Cover Story
Democratic Norms Are Under Attack, and Not Just by Trump
BY Alan Greenblatt
Like the president, state politicians are playing by new rules and openly trying to undermine critics who threaten their power -- whether they're lawmakers, reporters or voters.
FEATURES
Politics
Judicial Redistricting: Issue Politicians Don't Want to Discuss
Kentucky's failed attempt this year illustrates a problem that many states face: Some judges are severely overworked while others don't have enough to do. But fixing that can be politically impossible.
BY J.B. Wogan
Politics
The Idaho City at the Center of the Refugee Controversy
A refugee center in Twin Falls has endured many months of anti-immigrant hostility -- and emerged stronger as a result.
BY Daniel C. Vock
Education
Nation's Least-Funded Schools Get What They Pay For
Education funding has yet to bounce back from the recession in many states. But nowhere is the situation more dire than in Oklahoma.
BY Liz Farmer
Infrastructure & Environment
Is Recycling Broken?
To survive and prosper, local recycling efforts are forging ways to update, upgrade and educate.
BY Elizabeth Daigneau
OBSERVER
Politics
Firefighters' Clout Can Make Them Politically Untouchable
Their heroic image is a political asset -- one that makes changes to the profession difficult.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Politics
Missouri's Eric Greitens Is Governing in the Dark
Between gag orders and secret funds, the governor isn't living up to his campaign promise of transparency.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Education
School Choice Debate Pits DeVos vs. Denver
The education secretary's complaints about the city's schools highlight one of her biggest priorities -- and one of her biggest battles.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Infrastructure & Environment
This Is What Happens When a Nuclear Plant Shuts Down
Plans to close an infamous plant were just announced. Such closures can be devastating for local economies -- even more so than when mining and manufacturing ceases to exist in a town.
BY Alan Greenblatt
POLITICS + POLICY
Assessments
Elected as a Tea Party Conservative But Governing as a Centrist
A lot of the hard-line GOP governors who won in 2010 have surprised their supporters with a shift toward pragmatism. What’s driving the change?
BY Alan Ehrenhalt
Washington Watch
Mission Compromised: Trump’s Nasty Dilemma
If his current proposals succeed, his supporters are in for a rude awakening.
BY Donald F. Kettl
Politics
With Governors Races Now Set, Virginia and New Jersey Shift Focus to November
Republicans currently enjoy a 2-to-1 lead among governors, but Democrats hope to start chipping away at that advantage this fall.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Education
When the School Nurse Is on a Screen Instead of in an Office
Some schools are using telemedicine to provide health care to students in underserved districts. But few think it’s a cure for their ailments.
BY Mattie Quinn
Infrastructure & Environment
How Minnesota Doubled Its Solar Capacity
The state’s cities and counties embarked on a rare kind of collaboration.
BY Elizabeth Daigneau
Transportation & Infrastructure
The Human Casualties of ‘Winner-Take-All Urbanism’
Are we doing enough for the people left behind in cities?
BY Alex Marshall
Urban Notebook
The Transportation Side Effects of 'The Great Inversion'
Low pay and long, pricey commutes often go hand in hand.
BY William Fulton
PROBLEM SOLVER
Urban
Population Growth Shifts to Suburban America
Suburban counties are once again gaining population at the expense of the cities around them. What does that mean for urban areas?
BY Mike Maciag
Smart Management
A Culture Shift for Government Shoppers
Purchasing has become more complex, which is why managers want critical thinking to lead the process.
BY Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
On Leadership
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Double-Loop Government
The basketball player’s early career illustrates a learning strategy that produces conflict -- and innovation.
BY Mark Funkhouser
Tech Talk
Decentralizing Government's IT
Florida wants to cut its technology costs. But is the state going about it all wrong?
BY Tod Newcombe
Public Money
Who Pays the Local Tax Bill?
There’s disagreement over who bears the biggest burden: the poor or the wealthy.
BY Justin Marlowe
Infrastructure & Environment
How Hard Is It to Clean a Greenhouse?
Apparently very. Missouri’s Botanical Gardens just got its first power-washing since it was built in 1988.
BY Alan Greenblatt
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