In this article, we will list and rank the 25 best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to. However, first, we will look at the difference between liberalism and conservatism and the popularity of liberal ideology in the United States.
In our article about the best conservative email newsletters to subscribe to, we discussed that conservatism values traditional institutional practices and opposes change and innovation. Conservatives favor institutions that evolve gradually and manifest stability. They also believe in minimal government interference in matters of economics. Liberals, on the other hand, value change and innovation and often view conservatives as supporters of the status quo.
It might be confusing to differentiate between the economic principles of liberals and conservatives. As mentioned in our piece about the most liberal countries of the world, both ideologies advocate for economic freedom. However, liberals believe in high government spending on the social welfare of individuals to improve their quality of life. This is opposed to the conservative principles who believe that the government should not interfere with the traditional structure of society and let the free market decide each individual’s social status. This is why some of the most conservative countries report very low social spending.
For a liberal, the protection and enhancement of freedom of an individual is the central problem of politics. They see government as a ‘necessary evil’. This is because, on the one hand, they acknowledge that its existence is important for the protection of individual liberty, but on the other hand, they also believe that a government’s coercive power can be turned against the individual.
It is very recently that the political and intellectual tradition of liberalism became a phenomenon. As we mentioned in our piece about the most liberal cities in the US, it was not until the 19th century that the term ‘liberalism’ was used in a political context. This term became a label for those who wanted a more tolerant and open society. However, despite that, some people associate negative connotations with this term.
Contrary to what most people around the world believe, liberalism is not the most popular ideology in the United States. The Democratic party is considered liberal and belongs to the left of the center. However, as we highlighted in our piece about the best conservative email newsletters to subscribe to, it is only very recently that the percentage of liberals in the party exceeded 50%. As of 2022, 54% of Democrats identify themselves as liberals. On the contrary, 72% of Republicans identify as conservative.
As of 2022, 36% of all Americans identify as conservatives, followed by 35% of US citizens who call themselves moderates. In addition, it seems that conservatism has been on the rise in the country recently. A more recent Gallup report of 2023 shows that 38% of Americans say that they are very conservative or socially conservative. Social conservatism is an extreme form of conservatism. It is described as having a conservative stance on socio-cultural issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion.
More educated people are more likely to identify with liberal values. A 2016 report by the Pew Research Center highlights that highly educated adults, especially those who have attended graduate school, are more likely to take a predominantly liberal position across a range of political values compared to those with less education.
The report was based on a 2015 survey that found that 54% of people with post-graduate experience have either consistently liberal values or mostly liberal values. However, despite this, a study by professors at Harvard Law School and Tel Aviv University found that CEOs of S&P 1500 companies tend to donate more money to Republicans (who are considered conservative by most), as opposed to Democrats during the election cycle. These CEOs are generally well-educated, yet they fund Republicans more. A simple explanation of this is that the Republican approach to fiscal policy has historically favored corporate America. The industry with the strongest tilt toward Republicans is Energy.
With that backdrop, let’s have a look at the 25 best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to.
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Methodology
To curate our list of the 25 best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to, we used a consensus approach. We used 5 (1,2,3,4,5) sources that each ranked liberal publications online. We noted these down along with the rank of each publication on our source. For sources that mentioned more than 25 publications, we only selected the top 25.
Then we assigned Insider Monkey Score to each publication according to its frequency on our source. For example, if publication A occurred 2 times and publication B occurred 3 times on our sources, the former got an Insider Monkey Score of 2 while the latter got an Insider Monkey Score of 3.
As a tie-breaker, we used the sum of ranking. The higher this sum of ranking, the lower the publication ranks on our list. For example, if A and B have the same Insider Monkey Score but B’s sum of ranking is 9 while A’s sum of ranking is 8, A ranks higher.
Finally, we checked manually whether these publications issued email newsletters or not. Our list only includes the ones that issue newsletters through Email.
25 – PolitiFact
Insider Monkey Score – 1
PolitiFact’s newsletter is one of the best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to. It is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials.
24 – In These Times
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Newsletters from In These Times are part of our list of the best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to. It is a monthly magazine that expresses politically progressive opinions along with delivering news. Its newsletter ‘Working In These Times’ brings the latest news and analysis from the labor movement.
23 – Vox
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Vox is an American news and opinion website owned by Vox Media. Although it is a general interest news site, many people associate it with liberal values. As of now, the website offers eight email newsletters.
22 -Time
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Time is an American news magazine that has been operating for more than a century. However, today it includes a website, magazine, and a social media footprint of more than 51 million followers. Currently, Time offers 14 email newsletters.
21 – PoIitico
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Politico’s newsletters are 21st on our list of the best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to. It is a political journalism organization with a magazine and an online website. While historically its coverage has been described as centrist, more recently it has leaned toward the left. It offers daily and weekly email newsletters.
20 – BBC News
Insider Monkey Score – 1
BBC News is a British public service broadcaster with a website that covers American politics and news among others. Currently, BBC offers a host of newsletters.
19 – Commonweal
Insider Monkey Score – 1
The combination of religion and liberalism might seem odd to some. However, if you are a catholic liberal, Commonweal might be a good match. It is the oldest independent catholic journal of opinion in the United States with a liberal tilt. Its website offers a free weekly email newsletter.
18 – The Intercept
Insider Monkey Score – 1
The Intercept is an online American nonprofit news organization. It was founded in 2014 and, since then, has reported on human rights violations and control of freedom of expression, among other topics. The Intercept offers two newsletters, one of which delivers a roundup of its latest investigations political reporting and insights twice every week.
17 – The Guardian
Insider Monkey Score – 1
The Guardian is a British Daily newspaper founded more than two centuries ago. Its websites, including the UK parent version and Guardian US, lean toward the left of center and portray a liberal political stance. The Guardian offers a host of newsletters delivered straight to the inbox.
16 – Harper’s
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Harper’s newsletter is 16th on our list of the 25 best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to. Harper’s Magazine was founded in New York City in 1850 and is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the US. It covers politics, culture, finance, and arts. The magazine offers a weekly email newsletter.
15 – Newsweek
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Newsweek started as a weekly print magazine in 1933. Today, its website provides in-depth analysis, news, and opinion on a variety of subjects including politics, technology, and culture. Currently, it offers 12 newsletters.
14 – Truthout
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Turnout’s newsletter is 14th on our list of the 25 best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to. It is a nonprofit news organization committed to providing independent reporting and commentary. Truthout offers a daily email newsletter that has in-depth reporting and critical analysis from journalists and activists.
13 – PoliticusUSA
Insider Monkey Score – 1
PoliticsUSA is a digital publishing website that has a strong leaning toward the left because of which it also gets some criticism. The website also offers a daily newsletter delivered to the inbox.
12 – The Week
Insider Monkey Score – 1
The Week’s newsletters are 12th on our list of the 25 best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to. It is a weekly news magazine that delivers editions in the United Kingdom and the United States. The Week currently offers four email newsletters.
11 – MSNBC
Insider Monkey Score – 1
MSNBC is an American news-based television channel and website headquartered in New York City. Its website offers several newsletters via email.
10 – NPR
Insider Monkey Score – 1
NPR’s Newsletters are among the top 10 best liberal email newsletters to subscribe to. NPR, or Nation Public Radio, is an American nonprofit media organization. Its website offers stories from the United States and all around the world covering politics, health, science, business, and culture, among others. It offers several newsletters delivered weekly and daily.
9 – The New York Times
Insider Monkey Score – 2
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper that was founded in 1851. It covers domestic, national, and international news. Its investigative pieces also get worldwide attention. The New York Times offers dozens of newsletters covering a wide variety of interest areas from politics to entertainment and even cooking.
8 – The New Yorker
Insider Monkey Score – 2
The New Yorker was founded in 1925. It is an American magazine that publishes commentary essays, and fiction among others. It offers 10 newsletters covering news and politics, science and technology, and books and fiction.
7 – CNN
Insider Monkey Score – 2
CNN is one of the most credible left-leaning news channels. It was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. CNN offers a host of newsletters that cover the latest news, daily roundups, and business among other topics.
6 – Raw Story
Insider Monkey Score – 2
Raw Story is an American progressive news website that covers current national and international political events. The website offers a free newsletter, which is delivered twice daily.
5 – Democracy Now!
Insider Monkey Score – 2
Daily Digest by Democracy Now! Are part of our top five liberal email newsletters to subscribe to. It is a non-profit news organization with a website and an hour-long TV, radio, and internet news program.
4 – Huff Post
Insider Monkey Score – 2
Huff Post is one of the most popular American news aggregators and blogs, which has been mostly described as left-leaning. Huff Post offers several newsletters through email.