The rich make for a convenient punching bag, but there are better ways to address inequality
Politics
![George H. W. Bush [& Family]](https://ideas.time.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2012/10/50538684.jpg?w=480&h=320&crop=1 "George H. W. Bush [& Family]")
The Decline of the Wasp President
Tribal — and religious — distinctions that used to define our leaders and ourselves have fallen away
American Democracy and Some of Its Unique Discontents
TIME’s finest political minds joined mayors from around the country at this year’s Chicago Ideas Week to talk about the state of the Union and the presidential race.
Will Same-Sex Marriage Reach the Supreme Court?
Court watchers have an exciting term up ahead, with cases involving gay marriage and affirmative action, both possibly destined to be heard
What History Tells Us About Obama’s Chances Now
Romney may have pulled a JFK in the first debate, but the race is still Obama’s to lose, and will be very close
Romney, Obama and the New Culture War over Fairness
Romney and Obama extol profoundly different conceptions of what is just. No wonder they both think they’re right
Elizabeth Warren, Scott Brown and the Myth of Race
Scott Brown’s simplistic conception of Warren’s Native American heritage does not fit in the age of Obama
What The Debates Will Reveal
Anyone who’s worked on a campaign knows how hard it is for a candidate to show his true self, yet the debates can give voters some important insights
We Need More Engagement in the Middle East, Not Less
The first Muslim-American elected to Congress explains why we need to judge new governments in the Middle East by their actions, not their religious affiliation
![John F. Kennedy [Misc.]](https://ideas.time.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2012/10/50597901.jpg?w=480&h=320&crop=1 "John F. Kennedy [Misc.]")
The Real Problem With Televised Debates: The Viewers
Most of us have forgotten how to engage in the underlying political issues of our day
How Mitt Romney’s Faith Could Help Him Win
Mormons are accustomed to being the underdog and finding ways to succeed
The Magical Negro Falls to Earth
But victory for Obama in 2012 would signify more racial progress than it did in 2008
Q & A With Chelsea Clinton
Among her goals for the next five years: “I’d like to finish my dissertation”