I actually subscribed to the Economist, about ‘95 when I was some kind of libertarian—a ‘try us for two issues’ offer.
Even then I was stuned by their content. Told them no thanks. I remember thinking it was like The Nation.
Took the Weekly Standard and thought it was great for quite a while. American Spectator too.
Ch-ch-ch-changes...
Have read some decent articles over the years in the Economist but as you say....
Subscribed to the Spectator for many years and was my favorite but has drifted off the last couple years.
And many others over the years.
The only publication I ever got paid for an article was published in Coevolution Quarterly an off shoot of the Old Mother Earth News back when I was a liberal before Reagan. Was not a political article but humourous though.
Tough to find any one publication to depend on these days and why FR is so good ..... Mostly for the comments.
Only place I can keep a sense of humor and find so many good points of view at the same time.