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Policy Archive

Archives for March 2016

I grew up being compared to my overachieving cousin. Now he’s a Supreme Court nominee.
Features

From the grave, I hear my mother, God rest her soul: “Merrick is going to be on the Supreme Court; what are you doing now?” I always had a response to her comparison questions. Now, frankly, I do not.

By IdaRose Sylvester
Politics
Trump on aide charged with assault: “How do you know those bruises weren’t there before?”Trump on aide charged with assault: “How do you know those bruises weren’t there before?”
Politics

Donald Trump is sticking by his campaign manager even after the aide was accused by law enforcement on Tuesday of assaulting a news reporter.

By Jeff Stein
Criminal Justice
The US once had more than 130 hijackings in 4 years. Here’s why they finally stopped.The US once had more than 130 hijackings in 4 years. Here’s why they finally stopped.
Criminal Justice

The EgyptAir hijacking was straight out of the late 1960s.

By Libby Nelson
Politics
Was Nixon’s war on drugs a racially motivated crusade? It’s a bit more complicated.Was Nixon’s war on drugs a racially motivated crusade? It’s a bit more complicated.
Play
Politics

A former Nixon administration official claimed the drug war was meant to criminalize black people and hippies. But history offers a more complicated story.

By German Lopez
Politics
President Obama was supposed to shorten 10,000 prison sentences. What happened?President Obama was supposed to shorten 10,000 prison sentences. What happened?
Politics

A revealing resignation letter offers some clues.

By Dara Lind
Polyarchy
What Republicans’ stunning reversal on criminal justice tells us about politicsWhat Republicans’ stunning reversal on criminal justice tells us about politics
Polyarchy

How did Republicans go from tough on crime to deeply concerned about mass incarceration?

By Lee Drutman
Culture
Frank Miller gave us the best Batman — and the worstFrank Miller gave us the best Batman — and the worst
Culture

In the years since Dark Knight, Miller has continued to work with both the character and the brooding sensibility, with increasingly unpleasant results. And in the process, he has squandered much of what made the original so great.

By Peter Suderman
Culture
Batman v Superman’s main flaw is not understanding why Batman and Superman fightBatman v Superman’s main flaw is not understanding why Batman and Superman fight
Technology
Uber’s Policy Boss Is Cutting Team to Make Way for GooglersUber’s Policy Boss Is Cutting Team to Make Way for Googlers
Technology

Rachel Whetstone has poached a number of key Google operatives in a widespread internal restructuring at a key unit of the powerful ride-hailing startup.

By Johana Bhuiyan and Mark Bergen
Health Care
Florida is the latest state to defund Planned Parenthood even though it’s probably illegalFlorida is the latest state to defund Planned Parenthood even though it’s probably illegal
Health Care

Half a dozen courts have already blocked laws like the one Rick Scott just signed. Rick Scott is the honey badger.

By Emily Crockett
Culture
13 Batman/Superman stories you should watch instead of the godawful Batman v Superman13 Batman/Superman stories you should watch instead of the godawful Batman v Superman
Culture

These are much, much better.

By Zack Beauchamp
Politics
The feds are helping local police make money by taking your stuff againThe feds are helping local police make money by taking your stuff again
Politics

The Obama administration rolls back one of its best policing reforms.

By Dara Lind and German Lopez
Explainers
How police can take your stuff, sell it, and pay for armored cars with the moneyHow police can take your stuff, sell it, and pay for armored cars with the money
Explainers

Thanks to civil asset forfeiture, police can take and keep your money, car or house — even if you’re never charged with a crime

By Dara Lind
Culture
Maggie Nelson’s genre-busting The Red Parts dabbles in memoir and true crime and transcends bothMaggie Nelson’s genre-busting The Red Parts dabbles in memoir and true crime and transcends both
Culture

The book, originally published in 2007 and newly reissued, has a hook that could only ever work in nonfiction.

By Emmett Rensin
Politics
More than 41,000 people think it’s a good idea to have guns at the GOP conventionMore than 41,000 people think it’s a good idea to have guns at the GOP convention
Politics

Cleveland officials are preparing for violence.

By Tara Golshan