December 15, 2008 Issue

Cover art by: Cover design by Gene Case & Stephen Kling/Avenging Angels

purchase current issue

Feature

Mumbai’s 9/11 Meme

We have much to fear from easy evocations of 9/11, but in India, it is a call to the world to recognize their loss.
Lakshmi Chaudhry
Beyond the Bailout State

If original thinking doesn’t find a home among the Obama administration’s Clinton-era Brainiacs, how can we move beyond the bailout state?
Steve Fraser
Rethinking the Canadian Exit Strategy

For years, disenchanted US progressives figured they could always move to Canada. But Canadians, stuck with a conservative government, may now be eyeing America.
Will Di Novi
Iraq Pact Challenges Antiwar Movement

The US-Iraq Security Pact signals the war is ending–though not soon enough–and challenges peace activists to broaden their agenda against new quagmires.
Tom Hayden
Peace Prize Comes With Criticism

As Martti Ahtisaari receives the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, it is clear that the hard work of peacemaking does not guarantee universal acclaim.
Barbara Crossette
Thailand in Chaos

Its airports shut, Thailand is now ungovernable, as an educated elite attempts to overthrow the populist government it couldn’t defeat at the ballot box.
Barbara Crossette
Change Immigrants and Labor Can Believe In

The Obama administration should embrace progressive tactics to protect human and workplace rights.
David Bacon
Election’s Over–Time to Begin

How millions of Obama volunteers can go to work for a progressive agenda.
Michael Pertschuk
How to Save Motor City

Letting Detroit fail: catastrophic. Transforming it into a lean green machine-maker: visionary.
Marissa Colón-Margolies
Conversations With Chavez and Castro

Conversations with Raul Castro about Obama, Guantánamo and the Pentagon; and with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on human rights in his country and the next US administration.
Sean Penn

Editorial

The Fall of Triumphalism

Because of the hubris of Bush and Cheney, we face a world of multiplied dangers, emboldened challengers and a paucity of reliable allies.
Michael T. Klare
Don’t Repackage Gitmo!

Shutting down Guantánamo is long overdue. We shouldn’t recreate it by another name.
Michael Ratner and Jules Lobel
Hands Off the UAW

If he keeps his promises to autoworkers, Obama has the chance to renew the ability of organzed labor to improve the lot of union and non-union workers in the twenty-first century.
John Nichols
Noted.

Kudos to Minnesota’s recount process; and kudos to Van Jones, 2008 recipient of the $100,000 Puffin/Nation Prize for green economy activism.
The Editors
Moving Obama

Progressives need to be as clear-eyed, tough and pragmatic about Obama as he is about us.
Katrina vanden Heuvel
Bonfire of the Vanities

Timothy Geithner is responsible for much of the generous deal-making now underway with Wall Street. If Obama’s not careful, he will be blamed.
William Greider
Stimulus Now

On Day One, Congress must present Obama with a bold stimulus plan focused on putting people to work, rebuilding infrastructure and expanding the productive capacity of the economy.
The Editors
GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS FOR LESS THAN $3 A MONTH!

Subscribe

Column

Can Obama Stay the Course?

As he drives his team of retreads, the challenge for Obama is to remain the agent of change who electrified the nation.
Robert Scheer
State Banks Could Solve Financial Crisis

Forget big bailouts. The fed should finance non-profit state banks like the Bank of North Dakota–no profit means no reason for bankers to misbehave–to get real money to real people in the real economy.
Nicholas von Hoffman
Refs, Worked (Redux)

CBS News and the Washington Post go into overtime expunging liberal bias.
Eric Alterman
The Three Bozos of the Apocalypse

The automotive jet set goes to Washington.
Calvin Trillin

Books & the Arts

‘Lost as Food and Won as a Coast’

Is a new, computer-generated poetry anthology as intriguing–and boring–as the lifework of any fairly prolific poet?
Barry Schwabsky
Beyond the Bailout State

If original thinking doesn’t find a home among the Obama administration’s Clinton-era Brainiacs, how can we move beyond the bailout state?
Steve Fraser
Spreading the Wealth: Knowledge as Social Inheritance

Amid the ruins of a new gilded age, the devalued and depressed American people are ready to demand more.
Mark Engler
The House Folds: The Housing Market and Irrational Exuberance

Without a commitment to affordable housing for all, the ownership society remains a myth for many Americans.
Max Fraser
Stolen Kisses: Iran’s Sexual Revolutions

Is sexual promiscuity in Iran a sign of political ferment or of an unmoored generation’s dissipated energies?
Laura Secor
Unconditional Love Song

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

Sign up

Letters

Letters

Goodbye Robocalls?
Amissville, Va.
Our Readers

Crossword

Puzzle No. 3148

ACROSS

1An athlete–or a DJ–might, but don’t let go the minutes! (4,3,6)
Frank W. Lewis

Log In

December 15, 2008 Issue

Feature

We have much to fear from easy evocations of 9/11, but in India, it is a call to the world to recognize their loss.

If original thinking doesn’t find a home among the Obama administration’s Clinton-era Brainiacs, how can we move beyond the bailout state?

For years, disenchanted US progressives figured they could always move to Canada. But Canadians, stuck with a conservative government, may now be eyeing America.

The US-Iraq Security Pact signals the war is ending–though not soon enough–and challenges peace activists to broaden their agenda against new quagmires.

As Martti Ahtisaari receives the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, it is clear that the hard work of peacemaking does not guarantee universal acclaim.

Its airports shut, Thailand is now ungovernable, as an educated elite attempts to overthrow the populist government it couldn’t defeat at the ballot box.

The Obama administration should embrace progressive tactics to protect human and workplace rights.

How millions of Obama volunteers can go to work for a progressive agenda.

Letting Detroit fail: catastrophic. Transforming it into a lean green machine-maker: visionary.

Conversations with Raul Castro about Obama, Guantánamo and the Pentagon; and with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on human rights in his country and the next US administration.

Editorial

Because of the hubris of Bush and Cheney, we face a world of multiplied dangers, emboldened challengers and a paucity of reliable allies.

Shutting down Guantánamo is long overdue. We shouldn’t recreate it by another name.

If he keeps his promises to autoworkers, Obama has the chance to renew the ability of organzed labor to improve the lot of union and non-union workers in the twenty-first century.

Kudos to Minnesota’s recount process; and kudos to Van Jones, 2008 recipient of the $100,000 Puffin/Nation Prize for green economy activism.

Progressives need to be as clear-eyed, tough and pragmatic about Obama as he is about us.

Timothy Geithner is responsible for much of the generous deal-making now underway with Wall Street. If Obama’s not careful, he will be blamed.

On Day One, Congress must present Obama with a bold stimulus plan focused on putting people to work, rebuilding infrastructure and expanding the productive capacity of the economy.

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

Column

As he drives his team of retreads, the challenge for Obama is to remain the agent of change who electrified the nation.

Forget big bailouts. The fed should finance non-profit state banks like the Bank of North Dakota–no profit means no reason for bankers to misbehave–to get real money to real people in the real economy.

CBS News and the Washington Post go into overtime expunging liberal bias.

The automotive jet set goes to Washington.

Books & the Arts

Is a new, computer-generated poetry anthology as intriguing–and boring–as the lifework of any fairly prolific poet?

If original thinking doesn’t find a home among the Obama administration’s Clinton-era Brainiacs, how can we move beyond the bailout state?

Amid the ruins of a new gilded age, the devalued and depressed American people are ready to demand more.

Without a commitment to affordable housing for all, the ownership society remains a myth for many Americans.

Is sexual promiscuity in Iran a sign of political ferment or of an unmoored generation’s dissipated energies?

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

Letters

Goodbye Robocalls? Amissville, Va.

Crossword

ACROSS 1An athlete–or a DJ–might, but don’t let go the minutes! (4,3,6)

Goodbye Robocalls?
Amissville, Va.

ACROSS

1An athlete–or a DJ–might, but don’t let go the minutes! (4,3,6)