October 13, 2008 Issue

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

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Feature

Nepal’s Evolving Identity

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, newly elected Maoist Prime Minister of Nepal, provides insight into his country’s political dilemmas.
Drew Haxby
Ohio Election Activists Fight GOP Dirty Tricks

A surge of first-time voters and dirty tricks by GOP operatives have mobilized citizen activists to prevent another stolen election in Ohio.
Harvey Wasserman and Bob Fitrakis
Main Street Marches on Wall Street

As economic turmoil continues over the proposed bailout plan, activists put pressure on Congress.
Lucas Mann
End of Iraq’s Awakening?

A new and growing Sunni resistance movement in Iraq could shatter the false sense of post-surge calm–and it might get Russian support.
Bob Dreyfuss
Bailout, Shmailout

Congresswoman Kang re-emerges on Capitol Hill in time to put her two cents in on the economic crisis. Paulson takes a knee, and Lacy Mills goes off the rez–way off.
Gary Phillips
Justice Delayed and Denied at Guantanámo

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Boumediene v. Bush affirmed prisoners’ right to habeas corpus, but the government is stalling; and such delays may keep detainees imprisoned indefinitely.
Aziz Huq
We Have the Bailout Money–We’re Spending It on War

If we don’t reduce military spending now, the bankruptcy of the United States is inevitable. We don’t have much time left.
Chalmers Johnson
Bailout: What’s Next?

The bailout crisis represents the Democrats’ hesitant first step toward rediscovering their nerve and abandoned convictions. They are not there yet.
William Greider
Archive: Bearing Witness in Mississippi

As the eyes of the nation are focused on the University of Mississippi for the presidential debate, The Nation archive yields insights on key events in Mississippi during the civil rights era.
Marissa Colón-Margolies and Erica Landau
Henry Paulson’s Shell Game

The emerging compromise on the bailout is better than Paulson’s original proposal, but falls far short of what needs to be done. Congress and the next president will have a lot more work to do.
Joseph E. Stiglitz
Acts of Contrition

The road to recovery requires more than a bailout. Americans deserve apologies from Washington and Wall Street–and a new president capable of telling the truth and leading us forward.
William Greider
Ahmadinejad Sees (Code) Pink

The Iranian president encounters members of US peace groups and religious organization.
Joseph Huff-Hannon
The Next Bull Market

Instead of shoveling good money after bad, Congress should push Wall Street to invest in the booming green economy.
Glenn Hurowitz
Wooing Unions for Obama

Unions are trying to combat racism and sway undecided working-class voters toward Obama.
David Moberg
McCain’s Troopergate Scandal

Palin claims she wants more accountability in Washington. So why is the McCain campaign stonewalling the Troopergate investigation?
John Nichols
Palin and the Christian Right

Sarah Palin breathes new life into the religious right’s vitiated political movement.
Michelle Goldberg

Editorial

Obama’s Bailout Strategy

Framing the financial crisis as a verdict on free-market fantasies, Obama can win with a mandate to end the war and build a better economy from the bottom up.
Tom Hayden
The Communist Manifesto Turns 160

As Karl Marx’s opus marks a big birthday, capitalism seems willing to mark the occasion by dropping dead.
Barbara Ehrenreich
Will Letterman and Saturday Night Live Help Defeat McCain?

If Letterman and Saturday Night Live continue to cast McCain as a liar, it could have a devastating impact.
Adam Howard
Defending Obama’s Foreign Policy

When Robert Dreyfuss attacks Obama’s policies on Afghanistan, it’s not helpful to the progressive cause.
Tom Hayden
Time for a Taxpayer Revolt

The bailout package isn’t a compromise: it’s an appalling transfer of wealth upward. Register your protest!
Medea Benjamin and Arun Gupta
America Needs a New New Deal

We should apply FDR’s principles of relief, reform and reconstruction to our current financial crisis.
Katrina vanden Heuvel and Eric Schlosser
Ode to John McCain, Political Magician

With apologies to David Blaine, and none to John McCain, an ode to a political magician.
Evan Eisenberg
Crisis of a Gilded Age

Without an energized populace, expect nothing more humane than the rescue of a failing financial system.
Doug Henwood
Water the Roots

What do the people get from this bailout?
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson
Trust But Verify

Here’s a short list of conditions for a credible rescue plan.
James K. Galbraith and William K. Black
Bridge Loan to Nowhere?

This is not only the most expensive way to solve the problem. It’s also the most likely to fail.
Thomas Ferguson and Robert Johnson
Ending Casino Capitalism

This bailout doesn’t have to cost $700 billion.
Robert Pollin
Bail Out Working Families

Don’t waste our tax money; don’t pay off the perps.
Thea M. Lee
King George & Comrade Paulson

We need to put restraints on Wall Street’s dangerous habit of gambling with other people’s money.
Ralph Nader
Reining in Risky Investors

Rather than cap CEO pay, link compensation to the systemic risk that permeates our financial system.
Nomi Prins
Goldman Sachs Socialism

Rescuing America from irresponsible Wall Street is worth at least what it costs to save the bloodied bankers.
William Greider
Bailout Nation

What kind of government intervention will we have? Whom will it benefit? Ten observers on the right way to settle Wall Street’s toxic debts.
The Editors
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Column

Bail out Taxpayers First

Fear-mongering pundits and pols question the patriotism of lawmakers and taxpayers who oppose the bailout. They’ve got it all wrong.
Robert Scheer
Deflation on the Horizon

If everyday life is hit by a deflationary wave, it will bring extreme hardship to millions.
Nicholas von Hoffman
Regional Banks Can Solve the Credit Crisis

Take a lesson from Andrew Jackson: Rely on regional banks, not Wall Street, to get money in the hands of people who need it.
Nicholas von Hoffman
Sarah Palin, Affirmative Action Babe

Affirmative action for potential leaders of the world’s most powerful country: that’s what the GOP stands for now.
Katha Pollitt
The End of the Casino Economy

Now is the moment to kick neoliberalism into the grave. We won’t get another moment like this in our lifetimes.
Alexander Cockburn
John McCain Explains What He Meant by Saying That the Fundamentals of the Economy Are Strong

He’ll figure it out eventually.
Calvin Trillin
Lipstick Traces

The Kiss of Death?
Steve Brodner

Books & the Arts

The Communist Manifesto Turns 160

As Karl Marx’s opus marks a big birthday, capitalism seems willing to mark the occasion by dropping dead.
Barbara Ehrenreich
Will Letterman and Saturday Night Live Help Defeat McCain?

If Letterman and Saturday Night Live continue to cast McCain as a liar, it could have a devastating impact.
Adam Howard
America Needs a New New Deal

We should apply FDR’s principles of relief, reform and reconstruction to our current financial crisis.
Katrina vanden Heuvel and Eric Schlosser
Archive: Bearing Witness in Mississippi

As the eyes of the nation are focused on the University of Mississippi for the presidential debate, The Nation archive yields insights on key events in Mississippi during the civil rights era.
Marissa Colón-Margolies and Erica Landau
Spectacular Wrongs: Gary Bass’s ‘Freedom’s Battle’

A new history celebrates the nineteenth-century roots of humanitarian intervention and glosses over their imperial pretensions.

Samuel Moyn
Homing Patterns: Marilynne Robinson’s Fiction

Marilynne Robinson’s new novel explores faith, loneliness and the national passion play of race.
William Deresiewicz
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Exchange

Vets & Their Families Speak Out
East Orange, N.J.

Our Readers and Joshua Kors

Crossword

Crossword Classic #19

From the February 21, 1948, issue.
Frank W. Lewis
Puzzle No. 3139

ACROSS 1 Nasty little kids, with one who tears inside out, and takes potshots. (12)
Frank W. Lewis

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October 13, 2008 Issue

Feature

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, newly elected Maoist Prime Minister of Nepal, provides insight into his country’s political dilemmas.

A surge of first-time voters and dirty tricks by GOP operatives have mobilized citizen activists to prevent another stolen election in Ohio.

As economic turmoil continues over the proposed bailout plan, activists put pressure on Congress.

A new and growing Sunni resistance movement in Iraq could shatter the false sense of post-surge calm–and it might get Russian support.

Congresswoman Kang re-emerges on Capitol Hill in time to put her two cents in on the economic crisis. Paulson takes a knee, and Lacy Mills goes off the rez–way off.

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Boumediene v. Bush affirmed prisoners’ right to habeas corpus, but the government is stalling; and such delays may keep detainees imprisoned indefinitely.

If we don’t reduce military spending now, the bankruptcy of the United States is inevitable. We don’t have much time left.

The bailout crisis represents the Democrats’ hesitant first step toward rediscovering their nerve and abandoned convictions. They are not there yet.

As the eyes of the nation are focused on the University of Mississippi for the presidential debate, The Nation archive yields insights on key events in Mississippi during the civil rights era.

The emerging compromise on the bailout is better than Paulson’s original proposal, but falls far short of what needs to be done. Congress and the next president will have a lot more work to do.

The road to recovery requires more than a bailout. Americans deserve apologies from Washington and Wall Street–and a new president capable of telling the truth and leading us forward.

The Iranian president encounters members of US peace groups and religious organization.

Instead of shoveling good money after bad, Congress should push Wall Street to invest in the booming green economy.

Unions are trying to combat racism and sway undecided working-class voters toward Obama.

Palin claims she wants more accountability in Washington. So why is the McCain campaign stonewalling the Troopergate investigation?

Sarah Palin breathes new life into the religious right’s vitiated political movement.

Editorial

Framing the financial crisis as a verdict on free-market fantasies, Obama can win with a mandate to end the war and build a better economy from the bottom up.

As Karl Marx’s opus marks a big birthday, capitalism seems willing to mark the occasion by dropping dead.

If Letterman and Saturday Night Live continue to cast McCain as a liar, it could have a devastating impact.

When Robert Dreyfuss attacks Obama’s policies on Afghanistan, it’s not helpful to the progressive cause.

The bailout package isn’t a compromise: it’s an appalling transfer of wealth upward. Register your protest!

We should apply FDR’s principles of relief, reform and reconstruction to our current financial crisis.

With apologies to David Blaine, and none to John McCain, an ode to a political magician.

Without an energized populace, expect nothing more humane than the rescue of a failing financial system.

What do the people get from this bailout?

Here’s a short list of conditions for a credible rescue plan.

This is not only the most expensive way to solve the problem. It’s also the most likely to fail.

This bailout doesn’t have to cost $700 billion.

Don’t waste our tax money; don’t pay off the perps.

We need to put restraints on Wall Street’s dangerous habit of gambling with other people’s money.

Rather than cap CEO pay, link compensation to the systemic risk that permeates our financial system.

Rescuing America from irresponsible Wall Street is worth at least what it costs to save the bloodied bankers.

What kind of government intervention will we have? Whom will it benefit? Ten observers on the right way to settle Wall Street’s toxic debts.

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

Column

Fear-mongering pundits and pols question the patriotism of lawmakers and taxpayers who oppose the bailout. They’ve got it all wrong.

If everyday life is hit by a deflationary wave, it will bring extreme hardship to millions.

Take a lesson from Andrew Jackson: Rely on regional banks, not Wall Street, to get money in the hands of people who need it.

Affirmative action for potential leaders of the world’s most powerful country: that’s what the GOP stands for now.

Now is the moment to kick neoliberalism into the grave. We won’t get another moment like this in our lifetimes.

He’ll figure it out eventually.

The Kiss of Death?

Books & the Arts

As Karl Marx’s opus marks a big birthday, capitalism seems willing to mark the occasion by dropping dead.

If Letterman and Saturday Night Live continue to cast McCain as a liar, it could have a devastating impact.

We should apply FDR’s principles of relief, reform and reconstruction to our current financial crisis.

As the eyes of the nation are focused on the University of Mississippi for the presidential debate, The Nation archive yields insights on key events in Mississippi during the civil rights era.

A new history celebrates the nineteenth-century roots of humanitarian intervention and glosses over their imperial pretensions.

Marilynne Robinson’s new novel explores faith, loneliness and the national passion play of race.

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

Letters