Cover Story SLICK PHILLY by William Saletan Presidential candidate Phil Gramm's "tough guy" persona hides real political cowardice.

After Phil Gramm got drug dealer Bill Doyle paroled, he offered to help him obtain federal funds to start an electronics business. Doyle did go into electronics: He started a security firm to protect drug dealers from the police -- and got back into the drug business himself. -- Phil's Felon

FEATURES

THE GOOD MARRIAGE?
Interview by Mary Ann Hogan
Psychologist Judith Wallerstein has hope for couples, families, and children.

SLICK PHILLY
by William Saletan
Presidential candidate Phil Gramm's "tough guy" persona hides real political cowardice.
PLUS: PHIL'S FELON Why did Gramm go all out for drug dealer Bill Doyle?

GO NORTH, YOUNG MAN
An essay by Richard Rodriguez
Is California at the end of the American dream -- or the beginning?

WILL NEWT FALL?
by Glenn Simpson
Gingrich is calling in chits to avoid a House investigation of his shady empire.

A SPECIAL REPORT ON CORPORATE PORK DWAYNE'S WORLD
by Dan Carney
Our biggest welfare recipient thinks socialism is the American way.

10 LITTLE PIGGIES
They eat from the federal trough, live in mansions, and don't clean up after themselves.

THE REICH STUFF
by Eric Alterman
The secretary of labor has tried in vain to get his party to attack corporate welfare.

CRACKPOT IDEAS
by Katharine Greider
The "crack baby epidemic made headlines and good copy. But it just wasn't true.

DEPARTMENTS

EDITOR'S NOTE
America's new plutocrats and their political agenda

BACKTALK Making Rush Limbaugh's day; crime-riddled responses; the global mafia.

OUTFRONT
Selling the managed-care life
The FBI party line
Mexico's virtual guerillas
Yosuke Yamahata's photographs of Nagasaki
Updates: bombs away with the NRA, and Inslaw's break
The real cost of overnight packages
A fugitive fingers Jeb Bush
MoJo's August Hellraiser: Lee Mun Wah
Bug warfare without pesticides

OUTSPOKEN 
Playwright Tony Kushner finds that it's easier to be gay than to be socialist.

HOTMEDIA 
Resources for further reading, listening, and advanced hellraising.

PAULA POUNDSTONE 
Teach your children well.
PLUS: Letters to Paula.