Beltway Confidential
Woman, erased
There was seemingly no end to the rhetorical indignities women suffered under the Biden administration. First, their federal government referred to them as “birthing people.” Then, they…
March 5, 2025
Pope Francis' legacy, Germany's elections, abolishing the penny, and the new conservatism in the Trump era—explore these shifts in the latest issue!
Magazine
Pennies on the dollar: Time for a 21st-century currency system
Pennies are worth more dead than alive. That’s been true for a long time. Constant inflation, even at the low levels of the pre-Biden era, steadily ate…
Infrastructure
Will Trump save California from its impending tow truck apocalypse?
If you’ve ever blown out a transmission on a rural highway, had a rock puncture your radiator on a gravel road, or just gotten into an accident…
Education
Call the feds on higher education
What are the next steps for university leaders and donors after the Trump administration’s slew of executive orders on removing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies from American…
Magazine
Our age of Hegelian conservatism
ExCeL London is a convention center by the Thames in what used to be the London docks. Once the busiest port in the world, it is now…
Entertainment
The Gorge is empty
Like a lovers’ quarrel, Apple TV+’s Valentine’s Day release, The Gorge, is likely to split audiences into two mutually uncomprehending camps. For some, a hugely entertaining first hour will prove…
Magazine
Kathy Hochul, up for reelection in 2026, faces a fight from Republicans and, possibly, fellow Democrats
NEW YORK — It’s an open question whether the biggest looming political headache for Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) is a strong Republican challenger or a Democratic primary rival. …
Magazine - Your Land
Swamp housing slump or Trump bump?
It’s an old dark joke among Beltway conservatives and libertarians: A friend buys a condo on Capitol Hill or in Clarendon, and you say, “Congrats. But are…
Magazine
Germany’s outsiders: Understanding the right-wing party roiling Berlin
BERLIN — When a normal person is accused of being a Nazi, how do they respond? And how should they? This is a dilemma facing millions of…
Magazine
Don’t kill PBS
As someone deeply concerned about institutional corruption, much has been refreshing about Elon Musk’s merry band of DOGE barbarians laying waste to dubious federal programs and expenditures.…