Overview for News

The Power of Colbert

Last night, Stephen Colbert performed a short sketch (the last 60 seconds here ) that ended by inviting viewers to invent obscene definitions in UrbanDictionary.com for the term "Canada's history." Last night, Stephen Colbert performed a short sketch (the last 60 seconds here ) that ended by …

Written by David Frum on Saturday February 6, 2010

J.M. Keynes on American Conservatism

For this particular conservative, the following words from Essays in Persuasion by J.M. Keynes carry immediate relevance. Well not really on American conservatism, but for this particular conservative, these words from Essays in Persuasion carry immediate relevance: Half the copybook …

Written by David Frum on Saturday February 6, 2010

Birthers Get a Tea Party Welcome

The Tea Party Convention has managed to put a conservative face on a movement that, if not quite mainstream, is at least respectable. That changed with one long dumb speech from WorldNetDaily chief Joseph Farah, one of the leaders of the so-called Birther movement. Click here for all of …

Written by Jonathan Kay on Saturday February 6, 2010

From Acorn "Pimp" to Tea Party Hero

They just gave an ovation to a shout-out to James O'Keefe... Last seen getting arrested in a Senator's office. Click here for all of Jonathan Kay's posts from the Tea Party convention in Nashville. At the Tea Party National Convention: They just gave an ovation to a shout-out to James …

Written by Jonathan Kay on Friday February 5, 2010

Getting Religion at the Tea Party Convention

Having spent the day listening to speeches at the Tea Party National Convention and talking to delegates, the one thing that has really surprised me is the high level of explicitly Christian social conservatism on display. Click here for all of Jonathan Kay's posts from the Tea Party convention …

Written by Jonathan Kay on Friday February 5, 2010

The Next Palin Scandal

New emails show that Todd Palin often voiced approval or disapproval of Alaskan state hiring and appointments to the relevant authorities. Conservatives were rightly irritated when Hillary Clinton tried to boot-strap her ceremonial position into a role in personnel and policy. But did even she go …

Written by David Frum on Friday February 5, 2010

Kirk Focusing Voters on Dem Corruption

This week, in the race for Obama's old Senate seat, the Republican Senatorial Committee released a devastating ad ripping Democratic nominee Alexi Giannoulias for his questionable ties to corruption. Republicans have a long way to go to win President Barack Obama's old Senate seat. But focusing …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Friday February 5, 2010

Pat Buchanan's About Face on Taiwan

Patrick J. Buchanan has finally given up on Quemoy and Matsu, not to mention the ghosts of Douglas MacArthur and General Chiang Kai-shek. In a Feb. 2 column , Buchanan calls for American retreat from bases in Japan and Korea. Now I have seen everything. Patrick J. Buchanan has finally given up …

Written by John Vecchione on Friday February 5, 2010

Bennett's Same-Sex Marriage Ban Push

The possibility of a right-wing primary challenge is motivating Utah Senator Bob Bennett's new efforts to ban gay marriage in the District of Columbia. Given our history of polygamy, we Utahns are sensitive to claims of matrimonial degradation. So it should come as no shock that Utah legislator…

Written by Stephen Richer on Friday February 5, 2010

Rush's Ghost-Writing Charge

Rush Limbaugh charged in a Fox TV interview that Barack Obama's law review articles were ghost-written for him. Former White House associate counsel Brad Berenson, who served on the Harvard Law Review with Obama, disputes this allegation. Rush Limbaugh charged in a Fox TV interview that …

Written by David Frum on Friday February 5, 2010

Disability Rights Advocates Cheer Christie's Reforms

New Jersey has a bad reputation in the disability community, but Gov. Chris Christie is implementing promising new reforms championed by disability advocates. New Jersey has a bad reputation in the disability community. It is being sued for violating The Supreme Court’s em> Olmstead decision

Written by Dana Commandatore on Friday February 5, 2010

Campbell: Congress "Victim of a Bait and Switch" on TARP

In my interview with Tom Campbell, he spoke with intense anger about the administration's TARP program. In the course of the interview , senatorial candidate Tom Campbell said 3 other things that surprised me: 1) On trade: I asked the famously free-trade Campbell whether he thought there …

Written by David Frum on Friday February 5, 2010

Tancredo's Literacy Test

In his opening address to the for-profit Tea Party Nation convention in Nashville last night, Tom Tancredo lamented that: "we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country." In his opening address to the for-profit Tea Party Nation convention in Nashville last night, …

Written by David Frum on Friday February 5, 2010

Wanted: A CPAC for the Center Right

Moderate Republicans sometimes blame conservatives for edging them out of public life. But politics is a competitive business. If the conservatives bring more voters, more dollars and more intensity to the table, well, of course they get the bigger chair. They've earned it. So I propose in a …

Written by David Frum on Friday February 5, 2010

Campbell: I'd Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

FF Exclusive: Frum Forum is speaking with all three GOP candidates vying to unseat Sen. Barbara Boxer in California. In the second part of our interview with Tom Campbell, he defended the socially liberal views that may have cost him the GOP senatorial nomination in 1992. Frum Forum is …

Written by David Frum on Friday February 5, 2010

Blaming the GOP Isn't Working

Listening to the president’s comments , one would believe that it was the Republicans who were in the governing majority over the past year and that it was their fault the president was unable to jump-start the economy or bring about effective health reform. President Obama seems full of double …

Written by Crystal Wright on Thursday February 4, 2010

Keeping America Hooked on Foreign Oil

My latest column for The Week discusses the harmful effects of Obama's new oil exploration taxes. My latest column for The Week discusses the harmful effects of Obama's new oil exploration taxes. The budget proposes to slam oil companies with new taxes on their exploration activity. (More …

Written by David Frum on Thursday February 4, 2010

Healthcare Spending Reaches 17.3% of GDP

We seem to be in serious danger of violating Stein's Law: "If something cannot go on forever - it will stop." We seem to be in serious danger of violating Stein's Law: "If something cannot go on forever - it will stop."

Written by David Frum on Thursday February 4, 2010

Tom Campbell: CA's "Demon Sheep"?

Frum Forum will talk to all three candidates for the GOP nomination to challenge Sen. Barbara Boxer in California. Today, an interview with Tom Campbell - the demon sheep himself! As mentioned below, I interviewed Tom Campbell - the demon sheep himself! - by telephone on Jan. 16. Some …

Written by David Frum on Thursday February 4, 2010

Getting to Know Tom Campbell

Before Tom Campbell became an internet celebrity demonic sheep , he completed an amazing academic career and spent a decade in the House. Before Tom Campbell became an internet celebrity demonic sheep , he was a newly elected member of Congress from Palo Alto. Shortly after he won his seat in …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday February 3, 2010