.gif) Premier issue, summer 2006 | |
| Type | Quarterly political magazine |
|---|---|
| Format | Magazine |
| Owner(s) | Democracy: A Journal of Ideas, Inc. |
| Editor | Michael Tomasky |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Political alignment | Progressive / Liberal |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| ISSN | 1931-8693 |
| Website | democracyjournal |
Democracy is as an American quarterly political journal. As of 2023, its website describes its focus as not being on policy papers but on bigger-picture, outside the box thinking.[1]
It was founded as a forum for progressive and liberal ideas by Kenneth Baer and Andrei Cherny in 2006. Modeled after conservative journals like Commentary and The National Interest,[2] the editors put forward Democracy as "a place where ideas can be developed and important debates can be spurred" at a "time when American politics has grown profoundly unserious."[3]
Baer told The Hill: "We think that the [Democratic] party is rich in tactics and poor in ideas. What we really need for long-term success is deep, serious thinking about how we’re going to apply long-held progressive values to new challenges."[2] Cherny added: "I had started thinking about where all of the conservative ideas, for better or worse, had come from. Every big idea — Social Security privatization, supply-side economics, preemption, faith-based initiatives — had come out of one of their journals in their intellectual infrastructure."[2]
In an editorial for the Los Angeles Times on July 10, 2006, Baer and Cherny laid out a case for making a break with what they characterized as the "ad hoc approach to politics" they claim the current Democratic Party is engaged in.[4]
On March 3, 2009, Michael Tomasky replaced Kenneth Baer as editor when Baer left to become associate director of the White House's Office of Management and Budget.[5]