Praise from Writers:
- “The UnPopulist is a must-read.” — Jonathan V. Last, editor of The Bulwark
- “The kind of informative, expert, non-gaseous articles that I will cross the street to read!” — Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow at Brookings Institution and contributing editor at The Atlantic
- “The UnPopulist is a great counterpoint to the broad, and mostly bad, ideological trends of our time.” — Matthew Yglesias, author of the Slow Boring newsletter and columnist at Bloomberg Opinion
- “If you’re not reading The UnPopulist yet, I just can’t recommend it highly enough. For anyone who cares about promoting a human classical liberalism in opposition to both the authoritarian left and right, these are your people.” — Matt Zwolinski, professor of political philosophy and author
- “The UnPopulist is a great resource for those folks who want to understand more about our populist/reactionary moment, both at home and abroad.” — David French, columnist at The New York Times
- “The UnPopulist is one of our go-to reads. Smart, thought-provoking, and when it comes to defending the principles of liberal democracy, on the right side of history.” — Nicholas Grossman, editor of Arc Digital and professor of international relations
- “The UnPopulist delivers fearless and honest commentary and analysis that meets the moment. It’s a crucial part of the real opposition media. If you’re looking for lighthouses in the dark, The UnPopulist is one of those clear signals.” — Alan Elrod, president of the Pulaski Institution
- “Principled classical liberals are sharply critical of basically illiberal people who claim the libertarian label. The Unpopulist is an important source for this critique. I think their cause is an important component of the broad front against authoritarianism.” — Peter Levine, author and professor of civics
- “Few publications better articulate the urgency of this moment than The UnPopulist. That’s probably in part because its founder and many of its contributors have endured professional repercussions for refusing to play down the threat currently looming over American democracy. Agree with them or not, what you read at The UnPopulist is sincere and resolute. There’s no posturing or soft-pedaling to appease donors or political actors. In this era of fear, timorousness, and capitulation, it’s a reliable source of moral clarity.” — Radley Balko, investigative journalist and author of The Watch newsletter
- “The UnPopulist is the best publication out there for staying on top of and critiquing what the populist right is up to.” — Aaron Ross Powell, host of the ReImagining Liberty podcast
- “It’s more important than ever to fight authoritarianism. The UnPopulist is an incredibly important voice, especially their Executive Watch vertical which tracks the Trump administration’s many attempts to consolidate power, retaliate against enemies, profit from the government, and trample American law.” — Jeremiah Johnson, co-founder of the Center for New Liberalism and author of the Infinite Scroll newsletter
- “In only four years, The UnPopulist has become indispensable reading for those of us fighting authoritarianism. It has also become a key participant in the discussion of how to eventually create a strengthened liberal democracy. I look forward to its next four years, and trust that we’ll see more and more people imbibing its wisdom and following its lead.” —
William Kristol, editor-at-large of The Bulwark and host of the Conversations with Bill Kristol podcast
- “The UnPopulist has been unwavering in its focus on the big threats to a peaceful and prosperous society. As these threats incorporate authoritarianism and government threats, it is more important than ever to have independent and thoughtful voices to remind us of the core values needed to protect against illiberalism. I read The UnPopulist for its mixture of nuance and principle, insight and perspective. It encourages dialogue and understanding at a time when each is in short supply.” — Don Moynihan, professor of public policy at the University of Michigan and author of the Can We Still Govern? newsletter
- “The UnPopulist has made for uniquely trenchant reading during the crisis, and I think it’s because it’s both uncompromising in tone and uncompromised in the liberalism that grounds its underlying editorial stance. In responding to the threats of the moment it isn’t trying to promote some alternative kind of illiberalism—nor does it seek to flatter the popular errors of the day to better appeal to all comers. It specializes not in group statements but in the vigorous work of individual minds. It’s right there in the name, really—populist movements always entail a dumbing down, and this is The Un-Populist.” — Walter Olson, senior fellow at the Cato Institute’s Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies
- “The UnPopulist breathes cool mountain air into the humid and fetid swamp of resurgent authoritarianism. If we are to survive this un-American, unpatriotic, and self-destructive turn toward revenge politics and arbitrary and unconstitutional power, it will be because enough people had the courage—and the platform—to speak truth to power. The UnPopulist provides a platform. We, as citizens, must provide the courage.” — Tom G. Palmer, senior fellow at the Cato Institute and George M. Yeager Chair for Advancing Liberty at Atlas Network
- “The UnPopulist has carved out a unique place among websites that are devoted to serious political theorizing. Its writers regularly grapple with the ideas driving today’s movements on the right. But it also seeks to articulate a positive liberalism that can stand as an alternative ideological vision to the right’s noxious offerings. The UnPopulist has become essential reading for those seeking to truly understand our current slide into authoritarianism.” — Greg Sargent, staff writer at The New Republic and host of the podcast The Daily Blast
- “For the last four years, The UnPopulist has been an oasis of principle and sanity. With intelligence, wit, and an unrelenting commitment to democratic norms, it has been an essential voice in the fight against authoritarianism and illiberalism. From Day One, it has been a must-read. As the clouds gather, its voice is now more important than ever.” — Charlie Sykes, co-founder of The Bulwark, MSNBC contributor, and author of the To the Contrary newsletter
Praise from Readers:
- “The UnPopulist puts out some of the highest quality political, policy, and cultural analyses and thought pieces. I’m rarely disappointed.” — B. Fairbanks
- “I highly recommend subscribing to The UnPopulist.” — Misty Callahan
- “If you’re interested in excellent journalism and great podcasts on democratic issues, then help The UnPopulist grow. Your insight will grow in return.” — Sabine Savvidis
- “I’ve been a reader and supporter of The UnPopulist since its inception. I highly recommend it to everyone as it provides unvarnished, independent, and timely analysis of the grave authoritarian threats facing our country and the world. The UnPopulist and its authors fearlessly speak the truth. And the catalogue of ongoing government abuses they are maintaining is an invaluable resource.” — Laura Holmes Jost
- “Increasingly, populist movements in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world threaten the prosperity and freedom of the very majority they purport to represent. More than ever, we need liberal institutions and strong voices within those institutions to confront these movements. This is why publications like The UnPopulist are so vital. If media organizations are not dedicated to liberal ideals and topics, there is no one to speak to the values in liberalism, the process of liberalism, the fight in liberalism, the light of liberalism. In this, The UnPopulist has been unstinting. This week we should celebrate its birthday and its writers and editors, glad in the knowledge that they represent the best in liberal institutions.” — Jeffrey Quackenbush
- “In just four years, The UnPopulist has elevated itself from being the new kid on the Substack block to a powerful voice for freedom and against authoritarianism… The UnPopulist was and is one of the few publications to see the threats to our liberties clearly and speak out against them.” — Neera Badhwar
