The Spring of Our Discontent
Vol.
No.
27
2
Spring 2016

Columns
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The Democrats as a Movement Party
What would it take to get the “broken engine of progressive politics” working again?
Notebook
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Crashing the Party
An earthquake has hit the GOP, and it’s shaking up Democrats as well. The election poses dangers for both parties, but Republicans face the greater peril; even if they win the White House, they will have lost their party. -
Toward a 21st-Century Labor Movement
The old model of collective bargaining can’t be resurrected. Herewith, some new models of how workers can win and wield power. -
Heights of Privilege
How the rich get relief on property taxes—and what to do about it. -
Maryland Senate Showdown Pits Left Against Lefter
In the state's Senate primary, an establishment progressive faces a more progressive outsider. Sound familiar?
Culture
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Can the Working Family Work in America?
America still hasn’t adjusted to family realities in the 21st century. Here’s what needs to be done and why we need to do it. -
Worlds of Inequality
The winners and losers of globalization. Must it be this way? -
Harnessing the Power of the New Working Class
If the new proletariat starts identifying as a class, it could transform politics. -
The Bankers' Bank
Does the Federal Reserve govern the banking system—or vice versa?
Features
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The Long March of Bernie’s Army
Where it came from; where it’s headed. -
The Other Woman: Elizabeth Warren and the 2016 Election
Senator Warren is not running, but she will be a major influence this year. -
What Good Are Hedge Funds?
Hedge funds make big returns by manipulating markets in ways that are illegal for small investors. Remind us: Why are they permitted? -
Hedging Education
How hedge funders spurred the pro-charter political network. -
The Real Stakes in the Veepstakes
Here’s what the Democratic nominee—and all of us—should consider in thinking about the vice presidency. -
School Closures: A Blunt Instrument
Shuttering “failed schools” can have painful consequences for children and neighborhoods. -
The Great Diversion
Charter schools may or may not improve student outcomes—but they divert funds from other public schools. -
Special Report: Funding Government FairlySpecial Report: Funding Government Fairly
We're Going to Need More Tax Revenue. Here's How to Raise It.
More tax dollars will be essential to improve our infrastructure, push back on global warming, fight poverty and inequality, and improve health and retirement security. -
Special Report: Funding Government Fairly
International Tax Evasion: What Can Be Done?
Multinationals save hundreds of billions of dollars by offshoring income and manipulating their books — and it's perfectly legal. -
Special Report: Funding Government Fairly
How Plutocrats Cripple the IRS
You pay more because elites use their influence to pay less. -
Dangerous Bedfellows
The stalemate on criminal justice reform. -
Volkswagen's Big Lie
How VW's decision to double down on a fossil-fuel technology led it into deceit and disaster. -
Will Workers and Consumers Get Their Day in Court?
With a new high court majority, the era of mandatory arbitration could end. -
Our Beleaguered Planet
The interaction of global climate change, poverty, affluence, and overpopulation