Overview for News

Get Straight Ticket Voting Off the Ballot

This year, more Texans voted a straight party ticket than in any election in a decade. But why do we let citizens blindly vote without even reading the ballot? Commentators throughout the country attribute the GOP’s Election Day gains to an American public tired of big government.  Implicit in …

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Written by Jeb Golinkin on Wednesday November 17, 2010

Conrad Goes Chicken-Hawk on Deficit

Dem Senator Kent Conrad has made it clear that many politicians will just have to risk their seats to back tough budget cuts. But don't expect him to do the same. Last week, senator Kent Conrad summarized his heretofore successful career as a fake deficit hawk with near poetic accuracy. …

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Written by Henry Clay on Wednesday November 17, 2010

Iranian Defector: Iran's Money Finances Terror

Former Iranian Air Force pilot Bahazad Masawi has tried to warn the West about the threat from Iran's theocratic regime. But will anyone listen? In an interview with Israeli Channel 10 News, former Iranian Air Force fighter pilot, Bahazad Masawi, called the Iranian regime the " world's biggest …

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Written by Arsen Ostrovsky on Wednesday November 17, 2010

Once Divided Michigan GOP Rallies for Anuzis

Michigan’s GOP establishment is rallying behind Saul Anuzis’ RNC chair bid, despite the traditional infighting that has dogged the state party. Michigan’s GOP establishment appears to be coalescing behind National Committeeman Saul Anuzis’ bid for the RNC chairmanship, despite the traditional …

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Written by Tim Mak on Wednesday November 17, 2010

RNC Source: Steele Might Not Run for Reelection

A source close to the RNC tells F F that Michael Steele may not run again for RNC Chair, with a final decision on hold until around Thanksgiving. A senior Republican source close to the RNC tells Frum Forum that Michael Steele may not even run for the RNC Chairmanship in January, and that …

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Written by Tim Mak on Tuesday November 16, 2010

Unleash the Credit Unions

Before it leaves Washington, there's one thing the lame duck Congress can do to help jump start the economy: raise the cap on credit union lending. Like most Congresses swept out in a wave of voter anger, the lame duck body currently in session seems likely to pass continuing resolutions, a few …

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Written by Eli Lehrer on Tuesday November 16, 2010

Tax Spike Fears Are Killing Job Growth

For most small business owners like me who have their personal and company income linked, tax hike concerns have made new hiring impossible. What drives an entrepreneur to start a business?  Is it solely about money?  Or is there something more?  I argue that often it is the  same creative drive …

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Written by Brad Schaeffer on Tuesday November 16, 2010

Fringe to Moderates: Fall in Line

When outsiders like O'Donnell win primaries, their first call is for the center to rally with money and support for little in return. Is this any way to run a party? Primary politics and campaign finance allow small groups of highly committed voters to capture political parties and disenfranchis…

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Written by David Frum on Tuesday November 16, 2010

Will Energy Bills Survive Reid's Lame Duck?

Harry Reid says he will look into scheduling votes on a series of modest energy proposals. But considering his record, the bills' chances don't look good. Harry Reid says he’s going to see what’s “doable” before committing to scheduling lame-duck votes on an assortment of modest energy proposals. …

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Written by Jim DiPeso on Tuesday November 16, 2010

Jobs: Ugly Details Under the Happy Headlines

After a closer look, those seemingly positive October employment numbers are beginning to look much more troubling. A friend sends some supplemental information on those seemingly positive October employment numbers: The October employment situation was dramatically weaker than the headline …

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Written by David Frum on Tuesday November 16, 2010

Two Cheers for the GOP's Earmark Ban

Mitch McConnell has finally come around to endorsing a moratorium on earmarks. It's about time, although still not enough to balance the budget. Mitch McConnell has finally come around to endorsing a moratorium on earmarks. It's about time, although it's not enough.  However, while the ban won't …

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Written by Eli Lehrer on Tuesday November 16, 2010

Diet Secrets of World Leaders

Thanks to Bob Shrum, the host at the NYU Florence conference, I had dinner tonight with former PM Gordon Brown. Big topic: getting into better physical shape. Courtesy of Bob Shrum, the host here at the NYU Florence conference, I had a chance to have dinner tonight with Gordon Brown, the former …

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Written by David Frum on Monday November 15, 2010

How to Bring Parties Back to the Center

Primary voting and campaign financing allow small groups to capture parties and disenfranchise the middle. But it doesn't have to be this way. Primary politics and campaign finance allow small groups of highly committed voters to capture political parties and disenfranchise the middle. But it …

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Written by David Frum on Monday November 15, 2010

Tea Partiers to Lame Duck: No New Bills

Today on the Hill, Americans for Prosperity held a rally to oppose the passing of Democratic bills during the lame duck session and to back the GOP's earmark ban. Americans for Prosperity held a rally this afternoon to oppose the passing of Democratic legislation during the lame duck session and …

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Written by Tim Mak on Monday November 15, 2010

How to Hijack a Political Party

The secret to political success is leverage: organize a few like-minded friends, seize control of a county organization and work your way up. Primary politics and campaign finance allow small groups of highly committed voters to capture political parties and disenfranchise the middle. But it …

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Written by David Frum on Monday November 15, 2010

Clegg's Dilemma: How to Sell Compromise?

The Lib Dem dilemma - how to govern with the Tories and then defend their policies before the base - mirrors a problem for U.S. conservatives as well. In the U.S., primary politics and campaign finance allow small groups of highly committed voters to capture political parties and disenfranchise …

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Written by David Frum on Monday November 15, 2010

Phasing Out Our Fossil Fuel Pork

Energy subsidies aren't necessarily bad. What the new Congress needs to decide though are which energy sources we actually benefit from favoring. The International Energy Agency’s latest  World Energy Outlook says it’s time to put the kibosh on fossil fuel subsidies, which totaled $312 billion …

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Written by Jim DiPeso on Monday November 15, 2010

Time to Derail the Dems' Bullet Train Dreams

Buried within the latest stimulus was an $8 billion earmark for high speed rail. But despite the Dems' enthusiasm the plans don't make economic sense. Among the many obsessions Democrats are currently preoccupied with, high-speed rail is the most perplexing—not because it isn’t the type of project …

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Written by Mason Herron on Sunday November 14, 2010

Dubya Does Not Heart Colin Powell

Bush's new memoir makes it clear: the former president isn't a big fan of Colin Powell. From p. 153 of Bush’s new memoir. The president and his party are traveling in China. Word is received that the bio-detectors at the White House have detected botulinum toxin on the premises. Chances are that …

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Written by David Frum on Sunday November 14, 2010

Did Bush Senior Back the War?

Surprisingly, none of the early stories of the Bush memoirs notice one of its major revelations: a note from George HW Bush seeming to endorse the Iraq war. I'm surprised that none of the early stories of the Bush memoirs noticed one of the book's few major revelations: a note from President …

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Written by David Frum on Sunday November 14, 2010