Overview for News

What "No Labels" Centrism Gets Right

John Podhoretz criticizes the No Labels movement for being based on an aesthetic not an ideology. But is this really so bad? John Podhoretz has written a short critique of “No Labels” at Commentary . While I don't agree with his description of No Labels, I think his critique is a thoughtful …

Written by Mark R. Yzaguirre on Wednesday December 8, 2010

Middle East's Future: Terror or Progress?

Three decades ago, Middle Easterners fixed the blame for all their problems on the US, Europe and Israel. How much has really changed? I'm at a conference in Beirut Lebanon this week that brings together Western analysts and people associated with various subsets of political Islam, both peaceful …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday December 8, 2010

Healy Out of RNC Race

Connecticut GOP Chairman Chris Healy announced Wednesday that he will not run for RNC chair and threw his support behind Gentry Collins’ bid. Connecticut Republican Chairman Chris Healy, who had been reportedly looking at entering the RNC Chairman's race, has decided not to run and will instead …

Written by Tim Mak on Wednesday December 8, 2010

Mossad's Secret Weapon: Jaws?

In a story fit only for the Middle East, Egyptian authorities have said Mossad may be behind a shark attack in the Red Sea which left a tourist dead. In a story fit only for the Middle East, Egyptian authorities have said Mossad may be behind a recent shark attack in the Red Sea which left a …

Written by Arsen Ostrovsky on Wednesday December 8, 2010

Lame Duck Looks to Save America's Wild Spaces

Democrats are working to push several public land protection bills onto an omnibus measure before the 111th Congress ends. Congressional Democrats are thinking of loading several dozen public land protection bills onto an omnibus and driving the packed vehicle across the finish line before the 111 …

Written by Jim DiPeso on Wednesday December 8, 2010

Will Voters Even Notice the Payroll Tax Break?

Obama's new tax cut deal will reduce payroll taxes on Social Security and Medicare. But will the voters notice the income boost? On Tuesday, President Obama gave a press conference where he exonerated his left wing base for holding him to unrealistic expectations, arguing that they ignored his …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Wednesday December 8, 2010

Obama's Tax Deal: Straight from Clinton's Playbook

Obama's angered his base by compromising on the Bush tax cuts. But like Clinton who also bucked his party, it could lead him to a bigger political win. To the utter dismay of his “progressive wing, ” President Obama has engineered a comprehensive deal on Bush tax cuts, the estate tax issue and …

Written by Steve Bell on Tuesday December 7, 2010

Heritage Action for America on Taxes: No Compromise

Heritage Foundation's 501(c)4 offshoot is targeting some proposals in the new tax deal. But what they're really attacking is the idea of compromise. Heritage Action for America, the 501(c)4 political off-shoot of the Heritage Foundation, has decided that it does not like some of the provisions in …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Tuesday December 7, 2010

Hamas Sentences 'Collaborator' to Death

On Monday, a Gaza military court convicted three men of allegedly ‘collaborating’ with Israel, sentencing one to death and the others to prison. According to the Hamas Interior Ministry, on Monday a Gaza military court convicted three men of allegedly ‘collaborating’ with Israel, sentencing …

Written by Arsen Ostrovsky on Tuesday December 7, 2010

Who's Policing Stanley Kurtz?

The "No Labels" op-ed I coauthored with William Galston has ignited a ferocious respons from Stanley Kurtz at NRO. The "No Labels" op-ed I coauthored with William Galston has ignited a ferocious response from Stanley Kurtz at NRO. Kurtz was especially offended by this paragraph in our …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday December 7, 2010

Is the Media Ignoring Anti-Semitism at Indiana U?

Recently, eight Hebrew texts were stolen from Indiana University’s Wells Library and urinated on. But the incident has received little media attention. On Monday, November 27, eight Hebrew texts were stolen from Indiana University’s Wells Library and urinated on. Only a few days previously, …

Written by Stephen Richer on Tuesday December 7, 2010

Obama's Tax Cut Damage Control Flops

One day after the announcement of a tax cut extension, President Obama has his hands full trying to calm his base. So the Republicans prevent decoupling of the tax cuts, set a 35 percent baseline on the estate tax, and extend the tax cuts for two years. And all they had to give up was an …

Written by Henry Clay on Tuesday December 7, 2010

Obama's Tax Deal: Who Won, Who Lost?

On Monday, Obama announced a deal with the GOP to extend the Bush tax cuts. F F 's contributors weigh in on the political winners and losers. Late on Monday, December 6th, President Obama announced that a deal had been reached with the Republican leadership over how to handle the Bush tax …

Written by FrumForum Editors on Tuesday December 7, 2010

The Estate Tax Rises from the Dead

The tax cut extension deal includes a proposal to reinstate the estate tax with a $5 million exemption. But forcing only a few families to bear the tax seems troubling. Among the tax proposals being advanced as a compromise by the President and Republican leadership yesterday was a proposal to …

Written by Hank Adler on Tuesday December 7, 2010

A Good Day for Supply-Siders

The decision to extend the Bush era tax cuts is a win-win. It will either boost the economy or force government to accept some tough spending cuts. A rule of thumb in negotiations is that when both sides leave the table annoyed, it means that a good compromise was made. The deal hammered out …

Written by Brad Schaeffer on Tuesday December 7, 2010

With Less Payroll Taxes, Who Funds Social Security?

Both Democrats and the GOP can take credit for the payroll tax cut, but have they given enough thought to how it will change the funding of Social Security? Slicing 2 points off payroll tax rates gives Democrats and Republicans each something to cheer. Republicans can applaud a truly stimulative …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday December 7, 2010

Obama's Tax Deal: What the Dems Lost

Obama's tax deal with harm him politically and might not spark an economic recovery. The president sold out to the GOP and didn't get anything in return. 1) It is hard to figure out what Obama was thinking in making this tax deal with Congressional Republicans. I doubt that he imagined he would …

Written by Cetulus on Tuesday December 7, 2010

More Kenyan Socialism

The US has just sold the last of its Citi stake for a $12 billion profit. The US has just sold the last of its Citi stake for a $12 billion profit. It makes you wonder: If Kenyan socialism is really this lucrative, why isn't the actual Kenya a richer country?

Written by David Frum on Tuesday December 7, 2010

Let's Make a Deal

The tax cut extension is a good sign for the country: it shows Obama can compromise and that House Republicans know how to drive a hard bargain. The tax cut deal that President Obama and congressional Republicans have reached seems like a good omen to me. According to current media reports, Obama …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Monday December 6, 2010

How to Sell the Dems on Obama’s Tax Plan

If Obama wants to sell his new tax deal to skeptical rank-and-file Democrats in the House, he may need to call in the unions... The single best thing that should happen right now to ensure passage of the tax cut deal is for unions to inform liberal Democrats in Congress what would happen to their …

Written by John S. Gardner on Monday December 6, 2010