October 5, 2009 Issue

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

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Feature

Climate Change: Off the G-20 Agenda?

Climate change groups occupy a central place among G-20 protests in Pittsburgh.
Robert S. Eshelman
Feingold Q and A: Taking a Stand on Afghanistan

Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold suggests that he will oppose more troops and funding for the war in Afghanistan if the Obama adminstration doesn’t present a cohesive exit strategy.
Tom Hayden
Police Harassment Greets G-20 Protesters

Even permitted demonstrators are subjected to unconstitutional search and seizure at the gathering of world leaders.
Robert S. Eshelman
At the UN, Obama Moves In

This week’s UN General Assembly session will be memorable not so much for what is said by the lineup of world leaders as for the sustained involvement of one of them: Barack Obama.
Barbara Crossette
Upset at Unesco: Bulgaria Wins Top Job

In a surprise victory, Bulgarian diplomat Irina Bokova becomes the first female and first Eastern European head of Unesco.
Barbara Crossette
Meet the Afghan Army

Whatever the debate in Washington, Congressional and military scenarios for training a vast Afghan Army will never come true.
Ann Jones
Is America Hooked on War?

The United States is coming ever closer to a state that matches the Orwellian slogan from 1984: war is peace.
Tom Engelhardt
Get Happy

Americans deserve a government agency charged with fostering the pursuit of happiness.
Walter Mosley
Repairing Our Broken Justice System

We need to change the sorry frame of the debate over judges and the role the judicial system plays in our democracy.
Gara LaMarche
The Crusade Against Sex Trafficking

Do brothel raids help trafficking victims escape abuse, or skirt the reality that makes recovery so difficult for the “rescued?”
Noy Thrupkaew

Editorial

The African Airlift

The 1960 “airlift” of 800 African students to study in the United States lent a crucial boost to John F. Kennedy’s popularity among African-Americans.
Karen Rothmyer
Hold Ashcroft Accountable

The Ninth Circuit rules that John Ashcroft can be held accountable for the “paradigm of prevention” that led to unlawful detainment of a US citizen.
David Cole
The World and Pittsburgh

At the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, activists will push the United States to back proposals to regulate CEO compensation and require corporate responsibility.
John Nichols
Noted.

Norwegians vote for “social-democratic paradise;” Rep. Joe Wilson’s lie turns lucrative; why are all the taxpayers at the 9/12 march white?
The Editors
When Money Talks

The Supreme Court is poised to overrule decisions restricting corporate speech in political campaigns.
The Editors
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Column

Saving the Obama Revolution

President Obama should follow the model of the incredibly successful Reagan revolution and heed the political base that made his presidency possible.
Robert Scheer
Olympics in Chicago: ‘Obama’s Folly’?

An overwhelming majority of Chicagoans oppose spending any public money on the Olympics. But Obama is lining up with Mayor Daley in support of the Windy City’s bid.
Dave Zirin
Kristof’s Challenge

If women’s equality is the cause of our time, we’ll get further by acknowledging it’s a challenge no country has fully met than by framing it as a Western crusade.
Katha Pollitt
Welcome to the National Asylum

“Birthers'” claims shift, but their essence is always the same: Barack Obama has no right to be president.
Alexander Cockburn
A Year Later, Little Change on Wall Street

Ode to a bailout.
Calvin Trillin

Books & the Arts

The African Airlift

The 1960 “airlift” of 800 African students to study in the United States lent a crucial boost to John F. Kennedy’s popularity among African-Americans.
Karen Rothmyer
Emotional Rescue

Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, Claire Denis’s 35 Shots of Rum, Jane Campion’s Bright Star
Stuart Klawans
Operation Rollback: Wal-Mart’s World of Business

How did Wal-Mart become so successful that its merciless economic model could threaten its own bottom line?
Jefferson Decker
A Domestic Existentialist: On Mercè Rodoreda

Mercè Rodoreda’s fiction plumbs a sadness borne of helplessness, an almost voluptuous vulnerability.
Natasha Wimmer
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Letters

Letters

¡Viva Honduras!
Nashua, N.H.
Greg Grandin , Our Readers and Dan Kaufman

Crossword

Puzzle No. 3185

ACROSS

1 Everything is this, as kith and kin can prove. (8)
Frank W. Lewis

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October 5, 2009 Issue

Feature

Climate change groups occupy a central place among G-20 protests in Pittsburgh.

Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold suggests that he will oppose more troops and funding for the war in Afghanistan if the Obama adminstration doesn’t present a cohesive exit strategy.

Even permitted demonstrators are subjected to unconstitutional search and seizure at the gathering of world leaders.

This week’s UN General Assembly session will be memorable not so much for what is said by the lineup of world leaders as for the sustained involvement of one of them: Barack Obama.

In a surprise victory, Bulgarian diplomat Irina Bokova becomes the first female and first Eastern European head of Unesco.

Whatever the debate in Washington, Congressional and military scenarios for training a vast Afghan Army will never come true.

The United States is coming ever closer to a state that matches the Orwellian slogan from 1984: war is peace.

Americans deserve a government agency charged with fostering the pursuit of happiness.

We need to change the sorry frame of the debate over judges and the role the judicial system plays in our democracy.

Do brothel raids help trafficking victims escape abuse, or skirt the reality that makes recovery so difficult for the “rescued?”

Editorial

The 1960 “airlift” of 800 African students to study in the United States lent a crucial boost to John F. Kennedy’s popularity among African-Americans.

The Ninth Circuit rules that John Ashcroft can be held accountable for the “paradigm of prevention” that led to unlawful detainment of a US citizen.

At the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, activists will push the United States to back proposals to regulate CEO compensation and require corporate responsibility.

Norwegians vote for “social-democratic paradise;” Rep. Joe Wilson’s lie turns lucrative; why are all the taxpayers at the 9/12 march white?

The Supreme Court is poised to overrule decisions restricting corporate speech in political campaigns.

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

Column

President Obama should follow the model of the incredibly successful Reagan revolution and heed the political base that made his presidency possible.

An overwhelming majority of Chicagoans oppose spending any public money on the Olympics. But Obama is lining up with Mayor Daley in support of the Windy City’s bid.

If women’s equality is the cause of our time, we’ll get further by acknowledging it’s a challenge no country has fully met than by framing it as a Western crusade.

“Birthers'” claims shift, but their essence is always the same: Barack Obama has no right to be president.

Ode to a bailout.

Books & the Arts

The 1960 “airlift” of 800 African students to study in the United States lent a crucial boost to John F. Kennedy’s popularity among African-Americans.

Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, Claire Denis’s 35 Shots of Rum, Jane Campion’s Bright Star

How did Wal-Mart become so successful that its merciless economic model could threaten its own bottom line?

Mercè Rodoreda’s fiction plumbs a sadness borne of helplessness, an almost voluptuous vulnerability.

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

Letters

¡Viva Honduras! Nashua, N.H.

Crossword

ACROSS 1 Everything is this, as kith and kin can prove. (8)

¡Viva Honduras!
Nashua, N.H.

ACROSS

1 Everything is this, as kith and kin can prove. (8)