Washington Monthly - September/October 2015 - 10

Departments Tilting at Windmills 13 The scandalization of bravery ... K-12's coming fiscal cliff ... Quit outsourcing junkets ... by Paul Glastris ten miles square Can Gay Wedlock Break Political Gridlock?: A Debate 17 by Jared Bernstein, with a reply by David Blankenhorn, William Galston, Jonathan Rauch, and Barbara Dafoe Whitehead on politiCal Books The Sharpest Spear 115 The extraordinary rise of America's special operations forces. by Shawn Brimley Restoring Henry 117 Niall Ferguson, Kissinger's authorized biographer, begins the arduous task of rolling his subject's fallen reputation back up the hill. The historian Greg Grandin kicks it right back down again. by Michael O'Donnell The Whiskey Ain't Working Anymore The monopolist behind your favorite "craft" bourbon. by Leah Douglas 121 Editor in Chief Paul Glastris Founding Editor Charles Peters Senior Editor: Phillip Longman Managing Editor: Amy M. Stackhouse Editor: Matt Connolly Books Editor: Kukula Kapoor Glastris Contributing Writer: Ed Kilgore Web Editor: Martin Longman College Guide Guest Editor: Kevin Carey College Guide Data Manager: Robert Kelchen Contributing Editors: Jonathan Alter, Steve Benen, James Bennet, Thomas N. Bethell, Tom Bethell, Katherine Boo, Taylor Branch, Matthew Cooper, Michelle Cottle, Kevin Drum, Gregg Easterbrook, Haley Sweetland Edwards, John Eisendrath, James Fallows, T. A. Frank, Daniel Franklin, John Gravois, Joshua Green, Charles Homans, David Ignatius, Mickey Kaus, Phil Keisling, Michael Kinsley, Christina Larson, Nicholas Lemann, Suzannah Lessard, Arthur Levine, Joshua Micah Marshall, Jon Meacham, Stephanie Mencimer, Matthew Miller, Rachel Morris, Timothy Noah, Joseph Nocera, John Rothchild, David Segal, Walter Shapiro, Joshua Wolf Shenk, Amy Sullivan, Nicholas Thompson, Steven Waldman, Benjamin Wallace-Wells, Robert Worth Editorial Advisory Board: Nicholas Lemann, Chair; Clara Bingham, Debra Dickerson, James Fallows, Steven Teles Founder's Board: Charles W. Bailey (1929-2012), Russell Baker, James David Barber (1930-2004), Edgar Cahn, David Halberstam (1934-2007), Murray Kempton (1917-1997), Peter Lisagor (1915-1976), Richard Reeves, Richard H. Rovere (1915-1979), Hugh Sidey (1927-2005), James C. Thomson III (1931-2002) Art Director: Amy Swan Interns: Celeste Bott, Saahil Desai, Abbie Starker Publisher Diane Straus Vice President Operations and Marketing Carl Iseli Chairman Jeffrey Leonard Vice President Circulation and Business Claire Iseli Board of Directors: Jeffrey Leonard, Chair; Paul Glastris, Nicholas Lemann, Diane Straus President and Publisher Emeritus: Markos Kounalakis Web Site Development: Michael Murphy, Dean Pajevic Subscription Rates: U.S. and possessions: one year, $44.95; two years, $79.95; three years, $109.95. For Canadian and foreign subscriptions: add $20 per subscription year. Back issues, $6. Washington Monthly is indexed in the Book Review Index, Political Science Abstracts, Public Affairs Information Service, the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, and Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory and may be obtained on microfilm from University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Reprints: Please call 202-955-9010, or email services@washingtonmonthly.com. Subscription Service: Please call our customer service department toll-free at 855-492-1648, or email wmcs@pcspublink.com. Advertising: Please contact Joan Daly, David Greene, or Diane Straus at 202-9559010, ext. 201, or by email at dstraus@washingtonmonthly.com. Editorial Offices: 1200 18th Street, NW, Suite 330, Washington, DC 20036; telephone 202-955-9010; fax 202-955-9011. Unsolicited manuscripts can be emailed to editors@washingtonmonthly.com or sent to the editorial offices. Washington Monthly (ISSN 0043-0633) is published bimonthly by Washington Monthly LLC, 1200 18th Street, NW, Suite 330, Washington, DC 20036. Washington Monthly LLC is wholly owned by Washington Monthly Corporation, a District of Columbia 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, DC, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Washington Monthly, 1200 18th Street, NW, Suite 330, Washington, DC 20036. www.washingtonmonthly.com © 2015 Washington Monthly LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Washington Monthly® trademark is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 10 September/October September/October2015 2015 SPECIAL THANKS TO LUMINA FOUNDATION AND THE KRESGE FOUNDATION FOR THEIR SUPPORT http://www.washingtonmonthly.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Washington Monthly - September/October 2015