The Editors

Low-income housing construction is stalled due to the economic collapse — and a recent ruling by Tim Geithner is preventing federal funds from reaching the victims of Katrina. Brentin Mock asks why the Treasury is excluding the Gulf Coast from stimulus benefits. Meanwhile, our Women’s Work series continues. Elissa Strauss argues for more protections for […]

As Evan Esar once described it, statistics is the only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw different conclusions. Paul Waldman expands on that aphorism, asking why so much of the data we hear is really just fuzzy math. And our Women’s Work series continues. Janet C. Gornick, Harriet B. Presser, […]

Today, we launch our four-day Women’s Work series. For too long, the narrative about working women has centered on professionals with children. It’s time we focus on the majority of women workers, argues Ann Friedman. And Dana Goldstein focuses on the continued problem of occupation segregation. Meanwhile, Courtney Martin considers the future of philanthropy and […]

In yesterday’s Cairo address, Barack Obama did not speak with the confrontational tone adopted by past presidents when discussing threats to America. Rather, he sought to transform the way the United States engages with the Muslim world by using a language of understanding, says Terence Samuel. Meanwhile, Tara McKelvey reflects on questions of confidentiality as […]

What happens when you go house hunting in Jerusalem’s West Bank? Gershom Gorenberg finds that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s argument for allowing continued construction in settlements contains layers of deception. Meanwhile, Latoya Peterson argues that the death of a black police officer at the hands of his white colleague should be a wake up […]

Welcome to our third installment of “Ask a Feminist,” in which our own Dana Goldstein and Ann Friedman address a topic related to gender and feminism. Today’s episode features a question from Brad Plumer: “Is it sexist for men to open doors for women?” By the way, we apologize for the dizzying quality of Dana’s […]

Why did Tim Geithner go to Beijing? Tim Fernholz argues that the Treasury secretary sought to alter the economic dynamic between the U.S. and China. Meanwhile, Harold Meyerson considers the General Motors bankruptcy and says that the real challenge before the Obama administration is to promote policies that foster whole new industries, not that save […]

Obama has tried to split the difference between comprehensive immigration-reform advocates and law-and-order types. But for immigrants in detention, not much has changed since the Bush era, write Renee Feltz and Stokely Baksh. Meanwhile, Michelle Goldberg reflects on George Tiller‘s compassion for his patients. And Paul Waldman says that conservatives are losing an opportunity to […]

How should Obama respond to the murder of George Tiller? Ann Friedman reflects on the doctor’s death and explains why clinic violence is the federal government’s problem. Meanwhile, Robert Kuttner wonders if the Fed’s activism might inspire some sort of backlash. And Mark Schmitt puzzles over the mystery of the right. As always, subscribe to […]

In the year 2387, we will be able to travel faster than light. We will discover far-off planets and new civilizations. And black women will still be secretaries. Danielle Belton asks why the future is so white in sci-fi. Meanwhile, Noy Thrupkaew considers Steven Soderbergh‘s The Girlfriend Experience, which explores the capitalism-as-prostitution metaphor. And Terence […]