April 27, 2009 Issue

Cover art by: Cover illustration by Dusan Petricic, design by Gene Case & Stephen Kling/Avenging Angels

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Feature

What Can Obama Do in Latin America?

On nearly every issue that could either relieve the suffering of Latin Americans or help the US to win back allies, domestic politics will hinder Obama’s range of action.
Greg Grandin
Hearts, Minds and Hollywood

American ideals no longer dominate the global public square. So how do we compete for hearts and minds?
Nathan Gardels and Mike Medavoy
Thailand’s Tranquility Crumbles

As mob violence and political strife destroy Thailand’s reputation as Southeast Asia’s magic kingdom, the fortunes of Vietnam and Indonesia are rising.
Barbara Crossette
US Must Stop Mixed Signals on Iran

Anything short of a categorical, even vociferous US refusal to countenance an Israeli attack on Iran might have horrific consequences.
Roane Carey
Environmental Showdown on the Irish Coast

A seaside community’s battle to prevent a gas pipeline from ruining fragile coast and bog lands enters its tenth year.
Alexander Zaitchik
Morality Play

In the wake of the Gaza incursion, the self-deceptions of the Israeli military have been exposed.
Liel Leibovitz
A System From Hell

In my family, two medical crises have added up to financial disaster.
Kate Michelman
Casualties of Care

The privatization of veterans’ healthcare limits the government’s ability to honor those who serve.
Tara McKelvey
Behind the Abortion Color Line

Reducing unintended pregnancies is an urgent priority for African-Americans.
Sheryl McCarthy
Healthcare Lifeboats

The Massachusetts healthcare reform model may rest on impeccable political logic, but it’s economic and medical nonsense
Steffie Woolhandler and David U. Himmelstein
Fighting for Our Health

Can Washington summon the will to cut costs, raise revenues and cover the uninsured?
J. Lester Feder

Editorial

Reach Out to Cuba to Heal Guantánamo’s Wounds

As Obama seeks to remake the US-Cuba relationship, why not form a partnership to transform the prison into a health research center?

Marcus G. Raskin and Joshua Frens-String
Ten Things You Can Do to Oppose the War in Afghanistan

Get involved in the peace movement. Demand oversight hearings. Read up on the war–and more.
Z.P. Heller
Dennis Ross’s Iran Plan

Is Obama’s dialogue with Iran already doomed?
Bob Dreyfuss
Noted.

John Nichols on rainbow pusher Merle Hansen; Richard Kim on April’s “queer quake.”
The Editors
Not Our Department

For the Labor Department damaged by eight years of Bush neglect, help is finally on the way.
Chris Hayes
Operation Healthcare

Obama’s hybrid approach to healthcare reform will succeed if progressives come together to support smart, incremental improvements in public programs.
The Editors
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Column

Judgment Day for Tax Cheats

GOP “tea-baggers” take note: The Justice Department is closing in on offshore tax cheats. And former Sen. Phil Gramm, their chief enabler, could be caught in the net.
Robert Scheer
The Upside of Piracy

The rise of blue-water criminals may not be anything to cheer about, but it just might force us to consume less foreign oil.
Nicholas von Hoffman
Obama’s Wall Street Rat Pack

President Obama needs to ditch the idiot savants of high finance and bring in advisers dedicated to doing something more than gaming the economy.
Nicholas von Hoffman
Lose the ‘Business’; Save the News?

As newspapers become increasingly irrelevant, is making them tax-exempt their last, best hope?
Eric Alterman
Mrs. Obama Meets Mrs. Windsor

Michelle Obama defies the boxes in which women have been caged, expanding the force field of feminism in ecumenical and unsettling ways.
Patricia J. Williams
Rush Limbaugh Threatens to Leave New York City if the State Raises Taxes on People Making More Than $500,000 a Year

Is that a promise?
Calvin Trillin

Books & the Arts

Laurels for Ange Mlinko

Poet and Nation contributor Ange Mlinko has won the Randall Jarrell Award in Poetry Criticism for work that is “eclectic and astringent yet always lucid and generous.”
John Palattella
What Can Obama Do in Latin America?

On nearly every issue that could either relieve the suffering of Latin Americans or help the US to win back allies, domestic politics will hinder Obama’s range of action.
Greg Grandin
Hearts, Minds and Hollywood

American ideals no longer dominate the global public square. So how do we compete for hearts and minds?
Nathan Gardels and Mike Medavoy
Lingo: And Then Some

Would a master thesaurus contain the history of human perception?
Ange Mlinko
Lose the ‘Business’; Save the News?

As newspapers become increasingly irrelevant, is making them tax-exempt their last, best hope?
Eric Alterman
They Fought the Law: Fred Strebeigh’s Equal

An outstanding history of women’s struggle for equality through the courts and in the legal profession.
Michael O’Donnell
Back Talk: Young Jean Lee

A conversation with the author of The Shipment about American theater, irony and Mariah Carey.
Christine Smallwood
Violent Grace: Anne Carson’s An Oresteia

Anne Carson’s An Oresteia offers a dark vision of violent grace.
Emily Wilson
The Hundred Days War: Histories of the New Deal

FDR’s first hundred days were unprecedented in their ambition and scope–and anything but politically coherent.
Thomas J. Sugrue
The Hub

William Corbett
Clear November Morning

William Corbett
The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

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Letters

Sexual Trauma & Repressed Memory

Cambridge, Mass.
JoAnn Wypijewski and Our Readers

Crossword

Puzzle No. 3166

ACROSS

1 and 4 A gun-toter had to be, as does a speed artist. (5,2,3,4)
Frank W. Lewis

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April 27, 2009 Issue

Feature

On nearly every issue that could either relieve the suffering of Latin Americans or help the US to win back allies, domestic politics will hinder Obama’s range of action.

American ideals no longer dominate the global public square. So how do we compete for hearts and minds?

As mob violence and political strife destroy Thailand’s reputation as Southeast Asia’s magic kingdom, the fortunes of Vietnam and Indonesia are rising.

Anything short of a categorical, even vociferous US refusal to countenance an Israeli attack on Iran might have horrific consequences.

A seaside community’s battle to prevent a gas pipeline from ruining fragile coast and bog lands enters its tenth year.

In the wake of the Gaza incursion, the self-deceptions of the Israeli military have been exposed.

In my family, two medical crises have added up to financial disaster.

The privatization of veterans’ healthcare limits the government’s ability to honor those who serve.

Reducing unintended pregnancies is an urgent priority for African-Americans.

The Massachusetts healthcare reform model may rest on impeccable political logic, but it’s economic and medical nonsense

Can Washington summon the will to cut costs, raise revenues and cover the uninsured?

Editorial

As Obama seeks to remake the US-Cuba relationship, why not form a partnership to transform the prison into a health research center?

Get involved in the peace movement. Demand oversight hearings. Read up on the war–and more.

Is Obama’s dialogue with Iran already doomed?

John Nichols on rainbow pusher Merle Hansen; Richard Kim on April’s “queer quake.”

For the Labor Department damaged by eight years of Bush neglect, help is finally on the way.

Obama’s hybrid approach to healthcare reform will succeed if progressives come together to support smart, incremental improvements in public programs.

GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS FOR LESS THAN $3 A MONTH!

Column

GOP “tea-baggers” take note: The Justice Department is closing in on offshore tax cheats. And former Sen. Phil Gramm, their chief enabler, could be caught in the net.

The rise of blue-water criminals may not be anything to cheer about, but it just might force us to consume less foreign oil.

President Obama needs to ditch the idiot savants of high finance and bring in advisers dedicated to doing something more than gaming the economy.

As newspapers become increasingly irrelevant, is making them tax-exempt their last, best hope?

Michelle Obama defies the boxes in which women have been caged, expanding the force field of feminism in ecumenical and unsettling ways.

Is that a promise?

Books & the Arts

Poet and Nation contributor Ange Mlinko has won the Randall Jarrell Award in Poetry Criticism for work that is “eclectic and astringent yet always lucid and generous.”

On nearly every issue that could either relieve the suffering of Latin Americans or help the US to win back allies, domestic politics will hinder Obama’s range of action.

American ideals no longer dominate the global public square. So how do we compete for hearts and minds?

Would a master thesaurus contain the history of human perception?

As newspapers become increasingly irrelevant, is making them tax-exempt their last, best hope?

An outstanding history of women’s struggle for equality through the courts and in the legal profession.

A conversation with the author of The Shipment about American theater, irony and Mariah Carey.

Anne Carson’s An Oresteia offers a dark vision of violent grace.

FDR’s first hundred days were unprecedented in their ambition and scope–and anything but politically coherent.

The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

Letters

Cambridge, Mass.

Crossword

ACROSS 1 and 4 A gun-toter had to be, as does a speed artist. (5,2,3,4)

ACROSS

1 and 4 A gun-toter had to be, as does a speed artist. (5,2,3,4)