To Los Angeles and Back
 
There’s nothing like a couple of cross-country flights to give one time to ponder what bad shape the Republican party, the conservative movement, and the American republic is in. On the other hand, you can decide after pondering all of the above for the first half hour or so of the flight to have a drink and watch the new (well, not-so-new) James Bond movie on the little screen in front of you. Which is what I did.
 
So I won’t dwell here on the political situation we face. I’ll simply call your attention to Noemie Emery’s excellent cover piece in the new issue, “What Would Hamilton Do?” Speaking of Hamilton, one has to be encouraged by the current surge in appreciation for that great Founder, Alexander Hamilton, as reflected in the Broadway musical (do re-read the two interesting appreciations we have published) and in the fact that Americans are now apparently rediscovering and visiting his burial site in lower Manhattan. With respect to Trump, You can also take a look at my editorial, “The Horror,” and at my short contribution to a Sunday Washington Post symposium on Donald Trump and the GOP. And if you’re a glutton for punishment, you can also take a look at my attempt to make the case against Trump on the roundtable of ABC’s This Week.

***