Overview for FF Spotlight

Why Everyone Should Own an M1911

The grandaddy of the modern semi-automatic pistol - the venerable M1911 - is the definitive sidearm of the American fighting man. The following is the start of a series of posts to commemorate the upcoming centennial of the grandaddy of the modern semi-automatic pistol - the venerable M1911 - I …

Written by Sean Linnane on Monday May 3, 2010

The Future Costs of Today's Cheap Labor

My latest column for CNN.com looks at the harmful effects of unrestrained illegal immigration: a future work force that is less skilled, less literate and worse paid than workers of today. My latest column for CNN.com looks at the harmful effects of unrestrained illegal immigration: a future …

Written by David Frum on Monday May 3, 2010

George Will Smacks Down Bill Maher

In an uncomfortable moment of reality TV on ABC's This Week , George Will challenged Bill Maher's claim that Brazil no longer used oil for energy. Bill Maher tossed off this claim during an appearance on ABC'S This Week on Sunday: “I could criticize America in general for not attacking this …

Written by Brad Schaeffer on Monday May 3, 2010

Living with an Open Border

Eve Conant in Newsweek on why Arizona isn't crazy : "It's terrifying to live next door to homes filled with human traffickers, drug smugglers, AK-47s, pit bulls, and desperate laborers stuffed 30 to a room..." Eve Conant in Newsweek on why Arizona isn't crazy : It's terrifying to live …

Written by David Frum on Monday May 3, 2010

Will Obama Own the Gulf Oil Spill?

Whether the Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis becomes a defining moment for the Obama administration will depend on the president's subsequent actions and the scope, scale, and persistence of the cleanup. It’s a good thing for him, and for Louisiana, that President Obama went there yesterday. …

Written by FF Washington Insider on Monday May 3, 2010

A Battle Crist Can't Win

While a new poll shows independent candidate Charlie Crist leading in the Florida Senate race, he continues to trail Republican Marco Rubio sharply amongst conservative voters. A new poll conducted by McLaughlin and Associates slots Charlie Crist (33%) ahead of both Republican Marco Rubio (29%) …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Sunday May 2, 2010

Obama's Katrina?

Things are going from bad to worse in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil slick has reached shore, threatening ruinous damage to one of the world’s great commercial fisheries and the habitat for scores of waterfowl and other wildlife species. Things are going from bad to worse in the Gulf of Mexico. …

Written by Jim DiPeso on Saturday May 1, 2010

In Defense of Ovechkin

Although the second round of the NHL playoffs is underway, the media still can't stop kicking Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin for his team's first round loss. Although the second round of the NHL playoffs is underway, kicking Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is still …

Written by Peter Worthington on Saturday May 1, 2010

Debunking the Myth of French Rudeness

Most Americans who travel to Paris expect to find a beautiful city inhabited by horrendously rude people. They could not be more wrong. France has been the pinnacle of civilization and decorum, both in Western Europe and abroad, for civilizations. Men and women continue to travel from all …

Written by Rachel Ryan on Saturday May 1, 2010

Timeout on Offshore Drilling

The oil industry has sworn that it has virtually eliminated the risks of offshore production, but the blowout in the Gulf vividly shows that these assurances cannot be trusted. After the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl accidents, the nuclear power industry hit on the notion of “safety culture.” …

Written by Jim DiPeso on Friday April 30, 2010

Economy Still Too Weak to Save Dems in Nov

Today's economic news reporting GDP growth of 3.2% is pretty good news for President Obama but probably not enough to avert the all-but-certain massive Democratic losses in this November's elections. Today's GDP growth numbers are pretty good news for President Obama and pretty bad news for …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Friday April 30, 2010

Illinois Race Kirk's to Lose

A new Rasmussen Reports survey of the Illinois Senate race now puts Mark Kirk up eight points over the embattled Alexi Giannoulias. A new Rasmussen Reports survey of the Illinois Senate race now puts Mark Kirk up eight points over the embattled Alexi Giannoulias. Kirk's total moved from 41% in …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Friday April 30, 2010

Al Gore's New Beach House

The Los Angeles Times reports that Al Gore and his wife have just purchased a $9 million dollar ocean-view villa in California. From the April 28 Los Angeles Times : Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper, have added a Montecito-area property to their real estate holdings, …

Written by Brad Schaeffer on Friday April 30, 2010

Avlon on Crist's Political Opportunism

My friend John Avlon has a piece in the Daily Beast on Charlie Crist. A lot of us who supported Rudy Giuliani in 2008 remember Charlie Crist's auctioning his support to the highest bidder in the ‘08 primaries. My friend John Avlon has a piece in the Daily Beast on Charlie Crist. As an …

Written by David Frum on Friday April 30, 2010

Mickey Kaus' Unorthodox Senate Bid

Mickey Kaus, a blogger for Slate, recently decided to run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in California. The catch: Kaus claims he has no chance of winning. Mickey Kaus is an O.G. blogger -- possibly the very first political blogger -- who not long ago switched to Twitter and has …

Written by Andrew Gelman on Friday April 30, 2010

Crist's Selfish Power Play

If Marco Rubio had lost the primary battle and dropped out to run as a Tea Party candidate, he'd have been rightfully ridiculed as a self-serving opportunist. Let's not spare Charlie Crist that same level of ridicule. Charlie Crist may not realize it, but holding a position of power does not …

Written by Alex Knepper on Friday April 30, 2010

Taxing America's Expats Away

UPDATED: Overseas Americans are required to pay income taxes for both the country they are working in and the U.S., a practice which has forced record numbers of Americans to renounce their citizenship. On Sunday, the New York Times reported that record numbers of Americans living abroad have …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Thursday April 29, 2010

Winning Obama's Youth Vote

According to a new Gallup poll , only 23% of young voters are “very” enthusiastic about voting in the upcoming congressional elections. President Obama’s recent message directed toward young and independent voters represents a great opportunity for Republicans. The question is whether they will …

Written by Oliver R. Garland on Thursday April 29, 2010

In Defense of Arizona's "Racism"

Arizona's new law targeting illegal immigrants is not racist. It is just an imperfect attempt to deal with the worst effects of a problem that Washington has continued to ignore. My latest column for The Week argues that Arizona’s immigration law is not racist, but just an imperfect attempt …

Written by David Frum on Thursday April 29, 2010

Blaming Arizona for Washington's Failures

The Grand Canyon State’s legislators are not arbitrarily mean-spirited and racist; rather, they are struggling to find their own solution to the very real problem of lax federal border enforcement. Since Arizona passed its tough new immigration bill last week, many liberals and some conservative…

Written by Paul Craft on Wednesday April 28, 2010