Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

The Mueller report is vital reading about our challenged democracy

On this momentous day for our country, we recommend you look elsewhere for the most important reading about our challenged democracy.

Consider it an obligation of good citizenship to digest all you can of the report by special counsel Robert Mueller. You can read it here. And for explanation and context there are plenty of credible news organizations to rely on – employers of legions of journalists who've already proven their worth with so much reportorial depth and analytical rigor.


The stunning impressiveness of Russian efforts to influence the last presidential election, and the extraordinary approaches Donald Trump has taken to the aftermath, are sure to make the history books because they say so much about the fragile state of democratic norms in our time.

And, to be sure, these stories touch on all these topics we are committed to covering:

• The pervasive role of big-money special interests in American politics
• The questionable reliability of our election mechanics
• The skepticism about whether our voting rules give everyone an equal say
• The consequences of politicians being able to pick their constituents, not the other way around
• The wobbly state of ethics in public life
• The fading primacy of facts, thanks to the spread of propaganda, in shaping our discourse
• The intensifying imbalance of power in favor of the executive and at the expense of Congress

But there is no unique reporting or analysis we can add at this moment. So it seems best for us to get out of the way while the significance of the Mueller report, released Thursday, starts to sink in.

The American political system was dysfunctional before the Trump administration and seems destined to remain so afterword. Our mission is to cover the efforts to make the system work better. We still have an enormous amount to write.

Read More

Celebrating Congressional Excellence: Democracy Awards 2025
United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Celebrating Congressional Excellence: Democracy Awards 2025

In a moment of bipartisan celebration, the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) will honor the winners of its 2025 Democracy Awards, spotlighting congressional offices that exemplify outstanding public service, operational excellence, and innovation in governance.

The ceremony, scheduled for this Thursday, September 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C., will recognize both Republican and Democratic offices across multiple categories, reinforcing the idea that excellence in Congress transcends party lines.

Keep ReadingShow less
Political Assassinations Are Part of the “Constitutional Rot” That Afflicts America
Gen Z and the Dangerous Allure of Political Violence
Gen Z and the Dangerous Allure of Political Violence

Political Assassinations Are Part of the “Constitutional Rot” That Afflicts America

Americans are learning that democracy is a fragile thing. If it is taken for granted, it can wither almost imperceptibly.

Signs of that withering are everywhere. I won’t rehearse them here.

Keep ReadingShow less
Meacham: Political Violence in America Linked to Deep Questions of Identity and Inclusion

"Who is an American? Who deserves to be included in ‘We the people" - Jon Meacham

AI generated illustration

Meacham: Political Violence in America Linked to Deep Questions of Identity and Inclusion

In a sobering segment aired on CBS Sunday Morning, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham addressed the escalating wave of political violence in the United States and its implications for the future of American democracy. Speaking with journalist Robert Costa, Meacham reflected on the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and a string of violent incidents targeting political figures and institutions.

"We do not want to be in a place where, because you disagree with someone, you pick up a gun. That is not what the country can be. And if it is, then it's something different. It's not the America we want," he said.

Keep ReadingShow less
Two speech bubbles overlapping each other.

Political outrage is rising—but dismissing the other side’s anger deepens division. Learn why taking outrage seriously can bridge America’s partisan divide.

Getty Images, Richard Drury

Taking Outrage Seriously: Understanding the Moral Signals Behind Political Anger

Over the last several weeks, the Trump administration has deployed the National Guard to the nation’s capital to crack down on crime. While those on the right have long been aghast by rioting and disorder in our cities, pressing for greater military intervention to curtail it, progressive residents of D.C. have tirelessly protested the recent militarization of the city.

This recent flashpoint is a microcosm of the reciprocal outrage at the heart of contemporary American public life. From social media posts to street protests to everyday conversations about "the other side," we're witnessing unprecedented levels of political outrage. And as polarization has increased, we’ve stopped even considering the other political party’s concerns, responding instead with amusement and delight. Schadenfreude, or pleasure at someone else’s pain, is now more common than solidarity or empathy across party lines.

Keep ReadingShow less