It seems strange to the rest of the world, but we Americans can't seem to stop talking about how other countries should be democratic like we are. Noah Feldman americancountrydemocratic Change image and share on social
When we put our trust in diplomacy, it is not because it is an inspiring or uplifting discourse or because it helps us see the common humanity in others. The stylized circumlocutions of diplomats can make them seem ridiculous or irrelevant: they never seem to be talking about what is really going on. Noah Feldman circumlocutioncommondiplomacy share on social
Cyber attacks are not what makes the cool war 'cool.' As a strategic matter, they do not differ fundamentally from older tools of espionage and sabotage. Noah Feldman attackcoolcyber Change image and share on social
The Mormons' passage from bugbears of the Republican Party to its stalwarts may be analogized to a similar move among middle-class white Southerners, to whom the Republican Party was anathema until the 1970s and '80s, after which it became almost the sole representative. Noah Feldman 1970s80sanalogize share on social
We often imagine that the court serves as a sort of neutral umpire controlling the warring political branches. But this is mostly myth. The justices of the Supreme Court are themselves actors in the struggle for power, and when they intervene, they think carefully about how their decisions will affect the court's own legitimacy and authority. Noah Feldman actoraffectauthority share on social
Iraqi national identity under Saddam Hussein never truly incorporated Shiites or Kurds. Sunnis, who identified most closely with the Iraqi nation, remain in some ways disenfranchised relative to the other groups, or at least they perceive themselves that way. Noah Feldman closelydisenfranchisegroup share on social
Even a lame-duck president can be affected by a clear midterm message if he wants to see his vice president elected and preserve his historical legacy. Noah Feldman affectclearduck Change image and share on social
The 1994 elections that brought Newt Gingrich to power in the House decisively shaped the remaining years of Bill Clinton's presidency, pushing him further to the right and bringing out his latent tendency to govern every day as if an election were being held the next. Noah Feldman billbringclinton share on social
Our post-denominational age should be the perfect time for a Mormon to become president, or at least the Republican nominee. Mormons share nearly all the conservative commitments so beloved of the evangelicals who wield disproportionate influence in primary elections. Noah Feldman agebelovedcommitment share on social
Empires inevitably fall, and when they do, history judges them for the legacies they leave behind. Noah Feldman empirefallhistory Change image and share on social