Focus on Coalitions Not Consensus
F F Symposium: Consensus is a political end in tribal societies; it is not and should not be an end in democratic societies. Liberal democracy requires contention, which in turn requires a real deliberation and coalitions that can actually govern. American public opinion in almost every way we …Sarah Takes on Wall Street
For how much longer will economic conservatives ignore Sarah Palin's anti-business rhetoric and continue to give her a free pass? The next time I say something negative about Sarah Palin and her Baghdad Bobs tell me to “go back to the Huffington Post,” please consider that they’re warming up to …FF Symposium: Where's the Vital Center?
UPDATED: American public opinion in almost every way we can measure bunches up toward the moderate middle. Yet increasingly the tone of politics seems to invite and reward extremism. Frum Forum asks whether it has to be so. The term the "vital center" was coined of course by Arthur Schlesinger …The Perfect Storm for Illinois Dems
The withdrawal of Scott Lee Cohen, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, is just the latest in a series of embarrassments for the Illinois Democratic party. Being a Democrat is usually an advantage for a candidate running for office in the light blue state of Illinois. But don't tell that to Alexi …The English Language
I blogged the Sarah Palin speech after the fact based on the YouTube video. What to call that? It's not live blogging, exactly. I blogged the Sarah Palin speech after the fact based on the YouTube video. What to call that? It's not live blogging, exactly. I called it YouTube blogging. It might …Questions Swirl Around NY Gov Paterson
Rumors abound that New York Governor David Paterson may resign from office as early as tomorrow despite vigorous denials from the Governor’s office in Albany. Rumors abound that New York Governor David Paterson may resign from office as early as tomorrow despite vigorous denials from the Governor’…YouTube Blogging Palin's Speech
UPDATED: In her speech to the Tea Party Convention, Palin declared that "if government got out of the way, the economy would roar back to life." In the context of 2010, what is that even supposed to mean? httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7gVp3diPbI I will be YouTube blogging Sarah …GOP Resurgence Needs More than Run to the Center
Simply bringing the Republican party to the center is not enough. Centrists can be just as disingenuous and unprincipled as their far-right counterparts. Dennis , I in no way intended to malign moderate Republicans as ‘milquetoast’ or suggest that there was anything wrong with moderate …GOP Needs to Win Back the Elite
The deep recession, Obama's mien, Pelosi's arrogance and Reid's cluelessness are keeping the GOP competitive. But Republicans still have a big problem with college graduates and the 200k+ crowd. David Frum is right in Time . The deep recession is keeping the GOP competitive. Add to that …Demon Sheep Ad: Weird but is it Accurate?
No description can do justice to the low-budget strangeness of the demon sheep ad, but the more urgent question for California Republicans is this: What should they make of the substance of Fiorina's attack on Campbell? My latest column for CNN.com looks at Carly Fiorina's "demon sheep" attack on …Don't Equate "Moderate" with "Bland"
In his latest post, E.D. Kain confuses “centrism” and “moderation” to mean a Republican that aims toward a bland middle of the road view. However, history shows us that moderate Republicans are a real faction with unique values and positions. E.D. Kain’s latest post which is itself a retort of …Is Climate Change Legislation Dead?
Senate Democrats are planning to abandon climate change legislation in favor of focusing on a smaller energy-only bill. The latest talk on the Hill has it that climate legislation has no chance this year, given the bandwidth consumed by high jobless numbers, financial reform, a healthcare debate …The Problem with Centrism for Moderation’s Sake
Its doubtful anything interesting will emerge out of David Frum’s call for a center-right counterweight to CPAC. The right has lost its center, no doubt, but it won’t necessarily find it by simply being more "moderate". Andrew Sullivan posted this video in response to David Frum’s 9171,1960311…Obama's Political Theater
In the first year of the Obama administration, honest debates over policy have been replaced by a politics of symbolic (and largely empty) gestures. Years ago, most savvy political writers correctly diagnosed that electoral campaigns (on both sides) had become conducted almost entirely in …Palin Rallies the Tea Party Faithful
At a convention marked by extreme speeches and occasional conspiracy theories delivered from the podium, the question going into Saturday night's keynote finale from Sarah Palin was: How extreme would she get in order to ingratiate herself with her audience? Click here for all of Jonathan Kay's …In Defense of Demon Sheep
The demon sheep attack ad unveiled last week by California Senate candidate Carly Fiorina is one of the most brilliant, witty and devastatingly effective political ads ever made. Don’t listen to the aged , humorless stuffed shirts and prigs who populate the Big Media and the Blog …Don't Credit Birthers for GOP Gains
In a post at HotAir.com , Ed Morrissey wisely points out the damage the birthers are causing to the conservative movement. Ed Morrissey today : Breitbart is entirely correct, and perhaps even understated the case. In the earlier exchange with Schilling, she said that her boss was …Health Reform: A Fight the GOP Might Want to Lose
My latest column for the National Post asks if the GOP is losing an important opportunity to stem the growing cost of healthcare. My latest column for the National Post asks if the GOP is losing an important opportunity to stem the growing cost of healthcare. You know, if the …Is Hawaii Home to the Next Scott Brown?
Hawaii’s first congressional district right in the President’s home state looks to be a seat where voter dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party could lead to another surprising Republican pick-up. Frum Forum sat down with Charles Djou, the Republican candidate in this upcoming race. …