The Rent Is Too High, Partisanship Versus Democracy
Expanding affordable housing in America’s major cities is the key to reducing inequality.
Authoritarianism
Putin Wins Sham Election, Trump Battles FBI
To no one’s surprise, Vladimir Putin wins reelection in Russia. Donald Trump goes to war on the FBI.
Learning the Wrong Lesson from Weimar
It’s not the size of the state that matters, but the willingness of state actors to defend their independence.
What Trump Says Matters
It has a corrosive effect on democracy.
Trump Supporters Reject Choice, Tradeoffs
The president’s fans wish to escape from a complex reality.
An Unhealthy Obsession with National Strength
Conservatives used to understand that a strong state would put personal freedoms at risk.
How Ripe for Tyranny Is America? Two Numbers to Give You Pause
Republicans have lost trust in the media while one in five students would tolerate violence to block out unwelcome speech.
“For My Friends, Anything. For My Enemies, the Law.”
Donald Trump’s pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio brings to mind that adage of South American dictators.
Trump Behaves Like the Head of a Banana Republic
The president considers pardons for himself and his family and calls on soldiers to support him.
Resist the Strongman’s Siren Call
America needs a national consensus for change, not a powerful individual to break the political deadlock.
Duterte’s Play for a Dictatorship
The Filipino leader’s war on drugs is starting to look like a pretext for keeping himself in power.
Trump Reveals Himself to Be Bumbling Strongman
The firing of FBI director James Comey shows how Donald Trump’s authoritarianism and incompetence go hand in hand.
What the Hell Just Happened to Turkey?
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wanted an executive Turkey, headed by him. He got it. Here is how.
Erdoğan Asks Turks to Jump Off a Cliff with Him
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has already made Turkey into an autocratic state. Now he wants even more power.
Venezuela Lurches Toward Authoritarianism
Nicolás Maduro clamps down.
