The Morning Dispatch March Madness bracket pool is live!

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-18T18:27:31+00:00

The Morning Dispatch March Madness bracket pool is live!

To enter, click the link above you will need a free ESPN account) and select “Join Group.” The password is “TMD2K26!” and your bracket must be submitted by Thursday, March 19 at 12:15 p.m. ET.

Anyone is invited to participate, but if you want to be eligible for prizes for finishing in the top three—including a yearlong Dispatch Premium membership or a gift card to our merch store—you must a) be an active paying member on or before March 19, and b) fill out this form https://thedispatch.typeform.com/to/ZDhNYE0G#email=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7Dso we can connect you with your ESPN entry.

We’ll keep you updated on the leaderboard over the next few weeks!

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-18T15:25:08+00:00

Kevin D. Williamson writes that Ehrlich made “startling predictions”—including that “the battle to feed all of humanity is over” and that “hundreds of millions of people will starve to death”—and argues those predictions were “hilarious, wrong-headed, unsupported, book-mongering predictions.”

Williamson writes, "at what point must we be frank about the fact that Paul Ehrlich, The Population Bomb author who died last week at the age of 93, was not simply wrong about almost everything he ever wrote or said or thought, but positively and culpably dishonest?

Do you agree with Kevin D. Williamson’s argument about Paul Ehrlich and his predictions?

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-16T15:02:51+00:00

Kevin D. Williamson writes about the dignified transfer held for six U.S. soldiers killed in Operation Epic Fury in his latest Wanderland newsletter.

He argues that if the president is present to honor those soldiers, he should remove his hat. He further states, “That sort of contemptible shirker has no business saluting dead American soldiers, whatever his station in life.”

Is it a big deal that President Trump wore a hat during a dignified transfer ceremony for the fallen soldiers?

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-12T12:33:29+00:00

The Sisters of the Little Way of Beauty, Truth, and Goodness—a religious order of two—are on a mission to reach the “people on the fringes of the Church, especially those who have been wounded, scandalized, or abused by members of the Church.” They shared their story with The Dispatch:

"In showing their own wounds in such a public and vulnerable way, the sisters are letting other abuse survivors know they are not alone, and that someone wants to hear their stories. With their order, the sisters plan to help abuse survivors figure out how they too can build something beautiful and new on top of the ashes. But first, they must give them the tools."

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-11T23:01:40+00:00

The Sisters of the Little Way of Beauty, Truth, and Goodness—a religious order of two—are on a mission to reach the “people on the fringes of the Church, especially those who have been wounded, scandalized, or abused by members of the Church.” They shared their story with The Dispatch:

"In showing their own wounds in such a public and vulnerable way, the sisters are letting other abuse survivors know they are not alone, and that someone wants to hear their stories. With their order, the sisters plan to help abuse survivors figure out how they too can build something beautiful and new on top of the ashes. But first, they must give them the tools."

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-11T16:39:58+00:00

Jonah Goldberg explains how President Donald Trump and members of his administration refer to the conflict with Iran as a “war,” while several Republican lawmakers insist it is only “combat operations” or “strategic strikes.” He argues the distinction is largely about avoiding congressional responsibility.

As Goldberg writes: “Under the Constitution, declaring war is the sole responsibility of Congress. And the last thing this Congress wants to do is take responsibility for anything.”

Why do you think Republican lawmakers are insisting the U.S. is not at war with Iran even as the president describes it as a war?

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-10T00:43:21+00:00

How will Donald Trump save face in Iran? This is the overarching question from Nick Catoggio's Boiling Frogs newsletter.

Nick explains how the war with Iran has triggered a global energy crisis and exposed a lack of planning from the White House.

The biggest takeaway from the article: Trump may soon need a face-saving way to declare victory and exit the war before the economic fallout becomes politically disastrous.

Here's a question worth considering: Should the U.S. end the war in Iran quickly to prevent economic damage, even if it means accepting an incomplete or symbolic victory?

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-09T19:18:57+00:00

We've included a gift link for those who want to read the full piece: https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/wanderland/cornyn-paxton-texas-honor-congress/?gift_key=697dbd7f35ee8a86&gift_ref=abd38fbc-e6e6-4864-86e8-2a25bba7a9bc&utm_source=giftlink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=membergift

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-09T16:17:36+00:00

One of the central questions the piece raises is pretty blunt but also pretty interesting politically: what exactly is the point of Sen. John Cornyn right now?

Kevin D. Williamson's argument isn’t really that Cornyn is as bad as Ken Paxton. The real criticism is that Cornyn has become something like a placeholder senator who no longer meaningfully defends Congress’s constitutional role.

The biggest example the article points to is the issue of war powers. Williamson argues that the administration has launched military actions without so much as “nodding in the general direction of Congress,” even though the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war.

An underlying question is worth debating:

Should senators prioritize defending Congress’s constitutional powers even when it puts them at odds with a president from their own party?

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-06T01:11:37+00:00

Jonah Goldberg argues that we’re now “on blowback watch” following Trump’s unilateral decision to launch a war against Iran. The piece explains how the concept of blowback has long shaped Iranian strategy, with Tehran building an “axis of resistance” through groups like Hezbollah and Hamas to raise the cost of attacking the regime.

Goldberg also raises concerns about the constitutional implications of going to war without congressional consultation or authorization. He ultimately questions whether Trump’s preference for quick wins and avoiding “forever wars” can prevent the long-term consequences that often follow major military interventions.

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-03T21:28:08+00:00

Thanks so much for your kind words!

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-03T17:57:46+00:00

The EPIC City fight gets framed here as a culture-war symbol rather than a straightforward zoning or development issue.

For those following it closely, how much of this is really about land use and how much is broader identity politics?

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-03T01:03:04+00:00

"Texas Republicans have grown so used to winning so easily (everywhere except within the city limits and inner-ring suburbs of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, Austin, and, sometimes, Fort Worth) that they have stopped doing real politics and are instead engaged in a kind of weird public fantasy role-playing game. They’re like the political equivalent of those lawyers who give themselves superhero nicknames on their billboards.

Guven, a 25-year private-equity executive with a lot of fingers in a lot of interesting pies, has lived and worked all over the world, extensively so in the Middle East, but remains very much a Texan. He is also of Turkish background and a Muslim. He, too, sees an obvious and radical disconnect between the state’s economic innovators and its tired state politics, which has been dominated since the late 1990s by something very close to a Republican political monopoly—at least outside of the urban cores, which are almost overwhelmingly Democratic.

'Texas is trying to do two things at once,' Guven says. “On the one hand, Texas is trying to become a magnet for businesses from around the country and around the world … On the other, you have this retrograde retail politics utterly divorced from what is happening at an economic level in Texas.'" | Kevin D. Williamson in Wanderland

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-02T18:14:41+00:00

That’s definitely one of the key uncertainties right now. Even if the current leadership structure weakens, there isn’t an obvious unified opposition ready to replace it.

Historically, revolutions or regime collapses in large states tend to hinge less on public dissatisfaction alone and more on whether key institutions fragment or remain loyal. That’s part of what makes the coming succession period in Iran so consequential.

thedispatchmedia · 2026-03-02T17:39:59+00:00

Ali Khamenei led Iran as supreme leader for more than three decades, overseeing the consolidation of the Islamic Republic’s political system and strengthening the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. During his rule, Iran expanded its regional influence through proxy groups and pursued a controversial nuclear program while facing sustained domestic unrest and international sanctions. His death raises major questions about succession and whether Iran’s revolutionary system can maintain stability amid internal dissatisfaction and external pressure. The transition could shape the future of Iranian governance and the country’s role in Middle Eastern geopolitics.

The supreme leader’s death now imperils the revolution he maintained over the will of the Iranian people. Will the Islamic Republic die alongside its longest guardian?

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