Slow Boring

What if Italy joined the Central Powers in World War I? A break from actual news

What if Italy joined the Central Powers in World War I?

13 thoughts on the end of the shutdown It’s about the filibuster much more than health care

13 thoughts on the end of the shutdown

“Affordability” is just high nominal prices

“Affordability” is just high nominal prices

A Nancy Pelosi appreciation post A look back at the former Speaker's finest hours

A Nancy Pelosi appreciation post

An immigration agenda for 2029 Strategic redeployment to keep the border secure, fight crime, and rebuild trust

An immigration agenda for 2029

13 takeaways from last night’s elections A Democratic sweep so total it’s hard to make a lot of smart points about it

13 takeaways from last night’s elections

Now comes the interesting part Winning in big cities as a progressive is easy; governing is harder.

Now comes the interesting part

Trump turned off critical food assistance for millions SNAP is good; killing it is bad.

Trump turned off critical food assistance for millions

Climate policy should reduce greenhouse gas emissions A modest proposal

Climate policy should reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Women’s professional rise is good, actually Helen Andrews is spreading panic, not telling forbidden truths.

Women’s professional rise is good, actually

The forgotten politics of “big tobacco” It’s worth learning lessons from the wins of the past.

The forgotten politics of “big tobacco”

The Nobel Prize-winning case for a little bit of monopoly Competition, like most things, has its limits.

The Nobel Prize-winning case for a little bit of monopoly

The AI boom is propping up the whole economy It’s a fragile basis for growth, whether or not it’s a “bubble.”

The AI boom is propping up the whole economy

Democrats need to debate ideas, not people Endless establishment retreads are not the same as the center of public opinion.

Democrats need to debate ideas, not people

Postcards from the wrong side of history Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day (or Columbus Day, depending on where you're reading). This post about the triumph of poptimism originally ran this summer for paid subscribers.

Postcards from the wrong side of history

The authoritarian menace has arrived And so has the backlash — but the resistance needs to be smarter

The authoritarian menace has arrived

The groups have learned nothing We got the League of Conservation Voters’ endorsement questionnaire and it’s bad.

The groups have learned nothing

The paradox of progressive racial politics Plus some good candidates and the Kaiser’s blunder

The paradox of progressive racial politics

Seventeen thoughts on the government shutdown Democrats can’t back an appropriations deal that Trump can claw back with a party-line vote.

Seventeen thoughts on the government shutdown

Climate advocacy should focus more on the hard problems We need technical solutions on steel, cement, agriculture, and more.

Climate advocacy should focus more on the hard problems

Talking education with Jon Lovell A recording from Matthew Yglesias and Jon Lovett's live video

Talking education with Jon Lovell

The dangerous war on Tylenol Autism diagnoses have increased because diagnostic practices changed.

The dangerous war on Tylenol

American students are getting dumber It started before Covid, and it keeps getting worse.

American students are getting dumber

What the research really says about immigration politics The literature finds that “accommodating” restrictionists doesn’t work — but you should read it carefully.

What the research really says about immigration politics

Could a shutdown finally end the filibuster? An extremely conflicted take

Could a shutdown finally end the filibuster?

The state of the 2026 Senate map Not terrible, not great

The state of the 2026 Senate map

“National” conservatism is un-American Liberals should respect our heritage; conservatives should see that our heritage is liberal

“National” conservatism is un-American

A boring theory of the populist right A large minority of the public wants tougher policies on crime and immigration

A boring theory of the populist right

How the stock market learned to love Trump Opportunism, corruption, and Wile E. Coyote

How the stock market learned to love Trump

Denver’s restaurants are dying Rising costs put independent full-service dining at a disadvantage

Denver’s restaurants are dying