Democracy in Crisis
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Alt-right second acts
I’ve been really uncomfortable with the narrative that the alt-right is on the wane. Lower visibility doesn’t mean their ideas are any less attractive to a certain portion of America than they were right after Trump's election. Read more
“Cops and Klan Go Hand in Hand”
Chelsea Manning reflects on the connections between fringe fascists and the surveillance state. Read more
Apr 11, 2018
Brandon Soderberg
Confronting the death cult
Parkland's student activists know what to say about guns in this country. Democrats five times their age leading the so-called #resistance just don't, and never will. Read more
Mar 26, 2018
David Michael Miller
Pseudonymous sex and anonymous experts
Trump and Stormy can use pseudonyms to protect privacy. So can cops. But when activists do it, they’re prosecuted. Read more
Mar 13, 2018
Time Magazine
Diarrhea diaries and dead drug dealers
Trump floats the idea of the death penalty for drug dealers. But what about when its big pharmaceutical companies that are the dealers? Read more
Mar 6, 2018
Our president’s dickpunching politics
It makes cosmic sense that a movie where the hero proudly punches someone square in the dick would be Trump’s favorite. Read more
Feb 26, 2018
Law enforcement, antifa, and the alt-right
When popular culture starts to mimic Trump, declaring “both sides” are bad, it adds another dangerous layer to our already-toxic political discourse about violence, race, and law. Read more
Feb 20, 2018
The FBI and dirty cops
Ultimately, The Memo was a dud — but it does highlight this weird moment where the right is attacking law enforcement agencies and the left is valorizing them. Read more
Feb 12, 2018
2:58 PM
Anson Stevens Bollen
Prosecutors push on against 59 protesters despite defeat
The U.S. Attorney’s Office dropped charges against 129 J20 defendants last week — but continues to prosecute journalists and others who have spoken to the press Read more
Jan 24, 2018
5:00 AM
Fire and fury and “Fire and Fury”
Steve Bannon had a terrible week. And it wasn’t even the worst week in Washington. Read more
Jan 15, 2018
5:00 AM
David Michael Miller
The state of protest in 2018: a case study
If people really want to resist and not just #Resist, they need to answer some fundamental questions and figure out how to form coalitions. Read more
Jan 9, 2018
5:00 AM
David Michael Miller
How screwed are we in 2018?
Well, 2017 is over. But things aren’t looking good in the new year. Read more
Jan 1, 2018
5:00 AM
David Michael Miller
Ten of Trump’s insane tweets
Reading all 2,375 tweets Trump has written since the election was like reliving all the unbelievable moments of this last year in fast forward. Read more
Dec 29, 2017
5:00 AM
In the May issue
Wisconsin is for the birds
By almost any measure, birdwatching in Wisconsin has never been more popular — with technology making it easier than ever to tell a nuthatch from a chickadee or to post colorful photos on social media sites. Read more
Dinner at Nonna’s
It seems reasonable to assume that at a spaghetti house, you should start with the spaghetti. Also: take the cannoli. Read more
Churches eye redevelopment as buildings age and membership dwindles
‘The status quo for these properties is simply not viable for many of [these churches]. So they will change,’ says Pres House executive director Mark Elsdon. Read more
Auntie Luke explains why constitutional referendums are so confusing
Auntie Luke Explains, a new series by T.L. Luke, demystifies complex topics through the use of comics. She begins this month with an explainer on constitutional amendments that go to statewide referendum. Read more
Behind the Isthmus cover — May 2024
Designer and animator Chris Bennett finds the fun in a Madison run for the May 2024 Isthmus cover. Read more
