January 26, 2009 Issue

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

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Feature

The Power of Nonviolence

Jonathan Schell and Taylor Branch in conversation about Mohandas K. Gandhi, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the transformative power of nonviolence.
The Nation
Das Boot: The Unsinkable Warmonger

After the way they goaded us into an epic military disaster, why do media warmongers still have jobs?
Mark Ames
Bolivia’s Constitutional Challenge

After years of conflict between ethnic and indigenous groups in this diverse nation, Bolivia is poised to vote on a new Constitution that aims to establish a new era of equity. Not everyone is convinced it will.
Annie Murphy
Ten Goals for Obama’s First 1,460 Days

Following the values of progressive patriotism, here’s an ambitious agenda for the forty-fourth president’s first–and second–terms.
Mark Green
Oil 2009: Be Careful What You Wish For

Whether the price of oil is high or low, someone’s going to pay–and sooner or later all of us will–because our civilization is based on the stuff.
Michael T. Klare
The Year China Jumped the Gun

China is a country that takes anniversaries seriously. But reaction to significant historical events to be commemorated this year has already taken place.
Jeffrey Wasserstrom
Tet 2009: Vietnam Ponders its Future

As the season of Tet begins, questions of human rights, widespread corruption and a new novel highly critical of Ho Chi Minh, are giving Vietnamese much cause for reflection.
Barbara Crossette
Historians in Handcuffs

The Bush administration has systematically blocked historians’ access to government archives. Does Obama hold the key to set information free?
Jeff Kisseloff
Your Guide to the Nation

The Nation Guide to the Nation, just published by Vintage Books, is your guide to living liberally in America, from bars and art collectives to publishers and bookstores. Take a peek.
The Nation
FDR: A Model for Obama?

Like his Depression-era counterpart, Obama must take bold action, seize opportunity and experiment.
Tony Badger
Our Lincoln

As a politician, Lincoln’s greatness lay in his capacity for growth. Can Obama follow suit?
Eric Foner
Can Labor Revive the American Dream?

The business lobby declares war on the Employee Free Choice Act.
Esther Kaplan

Editorial

Questions for Hillary Clinton

Barack Obama’s nominee for Secretary of State takes questions today from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Nation has some questions of its own.
The Editors
Questions for Eric Holder

Barack Obama’s nomination of Eric Holder as the next Attorney General deserves special scrutiny as he appears Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. A panel of Nation experts add their questions to the mix.
The Editors
Grieving Over Gaza

Some of us, as Israelis, are grieving over what we have become. Blaming the other side with a roster of rehearsed clichés cannot mitigate the grief.
Anat Biletzki
The Growing Clout of the Nouveau Poor

As the poor and the formerly middle-class take an economic beating, will they finally have enough status to get their needs met?
Barbara Ehrenreich
The Foundation of Change

The economic crisis and a Democratic president create new opportunities for progress. Will advocacy groups and foundations seize the moment?
Nan Aron
The Big Lie on Franken

There is no one Republicans are more determined to keep out of the Senate than Al Franken. And John Cornyn is poised to use the power of the filibuster to thwart him–and the Democratic agenda.
John Nichols
Noted.

Ari Berman on Howard Dean, Christopher Hayes on Lawrence Lessig, Shane Bauer on Al Jazeera, remembering George Kirschner
The Editors
Misreading Gaza

Israel won’t get a better deal than the Arab Peace Initiative. The alternative is nothing less than more warfare and, ultimately, the end of Zionism.
Roane Carey
Toward Peace in Gaza

Without concerted action by Obama resolve the crisis in Gaza, hope for a two-state settlement will fade and the region will be cursed with many more years of bloodshed.
The Editors
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Column

Why the Rush on TARP 2?

Why rush to throw another $350 billion of taxpayer money at the Wall Street bandits and their political cronies who created the biggest financial mess since the Great Depression?
Robert Scheer
Gaza Crisis Spills Onto Basketball Court

A sports arena and a basketball team recently have become the unlikely setting and target of protests against Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
Dave Zirin
Priming the Economic Pump

Nobody can say whether pumping large amounts of money into the economy will work–or even define the proper measure of success.
Nicholas von Hoffman
Israel: Boycott, Divest, Sanction

To end the bloody occupation, Israel must be the target of the same kind of global movement that finally ended apartheid in South Africa.
Naomi Klein
Caroline and Me

What Caroline Kennedy lacks as an appointee to the Senate, Tom Geoghegan possesses as a Congressional candidate.
Katha Pollitt
Bomb a Ghetto, Raise a Cheer

Israel’s criminal onslaughts on the Palestinians in Gaza continue amid torrents of supportive speech and prose.
Alexander Cockburn
The Way People Feel About the End of the Bush Administration and the Future of George W. Bush

Don’t let the door hit you…
Calvin Trillin

Books & the Arts

The Year China Jumped the Gun

China is a country that takes anniversaries seriously. But reaction to significant historical events to be commemorated this year has already taken place.
Jeffrey Wasserstrom
Historians in Handcuffs

The Bush administration has systematically blocked historians’ access to government archives. Does Obama hold the key to set information free?
Jeff Kisseloff
Guilt and Absolution: Carlos Reygadas’s ‘Silent Light’

Reviewing Silent Light and more.
Stuart Klawans
Tales from the Vitrine: Battles Over Stolen Antiquities

How powerful museums and private collectors act as stewards and looters of the world's cultural treasures.

Britt Peterson
Gospel Secrets: The Biblical Controversies of Morton Smith

A new book explores the longstanding scholarly debate over a secret and libertine Gospel of Mark.
Anthony Grafton
FDR: A Model for Obama?

Like his Depression-era counterpart, Obama must take bold action, seize opportunity and experiment.
Tony Badger
Our Lincoln

As a politician, Lincoln’s greatness lay in his capacity for growth. Can Obama follow suit?
Eric Foner
Caveat

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

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Letters

Letters

Obama, Change South Asia Policy
Arlington, Va.
Our Readers

Crossword

Puzzle No. 3153

ACROSS

1 and 12 Stories of the 5? Rather a Code of Military Justice. (8,2,3)
Frank W. Lewis

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January 26, 2009 Issue

Feature

Jonathan Schell and Taylor Branch in conversation about Mohandas K. Gandhi, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the transformative power of nonviolence.

After the way they goaded us into an epic military disaster, why do media warmongers still have jobs?

After years of conflict between ethnic and indigenous groups in this diverse nation, Bolivia is poised to vote on a new Constitution that aims to establish a new era of equity. Not everyone is convinced it will.

Following the values of progressive patriotism, here’s an ambitious agenda for the forty-fourth president’s first–and second–terms.

Whether the price of oil is high or low, someone’s going to pay–and sooner or later all of us will–because our civilization is based on the stuff.

China is a country that takes anniversaries seriously. But reaction to significant historical events to be commemorated this year has already taken place.

As the season of Tet begins, questions of human rights, widespread corruption and a new novel highly critical of Ho Chi Minh, are giving Vietnamese much cause for reflection.

The Bush administration has systematically blocked historians’ access to government archives. Does Obama hold the key to set information free?

The Nation Guide to the Nation, just published by Vintage Books, is your guide to living liberally in America, from bars and art collectives to publishers and bookstores. Take a peek.

Like his Depression-era counterpart, Obama must take bold action, seize opportunity and experiment.

As a politician, Lincoln’s greatness lay in his capacity for growth. Can Obama follow suit?

The business lobby declares war on the Employee Free Choice Act.

Editorial

Barack Obama’s nominee for Secretary of State takes questions today from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Nation has some questions of its own.

Barack Obama’s nomination of Eric Holder as the next Attorney General deserves special scrutiny as he appears Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. A panel of Nation experts add their questions to the mix.

Some of us, as Israelis, are grieving over what we have become. Blaming the other side with a roster of rehearsed clichés cannot mitigate the grief.

As the poor and the formerly middle-class take an economic beating, will they finally have enough status to get their needs met?

The economic crisis and a Democratic president create new opportunities for progress. Will advocacy groups and foundations seize the moment?

There is no one Republicans are more determined to keep out of the Senate than Al Franken. And John Cornyn is poised to use the power of the filibuster to thwart him–and the Democratic agenda.

Ari Berman on Howard Dean, Christopher Hayes on Lawrence Lessig, Shane Bauer on Al Jazeera, remembering George Kirschner

Israel won’t get a better deal than the Arab Peace Initiative. The alternative is nothing less than more warfare and, ultimately, the end of Zionism.

Without concerted action by Obama resolve the crisis in Gaza, hope for a two-state settlement will fade and the region will be cursed with many more years of bloodshed.

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

Column

Why rush to throw another $350 billion of taxpayer money at the Wall Street bandits and their political cronies who created the biggest financial mess since the Great Depression?

A sports arena and a basketball team recently have become the unlikely setting and target of protests against Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

Nobody can say whether pumping large amounts of money into the economy will work–or even define the proper measure of success.

To end the bloody occupation, Israel must be the target of the same kind of global movement that finally ended apartheid in South Africa.

What Caroline Kennedy lacks as an appointee to the Senate, Tom Geoghegan possesses as a Congressional candidate.

Israel’s criminal onslaughts on the Palestinians in Gaza continue amid torrents of supportive speech and prose.

Don’t let the door hit you…

Books & the Arts

China is a country that takes anniversaries seriously. But reaction to significant historical events to be commemorated this year has already taken place.

The Bush administration has systematically blocked historians’ access to government archives. Does Obama hold the key to set information free?

Reviewing Silent Light and more.

How powerful museums and private collectors act as stewards and looters of the world's cultural treasures.

A new book explores the longstanding scholarly debate over a secret and libertine Gospel of Mark.

Like his Depression-era counterpart, Obama must take bold action, seize opportunity and experiment.

As a politician, Lincoln’s greatness lay in his capacity for growth. Can Obama follow suit?

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

Letters

Obama, Change South Asia Policy Arlington, Va.

Crossword

ACROSS 1 and 12 Stories of the 5? Rather a Code of Military Justice. (8,2,3)

Obama, Change South Asia Policy
Arlington, Va.

ACROSS

1 and 12 Stories of the 5? Rather a Code of Military Justice. (8,2,3)