Reading List

The most recent articles from a list of feeds I subscribe to.

The last time the US waged a propaganda war on the arts

The modern Republican Party has fully embraced Andrew Breitbart’s maxim that “politics runs downstream of culture.” That seems to be part of why President Donald Trump has spent so much time in his second term trying to take control of American arts: because that’s the water that streams down into politics. If American politics is […]

The US and China have a new TikTok “deal”

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration says it has agreed on a deal that would let TikTok avoid a US ban. What’s the context? TikTok, which is owned […]

The Supreme Court is about to decide one of the biggest economic policy cases ever

A long-simmering showdown over whether President Donald Trump may seize control over the Federal Reserve appears to be entering its endgame. It is highly likely that the Supreme Court will weigh in on this dispute either Monday evening or Tuesday.  If the Court does side with Trump, that would be one of the most consequential […]

Why 2025 has been a banner year for horror movies

Spooky season isn’t here quite yet, but you’d never know looking at the box office. The Conjuring: Last Rites, the latest installment about a (problematic) real-life couple who investigated the paranormal, had a massive $84 million domestic opening weekend. That’s just the latest success for horror films. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, Zach Cregger’s Weapons, and Final […]

Charlie Kirk was more than a conservative activist

Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot last week at a campus event in Utah, was a hero to a generation of young conservatives; last week, my colleague Christian Paz wrote about how he and his organization, Turning Point USA, redefined what politics and political media looked like for many in Gen Z. I sat down […]