Overview for FF Spotlight

New Obama Tax Would Chase Insurers Away

A proposed protectionist tax in the Obama budget could cost consumers $10 to $12 billion in higher insurance premiums and make it harder for Americans in parts of the country susceptible to natural disasters from finding insurance at any price. Given its sheer size, it’s not surprising that the …

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Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday February 11, 2010

French Left Silences Debate on Immigration

In Europe, we have a paradox: The more people view immigration as a major issue, the less they feel free to talk about it. In Europe, we have a paradox: The more people view immigration as a major issue, the less they feel free to talk about it. In October 2009, France's minister of immigration …

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Written by Jean Granville on Thursday February 11, 2010

California's Med Marijuana Laws Need to Get a Fix

California was the first state to approve the use of medical marijuana and now voters are considering decriminalization of all marijuana use. But before pushing for further legalization, California should focus on overhauling their current laws. California was the first state to approve the use …

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Written by Elise Cooper on Thursday February 11, 2010

Shelby's Hold Exposed Obama's Failure

My latest column for The Week examines why the Democrats were able to break Senator Shelby’s hold on appointees within days, but seem unwilling to break the GOP’s filibuster on healthcare legislation. My latest column for The Week examines why the Democrats were able to break Senator …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday February 11, 2010

Capital Snow Diaries: Longer Than Healthcare Debate

If I were any sort of intrepid correspondent, I would have begun this diary when the snow started last Friday. But oh, we were so happy then. Who knew that five days later, many of us would still be housebound -- indeed, that this whole snow thing would feel older than the health care debate? If …

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Written by Danielle Crittenden on Thursday February 11, 2010

Did Canadian Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Anti-Semitic Hate Fest?

FF EXCLUSIVE : A Canadian taxpayer-funded organization - already under fire for financing groups with alleged links to terrorism – may have also contributed financially to the infamous Durban II conference, FrumForum has learned. FF EXCLUSIVE : A Canadian taxpayer-funded organization - …

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Written by Tim Mak on Wednesday February 10, 2010

Bailing Out Greece is Just the Start

Reports suggest that Germany is preparing to lead a bailout of Greece amid speculation the Greeks could default on their government debt. The Euro-zone countries though should use this crisis to implement serious reforms to strengthen the European monetary union. If anyone wondered why the …

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Written by Jeb Golinkin on Wednesday February 10, 2010

Sarah Takes on Wall Street

For how much longer will economic conservatives ignore Sarah Palin's anti-business rhetoric and continue to give her a free pass? The next time I say something negative about Sarah Palin and her Baghdad Bobs tell me to “go back to the Huffington Post,” please consider that they’re warming up to …

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Written by Alex Knepper on Tuesday February 9, 2010

FF Symposium: Where's the Vital Center?

UPDATED: American public opinion in almost every way we can measure bunches up toward the moderate middle. Yet increasingly the tone of politics seems to invite and reward extremism. Frum Forum asks whether it has to be so. The term the "vital center" was coined of course by Arthur Schlesinger …

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Written by David Frum on Tuesday February 9, 2010

The Perfect Storm for Illinois Dems

The withdrawal of Scott Lee Cohen, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, is just the latest in a series of embarrassments for the Illinois Democratic party. Being a Democrat is usually an advantage for a candidate running for office in the light blue state of Illinois. But don't tell that to Alexi …

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Written by Jeb Golinkin on Monday February 8, 2010

Questions Swirl Around NY Gov Paterson

Rumors abound that New York Governor David Paterson may resign from office as early as tomorrow despite vigorous denials from the Governor’s office in Albany. Rumors abound that New York Governor David Paterson may resign from office as early as tomorrow despite vigorous denials from the Governor’…

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Written by Richard Brownell on Monday February 8, 2010

YouTube Blogging Palin's Speech

UPDATED: In her speech to the Tea Party Convention, Palin declared that "if government got out of the way, the economy would roar back to life." In the context of 2010, what is that even supposed to mean? httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7gVp3diPbI I will be YouTube blogging Sarah …

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Written by David Frum on Monday February 8, 2010

Demon Sheep Ad: Weird but is it Accurate?

No description can do justice to the low-budget strangeness of the demon sheep ad, but the more urgent question for California Republicans is this: What should they make of the substance of Fiorina's attack on Campbell? My latest column for CNN.com looks at Carly Fiorina's "demon sheep" attack on …

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Written by David Frum on Monday February 8, 2010

Is Climate Change Legislation Dead?

Senate Democrats are planning to abandon climate change legislation in favor of focusing on a smaller energy-only bill. The latest talk on the Hill has it that climate legislation has no chance this year, given the bandwidth consumed by high jobless numbers, financial reform, a healthcare debate …

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Written by Jim DiPeso on Sunday February 7, 2010

Obama's Political Theater

In the first year of the Obama administration, honest debates over policy have been replaced by a politics of symbolic (and largely empty) gestures. Years ago, most savvy political writers correctly diagnosed that electoral campaigns (on both sides) had become conducted almost entirely in …

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Written by Telly Davidson on Sunday February 7, 2010

Palin Rallies the Tea Party Faithful

At a convention marked by extreme speeches and occasional conspiracy theories delivered from the podium, the question going into Saturday night's keynote finale from Sarah Palin was: How extreme would she get in order to ingratiate herself with her audience? Click here for all of Jonathan Kay's …

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Written by Jonathan Kay on Saturday February 6, 2010

In Defense of Demon Sheep

The demon sheep attack ad unveiled last week by California Senate candidate Carly Fiorina is one of the most brilliant, witty and devastatingly effective political ads ever made. Don’t listen to the aged , humorless stuffed shirts and prigs who populate the Big Media and the Blog …

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Written by John Guardiano on Saturday February 6, 2010

Don't Credit Birthers for GOP Gains

In a post at HotAir.com , Ed Morrissey wisely points out the damage the birthers are causing to the conservative movement. Ed Morrissey today : Breitbart is entirely correct, and perhaps even understated the case.  In the earlier exchange with Schilling, she said that her boss was …

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Written by David Frum on Saturday February 6, 2010

Health Reform: A Fight the GOP Might Want to Lose

My latest column for the National Post asks if the GOP is losing an important opportunity to stem the growing cost of healthcare. My latest column for the National Post asks if the GOP is losing an important opportunity to stem the growing cost of healthcare. You know, if the …

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Written by David Frum on Saturday February 6, 2010

Is Hawaii Home to the Next Scott Brown?

Hawaii’s first congressional district right in the President’s home state looks to be a seat where voter dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party could lead to another surprising Republican pick-up. Frum Forum sat down with Charles Djou, the Republican candidate in this upcoming race. …

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Written by Tim Mak on Saturday February 6, 2010