In this week’s issue, my editorial, "Hope in 2011," lays out how I see The Nation acting as a forum for strategic thinking—connecting movements and their members with ideas and strategies while providing a long-term vision of a more just and peaceful society and world. Read that editorial here to find out more on how we—with your support—will move forward, this year and beyond, to effect comprehensive, systemic change to make our nation fulfill its democratic ideals. 

Also this week…

CONGRESS: Republicans Take Over House

This week marked the beginning of the 112th Congress, with a new speaker of the House, John Boehner.  On Wednesday, I appeared on The Ed Show to talk to host Ed Schultz about Speaker Boehner’s notoriety for having a close circle dominated by corporate titans and what that means for the House. Watch that segment here. Be sure to check out a new Nation slideshow on the new Republican committee chairs working on education, energy, and labor. How important are these chairmanships and what progressive policies could be at risk as conservatives take charge of committees on energy, financial regulation, immigration, and health care? From Lamar Smith to Darrell Issa, check out the slideshow to learn more here.

Also, be sure to read Peter Rothberg’s Act Now! blog post, "Stand Up to Boehner," which includes a powerful video. As Boehner is one of the most powerful antichoice politicians in America, now is the time to fight hard for choice. Stand with fellow prochoice Americans today, take the pro-choice pledge and add your name to NARAL’s map demonstrating prochoice support nationwide.

NEW VIDEO SERIES: Peak Oil and a Changing Climate

This week, thanks to filmmaker Karen Rybold Chin and On the Earth Productions, The Nation began running a multi-part video series on our website, "Peak Oil and a Changing Climate." We’re excited to present a video a week between now and the end of March, featuring an extraordinary line-up of environmental activists, thinkers and writers, including Bill McKibben, Noam Chomsky, Nicole Foss, and Richard Feinberg. Watch this week’s video—an introduction to the series—to find out what happens when the world’s oil supply runs out, and check back each week for a new installment.

WELCOME: New Fellow at The Nation Institute

The Nation Institute is excited to announce a new fellow: renowned investigative reporter—and one of a select few who has been practicing the craft in the independent press for decades—Wayne Barrett. Barrett comes to the Institute after thirty years as a staff writer and senior editor for the Village Voice and teaches investigative reporting at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Barrett’s presence here will help further the Nation community as a home and guardian of independent journalism and inquiry, and we are very excited to welcome him.

DOCUMENTARY: Social Equality and Sports

We were happy this week to post a preview of Nation sports editor Dave Zirin’s new documentary "Not Just a Game," now available on DVD through the Media Education Foundation.  "Politics has come to be considered not only inappropriate in the arena of sports, but actually antithetical to it," Zirin says. "We want so much to see sports solely as an arena of play, not seriousness." But—as Zirin argues—that not only cheapens the game but also denies the courage of athletes. Check out the preview here to see a sneak peak at Zirin’s study of racism, politics and social equality in sports.

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Finally, next week we’ll be running John Nichols’s interview with Senator Russ Feingold—one of the first interviews since he lost his seat. Feingold discusses his future and view of this political moment. Check back to read Nichols’s piece in The Nation and also posted next week on TheNation.com.

As always, thanks for reading.  I’m on Twitter—@KatrinaNation.  Feel free to comment below.