Washington Monthly

Inside the @Monthly Spring Issue Gavin Newsom’s tragic mistake, the new era of Trumpian DEI, Amazon’s AI pricing algorithms, and Alan Dershowitz’s case for a third term. Plus, the mystery of Judy Blume, one town’s fight against ICE, the trusty A-10 Warthog jet, and much more.

New polling shows not so much ideological division among Democrats but a lack of consensus about where the party should go, @billscher writes. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/22/the…

“Hamilton” aside, America’s first colleges like Harvard, Yale, and William & Mary bred more faithful subjects of the crown than revolutionaries, @KirkCarapezza writes. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/22/har…

The Democratic Party Is Divided (But Not How You Think)” — my @monthly latest washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/22/the…

Barney Frank's near political end in a sex scandal is a reminder of why Congress should pause before forcing members to resign, @mattizcoop writes. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/21/bar…

Stephen Colbert is a genius. But the brilliance of his shows belonged to a whole comic brain trust, @JonathanAlter writes. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/21/ste…

Me in the Washington @Monthly on moral panics, sex scandals, and the late, one-of-a-kind representative. Be Thankful Barney Frank Wasn’t Pushed Out in 1989 washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/21/bar…

You can read the original essay here: washingtonmonthly.com/2024/06/23/gun…

On @PBS's The Chavis Chronicles, Jamaal S. Abdul-Alim (@dcwriter360) discusses his Washington @Monthly investigation into the backstory of a weapon that killed a 13-year-old girl. pbs.org/video/rabbi-ka…

AI companies are monetizing what makes us human, shattering the social contract, and making billions doing it, @BedoyaUSA writes. Who will stop them? washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/20/ai-…

"Now, AI companies are trying to digitize and monetize what makes us human: The way we move, speak, and interact; the way we heal each other through empathy and trust. Labor unions see AI as a signal threat to their members’ livelihoods." NEW: Must-read in @monthly from @BedoyaUSA on how organized labor is fighting back against AI at a time when AI oligarchs think they are entitled to everything.

Long before the Southern Poverty Law Center, non-government organizations ran undercover operations against American fascists. @chrisirmscher reviews Steven Ross's new book, "The Secret War Against Hate" from @BloomsburyPub. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/20/ste…

The strongest protections against AI at work have not come from Congress, nor have they come from lawsuits - no. Without question, they've come from collective bargaining by organized labor. My new essay for @monthly (feat. Hanumankind & Elf-on-a-Shelf) washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/20/ai-…

Sharp piece from @joeldodge07 making the case for public factories to respond to monopoly power. When a few firms control production, supply gets squeezed, prices rise, and markets cannot correct themselves. But building out public industrial capacity can. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/18/pub…

Leon Panetta: Iran War a ‘Terrible Mistake’ and Hegseth Is a ‘Disaster’ -- @jonathanalter washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/19/leo…

Investigative journalist Theo Baker's (@tab_delete) debut book from @penguinpress, How to Rule the World, "reads like a memoir crossed with a spy thriller," @alexbronzini writes. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/19/fea…

For the @monthly, I reviewed @tab_delete’s first book, “How to Rule the World.” Theo Baker is a gifted writer, but his contempt for his subjects gets in the way. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/19/fea…

All signs are pointing to a Blue Wave, and Democrats may need every drop to overcome recent gerrymandering woes and likely presidential scheming, writes @billscher washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/19/dem…

. @billscher says this Trump scandal could be bigger than Watergate and Iran-Contra. So how come the media is largely ignoring it?

“Democrats Have the Biggest Midterm Election Lead in May, by any Party, in 20 Years” washingtonmonthly.com/2026/05/19/dem…