The Wisconsin Idea

Feature

Extending Tours, Stressing Troops

Despite a growing body of medical research, the Pentagon is extending tours of duty to their longest levels since World War II, precipitating the first time in history that active-duty soldiers will spend more time in combat than at home

Sarah Olson

Viewpoint

How Does Laura Bush Sleep at Night?

The worst First Lady in recent memory has had no consistent program or agenda to changes things for the better, while at the same time providing PR cover for her husband

Susan J. Douglas

Culture

The Secret Lives of Plutocrats

In Richistan, Robert Frank offers a breezy, well-observed peek into this gated community. You too could visit if you graduate from "butler boot camp" and become a $120,000-a-year "household manager"

David Moberg

Feature

The Trial (And Errors) of Hugo Chávez

Venezuelans are debating whether Chávez is putting the windfall of revenue from oil revenues to good use or squandering it through disorganization, corruption and misplaced priorities

Steve Ellner

Viewpoint

Mining Roves Katrina Legacy

Rove was the man President Bush quietly put in charge of overseeing the administration's response plan, though he had no expertise in homeland security or disaster relief

Amanda Terkel

Feature

Farming the Concrete Jungle

In cities across the country urban farmers are growing communities, greening the landscape and revolutionizing food politics.

Phoebe Connelly and Chelsea Ross

Viewpoint

The Counterproductive War on Gangs

The conclusion of the report, "Gang Wars: The Failure of Enforcement Tactics and the Need for Effective Public Safety Strategies," persuasively argues that punitive policies of policing that specifically target gangs increase rather than decrease gang violence

Salim Muwakkil

Dispatch

The Promise of Low Power FM

The voices aired on low-power stations include evangelists, social critics, tomato pickers and indie rockers--all linked by the credo that radio should reflect the heterogeneity of the communities it serves

Michelle Chen

Feature

Perverse Justice

Jose Padilla’s conviction raises questions about whether detainees who undergo extreme isolation can be given fair trials

Lindsay Beyerstein