Overview for FF Spotlight

Replacing School Choice with Govt Mandates

Recently, Diane Ravitch, former Assistant Secretary of Education, penned a piece explaining why she no longer supports school choice. Her new pet education reform? A comprehensive national curriculum for all students. Diane Ravitch, former Assistant Secretary of Education, recently penned a …

Written by Orestes Brownson on Tuesday March 9, 2010

Is Crist's Political Career Over?

A new poll finds that amongst Florida Republican primary voters, 56% want Governor Charlie Crist out of elected office entirely. Bye bye, Charlie Crist. Public Policy Polling's website reports that later today, they are going to release “absolutely brutal numbers” on Charlie Crist. Apparently, …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Tuesday March 9, 2010

Another Bush Family Power Play?

A lot of fascinating material in yesterday's New York Times story on the aftermath of the big deal to buy out US Sugar's Everglades holdings, but one thing of special note to politics: the unrestrained way that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush dumps on current Gov. Charlie Crist. A lot of …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday March 9, 2010

Putting Pawlenty's Prez Plans on Ice

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's national profile is certainly growing, but his in-state numbers have fallen off a cliff. A recent poll shows his approval ratings to be among the worst he has registered in office. Minnesotans apparently are not all that pumped about their governor preparing to …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Monday March 8, 2010

Sounding the Alarm on Chavez's Anti-Semitism

The Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has just published a report which documents Venezuela’s constant encroachment of civil and political rights, most notably against its Jewish community. The Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) published a report which criticizes …

Written by Elise Cooper on Monday March 8, 2010

Pulling a Kanye

I remember Elinor Burkett as the author of a book demanding parental leave for childless people who wanted to attend pottery class. But until this weekend, her obnoxiousness was an obscure fact, known only to a handful of people interested in family policy. I remember Elinor Burkett as the …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 8, 2010

Voters Tuning Out Cheney

Despite Dick Cheney's never ending publicity tour, a new poll finds that Americans think Obama is doing better than President Bush on national security issues. Despite a bungled response to the Christmas day terrorist plot and Dick Cheney's never ending publicity tour, a new Democracy Corps/ …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Monday March 8, 2010

The War Must Be Obama's Top Priority

It’s high past time for the president to acknowledge that winning the War on Terror is his most important, overriding responsibility. Everything else -- including so-called comprehensive healthcare reform -- is secondary. The media are sure to laud President Obama for forthrightly addressing, …

Written by John Guardiano on Friday January 8, 2010

Prop. 8 Trial isn't Made for TV

A federal judge argued yesterday that the trial over the constitutionality of Proposition 8 should be videotaped and made available over the internet. Allowing cameras into the courtroom however could jeopardize the integrity of this trial. A San Francisco federal judge argued yesterday that the …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Thursday January 7, 2010

President Obama Vs. Candidate Obama

On the campaign trail, Obama promised to take federal funding for his campaign, to close Guantanamo, and to televise dealmaking on healthcare reform. Promises made - promises all broken. Candidate Obama promised to take federal funding for his campaign, to close Guantanamo, and to televise …

Written by Brad Schaeffer on Thursday January 7, 2010

Barack Obama – Tough Guy

A friend close to the intelligence community argues that Obama has been much tougher on the intelligence agencies after the Christmas bombing attempt than President Bush was after 9/11. A (right of center) friend close to the intelligence community makes this point. He talked too rapidly for me to …

Written by David Frum on Thursday January 7, 2010

Profiling Done Right

My column in The Week offers some suggestions. My column in The Week offers some suggestions.

Written by David Frum on Thursday January 7, 2010

Meet the Next Senator from North Dakota

North Dakota's current governor, John Hoeven, boasts an 87% approval rating and is proving that quiet governance not revolution is what voters want. Sporting Saddam Hussein-style approval ratings, the next senator from North Dakota is current governor John Hoeven. A traditional Midwestern …

Written by Alex Knepper on Thursday January 7, 2010

The New Front in the War on Terror

One benefit (if one dare call it that) of the underwear bomber’s failed attempt to blow up an American airliner over Detroit, is that it has drawn attention to Yemen as a training ground for al-Qaeda terrorists. One benefit (if one dare call it that) of the underwear bomber’s failed attempt to …

Written by Peter Worthington on Thursday January 7, 2010

Jill Biden: Not Educated on School Vouchers

The Second Lady admitted yesterday that she had not been following the D.C. school vouchers program. This despite her role as an advocate for the Obama administration on education issues, her Ph.D. in education, and her year-long residence in a city where this is perhaps the biggest issue in local …

Written by Tim Mak on Wednesday January 6, 2010

Don't Count on a High-Minded Slugfest

John Guardiano is right that we should use the 2010 GOP primaries to encourage an intelligent conversation on the party's future. But as the attacks on Mark Kirk in the Illinois Senate race sadly show, most primary fights won't be civil debates about policy. It's difficult to dispute anything …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Wednesday January 6, 2010

Don't Just React to Threats, Identify Them

As well as developing technology to detect weapons and explosives in luggage, the time is long overdue to develop what could be called “terrorist profiling.” That is, training people to recognize and identify suspicious individuals who might be a threat. With lineups and delays approaching …

Written by Peter Worthington on Monday January 4, 2010

Do Jews Hate Palin?

In the January Commentary , contributor Jennifer Rubin promises to explain “why Jews hate Palin”. If Jews do in fact disapprove of Sarah Palin more than other people do it is because she often seems to divide her fellow-Americans into first class and second class citizens, real Americans and …

Written by David Frum on Monday January 4, 2010

Getting the States Into Fighting Shape

Many states face severe fiscal challenges in the years ahead and will be forced to make tough choices on spending to balance their budgets. As David Frum notes , a lot of states face severe fiscal challenges for many years to come. Many of the biggest budget items for states—Medicaid, bond …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Sunday January 3, 2010

America's Shadow Warriors

The seven CIA officers murdered this week in Afghanistan will never have their names revealed or receive the public gratitude they deserve. On Wednesday December 30 th , seven CIA officials were murdered and others were critically wounded at the Camp Chapman base in the eastern Khost province of …

Written by Elise Cooper on Friday January 1, 2010