In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to ...

Reporters Clara-Sophia Daly (back to us) and Abigail Vân Neely discuss stories with Senior Editor Meg Shutzer and new board member Nate Olivarez-Giles. Photo by Robert Nickelsberg, Feb. 9, 2026.

City Hall in Medford, Mass. Addressing tangible needs keeps local leaders focused on specific problems, not ideological debates. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald/TNS) But things are much less heated at the ...

'All politics is local' is a widely adopted adage, credited to former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Tip O'Neill. The quote is more appropriate in a democratic, multi-party system.