Elections
Review
Vampires, Gay Rights, and the Political Underpinnings of HBO’s True Blood
HBO’s True Blood has always been saturated with political commentary. The first episode aired in September of 2008, just months before the passage of California’s …
By Joseph Laycock
The States Project
Indiana: A Hoosier Remembers Eating Government Cheese
A Hoosier Remembers Eating Government Cheese.
By Sean McCloud
Essay
Romney and the Jewish Vote: What I Learned From My 1994 Interview
Flash back to summer, 1994. Mitt Romney strode down the corridor, aide in tow, and greeted me in the cramped newsroom. He was eager and …
By Robert Israel
The Table
Ryan’s Catholic Problem? A Century of Papal Teachings
Congressman Paul Ryan’s economic views are at odds with more than 100 years of Catholic social teaching. It is no wonder that he’s had trouble …
By Michael Sean Winters
The Table
Memo to Ryan: “Life Issues” Go Beyond Abortion
We already know that no homogeneous “Catholic vote” exists in presidential elections. Catholics present themselves along the entire political spectrum, with a strong “middle” of …
By Simone Campbell
The Table
In Ryan, Romney Has an Ally for the Unborn
When trying to determine the effect of something, say a hammer on a nail, we deem it quite useful to know the difference between the …
By Patrick Archbold
The Table
Ryan Speaks the Language of “Faithful Catholics”
“Paul Ryan’s Catholic Problem.” “Catholics for Ryan.” “Representative Ryan’s Ayn Rand Problem.” “Congressman Ryan Denounces Ayn Rand’s Ideology.” “Ryan’s a Packers Fan?” “Paul’s Favorite iTunes …
By R.J. Moeller
Essay, Profile
The Difference a Century Makes: A Tale of Two Ryans
This past Saturday, as Mitt Romney introduced his running mate Paul Ryan, the loudest applause erupted when he said, “A faithful Catholic, Paul believes in …
By Maria Mazzenga
Editor’s Note
What War on Religion?
In July of 1844, word reached New York that Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the LDS Church, had been murdered by a mob in Illinois. …
By Tiffany Stanley
Interview
The Lost Art of Political Compromise: An Interview with Al Simpson
Alan K. Simpson is one of America’s favorite political pugilists. A lawyer, legislator, and devout Episcopalian, during his four decades in national politics, Simpson has learned …
By Max Perry Mueller