Overview for News

Obamacare: One Year Later

Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the health reform bill. But in this past year there's been no progress on addressing the real crisis: high health costs. Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the Democrats' health reform bill. But in this past year little progress has been made on …

Written by Stanley Goldfarb on Thursday March 24, 2011

Terror Returns to Jerusalem

It’s shocking to see how quickly tensions escalate in Israel, and how easily a tenuous calm was shattered by Wednesday’s attack in downtown Jerusalem. It’s shocking to see how quickly tensions escalate in Israel, and how a tenuous calm was so quickly shattered by Wednesday’s terrorist attack in …

Written by Tim Mak on Thursday March 24, 2011

Fed Guidelines Won't End Prison Rape

The level of sexual abuse behind prison bars is a national scandal. Unfortunately, the federal guidelines proposed to deal with the problem don't go far enough. Almost eight years after Congress unanimously approved the first-ever federal law to crack down on prison rape and nine months after the …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday March 24, 2011

New G.I. Bill Chops Student Vet Benefits

Congress’ new G.I. bill seems more concerned with budget balancing than with actually helping our veterans. On August 1st, an update to the G.I. Bill will come into effect. Its most important provision though will do more to satisfy Congress’ sudden concern for budgetary restraint than actually …

Written by Armin Rosen on Thursday March 24, 2011

Libya & Yemen: The Next Al Qaeda Strongholds?

By concentrating so much American force in a remote place like Afghanistan, are we missing larger and nearer dangers in places like Libya and Yemen? Question: Why are we in Afghanistan? Answer: To prevent al Qaeda from reestablishing its safe havens in that country. Q: Why did …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday March 23, 2011

When I Met Elizabeth Taylor

It was something of a coup for me to get an exclusive interview with Liz Taylor when she visited Toronto in 1964. It was a long time ago, but the memories remain fresh. For me, two things about Elizabeth Taylor stand out: One, it was something of a coup to get an exclusive interview with …

Written by Peter Worthington on Wednesday March 23, 2011

Obama Takes Page from Wolfowitz's Playbook

Obama once dismissed Paul Wolfowitz as an "arm-chair weekend warrior." Now he's relying on his doctrine to make the case for intervening in Libya. In late February, as the Libyan crisis unfolded, former Undersecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz made an impassioned plea for the United States to …

Written by Tim Hodgson on Wednesday March 23, 2011

The Beltway's Libya Flip-Out

Like many, I find myself frustrated by Obama’s handling of the crisis in Libya, but even more upset with the critics -- from both right and left. I just can’t seem to help myself. I may be stubborn, stupid, or congenitally contrarian--or some combination of all three. I find myself having been …

Written by Les Francis on Wednesday March 23, 2011

Bad Soldiers or Bad Officers?

Der Spiegel has opened a can of worms by printing two photos of American soldiers grinning over the body of a dead Afghan. If it were only photographs of U.S. soldiers posing alongside a dead Afghan civilian, it might be bad taste, even repulsive, but it wouldn’t be that unusual. But …

Written by Peter Worthington on Tuesday March 22, 2011

Israel's Low-Profile Security Style

Before arriving in Israel, I imagined I would find a highly militarized state, with checkpoints and guns a common sight. The reality though is quite different. A final thought about Israel: there was certainly a lower level of security in the areas I visited than I would have expected. Before I …

Written by Tim Mak on Tuesday March 22, 2011

Do Politicos Need an Election Ethics Code?

It's no surprise political consultants are disparaged: increasingly, campaign tactics and rhetoric grow more coarse and more damaging to our institutions. Recently, members of the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) met in Washington, DC to meet, drink, eat and swap stories …

Written by Les Francis on Tuesday March 22, 2011

Obama's Libya Plan: What's the Endgame?

Obama says it is US "policy" that Qaddafi must go. Yet, Defense Secretary Gates says US operations in Libya will dwindle over the next few days. Does any of this add up? So Defense Secretary Bob Gates says the US opposes the division of Libya into autonomous zones. Yet US war aims do not …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday March 22, 2011

Why Did Obama Bypass Congress on Libya?

It's very strange and odd that Obama didn't seek congressional authorization before launching strikes on Libya. Will Congress make him regret the decision? It's very strange and odd that President Obama did not seek congressional authorization before launching strikes on Libya. In his mind, he …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 21, 2011

Pawlenty Aces His Screen Test

Tim Pawlenty's new exploratory committee video looks sleek and smart and modern, which is by the way how the Republican party ought to look. How much do I like this Tim Pawlenty exploratory video? I like it a lot. Let me count the ways: I like the way Pawlenty talks …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 21, 2011

France's Grudge Match with Qaddafi

Don't be surprised by Sarkozy’s leadership of the intervention in Libya. For years, France has been champing at the bit to send Qaddafi packing. Many commentators seem surprised by France’s enthusiastic leadership of the intervention in Libya. They should not be. It arguably makes perfect sense …

Written by Jonathan Foreman on Monday March 21, 2011

Is Palin Alienating Israel's GOP Friends?

It's tough for a Republican politician to lose friends by visiting Israel. Yet Sarah Palin is in danger of doing so. Sarah Palin is visiting Israel, a move which normally helps GOP candidates. But as my latest CNN column points out, by ignoring the Republican Jewish Coalition she may be writing …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 21, 2011

Israeli Town Vows to Rebuild After Fire

The Israeli town of Beit Oren was ravaged by the Mount Carmel fires last year. But despite the destruction, the town's residents are promising to rebuild. “The truth is that the Israeli way is not to do anything until a rope is around your neck,” says Ran Ronen, a respected member of Beit …

Written by Tim Mak on Monday March 21, 2011

The Arab League's No-Fly Flip-Flop

Has Obama’s failure to commit to regime change in Libya undermined Arab support for Operation Odyssey Dawn? Conservative commentators such as Contentions’ Abe Greenwald are understandably frustrated at the Arab League, which, apparently, was for the no-fly zone before it was against it. Or, …

Written by John Guardiano on Monday March 21, 2011

GOP's 2012 Budget: Dead on Arrival?

Anti-deficit stalwart, Rep. Paul Ryan, has pledged to start the markup of the FY2012 budget in early April. The plan should pass the House, but will Senate Dems back it? Apparently old-fashioned snail mail has made a comeback in the United States Senate. Two sets of letters roiled the fiscal …

Written by Steve Bell on Monday March 21, 2011

EU Pols Busted in Bribes for Bills Scandal

The EU's efforts towards more transparent government took another blow last week as two MEPs resigned after being caught accepting a bribe. The EU’s relationship with transparency has never been its forte in the past. Its track-record recently taking another beating as two EU MEPs (Slovenian …

Written by Robin Tim Weis on Monday March 21, 2011