Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
    • The Best of Reason Magazine
    • Why We Can't Have Nice Things
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Print Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Politics

The Extremism of the Center

The New Republic unleashes its authoritarian id.

Jesse Walker | 10.1.2013 4:58 PM

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

The New Republic is reacting calmly to the shutdown, I see:

What is a president in a presidential constitutional republic to do when faced with an intransigent, bull-headed faction among his people's representatives?

Well, Boris Yeltsin, Russia's first democratically elected president, was once faced with a similar situation exactly 20 years ago, in October 1993….Yeltsin held a national referendum, a sort of national vote of confidence, which he won, and used it as a justification for what he did next.

Almost exactly 20 years ago, he dissolved parliament.

Here's how TNR promoted its piece on Twitter:

Oh, how coy.
Twitter

I suppose this is the next step after Thomas Friedman's if-only-we-were-China fantasies.

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NEXT: Mars Rover to Keep Operating During Government Shutdown, Run by Contractor

Jesse Walker is books editor at Reason and the author of Rebels on the Air and The United States of Paranoia.

PoliticsCivil LibertiesWorldGovernment ShutdownRussiaAuthoritarianism
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Show Comments (45)

Latest

Brickbat: Miraculously Healed

Charles Oliver | 7.9.2025 4:00 AM

The Trump Administration Says Its Speech-Based Deportation Policy 'Does Not Exist'

Jacob Sullum | 7.9.2025 12:01 AM

New Jersey Lawmakers Are Considering 2 Bills To Heavily Regulate Homeschooling

Sophia Mandt | 7.8.2025 4:00 PM

Trump Reiterates His Promise To Protect Farm and Hospitality Workers From 'Pretty Vicious' Deportation

Jacob Sullum | 7.8.2025 2:35 PM

'The Only Winner Is the Government,' Says American Bow Tie CEO Facing Higher Tariff Costs

Eric Boehm | 7.8.2025 1:25 PM

Recommended

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2024 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

r

Do you care about free minds and free markets? Sign up to get the biggest stories from Reason in your inbox every afternoon.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

This modal will close in 10

Reason Plus

Special Offer!

  • Full digital edition access
  • No ads
  • Commenting privileges

Just $25 per year

Join Today!