White working-class nostalgia, explained by John Wayne

White working-class nostalgia, explained by John Wayne:

1973 was a pretty grim year in the US. The Watergate scandal reached its peak. The Vietnam War entered its final throes. The turbulent cultural revolutions of the 1960s had everyone raw-nerved and exhausted. via Pocket

Disturbing data: The rich and powerful get their policies adopted, even if opposed by most voters

Disturbing data: The rich and powerful get their policies adopted, even if opposed by most voters:

You won't be shocked to learn that wealthy people get the policies they want from government more often than those of low or moderate means. via Pocket

No Cost for Extremism

No Cost for Extremism:

This article appears in the Spring 2015 issue of The American Prospect magazine. And click here for a free PDF of this 25th Anniversary Issue of the Prospect. via Pocket

11 ways race isn’t real

11 ways race isn't real:

Every time someone struggles to explain or select a racial identity, every time we have a public debate about should check get to check box, and every time a person's looks don't seem to match up with what they call themselves, it's a reminder that race is a social and political construct. via Pocket

Watch Out for These Products That Charge More for "Women's Versions"

Watch Out for These Products That Charge More for "Women's Versions":

Women are being charged $1,351 more than men, per year, for almost identical products, just labeled "for women." This pricing phenomena, often called the "Pink Tax", can typically be avoided by shopping in the men's section for identical products and paying close attention to pricing. via Pocket

Rich Kids Stay Rich, Poor Kids Stay Poor

Rich Kids Stay Rich, Poor Kids Stay Poor:

On Friday, a team of researchers led by Stanford economist Raj Chetty released a paper on how growing up in poverty affects boys and girls differently. via Pocket

Poverty stunts IQ in the US but not in other developed countries

Poverty stunts IQ in the US but not in other developed countries:

As a child develops, a tug of war between genes and environment settles the issue of the child's intelligence. One theory on how that struggle plays out proposes that among advantaged kids—with the pull of educational resources—DNA largely wins, allowing genetic variation to settle smarts. via Pocket

Donald Trump’s bankruptcies reveal how fat cats win

Donald Trump's bankruptcies reveal how fat cats win:

Donald Trump has declared bankruptcy at least four times. No, that sentence isn't exactly true. Four times during his business career, Trump has availed himself of the protection of the bankruptcy laws so that businesses he owned could continue operating without paying all their debts. via Pocket

The Revenge of Scott Walker

The Revenge of Scott Walker:

Only weeks after giving up on his lackluster presidential campaign in the face of national indifference, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin is back to making mischief in his home state. Last Friday, Mr. via Pocket

Why Self-Driving Cars Must Be Programmed to Kill

Why Self-Driving Cars Must Be Programmed to Kill:

When it comes to automotive technology, self-driving cars are all the rage. via Pocket

Why It's Time To Reassess Walter Mondale's Place In History

Why It's Time To Reassess Walter Mondale's Place In History:

Even for those with more than a passing interest in American political history, the name Walter Mondale usually symbolizes one and only one thing: one of the worst electoral defeats in the history of the presidency. via Pocket

The Future Of The Democratic Party Will Be Decided By The Supreme Court

The Future Of The Democratic Party Will Be Decided By The Supreme Court:

Matt Yglesias published a widely shared piece arguing that the Democratic Party is in "deep trouble" Monday morning. The piece is excellent and you should read it. Yglesias's piece, however, ignores what may be the greatest looming threat facing Democrats in the years following 2016. via Pocket

Guess Who Else Is a Socialist?

Guess Who Else Is a Socialist?:

One of the side benefits of a well-watched national political debate is the exposure it brings to something obscure and forgotten — like Denmark. Who doesn't love a country that gave us a dish of frikadeller and rugbrod to go with paid parental leave and universal health care? via Pocket

Yes, Soda Taxes Seem to Cut Soda Drinking

Yes, Soda Taxes Seem to Cut Soda Drinking:

For about a decade now, policy makers and the soda industry have been fighting about the idea of a big soda tax. Proponents say it would fight obesity by reducing consumption of sugary drinks. A leading objection by the industry is that the tax simply would not work. via Pocket

Prison phone companies charging “endless” fees to families of inmates

Prison phone companies charging "endless" fees to families of inmates:

The Federal Communications Commission is poised to cap the rates charged for phone calls made to and from prisons, saying inmate calling services are overcharging prisoners, their families, and attorneys. via Pocket

The War on Women Is Over—and Women Lost

The War on Women Is Over—and Women Lost:

When she was 20 years old, Renee Chelian began every Friday with a predawn drive to an airplane hangar outside Detroit. There she met an abortion doctor, and a pilot who flew them to Buffalo, New York. This was 1971. Roe v. via Pocket

Slavery’s Long Shadow

Slavery’s Long Shadow:

America is a much less racist nation than it used to be, and I’m not just talking about the still remarkable fact that an African-American occupies the White House. via Pocket

Kristof: Lessons From the Virginia Shooting

Kristof: Lessons From the Virginia Shooting:

The slaying of two journalists Wednesday as they broadcast live to a television audience in Virginia is still seared on our screens and our minds, but it’s a moment not only to mourn but also to learn lessons. via Pocket

Why do we have allergies?

Why do we have allergies?:

Allergies such as peanut allergy and hay fever make millions of us miserable, but scientists aren’t even sure why they exist. Carl Zimmer talks to a master immunologist with a controversial answer for Mosaic. For me, it was hornets. via Pocket

Taking down the Confederate flag isn’t enough

Taking down the Confederate flag isn’t enough:

In the wake of the June 17 mass shooting by Dylann Storm Roof in Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church, the nation has debated the pervasive influence of racism throughout American society. via Pocket