The recent Supreme Court leak raises questions about the ongoing debate over what role the court should have in a representative democracy.

Yes, too many Democratic politicians are Ivy-educated lawyers. But right-wing populism is a sham led by real estate developers and venture capitalists. Nothing could be more elitist than the Republican antagonism toward democracy.

Santa Claus of North Pole, Alaska is running for Congress on a progressive platform. Can the true Christmas spirit of love and solidarity triumph against the right-wing politics of Sarah Palin?

The radical (but common) right-wing belief that property rights trump all other rights leads inexorably to the destruction of natural wonders.

Clinton’s message is clear: doing well in life is simply a matter of “choosing resilience,” as if it were a lifestyle choice. But steeling oneself against a harsh society is not social justice or a viable political philosophy. The last thing we need is a new generation of vacuous Clintonian politicians.

In each generation, conservatives manufacture a new threat to civilization, from communism to Iraq’s WMDs to critical race theory. The right depends on the fear of a scary other for its political success because its actual policies are so unpopular.

It’s laughable to think the party is at risk of being too progressive or too ambitious. But we can expect to see them continue to capitulate and fail if we don’t escalate outside pressure on elected officials.

Narratives help us make sense of the world, but they also blind us to its reality. We must take care not to believe stories that are comforting but untrue.