As Irving Kristol would say, today's progressive leaders are being mugged by reality. In RealClearPolicy, Ryan Streeter details the wide rift emerging between the policies promoted by the elite left in US cities and the needs of their constituents. From policing to school choice to American pride, Streeter writes that urban residents are rejecting the priorities of their supposed champions, providing a cautionary tale for leaders in Washington.

In The Wall Street Journal, Glenn Hubbard discusses another area in which expectations and reality clash: President Joe Biden's budget proposal. The basic problem is arithmetic: As European governments have learned, Biden's promised social agenda can't be accomplished simply by taxing the rich. "Progressives can pivot to accomplish the president's goals," writes Hubbard, "but only by daring to ask American taxpayers — all taxpayers — to pay the costs."

Meanwhile in National Review, Yuval Levin writes that despite perceptions to the contrary, America's election system is in strong shape: Voting is easier than ever, and there is essentially no fraud in our elections. The Democrats' For the People Act is thus a dangerous mistake. The purely partisan bill is likely to further erode trust in our democratic process, Levin argues, and employing the filibuster to prevent it from passing is a necessary and proper use of the tool.

Finally, while a stable Iraqi democracy has yet to emerge, Danielle Pletka and Kenneth M. Pollack argue the goal is still attainable if the US works with Iraqis to strengthen economic ties, root out corruption, and weaken Iran's influence. To Pletka and Pollack, a patient, light-footed, and consistent approach offers the best hope for stability and prosperity in the Middle East.