarianism by supporting MAGA spending bills. But neither should they own a government shutdown. There’s a better way. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/09/e...

@garrettepps.bsky.social has been a friend and colleague for decades. An enjoyable (for me) podcast with him this week, for @washingtonmonthly.com , about life in DC these days. Audio and transcript here: washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/04/f...

“A Government Shutdown Looms. Prepare For Democrats to Disappoint.” — my latest for @washingtonmonthly.com washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/05/g...

I did a deep dive for the @washingtonmonthly.com taking stock of the emerging Trump II industrial policy and where it might be headed. Link below: 🧵1/8

Industrial policies like public ownership of corporate equity are powerful means of aligning corporate actions with gov priorities—but they can thus also become tools for consolidating authoritarian power. Rather than rejecting policies outright, we need better discussions on democratic guardrails

In a new trend, Republican-led states are now suing the federal government (and vice versa) to get laws struck down that they don't like. It raises questions about whether anyone can offer an appropriate defense, and changes happen quickly.

The president uses government leverage to extract equity stakes, profit-sharing deals, and special voting rights from major corporations. These are familiar tools—but Trump’s unchecked dealmaking could be disastrous. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/03/t...

Trump's personalist industrial policy is unlawful and courts disaster. But with the right democratic checks and balances, the next Democratic president can use the same tools to great effect, notes @joeldodge07.bsky.social @washingtonmonthly.com washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/03/t... .

At a community college, a student earns a degree and lands a healthcare job that doubles her family’s income within a year. Three counties over, a grad with the same degree can't find work that pays more than the typical HS grad. The difference is everything. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/02/e...

The people in Washington who can actually stop Trump are not Democrats. They are Republicans. And we should be asking them every day when they will start. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/02/r...

Sure would be great to have friends right now. Too bad we showed them all we want is extortion. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/w...

No, Native-Born Employment Has Not Soared. A viral chart shared by Trumpworld showing an increase in employment among native-born Americans is a multiple-count data felony: washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/01/n...

The war in Ukraine has entered a new phase—Russia talks of peace but continues the killing on the ground: washingtonmonthly.com/2025/08/29/d...