Entries

Make Schumer and Pelosi Defend Tax Deductions for the Rich

Michael Barone points out the three big tax deductions which are hard to eliminate: the charitable deduction, the home mortgage interest deduction, and the state and local tax deduction. I agree with him that elimination of the charitable deduction is wrong for Republicans. Home mortgage …

Written by John Vecchione on Tuesday November 22, 2011

Today's Most Controversial Article

And I thought I published a controversial article today. Now I'm completely bested by Mrs Frum's HuffPost entry: " Bartender, a Dirty Martini With a Tampon!"

Written by David Frum on Monday November 21, 2011

Super Failure

“Failure is not an option.” “Well, maybe it is.” Such sums up the work of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (JSC) formed last August with the task of finding $1.2-1.5 trillion in deficit savings during the next decade. Some sort of cobbled-together semi-deal may emerge from …

Written by Steve Bell on Monday November 21, 2011

Face it Buchanan, America is Changing

In British tradition there is a one-line statement that announces the passing of a monarch: “The King is dead. Long live the King.” A political institution with a 1500 year history spanning war, conquest, and in several instances its own apparent extinction, can afford to take a little bad …

Written by Chris Ladd on Monday November 21, 2011

Why Spain Turned Right

In my column for CNN, I explain why the conservatives were able to win in the Spanish elections: Signing up for a monetary union with Germany created a temporary illusion of wealth for the people of Spain. The German economy is much more productive than the Spanish economy. One way a less …

Written by David Frum on Monday November 21, 2011

Yes, You Can Get an Affordable Education

Noah Kristula-Green and David Frum have written articles in the past week about the high cost of college tuition and its linkage to student loan debt. Noah aptly points out that one way affluent parents can pass along wealth to their children is by paying for college so their children won't have …

Written by Mark R. Yzaguirre on Monday November 21, 2011

College, Schmollage

I am already fretting about where my four year old will go to college. David Frum , also touring colleges with his son, is even more worried than I am. My parents worried like crazy over where my sister and I would go to college. There’s a good argument that all of this is a waste of energy. …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Monday November 21, 2011

Die-Hard Occupiers Stay for the Meetings

I had made plans to go to New York to see the "Occupy" encampment at Zuccotti Park before the NYPD broke it up on November 15th. This didn't stop me from stopping by on Saturday November 19th; I was curious to see how the movement would adapt to not being allowed to have tents in the park. The …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Monday November 21, 2011

Res Judicata: Union Wages Hold Back Job Growth

The Department of Labor recently enacted a new rule requiring employers to post a notice advising employees of some of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. I say some, because the notice gives a one-sided presentation. Employees are told only what unions want them to know: they …

Written by Howard Foster on Monday November 21, 2011

Where's My Party?

Last month, New York magazine challenged me to answer the question: Why are the other Republicans so mad at you? What's the argument about--and how's it going? They allowed me generous space for an answer, which you can read here .

Written by David Frum on Sunday November 20, 2011

Why the Euro Can't Afford to Lose Italy

No relationship in Europe is more complex or dangerous than the relationship between the EU and the Eurozone. The EU contains 27 countries. Only 17 of them use the Euro. The economic impact of the Euro on non-Euro countries is obvious. Now consider the political effect. Current voting …

Written by Jeff Cimbalo on Sunday November 20, 2011

Stereotypes Get Challenged on `All American Muslim'

As we noted last week, TLC recently premiered a multi-part documentary miniseries on the lives of All-American Muslims (airing Sunday nights at 10pm Eastern/Pacific), looking at the day-to-day lives of what is perhaps the last minority or religious group that its socially acceptable to (openly) …

Written by Telly Davidson on Saturday November 19, 2011

Fat and Unemployed is No Way to Live

‘Galatea’ is a columnist writing about her experience looking for work after her recent downsizing. Previous entries in her series can be strong> read here

Written by Galatea on Saturday November 19, 2011

Salute a Brave Man

In an atmosphere of intimidation and menace, Pakistan's democracy-minded ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, accepts a summons to return home. Let's hope that the Pakistani military understands very well how closely the US is watching for the safety of the ambassador and his family.

Written by David Frum on Friday November 18, 2011

The Republican Supercommittee Offer

Question for the supercommittee: Suppose the real purpose of this exercise is to frame the choice for 2012. Dems are offering the country a path to budget balance that relies heavily on tax increases. Republicans are offering a path that relies more heavily on spending cuts. OK, got it. If …

Written by David Frum on Friday November 18, 2011

So Crazy it Just Might Work

The Ontario government's competitiveness task force--chaired by the dean of the University of Toronto business school--has proposed lower tax rates for business investment, offset by a new carbon tax.

Written by David Frum on Friday November 18, 2011

Perry's Money Machine Sputters

Back in August, which was a couple of political lifetimes ago, I wrote a piece about Texas Governor Rick Perry's strong fundraising base, specifically his unique ability to access a key part of the GOP's fundraising base--wealthy Republicans in Texas. Well, it looks like that money machine is …

Written by Mark R. Yzaguirre on Friday November 18, 2011

Premature Euro-Skeptics

The New York Times' profile of Euro-skeptic Bernard Connolly--who warned early of the danger of creating a single currency for a polyglot continent--is one more reminder of the enduring force of the old common-law rule: truth is not only no defense; truth actually compounds libel. People …

Written by David Frum on Friday November 18, 2011

How Cyber Warfare Can Stop Iran

Eli Lake at the Daily Beast posts another of his amazing reports on super-secret spy stuff, this time on Israel's campaign of electronic sabotage of Iran's illicit nuclear program. Watching Eli pile up these scoops is starting to be like watching the New York Yankees pile up World Series …

Written by David Frum on Thursday November 17, 2011

What SOPA Says About Congress

Although I did have a brief and not-so-glorious career with a big IT firm, I probably don’t qualify as an expert on the exact consequences of the new intellectual property bill--called either SOPA or PROTECT IP- -that’s currently moving through Congress. That said, I do think it’s important …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday November 17, 2011