Overview for FF Spotlight

Wall Street Fights New Loan Risk Regs

Bankers are objecting to a new regulation that would require them to keep a percentage of loans on their own books. But don't expect anyone to buy their argument. Bankers object to a new regulation requiring them to keep a percentage of their loans on their books: "If we have to keep these loans …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday March 29, 2011

Responding to David Keene

Whenever I'm attacked in David Keene's Hill column, I console myself that for a very reasonable $2 million I could buy myself a year's worth of favorable ones. Whenever I'm attacked in David Keene's Hill column (as happened again today ), I console myself that for a very reasonable $2 million …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday March 29, 2011

Libyan Dissidents: We Can Rebuild Post-Qaddafi

In a forum in Washington Monday night, Libyan dissidents claimed they could unite the country. But with few concrete plans, will the West need to play a greater role? On a night when the nation listened to President Obama make his case for the U.S. led coalition’s intervention in Libya, the …

Written by Bryce McNitt on Tuesday March 29, 2011

Russia's Odd Couple

Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin seem to have clashing personalities, but their different traits have actually turned out to be a benefit to both. Vladimir Putin stressed his strong belief in national sovereignty last week when he lashed out against the respective governments intervening in …

Written by Robin Tim Weis on Monday March 28, 2011

Obama's Libyan "Mission Accomplished" Moment

As written and delivered, President Obama's speech on Libya was preposterous. "I hope you are not merely pretending to be wicked, while being secretly good. That would be hypocrisy." As written and delivered, President Obama's speech on Libya was preposterous. We intervened in the midst of …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 28, 2011

Libya: Not the New Kosovo

Many are drawing parallels between Libya and the 1999 NATO war against Serbia in Kosovo. But the comparisons don't hold up. Lorne Gunter, one of the wiser columnists in the media, opines in the National Post that there are a lot of parallels between the war in Libya and the 1999 NATO war …

Written by Peter Worthington on Monday March 28, 2011

Trump's Birther Obsession

Question to discuss: Is Donald Trump crazy? Or does he just hold a very, very, very low opinion of the Republican primary voter? Question to discuss: Is Donald Trump crazy? Or does he just hold a very, very, very low opinion of the Republican primary voter? Tweet

Written by David Frum on Monday March 28, 2011

What Obama Should Say About Libya

Sometimes it seems Obama has been so concerned to avoid offending Middle Eastern opinion on Libya that he has disregarded American opinion. President Obama's communications efforts on Libya have received generally bad reviews. Sometimes it has seemed the president has been so concerned to avoid …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 28, 2011

Is Iran Helping Assad Crush the Syrian Revolt?

According to Israeli sources, some security personnel unleashed on Syrian anti-regime activists have been speaking in Farsi. Is Iran helping defend their only Arab ally? According to Israeli sources, Syrian dissidents have reported some of the gun- and baton-wielding security personnel unleashed …

Written by Tim Hodgson on Monday March 28, 2011

How Bernard-Henri Lévy Started the Libyan War

The biggest push for Sarkozy's decision to intervene in Libya may have come from left-wing celebrity philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy. This weekend’s Financial Times contains a revealing article detailing French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s recent unilateral decision to grant diplomatic recognition …

Written by Ulf Gartzke on Sunday March 27, 2011

The Geraldine Ferraro I Knew

In 1984, after Walter Mondale selected Geraldine Ferraro to be his running mate, I was part of a team assembled to accompany her on her first campaign swing. In a statement issued Saturday, President Obama commented on the life and death of Geraldine Ferraro; the President referred to the former …

Written by Les Francis on Sunday March 27, 2011

Will Japan Crisis Hike Interest Rates?

In the aftermath of the recent earthquake, will Japan stop purchasing U.S. debt and instead focus on its own recovery? Japan is the second largest foreign holder of US debt after China. In the aftermath of the recent earthquake it is expected that Japan will likely stop purchasing US debt and …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Sunday March 27, 2011

UN Turns a Blind Eye to Syria

As the Assad regime ramps up their campaign of repression, the UN Human Rights Council has stayed silent and focused instead on their favorite punching bag: Israel. As Syria verges on eruption, with riots and widespread killings across the state, the Syrian propaganda machine goes into full …

Written by Arsen Ostrovsky on Saturday March 26, 2011

New Media Holds Back Assad's Crackdown

Unlike his father, Syria's Bashar al-Assad can't respond to an uprising with brutal force. In the new media age, bloodbaths don't play with the Arab street or TV audiences. The traditional rules of engagement between the Syrian regime and its opponents have been suspended. The Carthaginian …

Written by Tim Hodgson on Saturday March 26, 2011

Who Will Lead Canada's Economic Recovery?

Canada faces one question: Who should be trusted to manage the economic recovery? Those who want government to spend more or those who want government to tax less? Every Canadian election is built upon a question. Should the sponsorship scandal be punished? (2006) Shall Canada have free trade with …

Written by David Frum on Saturday March 26, 2011

Japan's Economic Aftershocks

The quake that struck Japan could have serious consequences well into the summer as a damaged energy sector slows the nation's economy. This is Part 1 of a Two-Part Series on what the long-term consequences of the Japanese earthquake will be on America and Japan's economies. The aftershocks …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Saturday March 26, 2011

For GOP Nominee: 2012 Win Won't be Enough

Any Republican running for president must focus not just on winning in 2012, but doing so in a manner that leaves them positioned to govern in 2013. Any Republican contemplating running for president in 2012 has two formidable obstacles: November 2012 and what happens starting January 2013. For …

Written by Fred Bauer on Friday March 25, 2011

Boehner's Budget Battle Is Just Beginning

The Fiscal Year 2011 budget fight is about to morph into a fiscal battle over the 2012 budget and the present $14.3 trillion federal debt ceiling. As predicted, the Fiscal Year 2011 budget fight seems very likely to morph into a general fiscal battle that includes the 2012 budget and a fight …

Written by Steve Bell on Friday March 25, 2011

The Prowl: Should I Expose Myself?

Now that I've got a boyfriend, I'm faced with a new dilemma: should I tell him about my Vivian Darkbloom alter ego and that my romantic life is online for all to read? So this week, I’m venturing into the meta and writing a column about a column. Bear with me. The past few weeks, I have made …

Written by Vivian Darkbloom on Friday March 25, 2011

The Dems' Climate Change Dodge

Instead of fighting a bill which would prohibit EPA from regulating greenhouse emissions, Senate Dems are proposing to further limiting the agency's authority. Leave it to the Democrats to come up with weasly alternatives to Senator James Inhofe’s bill that would prohibit the Environmental …

Written by Jim DiPeso on Friday March 25, 2011