Deadline Poet / June 4, 2024

A Lesson From the High Court

Calvin Trillin
US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is seen after a swearing in ceremony for Mark Esper to be the new US Secretary of Defense in 2019.
US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is seen after a swearing in ceremony for Mark Esper to be the new US secretary of defense in 2019.(Alex Wong / Getty Images)

If you’re engaged in public life,
The criticism’s often rife.
So if involved in serious strife,
The thing to do is blame your wife.

Can we count on you?

In the coming election, the fate of our democracy and fundamental civil rights are on the ballot. The conservative architects of Project 2025 are scheming to institutionalize Donald Trump’s authoritarian vision across all levels of government if he should win.

We’ve already seen events that fill us with both dread and cautious optimism—throughout it all, The Nation has been a bulwark against misinformation and an advocate for bold, principled perspectives. Our dedicated writers have sat down with Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders for interviews, unpacked the shallow right-wing populist appeals of J.D. Vance, and debated the pathway for a Democratic victory in November.

Stories like these and the one you just read are vital at this critical juncture in our country’s history. Now more than ever, we need clear-eyed and deeply reported independent journalism to make sense of the headlines and sort fact from fiction. Donate today and join our 160-year legacy of speaking truth to power and uplifting the voices of grassroots advocates.

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Thank you,
The Editors of The Nation

Calvin Trillin

Calvin Trillin is The Nation’s “deadline poet.”

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