Overview for FF Spotlight

Can Conservatives Govern?

At a recent gathering, I defended TARP and some kind of fiscal stimulus as absolutely essential last year - that otherwise the world economy might have plunged into Depression. The dominant view in the conservative world though rejects the decisions of last year, and even questions whether …

Written by David Frum on Thursday November 12, 2009

No is Not a Policy

Even with the unemployment rate over 10%, many are still urging the GOP to oppose any new economic stimulus package. Crying “No!” however isn’t an effective governing strategy. Now that the official unemployment rate has crested to 10.2%, its highest rate in more than a quarter-century, and now …

Written by John Guardiano on Thursday November 12, 2009

What the Tories Have to Teach Us

In the current Commentary , I draw four British lessons for American conservatives. In the current Commentary , I draw four British lessons for American conservatives. (Behind pay wall, subscription required.)

Written by David Frum on Thursday November 12, 2009

Dodd's Financial Plan

I'll confess to a bias: I mistrust any bank regulation plan that emerges from the Senate, that plush haven of special interests. The most fascinating thing in the upcoming debate will be which party lines up with which financial industry interest groups. I'll confess to a bias: I mistrust any bank …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday November 11, 2009

How Krugman Got It Wrong

Nobel laureate Paul Krugman has written that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac “didn’t do any subprime lending." Somehow Krugman seems to have missed Fannie and Freddie's acquisition of $4.3 trillion in subprime, low down payment (5% or less) and Alt-A loans. In July 2008 Nobel laureate Paul Krugman …

Written by Edward Pinto on Wednesday November 11, 2009

New York's Busted Budget

New York's political leadership is unable or unwilling to curb the state's steep and growing deficit. Governor Paterson is out of political capital, the Democrats are beholden to public sector unions that oppose cuts and the Republicans won't agree on how big the deficit really us. Gov. David …

Written by Richard Brownell on Wednesday November 11, 2009

Obama at Fort Hood

A fine eulogy, with a deftly written condemnation of the alleged shooter's presumed radical Islamic motives. It almost makes up for the president's weird "shout-out" preface to his first statement on the shooting. A fine eulogy, with a deftly written condemnation of the alleged shooter's …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday November 10, 2009

The Hasan Revelations

Can we stop taking our shoes off now? The recent revelations about Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan raise the unhappy thought that what we've been doing these past 8 years isn't security. It's security theater. Can we stop taking our shoes off now? The Hasan revelations raise the unhappy …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday November 10, 2009

Funding Obamacare on the Backs of the Middle Class

The Senate Finance Committee's health reform bill features a provision which would reduce tax deductions for out of pocket medical costs and raise the financial burden on middle class families. The Senate Finance Committee version of the healthcare bill has a hidden provision that will hurt every …

Written by Elise Cooper on Monday November 9, 2009

New York Dems Turn on Paterson

When Democratic New York Gov. David Paterson called for a special legislative session this week to address the state's crippling budget woes, state Democrats initially threatened to boycott. The complete lack of respect for the state's top elected official by members of his own party does not bode …

Written by Richard Brownell on Monday November 9, 2009

Ship Carries Memory of 9/11

The Navy's newest vessel, the U.S.S. New York , carries seven and a half tons of steel from the World Trade Center in its bow. The Navy's newest vessel, the U.S.S. New York , was commissioned last weekend in New York City, with over 6,000 people in attendance. The San Antonio -class …

Written by Richard Brownell on Monday November 9, 2009

Our Muslim Allies

The enemy seeks to drive a wedge between our Muslim allies and us, to divide us, and to inspire all the Muslims to rise up against us. If we buy into it, they win. On 6 November, in the aftermath of the Fort Hood murders, FrumForum posted pictures of the headstones of decorated American soldiers …

Written by Sean Linnane on Monday November 9, 2009

Obamacare Could Ban Abortion

As part of the deal-making to pass healthcare, conservative Democrats joined House Republicans in passing the anti-abortion Stupak amendment. This will almost certainly mean no abortion coverage in the insurance policies more and more women will have to buy. As part of the deal-making to pass …

Written by David Frum on Monday November 9, 2009

Name that Decade!

How will the '00s be remembered? It began with 9/11 and ended with twin real estate and banking crashes. Last week, our nation’s most celebrated investor put his chips behind a railroad – a technology that preceded the Information Age by three generations of googlers. I’m willing to bet that …

Written by Michael Toth on Sunday November 8, 2009

Obama and California Republicans

A new L.A. Times poll takes an interesting temperature reading of Cal Republicans' feelings about the president. Offered a choice of five terms - "pride," "hope," "disappointment," "anxiety," and "anger," only 21% of Republicans in the state chose the maximal answer, "anger." A new L.A. …

Written by David Frum on Sunday November 8, 2009

Mission Accomplished?

If the House bill survives in anything like its present form, the U.S. government will soon be in the business of decreeing health care prices. That’s what the whole debate over the “public option” has been about from the start: price control. That’s a dangerously premature victory celebration the …

Written by David Frum on Sunday November 8, 2009

The Palin Fantasy

A piece in this weekend's Weekly Standard hails Sarah Palin as the ideal leader of a new populist uprising. One problem with this thesis: The populist Sarah is in fact one of the most unpopular figures in American life. Almost two-thirds of Americans say they would never consider voting for her. …

Written by David Frum on Saturday November 7, 2009

Hasan: Jihadist or Mental Case?

One thing not being mentioned openly about the Fort Hood massacre is whether this was a version of suicide bombing. Was the suspect something of a Jihadist "sleeper" intent on maximizing his opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? One thing not being mentioned openly about the Fort Hood …

Written by Peter Worthington on Saturday November 7, 2009

What They're Drinking at the Tea Party

WATCH : Frum Forum interviews protestors at Michele Bachmann's Tea Party on Capitol Hill, held November 5. We meet The Good, The Bad, The Nutty--and quite a number of The Sane. Frum Forum interviews protestors at Michele Bachmann's Tea Party on Capitol Hill, held November 5. We meet …

Written by Tim Mak on Saturday November 7, 2009

Berlin's Anniversary

Nov. 9 is not only the anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall. It is also the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the organized attack upon German Jews in 1938, and of Hitler’s Beer Hall putsch in 1923. On this particular Nov. 9, the Germans will want to remember only what is joyous. Let’s join …

Written by David Frum on Saturday November 7, 2009