Overview for FF Spotlight

Top 5 NY-26 Excuses

After the Republican debacle in New York's 26th congressional district race, expect the excuses to soon start flying. Coming excuses for NY 26: 1) It was a special election in a district that soon won't exist anyway: ignore it. 2) The Democrat won because of a populist spoiler candidacy. …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday May 25, 2011

Why Voters Aren't Buying the Ryan Plan

CBO projects that by 2030 Ryan's vouchers would cover only 30% of the cost of an insurance policy equal to Medicare today. And the GOP thinks voters will back that? A footnote to the above posting regarding the Ryan budget plan. The Ryan plan does maximum damage to Republicans because of its …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday May 25, 2011

Paul Ryan: 2012's Goldwater?

NY-26 turned into a referendum on the Ryan plan for Medicare, handing the Dems a win. Yet, the GOP continues to ignore the political dangers in Ryan's budget. I used to worry that Sarah Palin would be the Barry Goldwater of 2012. My bad. Paul Ryan is the Barry Goldwater of 2012. The Goldwater …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday May 25, 2011

GOP's New Line: Budget Cuts Bring Boom Times

Many in the GOP are convinced that immediate and significant spending cuts can cause significant economic growth. But does this claim hold up? The open seat in NY-26 has gone to the Democrats, yet some conservatives still argue that despite its political unpopularity the GOP budget needs to be …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Wednesday May 25, 2011

Medicare Fix Must Include Means-Testing

Anyone who is honestly contemplating Medicare's future must admit that controlling costs means some level of means-testing. The Democrats may have picked up a seat in New York by running against Paul Ryan's Medicare reform proposals. Anyone who is honestly contemplating Medicare's future though …

Written by Stanley Goldfarb on Wednesday May 25, 2011

GOP's Clean Debt Vote Won't Fool the Dems

If the GOP continues to substitute theatrics for substantive spending proposals the Dems will end up getting the debt ceiling increase and a lot of political capital. The House proposal for a "clean" debt vote is pure political theater. Given the way the House works, leadership almost never …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Tuesday May 24, 2011

Israel's Borders: The Wrong Fight for Obama

Veteran US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller gives his verdict on Obama's proposal on 1967 border lines: It was "dumb." Veteran US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller on Obama's Middle East speech. It was " dumb ." To pick a fight with the Israelis on the eve of the visit of an …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday May 24, 2011

Malloy's Dud Budget Deal

CT governor Dan Malloy has been praised as the "anti-Chris Christie" for his deal with the state's public sector unions. But his budget won't solve Connecticut's fiscal crisis. Connecticut’s Governor Dan Malloy has recently attracted the praise of the left due to his self-branded “anti-Christie” …

Written by Harry Graver on Tuesday May 24, 2011

With Daniels Out, Who Speaks to GOP Youth?

Many conservatives are saddened by Mitch Daniels’ exit, especially the growing grassroots student initiative which pulled out all the stops to convince him to run. There are many conservative columnists, donors, and op-ed writers are saddened by the exit of Mitch Daniels from the presidential …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Tuesday May 24, 2011

Treasury Fire Sale Could Take Years

Any plan to ward off a default by selling government assets would be unworkable in the short term. An emerging right-wing meme about how to deal with the prospect of a debt default is that the federal government can pay off its debts by selling its assets. Veronique de Rugy of Cato and the …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Tuesday May 24, 2011

Why Pawlenty Doubled Down on Ethanol

It's right for Tim Pawlenty to travel to Iowa to denounce ethanol and other farm subsidies. But is this his way of downplaying his Iowa expectations? It's courageous, principled, and right for Tim Pawlenty to travel to Iowa to denounce ethanol and other farm subsidies. But I'm also left wondering: …

Written by David Frum on Monday May 23, 2011

French Socialists Stand Up for Privilege

With the French Socialist Party defending Dominique Strauss-Kahn, should they be renamed as the French Monarchist Party? Maybe they should just rename the French Socialist Party the French Monarchist Party? From the em> Telegraph

Written by David Frum on Monday May 23, 2011

Israel's Focus: Security Not Borders

If implemented, Obama's statement on borders would put the decisive power over Israel's self-defense into the hands of a new state incapable or unwilling to do the job. In his address to the Middle East, President Obama called for Israel's 1967 borders to provide the starting point for a negotiate…

Written by David Frum on Monday May 23, 2011

GOP Wonks Lose with Daniels' Exit

The challenge for those on the right who admired Mitch Daniels is to figure out how to get the rest of the party to embrace his pragmatic perspective. Mitch Daniels’ has exited the GOP presidential field and he leaves a large cadre of unhappy conservative policy wonks in his wake. The sentiments …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Monday May 23, 2011

Can Romney Win Without Fox News?

How Mitt Romney handles Fox News will tell a lot about whether he has the cunning and the toughness to be a successful president. Three take-aways from Gabriel Sherman's important piece on Fox News and the GOP in New York mag: 1) What Republicans have been producing since January 2009 is a …

Written by David Frum on Monday May 23, 2011

Today's Palestinian Leaders Can't Deliver Peace

After Obama’s optimistic speech this morning on the peace process, an AIPAC panel on the Palestinian leadership offered a much bleaker view. Following Obama’s optimistic speech this morning about the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations, the panel on ‘Palestinian Leadership – Today and …

Written by Tessa Berenson on Sunday May 22, 2011

With Daniels' Exit, GOP Looks Out of Luck

Daniels’ decision to opt out signals a much larger problem for the GOP: Its best and brightest candidates are imploding, lackluster or ducking the race altogether. Mitch Daniels’ decision to forgo the presidential race is personally understandable and even laudable: His wife and four daughters …

Written by John Guardiano on Sunday May 22, 2011

Americans Tuning Out Climate Change

According to a new poll, Americans are less concerned about climate change than in years past. Its time for environmentalists to turn up the heat. According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans are less concerned about climate change than in the past. Has the environmental movement dropped the …

Written by D.R. Tucker on Sunday May 22, 2011

AIPAC Attendees Positive After Obama Address

After his address to the AIPAC conference, many attendees were grateful Obama clarified his remarks on the '67 borders, but still had many questions. After Obama’s address to the AIPAC policy conference Sunday, attendees generally thought the president left the building with more friends than …

Written by Tim Mak on Sunday May 22, 2011

Obama Digs in on Israel's Borders

In his speech to AIPAC, Obama surrendered to his personal exasperation with Netanyahu, and escalated a fight he had every reason to de-escalate. That was a deeply unwise speech Obama just gave to AIPAC. The president did not ask himself the first question of political speechmaking: Why am I saying …

Written by David Frum on Sunday May 22, 2011