Entries

No More Bribes for Homeowners

The disappointing September jobs report has re-ignited talk about a second stimulus package. Amongst the proposals: renewing the $8,000 first-time homebuyers tax credit. The tax credit though is straight out of the same pool of bad ideas that gave us the misbegotten “cash for clunkers” program. …

Written by Douglas Holtz-Eakin on Monday October 5, 2009

Cornel West's Heartbreak

The next time somebody tells you that the Obama administration is a haven for Afro-Marxists, you might want to remember that it's most important economic policymaker is the man who fired Cornel West. The next time somebody tells you that the Obama administration is a haven for Afro-Marxists, you …

Written by David Frum on Sunday October 4, 2009

What if Obama Knew Chicago Would Lose?

Insider loves a good conspiracy theory as much as anyone else, so here’s one: What if the White House actually knew beforehand that Chicago was going to lose its Olympic bid? Pretty sad picture of President Obama and Michelle and Jacques Rogge of the International Olympic Committee …

Written by FF Washington Insider on Saturday October 3, 2009

Economic Alarms

My column in today's "National Post" carries an unfortunately overstated headline, "America's Private-Sector Era is Over." Not exactly! But in the second quarter of the year, the U. S. private economy continued its horrifying downward trajectory. My column in today's National Post carries an …

Written by David Frum on Saturday October 3, 2009

Why Are Gays Liberals?

Why have so many gay voters prioritized their identity over all other issues? I simply do not care much about the marriage issue. Why is it that to me the Afghanistan war and an economic recession seem to be of obviously greater national relevance? With apologies to Norman Podhoretz, I must tackle …

Written by Alex Knepper on Saturday October 3, 2009

America's Private Sector Era is Over

The U. S. private economy continued its horrifying downward trajectory in the second quarter of the year. Private investment in everything except housing dropped 9.6%. The great thing about the Obama administration is that it's full of former academics. Of all the world's occupations, academics …

Written by David Frum on Saturday October 3, 2009

The Chicago Way?

A friend writes to remind that there was a time when the Daley family NEVER lost a vote. Maybe Chicago would have done better if the Daleys had taken care to do the counting? A friend writes to remind that there was a time when the Daley family NEVER lost a vote. Maybe Chicago would have done …

Written by David Frum on Friday October 2, 2009

No Olympics for Chicago?

A flash report from Politico says that Chicago was eliminated as host of the 2016 Olympics in first round voting. The rejection of the president's suit is a humiliating rebuff. For all the talk of this White House's Chicago Way toughness, in the clinch it reveals itself credulous, placating, …

Written by David Frum on Friday October 2, 2009

Brooks Nails It

From David Brooks' column today: "The rise of Beck, Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and the rest has correlated almost perfectly with the decline of the G.O.P. But it’s not because the talk jocks have real power. It’s because they have illusory power, because Republicans hear the media mythology and fall …

Written by David Frum on Friday October 2, 2009

The Plan

Many conservatives look at the angry protests of the Left in the 1960s and want to import into our politics that style and attitude. But the anger of the 1960s Left only succeeded in destroying the party most closely associated with it - and electing instead its fiercest opponents. Click here …

Written by David Frum on Friday October 2, 2009

Angry Politics Won't Save the GOP

David Horowitz sees a national majority in Palin’s politics of cultural grievance and the paranoid alienation Glenn Beck offers his viewers. But the wild, extreme and sometimes racially tinged talk we hear from the most visible personalities on the right also keeps other voters that conservatives …

Written by David Frum on Friday October 2, 2009

McChrystal's Distress Signals

Gen. Stan McChrystal is a results-oriented guy. He is accustomed to being handed a difficult problem set and delivering success. But lately, he is sending out signals that he is not being allowed to do everything it takes to deliver results in Afghanistan. Stan McChrystal is in a tough position. …

Written by Sean Linnane on Thursday October 1, 2009

Hot Air on Healthcare IDs

The big talk radio topic yesterday was Sen. Grassley’s proposal to require immigrants to show photo ID before buying into new health exchanges. Speaking as someone who favored a national photo ID before a national photo ID was cool, I fear that the debate only confirms that conservatives these days …

Written by David Frum on Thursday October 1, 2009

He Shocks, He Scores!

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) outrageously declared from the House floor that, “Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick.” He is only the latest obscure politician to garner national attention for an intemperate remark. Grayson has recognized that in the Age of Hypermedia there are incentive…

Written by Eric Trager on Thursday October 1, 2009

Empire State Building Celebrates Chinese Communism

The Empire State Building officially recognized Communist China's 60th Anniversary by switching its evening lighting to red and yellow for September 30th and October 1st. There is something unsettling about an iconic building like the Empire State Building allowing itself to become a piece of …

Written by Richard Brownell on Thursday October 1, 2009

Olympic Question

Does the president think that gaining the games for Chicago will somehow beat back Mark Kirk's campaign for his former Senate seat? Does the president think that gaining the games for Chicago will somehow beat back Mark Kirk's campaign for his former Senate seat?

Written by David Frum on Thursday October 1, 2009

A Public Option Today, Outlawing Twinkies Tomorrow

The expansion of public healthcare by an estimated $1.6 trillion will give voters in America a tough choice: Pay for your neighbor’s unhealthy lifestyle or have your right to live as you see fit circumscribed. Much of the current debate over health care reform has centered on the Democrats' …

Written by David Back on Thursday October 1, 2009

Obama's Cynical Afghan Ploy

As a candidate, Barack Obama demanded that we commit ourselves to the "real war" in Afghanistan. Now that he's in office, is he about to declare "mission accomplished?" Those hints we keep hearing from the Oval Office—could they be a warning of the most breathtakingly cynical about-face in recent …

Written by David Frum on Thursday October 1, 2009

Obama: Hanging with the Wrong Crowd

At the United Nations last week, Libyan strongman Muammar al-Qaddafi showered U.S. President Barack Obama with unexpected praise, telling the heads of state and dignitaries assembled that he hoped Obama could “stay forever as the president.” This was not an isolated incident. Scores of other …

Written by Jonathan Schanzer on Wednesday September 30, 2009

Words Won't Stop Iran's Nuclear Program

Total nuclear disarmament is unlikely in the lifetimes of most of us, yet President Obama has only managed to deliver platitudes about a world without nuclear weapons while doing little to realistically deal with the rogue regimes currently developing and expanding their nuclear arsenals. To many …

Written by Peter Worthington on Wednesday September 30, 2009