Overview for The Week Archive

The Debt Deal's Biggest Losers

In my new column for The Week I discuss who has lost the most in the new debt deal: The first and most obvious loser: National security. The economist Herb Stein used to advocate a simple model of federal budgeting: a) Decide how much it costs to defend the country. b) Pay for it. …

Written by David Frum on Thursday August 4, 2011

Do You Believe in Magic?

My new column in the Week (misattributed a few minutes ago to my estimable Week editor, Ben Frumin, no relation) praises the Boehner plan for its artful use of smoke and mirrors. Tea Party Republicans confront a party establishment unanimously representing the Boehner plan as a huge …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday July 27, 2011

Government Spending: Better Than No Spending

In my column for The Week , I write about how even wasteful government spending is better then no spending at all: Government spending is often wasteful. But it's still spending. When the Department of Waste, Fraud & Abuse buys toothpicks for the office cafeteria, that money is …

Written by David Frum on Thursday July 21, 2011

Signs of Good News in the Recovery

The economy is currently very weak, but as I write in my column for The Week, there are some signs of good news. The economy is currently very weak, but as I write in my column for The Week , there are some signs of good news. It's been a summer of bad news: Bad job news, bad housing news, …

Written by David Frum on Thursday July 14, 2011

Democrats Should Offer to Extend the Bush Tax Cuts

In my column for The Week, I argue that Democrats can get a deal on the debt ceiling if they offer to bring back to the Bush tax cuts. In my column for The Week , I argue that Democrats can get a deal on the debt ceiling if they offer to bring back to the Bush tax cuts: Here's one Democrati…

Written by David Frum on Wednesday July 6, 2011

Free Conrad Black

One of the remarkable things about Conrad Black's trial is that even his fiercest detractors are paying tribute to the man's character. In my column for The Week I argue against the recent decision to send Conrad Black back to prison: Of all the ugly aspects of the American prosecutorial …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday June 29, 2011

Ending UK Lawfare Against Israelis

A hero of the Entebbe raid was threatened with arrest in the UK. So was a former Israeli Foreign Minister. Their alleged crimes? Doing their duty to protect their country. Israeli politicians and soldiers have repeatedly been threatened with arrest in the United Kingdom in recent years because …

Written by David Frum on Thursday June 23, 2011

Conservative Media's Pay-To-Play Deals

We're not talking about commercials, separated from editorial content. Heritage Foundation work is embedded into the editorial flow of Limbaugh's show. Why are conservatives so ready to accept behaviors in their own media that they themselves would damn as outrageous if they occurred in non-conser…

Written by David Frum on Wednesday June 15, 2011

America's Debt Bill Comes Due

Politicians are jockeying for position as the bill comes due on our gaping national debt. But without an agreement soon, we'll all be stuck with the check. Politicians are jockeying for position as the bill comes due on our gaping national debt. As I explain in my latest column for The Week …

Written by David Frum on Thursday June 9, 2011

The Huntsman-Pawlenty RINO War

Two slick new ads attacking Jon Huntsman and Tim Pawlenty as reasonable moderates show just how divorced from reality today's GOP is. Two slick new ads are out attacking Jon Huntsman and Tim Pawlenty as reasonable moderates. As I point out in my latest column for The Week , these ads show just …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday June 1, 2011

A Get Rich Slow Scheme

A cheap dollar is no fun for Americans, but as my latest column for The Week points out: it may bring us out of our recession. A cheap dollar is no fun for Americans, but as my latest column for The Week points out: it may bring us out of our recession. Work more. Save more. Export more. …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday May 18, 2011

What the GOP Can Learn from Canada's Conservatives

Canada's right wing won control of parliament this month — but their strategy on immigration and Tea Party-types wouldn't work in the United States. American conservatives are looking at Canada's Conservative Party election win for lessons. But as my latest column for The Week points out, it's …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday May 11, 2011

Bin Laden Raid Is Obama's Victory

If bin Laden's assassination had gone badly, President Obama would have been blamed. That's why he gets the credit. The story goes that after the Bay of Pigs disaster, President Kennedy placed a call to CIA director Allen Dulles. Kennedy supposedly said: "If we lived in a parliamentary system, and …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday May 4, 2011

Ryan's Budget Gives Obama What He Wants

The Republican plan to cut taxes and slash government health care spending gives the president prime opportunities for political victory. “Whatever you do, don’t serve to his backhand.” “Don’t be nervous. I have the new Ryan serve. It’s bold!” “Trust me on this. Don’t serve to his backhand.” …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday April 13, 2011

A Budget That Can't Budge

The Ryan Plan won't become law. So what's it for? What is the much-discussed Paul Ryan plan ? You probably know the plan’s main elements: A huge cut in Medicaid, a big cut in the value of future Medicare coverage for those under age 55, substantial cuts in discretionary domestic spending, …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday April 6, 2011

The Real Libya Policy Obama Won't Admit

President Obama’s campaign in Libya may be the most deceptively sold U.S. military policy since World War II. And people say George W. Bush lied about Iraq! President Obama’s campaign in Libya may be the most deceptively sold U.S. military policy since Franklin Roosevelt’s “all aid short of …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday March 30, 2011

Cut Medicare for the Richer, Not the Younger

Paul Ryan's budget ideas make a lot of sense. But there's one problem: why load more burdens on those under 40? Paul Ryan's advance previews of his budget ideas make a lot of sense. But they are missing one important piece. Here's the Wisconsin Congressman, head of the House Budget …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday March 16, 2011

The GOP's Healthcare Dilemma

Coverage for all: We do it, why not say it? If I were working for a 2012 Republican presidential aspirant, I’d be preparing now for this debate question: "Governor/Senator: Do you believe that the federal government should ensure that all Americans can buy an affordable health-insurance …

Written by David Frum on Thursday January 20, 2011

What the American Right Can Learn from Canada's

As Canadian conservatives have moved toward inclusion and policy seriousness, American conservatives are following a very different path. Five years of Conservative government in Ottawa. It's a great achievement, and not Stephen Harper's achievement alone. It's an achievement for which …

Written by David Frum on Saturday January 15, 2011

A Realistic Plan for Reforming the Health Care Act

Next week, Republicans in the House will vote to repeal Democratic health reform. Then the act will proceed to the Senate, where nothing will happen. What then? Next week, Republicans in the House of Representatives will vote to repeal Democratic health reform. Promise kept! Then the "Repeal-th…

Written by David Frum on Thursday January 6, 2011