“When Did Optimism Become Uncool?” wonders a New York Times Sunday Review piece (5/12/16) by Gregg Easterbrook. “The country is, on the whole, in the best shape it’s ever been in,” Easterbrook writes. “So what explains all the bad vibes?”   

Defining democracy is a notoriously difficult thing, but much is revealed by how media outlets choose to do so. One popular metric is called “Polity IV”—a methodology created by the

Over 45 million Americans live in poverty—but you wouldn’t think potential leaders of the country are expected to know or care anything about this, listening to the questions asked by the elite journalists who moderated the Democratic debates this primary season.

FBI Director James Comey announced on July 5 that he will not recommend criminal charges in connection with Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email system while secretary of state. His decision, however, will not end the political debate over Clinton’s judgment.