Overview for FF Spotlight

Did the GOP Pledge Just Bail Out the Dems?

Democrats were on the defensive about their record. Now, thanks to the GOP Pledge to America, they have a new target to attack in the run-up to the midterms. A famous phrase politicians and their advisors ought to remember, goes something like this: "When your enemy is tying his own noose, leave …

Written by Steve Bell on Monday October 4, 2010

Cameron's Big Society

"Big society" was a campaign slogan of David Cameron's, and now that he's prime minister, people naturally wonder: What does it mean? Click here for all of David Frum's blogposts from the 2010 Conservative Party conference. "Big society" was a campaign slogan of David Cameron's, …

Written by David Frum on Monday October 4, 2010

Rick Sanchez's Real Offense

Rick Sanchez may have deserved to be fired, but not because anything he said was anti-Semitic, but rather because it was anti-American. Rick Sanchez may have deserved to be fired -- but not because anything he said was anti-Semitic, because nothing he said was. No, Sanchez deserved, perhaps, …

Written by John Guardiano on Monday October 4, 2010

Obama's Not Leading Us Down the Road to Serfdom

Conservative fears that America has moved decisively to the left are overdone. In fact, America's economy is much freer than it was 50 years ago. My latest column for CNN.com argues that conservative fears that America has moved decisively to the left are overdone. In fact, America's economy is …

Written by David Frum on Monday October 4, 2010

The United Germany No One Saw Coming

Twenty years after the reunification of Germany, it’s easy to forget that most of the so-called experts believed it would never happen. When the Berlin Wall came down, experts such as Alfred Grosser -- a French teacher of German history -- believed that German reunification was a fantasy that …

Written by Jean Granville on Monday October 4, 2010

The Conservative Case Against Rand Paul

No matter who wins in Kentucky, the GOP loses a key Senate vote. Republicans should at least back the candidate who doesn't dabble in anti-American conspiracies. In my more generous moods, I am apt to excuse Kentucky Republicans for nominating Rand Paul for Senate. To the rank-and-file, he is not …

Written by Alex Knepper on Monday October 4, 2010

London's Tube Strike

The grievance behind today's strike on the London underground is so outrageous as to symbolize perfectly why Britain needed a change of direction. Click here for all of David Frum's blogposts from the 2010 Conservative Party conference. What better background music to a Conservative …

Written by David Frum on Monday October 4, 2010

How Reid & Pelosi Handcuffed the Dem Congress

As Democrats face a tough election in November, they may want to ask themselves why they outsourced their legislative responsibilities to Reid & Pelosi. Congress adjourned last week to go home and campaign for re-election. No budget, no tax policy agreement, no immigration reform, no border …

Written by Hank Adler on Monday October 4, 2010

Fit for the Goose, Fit for the Gerrymander

Friday, the Wash Post rightly ripped Hugo Chavez for gerrymandering his way to victory in Venezuela. But will they keep the same watchful eye on the Dems? The Washington Post has a fine editorial Friday about the recent election in Venezuela and how Chavez used redrawing the congressional …

Written by John S. Gardner on Monday October 4, 2010

Big Coal's Boom Days Could Soon Be Over

A new study estimating that "peak coal' will arrive in 2011 should have the coal industry worried. Two professors have stirred the pot with what has to be one of the bigger man-bites-dog stories of the year coming from the energy world. Their conclusion: No need to worry about climate change …

Written by Jim DiPeso on Sunday October 3, 2010

Big Labor to Obama: Where are the Jobs?

Labor's "One Nation" event was billed as a counter to the Tea Party's Washington rallies. But both groups had a similar message for Obama: fix the economy. Try and guess what sort of rally this quote came from: “Our children are discouraged, our teachers are discouraged, and we’re on our way to a …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Sunday October 3, 2010

How Facebook Changed the World

David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin's new film about the making of Facebook, The Social Network , provides a stark look at what friendship means in the internet age. The opening scene of David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin's highly and justly anticipated new film on the making of Facebook, The Social …

Written by Telly Davidson on Saturday October 2, 2010

In Quebec, the Truth Hurts

This week, Canada's Parliament criticized a magazine article on corruption in Quebec. But what was it about the piece that gave such offense? Well that was a real service to Canada. Parliament worried that Canadians could not make up their own minds about Maclean's ' reporting on corruption in …

Written by David Frum on Saturday October 2, 2010

Can I Tell My Sister to Get a Divorce?

David Eddie hears from a reader who's worried about her sister's unhappy marriage and deciding whether she should do anything to break it up. Writing in the Globe and Mail , David Eddie hears from a reader who's worried about her sister's unhappy marriage and deciding whether she should do …

Written by David Eddie on Friday October 1, 2010

Patient Choice Can Prevent Rationing Abuses

Any managed care system will have rationing. But forcing providers to fight to keep patients will insure that beneficial care is never cut. This is the fourth installment in a series on correcting the mistakes in the Democrats’ health reform bill. Click here to read the rest of the series. …

Written by Stanley Goldfarb on Friday October 1, 2010

AIG Exit Plan Proves Obama's No Socialist

With Obama's plans to sell off the government's majority stake in AIG, GOP rhetoric about his "socialist" policies should go down the drain. Winston Churchill once entered a men’s room where his Labour Party rival Clement Attlee was standing at a urinal. As Churchill moved to the far end of the …

Written by Kenneth Silber on Friday October 1, 2010

Failed Talks Could Spur Third Intifada

Mahmoud Abbas is rejecting peace in the hopes of gaining more Israeli concessions later. His misguided strategy though may only help embolden Hamas. That the current negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, which come on the 10 th anniversary of the Second Intifada are likely to fail, …

Written by Arsen Ostrovsky on Friday October 1, 2010

The Lonely Life of a DC Republican

In a town where Republicans number just 29,000 of 444,000 registered voters what, exactly, motivates someone to join the Grand Old Party? My personal voyage from youthful communist empathizer to middle aged, could-be Republican has slowly been taking shape. I’m more inclined towards Rockefeller …

Written by JL Weill on Friday October 1, 2010

Post-Katrina: Louisiana Voters Look Past Race

In the years since Katrina, Louisiana has undergone a drastic political change, with voters abandoning racialized, identity politics for cross-racial voting. In the years since Hurricane Katrina, the state of Louisiana has undergone a drastic political change, abandoning racialized, identity …

Written by Tim Mak on Thursday September 30, 2010

Rossi Winning Over Independents

In Washington, GOP candidate Dino Rossi leads Sen. Patty Murray amongst independent voters. But will ramping up his attack alienate those supporters? The Washington state contest between incumbent Senator Patty Murray and challenger Dino Rossi provides an interesting contrast to my post …

Written by Brent R. Orrell on Thursday September 30, 2010