January 2020

‘In 2010, the smart people were either thrilled or alarmed by the prospect of an “emerging Democratic majority”, created by high immigration, de-industrialization and college education. Ten years on, influential magazines are still warning Republicans to play nice with a newly diverse electorate or go the way of the Whigs.’


Roman funerals had real ‘emotional intelligence’

There was a tradition of preserving death masks of the departed, complete with lists of achievements

Peter Jones

The story of my only novel

I had to spend a solid year assuring readers that I did not prematurely ejaculate. Boy was that embarrassing

Bill Kauffman

Europe January 1, 2020

Cold truth: Iceland’s melting glaciers are nothing to panic about

The glacier that had its last rites read in August had, in fact, more or less disappeared half a century ago

David Gunnlaugsson

Education January 1, 2020

2019 was not a good year for freedom of speech

Is everything rosy in the groves of academe?

Toby Young

Politics January 1, 2020

How to lose votes and bore people

Impeachment and the Democratic primary are the two weakest plot lines of The Donald Trump Show

Matt Purple

Politics January 1, 2020

Polls apart

The modern pollster tends to be in love with his model. Hence his predictions tend to confirm the model rather than pull back the curtain on other contingencies

Roger Kimball

Politics January 1, 2020

How to end endless wars

If politicians really wanted to ‘support the troops’, they’d introduce mandatory national service

Andrew Bacevich

Politics January 1, 2020

The case for Genghis Trump

What force on earth can reform a corrupt or incompetent elite, one that serves itself and its dreams rather the citizens of the country?

Daniel McCarthy

Spectator Editorial January 1, 2020

Who’s right in the 2020s?

The American tradition of fair opportunity has been breached in our Gilded Age more than honored

Spectator Editorial

Why Trump will win again in 2020

There is a growing wrath in the country, either ignored, suppressed or undetected by the partisan media

Victor Davis Hanson

Politics January 1, 2020

A crime still in progress

The Russiagate whistleblowers have blown their cover

Lee Smith

Politics January 1, 2020

Trump and the troops

The president’s weird popularity with the military shows few signs of diminishing

Gil Barndollar