Overview for FF Spotlight

Alfred Kahn RIP

As chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board, economist Alfred Kahn helped turn flying from a luxury for the few to a basic commodity for the many. As chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board in the 1970s, the economist Alfred Kahn persuaded President Carter and a Democratic Congress to deregulate …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday December 28, 2010

The Founders Were No Libertarians

Christopher Beam's new article on libertarianism makes one key mistake: the Founders weren't libertarian. In fact, they saw first-hand the failure of such ideas. Christopher Beam has written a thought provoking, well-argued piece in a mainstream liberal magazine on libertarians. Libertarians, …

Written by John Vecchione on Monday December 27, 2010

If Sarah Palin Tells You Anything...

Check it. And then check it again. Case in point: Palin's latest explanation for how she first used the word "refudiate." Check it. Then check it again. Taegan Goddard links to a New York Daily News item catching another of these -- shall we call them self-flattering improvements of the record …

Written by David Frum on Monday December 27, 2010

Immigration as International Development

A new study showing the income gains for international migrants is spurring debate over a guestworker program. You may hear more about this study in the days ahead. It will add velocity to the recurring proposal from some immigration reformers that the U.S. adopt a guestworker program. …

Written by David Frum on Monday December 27, 2010

Chavez's Christmas Coup

Obama promised that his soft-spoken approach would help mobilize international support to oppose Chavez. His policy is about to be put to the test. When I visited Venezuela almost a year ago, one thing puzzled me: Hugo Chavez is an ever more lawless ruler, an aspiring tyrant. Yet he conspicuous…

Written by David Frum on Sunday December 26, 2010

Palin Gets Her Buzzsaw

On the latest Sarah Palin's Alaska : Sarah grabs a chainsaw and heads to a logging camp. Preview for next week: Next week, Sarah Palin's Alaska gets a two-hour finale. And Piper attempts to sell gold on eBay. ------------------ Update at 10:00pm: Willow IS faster than her …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Sunday December 26, 2010

How the GOP Won on START

Conservatives are distrustful of the Obama administration's worldview. Why then did the START arms control treaty get so much GOP support? The START treaty with Russia has been ratified by the Senate during the lame duck session. It received 71 votes in the Senate and opposition to it was muted. …

Written by John Vecchione on Saturday December 25, 2010

How to Win the War on Christmas

The quickness of Christians to see every skirmish in the culture war as an attack on Christmas does us more harm than good. The other night I attended a Lessons and Carols service , an Anglican Advent tradition dating from the 19th century, in which key Scripture readings detailing salvation …

Written by Richmond Ramsey on Friday December 24, 2010

The Prowl: Meet the Parents, Beltway Edition

Because most people in D.C. have family elsewhere, dating in the District usually means a a special holiday ordeal: going to meet the parents. Most people do not consider D.C. "home." Instead, they live there and then travel to wherever it is they are actually from for holidays. It takes a …

Written by Vivian Darkbloom on Friday December 24, 2010

When Men Go Shopping

Men may detest shopping, but there's no escape during the holiday season. Writing in the Washington Examiner , Meghan Cox Gurdon points out that while men may detest shopping, there's no escape during the holiday season... Here we are, hurtling toward the climax of the "holiday shopping …

Written by Meghan Cox Gurdon on Friday December 24, 2010

FF Looks Back at 2010

Frum Forum 's editors look back over the year's blogging to find the articles which had the most resonance for you, our readers. 2010: a difficult year for the country, a year of growth for the Frum Forum site. This was the year of Tea Party protest, of the passage of the Democratic health …

Written by FrumForum Editors on Friday December 24, 2010

A Winning Script for the GOP in 2012

Everyone is focused on who the next GOP presidential candidate will be. But the more important question is: what will that candidate say to voters? Everyone is already focused on who the next Republican presidential candidate will be. But as my latest column for The Week points out, the more …

Written by David Frum on Thursday December 23, 2010

Has AIG Learned Anything?

AIG's decision to pay a $146.5 million fine to settle claims it cheated state-run funds is further evidence the troubled giant hasn't changed its ways. Even as it becomes apparent that a massive three-year injection of public sector dollars will probably allow onetime financial giant AIG to …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday December 23, 2010

Elites Score Big in Lame Duck Congress

This lame duck session, Congress and the President adopted a legislative package tailor-made to earn the approval of elites from both parties. In the lame duck session, Congress kept the Bush tax cuts for the upper brackets, passed START, repealed DADT and scotched the DREAM Act. Congress also …

Written by Lloyd Green on Thursday December 23, 2010

United States of Obesity

A new map gives us a look at America's fattest states. Here's the map ... (h/t Bill Easterly) Tweet

Written by David Frum on Thursday December 23, 2010

Scrooge v Santa

I'm spending Christmas week in Canada, and on my first evening in Toronto I noticed something very different: Christmas decorations. Lots of them. I'm spending Christmas week in Canada, and on my first evening in Toronto I noticed something very different: Christmas decorations. Lots of them. …

Written by David Frum on Thursday December 23, 2010

Hamas Ramps Up Rocket Attacks

Israel is again on edge after a spate of rocket attacks launched from the Gaza Strip. Will the international community prevent Israel from defending itself? On the 2 nd Anniversary of the Gaza War, the Israel-Gaza border is again on edge following a spate of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip …

Written by Arsen Ostrovsky on Thursday December 23, 2010

New House Intel Chair: I'll Defend the CIA

In an interview with FF, Rep. Mike Rogers, the new GOP House Intel chair pledged to protect the CIA from political interference. Congressman Mike Rogers (R-MI) has been chosen to chair the House Intelligence Committee. Frum Forum interviewed the congressman as well as some former CIA officials …

Written by Elise Cooper on Wednesday December 22, 2010

Thune for President?

When looking at the GOP 2012 field, if you really want to do the dark horse thing, who is darker than John Thune? In every presidential election since 1940, the GOP has nominated a nationally known political leader. The closest the GOP came to deviating from the rule was Barry Goldwater in 1964 …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday December 22, 2010

After DADT: Military Still in Left's Crosshairs

Even with DADT repealed, the left still isn't satisfied. Now, one pundit is calling for the firing of one time DADT-defender Marine commandant Gen. James Amos. One day. That is all it took for a noted liberal to call for purges of the Armed Forces based on expressed qualms about the repeal of …

Written by John Vecchione on Tuesday December 21, 2010