Overview for News

Hold Off on Pointless Baseball Trades

Alan Schwarz recently centered a wise and touching piece in the New York Times on his five year old son’s reaction to the Mets’ trade of pitcher, Francisco Rodriguez. Traumatized by the sudden loss of his favorite player, whom the Mets claimed they could not afford, the poor boy offered …

Written by Alan Hirsch on Friday July 29, 2011

The Prowl: Caught in the Crossfire of a Beer Fight

After a client dinner on Thursday night, my coworkers and I decided to stop for a drink together. After a week in which all of our clients decided to lose their respective minds (I might actually dislike all of them), a mellowing agent was desperately needed. Yes, needed. Shortly after we …

Written by Vivian Darkbloom on Friday July 29, 2011

Boehner's New Plan - Even Deader

A few thoughts on the implications of Boehner adding a "Balanced Budget Amendment" to his debt-ceiling bill (which would now require that Congress pass a BBA before a second debt-ceiling increase could take place early in 2012): Adding the BBA makes the bill very likely to pass the House. …

Written by Fred Bauer on Friday July 29, 2011

The Jerk Party

I’m not the first to make this comment , but the current debt limit debate shows what the Tea Party movement (which I once basically supported) really values: being a jerk. Speaker Boehner has a close-to-perfect voting record on conservative issues, is not terribly warm in person (heck, Newt …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Friday July 29, 2011

Al-Qaeda's Iranian Presence Should be a Greater Concern

Yesterday, the U.S. government formally announced what many of us have known for sometime: there is a direct connection between al-Qaeda and Iran. The Treasury Department sanctioned “six members of a terrorist network based in Iran" for serving as "the core pipeline through which al-Qaeda …

Written by Zac Morgan on Friday July 29, 2011

#Winning!

I listened to about 45 minutes of the first hour of Rush Limbaugh in the car today. The dominant theme of the hour, repeated over and over: "You" - meaning, Limbaugh listeners - are not "losers." It's Obama's who's a "loser." The word "loser" must have been repeated dozens of times, half as …

Written by David Frum on Friday July 29, 2011

GOP Should Act Like a Majority Party on Debt Limit

Upon hearing reports that Jim DeMint played a role in the House's failure to hold a vote last night on the Boehner Plan, I recalled an episode that occurred during the Reagan administration while the Republicans controlled the Senate. I was interning with none other than Senator Christopher Dodd …

Written by John Vecchione on Friday July 29, 2011

A Recovery Menaced By Dysfunctional Politics

In a time of fundamental uncertainty, what do we know for certain? No, that’s not a Yogi Berra kind of question. Timing of passage of an increase of some size in the national debt ceiling remains uncertain. Which side will blink first remains uncertain. Final form of the legislation …

Written by Steve Bell on Friday July 29, 2011

Debt Crisis? Really?

As of this morning, international investors stood ready to lend money to the US government for 10 years at a rate of 2.94%. They would lead for 2 years at a rate of 0.41%. And we're supposed to believe that it's markets that are forcing this borrowing crisis?

Written by David Frum on Friday July 29, 2011

Where is Huntsman's Passion?

It seemed a weirdly fitting protest. A single truck pulled an electronic billboard around and around the block. The billboard denounced Republicans for Environmental Protection - and their guest speaker, Gov. Jon Huntsman - as a "RINO stampede." The truck promoted a group called JunkScience.com, …

Written by David Frum on Friday July 29, 2011

GOP Goes Green for Huntsman

FrumForum attended the Republicans for Environmental Protection's Theodore Roosevelt Banquet on July 28, featuring a keynote address by presidential candidate, The Honorable Jon Huntsman, Jr., and a speech by Congressman Dave Reichert - who left the event early to join Congress in attempting to …

Written by Nicole Glass on Friday July 29, 2011

Does Canada's NDP Need Jack Layton?

I doubt there are many Canadians who don’t feel a pang of sympathy, even empathy, with the New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jack Layton as he fights a new bout against cancer. The oddity, even tragedy of his present situation, is that he’s at the peak of his career – he has almost iconic …

Written by Peter Worthington on Thursday July 28, 2011

This is Scary

Early this morning, I had breakfast with a member of Congress—a person I like, respect, have donated to in the past, will donate to in the future, and know isn’t crazy. This man shares at least 90 percent of my views. He’s not a Tea Party Caucus member but is a stalwart in the conservative …

Written by FF Washington Insider on Thursday July 28, 2011

Watch: O'Donnell Loses Temper with Norquist

Lawrence O'Donnell yells at Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, over the debt ceiling on MSNBC 's Morning Joe . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy

Written by Frum Forum Editors on Thursday July 28, 2011

The Cost of the Crisis

The forcing of a debt-ceiling crisis seems likely to have permanent consequences, even if it is settled before Default Day, reports Bloomberg News : Conviction that lawmakers will fail sent rates on bills due next month to the highest level since March 31, data compiled by Bloomberg show. …

Written by David Frum on Thursday July 28, 2011

How to Profit From the Debt Apocalypse

Those inclined to speculate can buy credit default swaps on US debt. Warning: the price has already reached a record high, reports the FT.

Written by David Frum on Thursday July 28, 2011

One Question for Boehner Plan Supporters

Jen Rubin at the Washington Post has 10 questions for critics of the Boehner plan. I have just one question for the plan's supporters. And it is: If the Boehner plan is adopted, exactly what has been accomplished from a Republican point of view that could not have been accomplished by …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday July 27, 2011

States Will Be Slammed by Default

A federal default could cascade through state governments, forcing tax increases and budget cuts on local taxpayers. Medicaid budgets could be slashed. Federal money for unemployment benefits could halt. State colleges could lose federal grants. The Pew Center on the States reports that …

Written by Nicole Glass on Wednesday July 27, 2011

Want to Start Your Own Business? Better Try France

Since Tocqueville, foreign observers have often helped the United States to see itself in a new light, and the British thinktank ResPublica seems to be continuing in that tradition as it prepares to set up an American branch. During a recent visit to FrumForum, ResPublica founder Phillip Blond …

Written by Ajay Ravichandran on Wednesday July 27, 2011

A Famous Victory

Look, I know that it's urgent that we all pretend to believe that the Boehner plan represents a famous victory for fiscal conservatism. My question probably comes under the heading of "too soon." But ... ... should the Boehner plan become law, what exactly has this debt ceiling showdown …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday July 27, 2011