Entries

Has AIG Learned Anything?

AIG's decision to pay a $146.5 million fine to settle claims it cheated state-run funds is further evidence the troubled giant hasn't changed its ways. Even as it becomes apparent that a massive three-year injection of public sector dollars will probably allow onetime financial giant AIG to …

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Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday December 23, 2010

Elites Score Big in Lame Duck Congress

This lame duck session, Congress and the President adopted a legislative package tailor-made to earn the approval of elites from both parties. In the lame duck session, Congress kept the Bush tax cuts for the upper brackets, passed START, repealed DADT and scotched the DREAM Act. Congress also …

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Written by Lloyd Green on Thursday December 23, 2010

United States of Obesity

A new map gives us a look at America's fattest states. Here's the map ... (h/t Bill Easterly) Tweet

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Written by David Frum on Thursday December 23, 2010

Chinese Prez to Visit White House

Chinese Prez to Visit White House The Hill reports: Chinese leader Hu Jintao will visit President Obama in Washington on Jan. 19, the White House announced. This will be the third formal state visit of Obama's time in office, and the president plans to welcome his Chinese …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Robertson: De-Criminalize Pot

Robertson: De-Criminalize Pot The Washington Post reports: The 700 Club, a Christian talk show program hosted by staunch conservative Pat Robertson, is not the place you'd expect to find sympathy for the marijuana-legalization movement. But that's exactly what happened this week …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Scrooge v Santa

I'm spending Christmas week in Canada, and on my first evening in Toronto I noticed something very different: Christmas decorations. Lots of them. I'm spending Christmas week in Canada, and on my first evening in Toronto I noticed something very different: Christmas decorations. Lots of them. …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday December 23, 2010

GOP Cracks the Dems' Minority Firewall

There's still much work to do, but in 2010 the Republican Party took important steps to winning over minority voters. Jim Geraghty is noting the elected Democrats who are now switching to the GOP at the state level.  This is occurring across the country and not only in the South.     Kansas and …

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Written by John Vecchione on Thursday December 23, 2010

Bombs Hit Embassies in Rome

Bombs Hit Embassies in Rome The Globe and Mail reports: A pair of package bombs exploded at the Swiss and Chilean embassies in Rome on Thursday, injuring the two people who opened them, police and news reports said. There was no claim of responsibility but authorities discounted …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Mukasey: Free Pollard

Mukasey: Free Pollard The Jerusalem Post reports: Former US attorney-general Michael Mukasey sent a letter to US President Barack Obama, released Wednesday, calling for Jonathan Pollard's sentence to be commuted to time served: "[Pollard] has not been alleged by anyone to have had …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

B of A Preps for WikiLeaks Release

B of A Preps for WikiLeaks Release The FT reports: Hundreds of website addresses that disparage Bank of America executives and board members have been registered in recent days in an apparent effort to protect the bank and its senior leaders, according to internet companies who …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Car Crashes on Bush's Lawn

Car Crashes on Bush's Lawn Politico reports: Former President George W. Bush had an unexpected and unwanted pre-Christmas surprise Wednesday night when a car crashed on the lawn of his suburban Dallas home. Though officials initially classified the incident as an “executive …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Rahm Gets on Mayoral Ballot

Rahm Gets on Mayoral Ballot Chicago Sun-Times reports: Former White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel early Thursday survived the pivotal first round of a residency challenge that will determine whether his name remains on the ballot for mayor of Chicago. “The name of Rahm …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

N. Korea Threatens 'Sacred War' with Nukes

N. Korea Threatens 'Sacred War' with Nuclear Weapons Reuters reports: North Korea warned on Thursday of a "sacred war" against the South using its nuclear deterrent as South Korean President Lee Myung-bak vowed a "merciless counterattack" if southern territory is attacked again. …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Hamas Ramps Up Rocket Attacks

Israel is again on edge after a spate of rocket attacks launched from the Gaza Strip. Will the international community prevent Israel from defending itself? On the 2 nd Anniversary of the Gaza War, the Israel-Gaza border is again on edge following a spate of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip …

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Written by Arsen Ostrovsky on Thursday December 23, 2010

Fund: The Left's Net Neutrality Coup

Fund: The Left's Net Neutrality Coup John Fund writes in the Wall Street Journal : The Federal Communications Commission's new "net neutrality" rules, passed on a partisan 3-2 vote yesterday, represent a huge win for a slick lobbying campaign run by liberal activist groups and …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Alaska Supreme Court Rules Against Miller

Alaska Supreme Court Rules Against Miller Anchorage Daily News reports : The Alaska Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled unanimously on all counts against Joe Miller’s challenge of last month’s U.S. Senate election, saying Miller’s interpretation of the law would erode the …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Wikileaks Starts Working with Russian Paper

Wikileaks Starts Working with Russian Paper Bloomberg reports : Novaya Gazeta , the Moscow newspaper controlled by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and billionaire Alexander Lebedev , said it agreed to join forces with WikiLeaks to expose corruption in Russia. …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Gitmo Unlikely to be Closed

Gitmo Unlikely to be Closed Politico reports : Nestled among a string of improbable victories President Barack Obama racked up in the lame-duck Congressional session is legislation containing the most debilitating setback to date to his plan to close the military prison at Guantanam…

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

GOP Prepares New House Rules

GOP Prepares New House Rules Politico reports : The new House Republican majority will force lawmakers to vote when they want to raise the nation's debt ceiling, publish committee attendance records, keep former members from lobbying in the House gym and require new mandatory …

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Written by FrumForum News on Thursday December 23, 2010

Give Them Something to Say

The Republican presidential candidates need a good script to win over the public in 2012. By tradition, the next presidential election begins in the weeks after the last congressional election. I'm happily participating in the tradition myself by publicly speculating about possible candidates . …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday December 23, 2010