The Sanders Sensation

The Sanders Sensation

When I crossed paths with a Democratic campaign consultant in Austin last March, I suggested he come to the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers hall to hear Bernie Sanders speak. The Vermont senator, I added, was pondering a presidential run. “You...
I’m Skipping the Oscars

I’m Skipping the Oscars

For two years in a row, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences — the organization behind the Oscars — failed to nominate a single actor or actress of color in the lead and supporting acting categories. Not one. Meanwhile, though women earned...
The Pentagon’s Pricey Culture of Mediocrity

The Pentagon’s Pricey Culture of Mediocrity

When the tank crew under my command ran into trouble on the battlefield, I never doubted the ultimate success of the mission because the Marines I served with were among the finest people I knew. But if we want to keep it that way, the Pentagon must stop mismanaging...
Turning Our Backs

Turning Our Backs

With the winter winds of January came a flurry of reports that several states were moving to cut thousands of people from their Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP, or “food stamp”) rolls. In New Jersey, for example, Governor Chris Christie pulled...
An Assault on Justice

An Assault on Justice

Two federal prison guards in Florida recently agreed to plead guilty for beating a prisoner and then covering it up. One officer faces up to three years in a federal prison, while the other is looking at a year. The Justice Department issued a press release that cast...