View Issue | The American Prospect

Feeds: Articles | Issues


	Current Issue \| Special Report \| Debates / Chat \| Recent Articles \| Columnists \| Archive

SUBSCRIBE | LOGIN

The

symbol identifies content for paid subscribers only.

Download the PDF

Subscribe to
TAP's E-newsletter


Table of Contents

January/February 2009 (v20, n1)


Cover art by John Ritter Download Issue PDF By The American Prospect Staff Cover Story - Features A Global New Deal Harold Meyerson The next New Deal won't work if it's only American. Fixing our economy will require fixing international systems. Features Can Partisanship Save Citizenship? Henry Farrell In the 1990s, reformers and academics worried about how to improve civic life. They didn't foresee that technology combined with party politics would renew civic engagement. How Bush Broke the Government Tara McKelvey, Te-Ping Chen, Meredith Kolodner, Esther Kaplan, Carolyn Petri, Sheila Kaplan, LaNitra Walker, Alyssa Rosenberg, Ann Friedman and Emily Douglas To gain a true sense of Bush's legacy, we survey the systematic and politically motivated ways he undermined the federal government. The Number-Cruncher-in-Chief Ezra Klein Enacting new programs depends less on what they cost and more on what we think they'll cost. Good thing Peter Orszag, Obama's budget guru, knows how to get the number he needs. Obama's Economic Opportunity Robert Kuttner The dismal state of the economy presents Obama with the chance not just to produce a recovery but to restore a more egalitarian society -- and a progressive majority. Special Report A 21st-Century Agenda for Democratic Renewal Bob Edgar We stand on the threshold of a new age of democratic potential. Here's how to harness it. A Broader Definition of Democracy Larry Marx Small reforms won't bring the system-wide change we need. Better Together Cynthia Canary and Mike McCabe The Midwest Democracy Network put comprehensive democracy reform into practice. Can Money Be a Force For Good? Mark Schmitt Many reformers hailed the 2008 election as a bright spot in the history of American democracy. Why? The revolutionary potential of small-donor democracy. More Than the Vote Stuart Comstock-Gay and Joe Goldman Being a citizen should involve active participation in the governance process. The Case for Keeping Score Heather K. Gerken A democracy index could push states toward more ambitious electoral reforms.	Columns From Consumers to Commons Robert B. Reich Consumer spending is unlikely to return to the levels it once reached, and so the economy will not recover until the government finds ways to invest in the common goods we all share. Getting Ahead of Congress Dana Goldstein The president must begin reaching out to Congress to build support on key social issues right away. Our Capitalist Government Mark Schmitt Economic crises force government to find entirely new ways to fix problems. These improvisations then live on as tools of policy. The Competence Dodge Robert Kuttner Liberals should not allow themselves to believe that the experience and competence of Obama's economic team are substitutes for true progressivism. Culture & Books A Really Long Heat Wave Chris Mooney Popular writers and scientists alike are trying to help readers understand climate change, but doing so requires new thinking about the scale of time. Art in the Age of Obama Sharon L. Butler A new era may be dawning in which artists, strongly supported by the president, will develop new forms of enduring art. Behind Fortune's Smile Dalton Conley Malcolm Gladwell's latest mixes some insights from social science with some compelling anecdotes. Unfortunately, the plural of "anecdote" is not "data." No One In Charge Elaine Kamarck Writing policy is easy. Making it work is hard. And when those who run government have no respect for the institutions, it's even harder. Departments Noted The Editors Responses to Mark Schmitt's December cover story "The Audacity of Patience," Ben Adler's "Are Cows Worse Than Cars?" and a letter from Executive Editor Mark Schmitt. Up Front The Editors Many Obama advisers sport facial hair; there's excess inventory at various Bush agencies; some economic sectors will boom in the troubled economy; and T.A. Frank has the parody.

Support independent media with a tax-deductible donation.

Renew your print subscription or e-subscription.
Get an e-subscription for $14.95.
Give the gift of political insight. Send The American Prospect to a friend.
Change your email address or street address.

YES! I want to receive The American Prospect — the essential source for progressive ideas. Explore The American Prospect's award-winning investigative journalism and provocative essays in a free trial issue. Continue receiving The American Prospect at only $19.95 for a one-year subscription - a savings of 60% off the newsstand price!
First Name
Last Name
Address 1
Address 2
City
State		ZIP
Email


Should you decide not to continue receiving the magazine after the initial free issue, simply write "cancel" on the invoice and you will not be billed.