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‘American Oasis’ Review: The Lure of the Desert
The Southwest has recently sent left-leaning senators to Washington. As more minorities move there, the region might shift to the right.
Hating the Southwest, particularly its burgeoning cities such as Phoenix, is de rigueur in American media. Jon Stewart has called Arizona “the meth lab of democracy.” Hunter S. Thompson described hell as an “overcrowded version of Phoenix.” Fran Lebowitz, the epitome of New York progressive arrogance, said: “I don’t think anyone needs Arizona. . . . Putin: here take Arizona, leave Ukraine.”
It’s a tendency that Kyle Paoletta rightfully finds annoying. In “American Oasis,” Mr. Paoletta, a journalist and critic, focuses on the region spanning California to Texas and argues that the Southwest, if not a mistake, is poised for ecological and social dislocation.
Having grown up in Albuquerque, N.M., the son of affluent professionals, Mr. Paoletta now questions whether newcomers “who have sought to master the Sonoran Desert with air conditioning and aqueducts” can really call the region home.
Pursuit of Happiness
National Poll from Civitas Institute: Americans Concerned About AI, Economic Issues
The Civitas Institute Poll, conducted from March 11-20, 2025, asked 1,200 Americans an array of questions about how things are going in the country.
Divorce, Family Arrangements, and Children's Adult Outcomes
This paper uses linked tax and Census records for over 5 million children to examine how divorce affects family arrangements and children's long-term outcomes.
Humanity According to Alasdair MacIntyre
He reminded us that life is mainly about love and friendship, not reason and will.
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Charter Schools Are Not ‘State Actors,’ And SCOTUS Should Have Said So
Charter schools need more autonomy than district schools if American families are going to have real choice in education.
American Renaissance: Penn Station Reborn?
Given the president’s rallying cry to Make America Great Again, it should be evident that one of the best expressions of this message would be to restore one of the nation’s greatest architectural icons and declarations of civic pride.
How Reading Augustine Dispels Ideological Illusions
What is the path through life that Augustine blazed and that so many others have followed?
