Best of the Moment
national-politics
Anna Badkhen | Boston.com | 11 March 2010
Grozny reborn. Here a bistro, there a sushi bar. No trace of long war with Russia. But price of public peace is tyrannous local government that abducts, kills, tortures in private
Jonathan Raban | NYRB | 10 March 2010
Sympathetic, funny account of Tea Party convention in Nashville. Sprinkling of truthers, birthers, racists, religious fundamentalists. But mostly decent old people. Great unifier: love of Palin
David Cutler | WSJ | 9 March 2010
Public seems to worry that proposed health care reform will increase entitlements without cutting costs. Wrong. President's plan attacks costs in six ways, could do more with Republican help
Peter Baker | NYT Magazine | 8 March 2010
Latest of many features on divisive White House chief of staff. Still well worth reading as a fine profile of Rahm—he wants to be mayor of Chicago—and a take on why presidency is struggling
David Gardner | FT | 4 March 2010
Sunday’s election a milestone for Iraq, and for Mid-East democracy. Likely to produce Shia-led coalition. Main thing is to keep institutions working until newer, better leaders emerge
Keith Hennessy | 1 March 2010
Detailed guide to procedures for getting healthcare reform bill passed. Very wonkish. But if you want to understand the politics—as opposed to the policy—this is the piece
Noam Scheiber | New Republic | 3 March 2010
Best piece yet in spin-war over Emanuel's outsize role in underperforming White House. Obama chose Rahm to do machine politics, curb president's own idealism. Tension guaranteed
Ruediger Frank | Asia-Pacific Journal | 22 February 2010
Scholarly backgrounder on North Korean currency reform. Government wants to turn back clock, reverse partial monetisation of national economy in 2002-03, which eroded state control
David Frum | Frum Forum | 1 March 2010
Golden era for US reform was 1950-1980, when a few senior figures ran Congress, working in secret. Now we have more openness, less discipline—and an unmanageable legislature
Andrew Rawnsley | Observer | 28 February 2010
Book extract. Inside story of Blair's much-delayed resignation, exhausted and demoralised by Iraq, counterpointed by Gordon Brown's furious impatience to take over. Much swearing.