Not an Option

The current state of American two-party politics is profoundly depressing—and shameful. In Congress, the Republicans rail against any program that helps workers and the poor, block any chance for undocumented women and men to become citizens, oppose every attempt to regulate corporations and wealthy donors, and preach that a boss’s religious credo should trump the health needs of his female employees. The Democrats swat away at these outrages but—whether due to their fear of alienating swing voters and their own rich contributors or the president’s lackluster leadership—seldom do so aggressively, even though polls show a majority of Americans agree with them on the issues.