Entries
Election Day Downer for Republicans
The Republican theory of 2010 has been that the party does not need a positive agenda. That theory may yet prove correct in November. But it took a nasty knock Tuesday night. My latest column for The Week looks at what went wrong for the GOP on election night. It’s hard to say which is worse: …End Deductions for Local Taxes
If they want to avoid across-the-board tax hikes and steep cuts in programs, both liberals and conservatives should be willing to back an end to federal deductions for state and local taxes. If they want to avoid across-the-board tax hikes and avoid steep cuts in defense and entitlement programs, …GOP Falls Short in PA-12
The GOP's loss in the special election to fill Pennsylvania's 12th congressional seat is a reminder that the new quasi-Tea Party Republican party still has to learn how to translate popular discontent into electoral victory. Yesterday, I predicted that Republican Tim Burns – given the national …Obama's Regulation Czar Under Fire
Many conservatives who supported the appointment of Cass Sunstein to lead OIRA -- the agency which conducts cost-benefit analysis on federal regulations -- are now worried that he will not be able to stem the administration's excessive government regulations. The New York Times Magazine had a …Obama's Chicago Bank Bailout
There are reports that a coalition of Wall Street banking giants are coming together to prop up the Chicago based ShoreBank, a bank with more than a few connections with the Obama Administration. We all know that President Obama likes Chicago. But is a Chicago based bank getting preferential …Did You Hear the One About Elton John?
The media were quick to report on Noam Chomsky being (temporarily) barred from Israel. Very few Western outlets though have reported the news that pop star Elton John was recently banned from Egypt. You know all about Noam Chomsky being (temporarily) barred from Israel? You may or may not have …Rand Paul's Wealthy Base
The results of last night’s Kentucky GOP Senate primary suggest that Rand Paul had a stronger appeal among affluent voters then low income voters, raising questions of just where Paul’s “Tea Party” and anti-incumbent appeal lies. The results of last night’s Kentucky GOP Senate primary suggest that …
Eli Lake: UN Sanctions Target Revolutionary Guard Corps
Eli Lake reports that the U.N. Security Council resolution which places sanctions on Iran targets the Revolutionary Guard Corps: One official familiar with the U.N. sanctions draft said, "It is focused on the Revolutionary Guard Corps [IRGC]. It looks at the areas from shipping to banking to …
The GOP Establishment Isn't Dead Yet
Political observers should not misinterpret Rand Paul’s victory as a sign of a Tea Party wave crashing down upon mainstream, “establishment” Republicans. In truth, opponent Trey Grayson's inexperience hurt his candidacy as much as any Tea Party surge. Throughout Rand Paul’s victorious Republican …Conneticut Senate Race Becomes Statistical Tie
Linda McMahon's campaign has released information that shows that the Connecticut senate race is tightening: The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Connecticut finds Blumenthal with just a three-point advantage over Linda McMahon, 48% to 45%. Two weeks ago, he led …
Listen: Frum on the Anti-Incumbent Mood and Elections
On the radio show The Takeaway , David Frum spoke about what last night's primaries meant and foreshadowed: This time we have reasoned grounds for anti-incumbent feelings that we haven't had in a while. Click here to listen to more.
Dyche: Paul Win Is Loss for McConnell
At Politico.com, John David Dyche weighs in on Rand Paul's Kentucky primary victory: The Rand Paul victory was even more convincing than expected. I thought his acceptance speech was extremely interesting in that it was wholly a national speech with national themes and quite honestly, echoing …
Paul Reportedly Refused to Take Grayson's Phone Call
Defeated Kentucky GOP Senate candidate Trey Grayson's campaign manager claims that Rand Paul refused to receive a phone call from Grayson on election night. After winning Kentucky's Republican primary Tuesday night, Bowling Green ophthalmologist Rand Paul refused to take the call of congratulat…
Stacy McCain: Murthanomics Triumphs
At the American Spectator Online, Robert Stacy McCain examines Democrat Mark Critz's win in Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district: More than anything else, the election of Critz demonstrates the enduring appeal of Murthanomics. As I defined the term three weeks ago , under Murthanomi…
Kagan’s Radical Jurisprudence
Elena Kagan's position on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is far more outside the mainstream of Anglo-American tradition and jurisprudence than any decision ever issued by the United States Supreme Court. One controversial item in the record of Solicitor General Elena Kagan is her position regarding the …It's a Randslide
The Kentucky GOP Senate primary ended with tea party favorite Rand Paul blowing by establishment-backed Trey Grayson. The question for Paul now is whether he can withstand the Democrats attacks in the general election. The Kentucky GOP Senate primary ended in a ‘Randslide’ Tuesday evening, with …Is California the Next Greece?
California, like Greece, has run out of options. Fortunately, America has no better laboratory for how to deal with California's budget crisis than watching how the eurozone will deal with Greece. Last December, the Los Angeles County Chief Economist, Jack Kyser, said “no one really knows what …Rand Paul's Troubling Victory
Rand Paul's victory in the Kentucky GOP primary is a depressing event for those who support a strong national defense and rational conservative politics. Rand Paul's victory in the Kentucky Republican primary is obviously a depressing event for those who support strong national defense and …Weigel: How Rand Paul Won in Kentucky
At the Washington Post , David Weigel provides his explanation for how Rand Paul was able to win the Kentucky Senate primary: Yes, Paul rode a wave of voter anger and tea party enthusiasm and won over Republican voters who wanted to register their disgust at the political establishment in …