The Editors

Welcome to “Ask a Feminist,” in which our own Dana Goldstein and Ann Friedman address a topic related to gender and feminism. Today’s very special wedding season episode features a question from Justin Elliott: “If a hetero couple has already mutually decided to get married, is it sexist for the man to then plan a […]

Obama’s far-reaching proposal for financial regulations is a mixed bag. Tim Fernholz asks, “Can Congress improve the project?” And Terence Samuel thinks that it’s a safe bet that Sen. John Ensign will survive his affair scandal. The Republican Party’s odds are not so good. As always, subscribe to our RSS feed to receive our articles […]

Somewhat counterintuitively, health-care reform is more about financial health than anything else. Ezra Klein explains why. Meanwhile, Matt Duss considers conservatives’ Cold War approach to Iran, dispelling a few Reagan myths in the process. And Gershom Gorenberg asks whether Obama’s influence in the Middle East has been large or small. As always, subscribe to our […]

Nothing is certain but death and taxes — but is that really the worst thing in the world? Sure, the death part may not be ideal, but Matthew Yglesias gives a few good reasons why taxation is A-OK. And Sarah Posner writes that John McHugh‘s Army secretary nomination is coming under scrutiny from church-state separation […]

Thus far, Obama has approached Iran’s presidential elections with a strategy of restraint. But what should he do if a recount determines that Ahmadinejad is the winner? Should America stop negotiating with Iran? Tim Fernholz provides an answer. And Paul Waldman writes about zombies. Not zombie banks — just zombies. As always, subscribe to our […]

All eyes are on the Middle East today. Matthew Yglesias analyzes the meaning of Iran’s contested election and asks if it’s America’s problem. Meanwhile, Michelle Goldberg considers Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s illusory concession to Palestine. And Gershom Gorenberg looks at how the Israeli government has fostered religious extremism and fractured its own democracy through […]

In Washington, D.C., the battle over gay marriage is just heating up. As he introduces us the culture warriors leading the fight, Adam Serwer argues that an alliance between local and national activists is a test of the effectiveness of Republicans’ reliance on wedge issues. And Terence Samuel tells political junkies to stop wringing their […]

Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is much like Arlen Specter — in the middle of a rapid, awkward transition from Republican to Democrat. Last night, as Specter begins to rebuild his political base in his new party, he spoke to a meeting of the county’s Democrats. A friend of TAP reports from the scene: Specter fielded 27 […]

Countless words have been devoted to Pakistan’s situation, but do any give a clear picture of what day-to-day existence is like there? Our correspondent Anatol Lieven considers some recent tomes on the Pakistan puzzle and finds that they overlook ordinary citizens’ conflicting motivations. Meanwhile, Matthew Yglesias argues that Obama should not give ground to Israeli […]