WhoWhatWhy’s Best Opinion Pieces of 2023, Part 2
Often insightful, usually humorous, and always irreverent: Our Sunday editorials paired with cartoons are regularly among our most-read pieces. Here are some of our favorites from this year.
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Great Quotations on the Mysteries of Time
A glittering collection of quotes on the elusive nature of time by a wide variety of thinkers, from William Shakespeare to Lenny Bruce.
Haley Finds Out the Hard Way Only Trump Can Say Racist Stuff
Republican Presidential Primary candidate Nikki Haley learned this week that only one candidate in this race can get away with saying crazy things.
WhoWhatWhy’s Best Ted Rall Cartoons of 2023
Ted Rall pulls no punches. He’s a patented political pugilist, landing haymaker after haymaker, week after week. Rall’s cartoons may not float like a butterfly, but they certainly sting like a bee. Here are some of our favorites from 2023.
WhoWhatWhy’s Best of Russ Baker’s Substack for 2023
Every week, WhoWhatWhy’s editor-in-chief provides bracing, fresh thinking with new perspectives on the events that define our times in his Substack, “Going Deep with Russ Baker.” Here are some of our favorites from 2023.
WhoWhatWhy’s Top Ten Podcasts of 2023 — Part 2
The power of cyber weapons, the depths of our gun culture, who owns history, and the relevance of our Constitution in 2023 make up the final five of this year’s “Best Of” WhoWhatWhy podcasts.
Donald Trump’s Merry Christmas Message: “MAY [FILL IN THE BLANK] ROT IN HELL”
If you’re not yet fretting about our nation’s fate, and racking your brains for every possible thing you can do about it, it’s time to start.
WhoWhatWhy’s Best Opinion Pieces of 2023, Part 1
Often insightful, usually humorous, and always irreverent: Our editorials are regularly among our most-read pieces. Here is Part 1 of our selection of our favorites from this year.
WhoWhatWhy’s Best International Stories for 2023
Ukraine remained the major focus through much of 2023, until the brutal October 7 attack by Hamas shifted attention to Israel and Gaza. WhoWhatWhy was there.
WhoWhatWhy’s Best Jon Richards Cartoons of 2023
Whether he’s skewering Republicans or Democrats, Jon Richards always has a sharp eye for the political hypocrisy of the moment.
What Is Rudy Giuliani Hiding in His Fortress of Decrepitude?
Defendant Rudy Giuliani was so afraid of the horrible things America would see in his documents that he tanked his own trial rather than reveal his secrets.
Trump Stretches the Constitution Beyond Its Limits
The Founding Fathers put in place safeguards to keep somebody like Donald Trump from power. Those protections are all buckling or have already failed.
How It Feels to Be Caught in Urban Warfare on the West Bank
“Now you know how it feels to be Palestinian.”
The Stakes of E2024: Donald Trump’s ‘Project 47’
If you thought it can’t happen here, I have an old Sinclair Lewis book to share with you…
WhoWhatWhy’s Top Ten Podcasts of 2023 — Part 1
Podcasts are the architects of our perspective in the modern age. Whether we’re behind the wheel, plugged in with earbuds, or enveloped in the night’s quiet, they steer today’s dialogues.
Meditation on the Fear and Fact of Death
But reading this will make you feel very much alive.
The Cost of Abandoning Ukraine
A de facto end of support to Ukraine risks initiating a new world order — one in which America no longer counts.
Climate Lawsuit Tries a New Argument: The Environmental Vulnerability of Kids
Eighteen California children say the EPA fails to recognize the unique physical and mental impacts climate change has on kids.
In Colorado, Trump Meets Consequences for His Actions
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that the Insurrection Clause applies to Donald Trump following his failed coup on January 6, 2021.
Company Is Coming
The Republican Party has a house full of unpopular fashions it has to stow or get rid of before the 2024 election.
Final COP28 Deal Riddled With ‘Cavernous Loopholes’ for Fossil Fuel Industry
“While this agreement offers faint guidelines toward a clean energy transition, it falls far short of the transformational action we need,” said one campaigner.
What George Santos Learned From Master Con Man, Donald Trump
Santos was only playing follow the leader!
The X-Factor: Elon Musk
Elon Musk presents a unique threat to democracy — and neither the media nor federal regulators are prepared to deal with the challenges he poses.
Ivory Tower Coming Down
The nice thing about the flap over elite colleges is it’s so easy to dislike everyone involved.
…And Justice for All (Except Trump & His Cronies)
FPOTUS believes in rule BY law, not rule OF law.
‘Vibes vs. Data’: Unpacking the US Economy
An exploration with economist Noah Smith on why public sentiment about the US economy often contrasts with hard economic facts.
Green Gospel
These young activists are working to convert the faithful into climate crusaders.
Ukraine: Could MAGA Republicans Plunge the World Into a New Dark Age?
We may still be able to salvage peace for this time by restoring and enhancing aid to our beleaguered ally.
Major Pharmacy Chains Routinely Hand Over American’s Prescription Information
A new congressional investigation shows that the country’s major drug stores routinely hand over the prescription information of Americans without a warrant.
The Key Point That COP28 Is Ignoring
When leaders gather to negotiate climate policy, they usually overlook the needs of this vast group of people.
GOP Will Ride the Trump Train to the End of the Line (and Beyond)
It’s mystifying that anybody could be surprised by a new Iowa poll showing Donald Trump expanding his commanding lead in the state.
Reaping the Grapes of Wrath in Gaza
Israel is rushing to inflict the maximum damage against Hamas in Gaza before public opinion makes a ceasefire inevitable.
Texas AG Ken Paxton Steps in to Make a Woman’s Life Hell
Paxton is so concerned about women that he wants to control the most intimate aspects of their lives.
Trump Is (Re)making History in the Worst Way Possible
Donald Trump might not be the brightest guy, but he has certainly figured out authoritarianism and what he needs to do for his supporters to keep on following him blindly.
World Order Will Be Determined by What Happens in Ukraine
In a new global power shift, defeat in Ukraine may lead to Russia and China defining a new global order in which American values are increasingly irrelevant.
Texas to Protect the Sanctity of Life Even If It Kills Every Woman in the State
What is playing out in Texas right now should horrify every American and serve as a reminder of what the GOP ultimately hopes to accomplish.
Republicans Scratching Their Heads Over New Hunter Biden Indictment
Lauren Boebert and other members of the GOP are learning an important lesson this week about the equal application of the law courtesy of Hunter Biden.
Unmasking the Elephant: Stuart Stevens on the GOP’s True Colors
Exposing the GOP’s dark turn: How the party’s very survival now hinges on embracing autocracy over democracy and its foundational values.
Trump’s Cabinet of Horrors
The vetting process for members of the next Trump administration will be incredibly easy: 1. Was the 2020 Election stolen? 2. What are you prepared to do about it?
Climate Report Indicates Dire Future for Mississippi River Basin
The Fifth National Climate Assessment, released last month, warns of wide-ranging climate impacts throughout the United States. The implications for people and the environment in the Mississippi River basin are extreme, but experts stress that it is not too late to slow the worsening effects.
Israel, Gaza, and the Struggle for Oil
Discord in the Middle East is usually presented as a struggle over land, but the underlying factor has always been oil.
Tommy Tuberville Wants to Block Diversity in the Military
Tuberville gave up on a large part of his mission, but has succeeded in making Democrats appear weak while striking a blow against diversity.
Nikki’s Gambit
Presidential hopeful Nikki Haley plans to bring the Republican Party back to what really matters.
Vivek Ramaswamy: A Troll for Our Times
What’s Vivek Ramaswamy doing in the 2024 race? Picking bits of attention from the teeth of Donald Trump.
How Major News Orgs Help GOP and Trump
Report shows they focus on human drama, while ignoring actual policy implications affecting us all.
Perception Trumps Reality on the Economy
When it comes to the economy, Americans won’t let facts get in the way of the Fox News narrative.