Breaking the News

The Rhetoric of Leaders: Meeting the Moment.

'In the life of the human spirit, words are action.' So said a US president during the Iron Curtain era, supporting all who spoke up for human dignity…

Jan 17 • James Fallows

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In the Time of the Mad King.

Lieutenants like Vought, Miller, Hegseth, Noem are ever more purposefully destructive. They serve a leader ever less tethered to reality. Update on the…

Jan 12 • James Fallows

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‘Blind Into Caracas.’

Less than 24 hours in, members of the Trump team are celebrating victory. None of them seem to have wondered what happens a day, a month, a decade from…

Jan 3 • James Fallows

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December 2025

A Positive Sign for Flying in the Future...

... and a cautionary one about aviation right now.

Dec 27, 2025 • James Fallows

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‘This Is the Proverbial Rainy Day.’

In times of emergency, an American sleeping giant shows how to flex.

Dec 20, 2025 • James Fallows

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Here Today, Gone Tomorrow.

Saturday's NYT shows what its editors can do, when they want to. Why not do this every day?

Dec 9, 2025 • James Fallows

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November 2025

Thankful for One Another.

Keeping sight of the encouraging examples, in discouraging times. (Including a guest post.)

Nov 25, 2025 • James Fallows

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Why I Changed My Mind About the Shutdown ‘Surrender.’

Seven days ago, I thought we were seeing another episode of ‘DACO’: Dems Always Chicken Out. Now I think a deal I opposed at the time is giving…

Nov 17, 2025 • James Fallows

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Air Travel at the Breaking Point.

The past three days pushed the system to its limits. Was this about safety? Or politics?

Nov 10, 2025 • James Fallows

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October 2025

An Autumn Afternoon in Washington D.C.

How it looks, when a regime declares war on its capital.

Oct 31, 2025 • James Fallows

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Putting the ‘Public’ Back in Public Editor.

When the NYT eliminated its Public Editor position, it said that ‘readers across the internet’ could do the same job, better. Here is what I learned…

Oct 26, 2025 • James Fallows

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Stand Up, Stand Together.

Two guiding principles of the No Kings movement, and for Americans meeting this moment.

Oct 17, 2025 • James Fallows

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