Emergency Powers

I write about authoritarianism, democratic erosion, kleptocracy, policy, tech, culture, and the English language — all of which amount to the same subject.

I am not impartial. Impartiality is the prose of those who have made their peace with what’s happening. I have not made mine.

As a journalist and field reporter, I’ve interviewed subjects ranging from Karl Rove to the Weather Underground and many victims of war and autocracy. I covered the Syrian war and reported from Za’atari, the world’s second-largest refugee camp. I’ve covered corruption and the underground economy of global aid during the Arab Spring. I hold degrees in global politics and analytical philosophy and have taught courses in Middle Eastern politics, global conflict, and international relations. I’ve been writing about authoritarianism and democratic erosion since the days of Blogger. Get off my lawn!

I stepped away for a while. Then ICE rolled through the streets of Los Angeles, my city. Some old colleagues and friends asked me to come back. That’s why I’m here.

What I can offer is the power to face unpleasant facts, with proper citations, rigor, and the outrage the evidence warrants. If that’s what you’re here for, please subscribe. Paid or free, it helps me do this work. That said, I'd be doing this anyway. Have you seen the news lately?

— Deric Mendes

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