Entries

Will Campaign Cash Influence Financial Reform?

The connection between campaign contributions and public policy is more subtle than most cynics acknowledge. But as the Senate considers reform of the financial system, the opportunities -- and motives -- for abuse are mounting. As the Senate opens a debate on financial reform, let’s consider …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday November 11, 2009

America Ends Love Affair with the SUV

Do America's highways look different to you? They should. Under the Cash for Clunkers program that ran through the spring and summer, almost 700,000 old vehicles were destroyed. Do America's highways look different to you? They should. Under the Cash for Clunkers program that ran through the …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday November 11, 2009

Obama at Fort Hood

A fine eulogy, with a deftly written condemnation of the alleged shooter's presumed radical Islamic motives. It almost makes up for the president's weird "shout-out" preface to his first statement on the shooting. A fine eulogy, with a deftly written condemnation of the alleged shooter's …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday November 10, 2009

Afghans Don't Trust Their Own Government

The results of a recently released Gallup poll suggest that the Afghan democracy project is going worse than expected. 8 in 10 Afghans believe their country is riddled with widespread corruption and more than half don’t think Karzai is doing enough to address it. The results of a recently released …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Tuesday November 10, 2009

Scozzafava - The Verb

What's wrong with upstate New York Republicans? Is this what happens when you sink into minority status in your state - you just cease attracting political talent that knows how to play the game? What's wrong with upstate New York Republicans? The eventual conservative favorite, Doug Hoffman, …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday November 10, 2009

The Hasan Revelations

Can we stop taking our shoes off now? The recent revelations about Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan raise the unhappy thought that what we've been doing these past 8 years isn't security. It's security theater. Can we stop taking our shoes off now? The Hasan revelations raise the unhappy …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday November 10, 2009

How Republicans Win in Westchester

In Westchester County, New York, Republican candidate John Cronin rode to a big win by presenting himself as moderate, focusing on the issues and addressing issues the GOP often ignores. North Castle , NY is 43% Democrat, 34% Republican and the rest non-affiliated or independent. Yet Republican …

Written by FF Washington Insider on Monday November 9, 2009

Funding Obamacare on the Backs of the Middle Class

The Senate Finance Committee's health reform bill features a provision which would reduce tax deductions for out of pocket medical costs and raise the financial burden on middle class families. The Senate Finance Committee version of the healthcare bill has a hidden provision that will hurt every …

Written by Elise Cooper on Monday November 9, 2009

New York Dems Turn on Paterson

When Democratic New York Gov. David Paterson called for a special legislative session this week to address the state's crippling budget woes, state Democrats initially threatened to boycott. The complete lack of respect for the state's top elected official by members of his own party does not bode …

Written by Richard Brownell on Monday November 9, 2009

Terror Threat Blurs the Rules of War

On Nov. 4, an Italian court convicted 23 CIA operatives in the kidnapping of an Egyptian terror suspect. As courts intrude into national security matters, Western security services will likely resort to more discreet - but not necessarily more legal - counter-terrorism methods. On Nov. 4, an …

Written by Jean Granville on Monday November 9, 2009

Ship Carries Memory of 9/11

The Navy's newest vessel, the U.S.S. New York , carries seven and a half tons of steel from the World Trade Center in its bow. The Navy's newest vessel, the U.S.S. New York , was commissioned last weekend in New York City, with over 6,000 people in attendance. The San Antonio -class …

Written by Richard Brownell on Monday November 9, 2009

The Lawyers Win One

Small but sophisticated interest groups use big political battles to gain special advantages. My column on CNN.com details the trial bar's successful insertion of anti-tort-reform measures into the House health bill. My column on CNN.com details the trial bar's successful insertion of …

Written by David Frum on Monday November 9, 2009

Our Muslim Allies

The enemy seeks to drive a wedge between our Muslim allies and us, to divide us, and to inspire all the Muslims to rise up against us. If we buy into it, they win. On 6 November, in the aftermath of the Fort Hood murders, FrumForum posted pictures of the headstones of decorated American soldiers …

Written by Sean Linnane on Monday November 9, 2009

Obamacare Could Ban Abortion

As part of the deal-making to pass healthcare, conservative Democrats joined House Republicans in passing the anti-abortion Stupak amendment. This will almost certainly mean no abortion coverage in the insurance policies more and more women will have to buy. As part of the deal-making to pass …

Written by David Frum on Monday November 9, 2009

Trial Lawyers Could Win Bonanza in Health Care Reform

Small but sophisticated interest groups use big political battles to gain special advantages. Health care reform is, of course, the biggest battle of them all, with trillions of dollars at stake. On Saturday night with the House vote in favor of the health reform bill, the trial lawyers sliced …

Written by David Frum on Monday November 9, 2009

Name that Decade!

How will the '00s be remembered? It began with 9/11 and ended with twin real estate and banking crashes. Last week, our nation’s most celebrated investor put his chips behind a railroad – a technology that preceded the Information Age by three generations of googlers. I’m willing to bet that …

Written by Michael Toth on Sunday November 8, 2009

Should Pelosi Thank Club for Growth?

Without the win in NY-23, the Dems would only have had 219 votes and only a three vote margin in last night's health bill vote. Can at least two of the other "yes" votes be attributed to the Club for Growth knocking out moderate Republicans? When Pelosi went out of her way to have a big vote on a …

Written by Andrew Pavelyev on Sunday November 8, 2009

Obama and California Republicans

A new L.A. Times poll takes an interesting temperature reading of Cal Republicans' feelings about the president. Offered a choice of five terms - "pride," "hope," "disappointment," "anxiety," and "anger," only 21% of Republicans in the state chose the maximal answer, "anger." A new L.A. …

Written by David Frum on Sunday November 8, 2009

Mission Accomplished?

If the House bill survives in anything like its present form, the U.S. government will soon be in the business of decreeing health care prices. That’s what the whole debate over the “public option” has been about from the start: price control. That’s a dangerously premature victory celebration the …

Written by David Frum on Sunday November 8, 2009

Where Giants Have Walked

On Saturday, shortly before passing HR 3962, the health-reform bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi commented that Democrats are walking “where giants have walked” in completing major legislation. On Saturday, shortly before passing HR 3962, the health-reform bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi …

Written by David Gratzer on Saturday November 7, 2009