Red Light Cameras: The Latest Govt Rip-Off
While many libertarian battles against perceived government overreach seem excessive, the campaign against red light cameras may be a winner. Libertarians have mobilized this year against perceived government over-reach. Some of the causes seem excessive: opposition to seatbelt laws and carbon …Senate Should be GOP's 2012 Priority
Here's some advice for the GOP: focus on the Senate in 2012. A big Senate pickup could advance a conservative agenda even with a Dem in the White House. Here’s some early advice to the Republican Party: focus on the Senate in 2012. The presidency probably isn’t winnable but a big pickup in the …Obama Dems Back Away From Big Government
Before his budget negotiations with the GOP, Obama's accepted an important fact: a large part of his base doesn't want to be tied down defending the welfare state. In a recent Washington Post piece Sally Kohn suggested that the liberal emphasis on tolerance as a social good has hampered the …On the Frontline With Ivory Coast's Rebels
Ivory Coast's civil war hit the headlines this week. The conflict actually began over a decade ago as a military pay mutiny. I know because I was there. The West African state of Cote d’Ivoire was in the news cycle this past week, where a six month power struggle culminated with French and UN …
Inhofe's Wild Flying
Ever wonder why Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) is so intractable in his insistence that global warming is a hoax? Ever wonder why Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) is so intractable in his insistence that global warming is a hoax? Thanks to a revealing incident that took place in Texas last fall and …How Hoyer and Boehner Saved the Deal
The passage of the FY11 budget is only one win, but Boehner and Hoyer's ability to cobble together the needed votes is a hopeful sign for budget battles to come. Those of us in politics need to be careful about overreacting to or over-interpreting a single event. As any sports fan knows, an …Ignatieff's Wink to Anti-Israel Voters
Liberal candidate Michael Ignatieff may not have mentioned Israel in this week's debate, but those who follow the issues closely saw signals of a return to Canada's old Mideast policies. Michael Ignatieff used this week’s English-language leaders debate to send dog whistle signals to anti-Israel …State Debt: Washington's Next Budget Headache?
As Capitol Hill takes a breather from the budget battles, here’s an overview of the unresolved debates and still-mounting spending skirmishes. Congress may have finally approved the FY11 budget this week, but the next battles have already begun. The deficit debate awaits a proposed centrist …GOP Freshmen Rally Behind Ryan Budget
The GOP allied behind Ryan's budget Friday. Yet amongst freshmen members, many who voted for the Ryan plan were also expressed support for the more aggressive RSC plan. The Republican Conference rallied around Rep. Paul Ryan budget plan this afternoon and approved the framework for the 2012 fiscal …The Prowl: Sleeping Your Way to the Top
I know a lobbyist rumored to be sleeping her way to success. I'd never copy her, but my crush on a staffer has shown me how easily the lines of professionalism can blur. I have a crush on a Hill staffer. This is something I would never do anything about, as I’m still fairly enraptured by my nice …The Fat Diaries: Boot the Brown Bag Lunch Ban
A public school in Chicago has instituted a ban on lunches from home. But is dissing parents really the way to push healthy eating? If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding, if you don't eat yer meat? - Pink Floyd, Another Brick in the Wall …