Author Archive

Vann R. Newkirk II

Vann R. Newkirk II is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he covers politics and policy.
Vann R. Newkirk II is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he covers politics and policy.
Oversight

The Shutdown Showed How Precarious Americans’ Finances Really Are

What began as an impasse over the border wall became a warning sign of creeping instability.

Management

The Citizenship Question Isn’t Quite Dead Yet

A federal judge held that the Trump administration’s desired change to the census violates the law, but the Supreme Court could review the decision.

Management

Analysis: It’s Time to Worry About the Census

From cybersecurity issues to administrative problems to a legal drama over a possible citizenship question, the decennial headcount is in trouble.

Management

The True Scope of the Disaster in Puerto Rico

A new survey of the island’s residents finds a much higher death toll from Hurricane Maria than previously reported—putting it on par with one of the worst natural disasters in recent American history.

Management

Analysis: The Weaponized Census

A move by the Trump administration to add a citizenship question to the decennial survey would erode its utility—and the political power of immigrant-dense regions.

Management

The People Trump's War on Drugs Will Actually Punish

His campaign, backed by the Justice Department, only reinforces a law-enforcement paradigm that puts people of color in prison.

Oversight

Trump's EPA Concludes Environmental Racism Is Real

A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency finds that people of color are much more likely to live near polluters and breathe polluted air—even as the agency seeks to roll back regulations on pollution.

Oversight

Is the CDC Losing Control?

The country's flagship public-health agency is facing internal scandal and funding issues that will test its ability to respond to outbreaks on the horizon.

Management

Puerto Rico’s Power Struggle

Amid a confusing tangle of overlapping authorities, shady contracts, and a push for privatization, nobody knows what the end of the island’s electricity and humanitarian crises will look like, or when it will come.

Management

Federal Probe Into Puerto Rico Power Scandal Expands

After the island’s power company canceled the controversial Whitefish contract, there are new inquiries into another deal with an Oklahoma-based company.

Management

New Storms Set Back Relief Efforts on Puerto Rico

Fresh rain fell on saturated soil Wednesday, elevating the threat of landslides and slowing efforts to distribute relief.

Management

The Looming Superfund Nightmare

As unprecedented hurricanes assault coastal U.S. communities, residents and experts fear the storms could unleash contamination the EPA has tried to keep at bay.

Management

Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Coordinate with FEMA in Preparation for Irma

A direct hit from one of the strongest storms to ever hit the region will test American disaster response capabilities in the territories.

Management

Hurricane Harvey’s Public-Health Nightmare

Physicians and other professionals are scrambling to contain a multitude of epidemics that might arise after the flood.

Oversight

GOP Pushes HHS Appraisal of Health Reform Proposal Rather Than Waiting for CBO's Evaluation

In an 11th hour push to repeal Obamacare, Republicans are leaning on a murky analysis that supports their plan.

Management

The White House Declares War on the Specter of Voter Fraud

A new executive order creates a commission that seems destined to continue a crusade against illegal voting.

Management

How Unprecedented Is James Comey's Firing?

A Q&A with historian Beverly Gage about the history of conflicts between FBI directors and the executive branch

Management

Why Do Tom Price's Potential Conflicts of Interest Matter?

Investments in health-care companies by Trump’s nominee for health secretary raise both ethical and legal questions.

Management

The EPA's Failure to Protect People From the Environment

A new report from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights finds the agency toothless—or even harmful—in addressing environmental justice.

Management

Is There Still Time for Obama to Make Good on His Clemency Promises?

A last-ditch attempt to accelerate the president’s initiative shows why commutations for federal offenders are so hard to procure.