U.S.

Why Obama Gave a Christian Speech Without Mentioning Jesus

In a nation built on the separation of church and state, the line a Christian president walked at a ceremony for a murdered Christian preacher

• James Fallows
• July 1, 2015

Overtime Gets a Break

President Obama announced a regulation to more than double the threshold for overtime pay. How much will this help the American middle class?

• Adam Chandler
• July 1, 2015

The American Dream: Personal Optimists, National Pessimists

A survey reveals a huge gap between Americans’ pessimism about the nation and their optimism about their own lives.

• Don Baer and Mark Penn
• July 1, 2015

The New Divisions in the U.S. Supreme Court

The justices this year seemed to be less likely to vote along traditional partisan lines, but bitter battles over philosophical ideals in recent decisions could be a sign of bigger wars to come next fall.

• Garrett Epps
• July 1, 2015

A Paradox of American Religion: Diversity Brings Tolerance

The journalist Naomi Schaefer Riley marvels at how well people of different faiths get along in this country.

• Conor Friedersdorf
• July 1, 2015

A Distaste for the Memory of the Tale

Across centuries and generations, Americans have been unpleasantly surprised by the failure of our attempts to forget and transcend history.

• James Bennet
• June 30, 2015

The New New York Public Library

Preserving tradition while expanding offerings for a bigger, broader audience.

• Deborah Fallows
• June 30, 2015

Readers React to Obama's ‘Grace’ Speech

Did the speech in Charleston demonstrate President Obama’s lasting achievements? Or the limits of what he has done? Ten views.

• James Fallows
• June 29, 2015

A Rare Loss for Environmentalists at the Supreme Court

The justices had given the EPA wide latitude to limit air pollutants before ruling against the agency on Monday.

• Russell Berman
• June 29, 2015

Youth as a Force for Peace

Three winners of the Peace First Prize illustrate how young people are often the engine for world-changing collective action.

• Matt Thompson
• June 29, 2015

What Idea or Insight Has Thrilled You?

A question for readers as the Aspen Ideas Festival begins.

• Conor Friedersdorf
• June 28, 2015

LGBT Activists Are Still Fighting

Same-sex marriage is now a national right, but advocates for transgender detainees under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are pushing for further reform.

• Matt Schiavenza
• June 28, 2015

The Sports World's Slow Embrace of Gay Rights

The vast majority of teams from the four major professional sports leagues in the United States stayed curiously silent after Friday’s landmark same-sex marriage ruling.

• Matt Schiavenza
• June 27, 2015

'It's Time for Good Cops to Do Something About Bad Cops'

What do law-and-order conservatives propose to do about abusive policing?

• Conor Friedersdorf
• June 27, 2015

A Eulogy in Charleston

President Obama traveled to South Carolina to speak at Clementa Pinckney’s funeral.

• Adam Chandler
• June 26, 2015

The Good Ol' Days of the Motor Hotel Are Back

The metamorphosis of a Bend, Oregon, motel—from its classic origins, to crack house, to upscale rustic elegance.

• Deborah Fallows
• June 25, 2015

Black Churches Are Burning Again in America

This week, there were fires in at least six predominantly African American churches. Arson at religious institutions has decreased significantly over the past two decades, but the symbolism remains haunting.

• Emma Green
• June 25, 2015

Take Down the Confederate Flags, but Not the Monuments

Instead of of sanitizing the past, communities need to strike a balance between confronting history and respecting the needs of the present.

• Ethan J. Kytle and Blain Roberts
• June 25, 2015

A Summer of Fatal Weather: Pakistan's Heat Wave

Deadly heat, flooding, extreme drought, and storms have marked what’s expected to be the hottest year on record.

• Adam Chandler
• June 25, 2015