Overview for News

A Counter-Insurgency Failure

June 25, 1876 marks the date in history when the Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne defended their way of life against the US Seventh Cavalry at the Little Bighorn River near what is now Crow Agency, Montana. General George Armstrong Custer and 267 soldiers and civilians were wiped out to a man by …

Written by Sean Linnane on Thursday June 25, 2009

Obama Opts Out of Obamacare

Obamacare, contrary to its promise, will entrench rather than eliminate the Two Americas, maintaining a system of private coverage for the rich, and imposing a government bureaucracy that rations care on the middle class. Contemporary conservatives are partisans of America’s libertarian traditions.…

Written by Henry Clay on Thursday June 25, 2009

The Democrats Strangle Finance - and Jobs

I have two related new pieces - one at em> The Week

Written by David Frum on Thursday June 25, 2009

I'll Be Curious ...

... to see whether one - just one! - of the many media sources that have condemned the Bush administration's terrorist surveillance program will deplore the publication by Reuters of Mark Sanford's love e-mails. What on earth does the publication of this embarrassing and hurtfully intimate material …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday June 24, 2009

Chavez Steps Up Attacks on Jews

From the beginning of his rule in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez has stridently criticized Israel. In recent months, Chavez has found a more vulnerable target: the Jewish population inside Venezuela. Last week, an angry mob broke out in Miranda, Venezuela’s second largest state. span> …

Written by Tim Mak on Wednesday June 24, 2009

Never Give an Order That You Know Won't be Obeyed

So what’s the deal with McChrystal’s initial command guidance to US and NATO forces in Afghanistan? As the Associated Press reported : The top U.S. general in Afghanistan will soon formally order U.S. and NATO forces to break away from fights with militants hiding in Afghan houses so the …

Written by Sean Linnane on Tuesday June 23, 2009

GOP's New Financial Plan a Winner

To be successful, it seems obvious that the GOP needs to be more than just the party of ‘no’. Thankfully, the situation may be improving. Last week, the Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee released a policy plan for reforming the financial regulatory system. …

Written by Tim Mak on Tuesday June 23, 2009

How President Obama Blew Health Care and What to Do About It

In their heart of hearts, few in the Obama administration would have predicted late last year that they would be this well positioned by June to achieve a major victory on health care. As the economy faltered, and attention focused on Wall Street and Detroit, it seemed unthinkable that …

Written by David Gratzer on Tuesday June 23, 2009

Standing Rules of Rogers' Rangers

Rogers' Rangers was an unconventional fighting force stood up in the (then) British Colonies of North America, to fight the French and their Indian allies in the Seven Years War, a.k.a. the French and Indian War. Modern US Special Forces and Ranger units trace their lineage directly to this …

Written by Sean Linnane on Sunday June 21, 2009

Obama's Next Target: The CIA

The Obama administration is preparing a grand downgrading of the Central Intelligence Agency’s lead role in the war on terror. The administration is contemplating expanding the FBI and Justice Department’s role in global counter-terrorism operations. In addition, National Intelligenc…

Written by Elise Cooper on Sunday June 21, 2009

Emailing While Racist

Racism is alive and well and brewing in the Republican party. Newscoma.com reported on its blog that Sherri Goforth, legislative aid to Tennessee State Senator Diane Black (R-Gallatin), emailed this photo - “Historical Keepsake Photo” - to “ the wrong list …

Written by Crystal Wright on Friday June 19, 2009

David Frum and Flynt Leverett Discuss the Crisis in Iran

Flynt Leverett, senior fellow at the New America Foundation, and I discuss the Iranian election and the implications for President Obama on Bloggingheads.tv. You can see the video here .

Written by David Frum on Friday June 19, 2009

Democracy in Albany 2

The past week and a half in Albany has been one for the history books. Not because of any major legislation the Republicans would’ve introduced after their surprise Senate takeover ; quite the contrary. As a result of span> the June …

Written by Tom Qualtere on Friday June 19, 2009

New Polls: Obama May Be Human After All

Despite solid overall approval ratings, recent polls show dwindling support for President Barack Obama’s focus on health care reform—and instead underscore the public’s concern for the snowballing budget deficit. A new Wall Street Journal /NBC poll, released June 17, …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Thursday June 18, 2009

David Frum Reviews Liaquat Ahameds "Lords Of Finance"

Just added a new review of Liaquat Ahamed's Lords of Finance in the FF Bookclub. It opens: Americans do not easily imagine the Great Depression as a global event. Yet if asked for a short answer to the question, “What caused the Depression,” the best reply would be: “th…

Written by David Frum on Thursday June 18, 2009

The Real Loser of the Iran Election: Obama

President Obama is right not to talk too much about Iran. Words of support from an American president cannot much help the protesters – and may hurt them, by exciting nationalist feelings the regime can exploit against them. Worse, such words stake the credibility of the United …

Written by David Frum on Thursday June 18, 2009

Clubbing Judges

Some Republicans are criticizing Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor for belonging to a women’s organization called the “ Belizean Grove .” This organization, apparently made up primarily of “wise Latinas” is a place to relax and spend time with like-minded people …

Written by John Vecchione on Thursday June 18, 2009

Obama & Gay Benefits

The Gay Patriot blog pauses between excoriating President Obama on Iran to applaud him for signing this afternoon a memorandum on gay partner benefits. The blog's unusual positive response to the president tells something about the very high level of support within the gay community for these …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday June 17, 2009

The Moussaoui Transcripts

In connection with my article “ Wannabe Martyrs? Zacarias Moussaoui and the Gitmo Five ” , NewMajority is making available here the complete transcripts of Zacarias Moussaoui’s testimony at his 2006 trial. Moussaoui took the stand twice during the trial: first on March 27 and …

Written by John Rosenthal on Tuesday June 16, 2009

Obamacare: Haven't We Learned Anything?

In yesterday’s speech to the American Medical Association , President Obama argued that the collapse of General Motors demonstrated the need for his wholesale reform of America’s health care system. In yesterday’s speech to the American Medical Association , President Obama argued that the …

Written by Henry Clay on Tuesday June 16, 2009