Entries

Skill Testing Questions

Imagine yourself just a few years back trying to predict the answer to a few political questions. For example: "A few years from now, the United States will again be engaged in an intense debate over its healthcare system. One party will be proposing substantial reductions in the growth of the …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday August 19, 2009

Braving Taliban Threats, Afghans Head to the Polls

Amid gloomy predictions of intimidation, violence and corruption, on Thursday, Afghanistan will hold its second election for president. Since the last election, Taliban incursions have increased, corruption has spread and areas that had been relatively quiet, have become more dangerous. Amid …

Written by Peter Worthington on Wednesday August 19, 2009

Robert Novak: "No Friends -- Just Sources and Targets."

Robert Novak, the legendary Washington reporter who died today, was often credited with the aphorism: “I have no friends. I have only sources and targets.” I was one of those targets but today is not the day to recapitulate it. Robert Novak was respected and liked by many, and their memories of him …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday August 18, 2009

When the Students are Away, the Teachers Will Play

Most parents assume that the week that teachers spend before the students return is one of production: preparing lesson plans, working with fellow teachers and faculty members; not watching movies about surfing penguins, and jumping up and down giving each other high-fives during ice breakers. …

Written by Alex Knepper on Tuesday August 18, 2009

A Conservative Case for Ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

The debate over “don’t ask / don’t tell” in the military is often presented as a battle between liberals and conservatives. That’s not correct. In fact, according to a June Gallup poll , weekly churchgoers (60%), conservatives (58%), and Republicans (58%) effectively favor ending the policy. The …

Written by Kevin Nix on Tuesday August 18, 2009

Another Endangered GOP Senate Seat

Earlier today, Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison formally announced that she is going to challenge current Texas Governor Rick Perry in the Republican primary. Many though are concerned that Hutchison’s decision leaves what was a safe Republican Senate seat vulnerable to a strong Democratic …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Tuesday August 18, 2009

Charge Companies for Releasing Carbon Dioxide

Industries ought to pay for disposing of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and why the revenues ought to come back to you and me. It doesn’t matter whether the payments come from auctioning emissions allowances or levying a carbon tax. I have a friend, call him Rick, who runs an ice skating …

Written by Jim DiPeso on Tuesday August 18, 2009

Town Hallers are Mad at Both Parties

The latest Rasmussen poll (August 7) shows that only 14% of Americans give Congress good or excellent marks and that 56% believe they are doing a poor job. In every way we can measure, we have seen rising frustration with government that seems simultaneously intrusive and remote, overbearing and …

Written by Brad Schaeffer on Tuesday August 18, 2009

Obama: Carter 2.0

Recent stories that reveal President Obama's leadership style as a "micromanager" have drawn comparisons to Jimmy Carter -- who famously took over the scheduling of the White House tennis courts. Our best presidents have not been micromanagers. Should we be worried? Yes. Of all the many, many …

Written by Gusher on Tuesday August 18, 2009

After the Public Option

Maybe the right way to approach healthcare is to begin by addressing the problems that bother the public most. Almost all of those involve specific practices by insurance companies - especially those that cut off coverage after an insured becomes sick. What if we just start there? Maybe the right …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday August 18, 2009

Prince of Darkness

Robert Novak wrote Prince of Darkness (according to his publicity materials) to vindicate himself and to settle scores. Robert Novak wrote em> Prince of Darkness The Right Man

Written by David Frum on Tuesday August 18, 2009

Obama - Getting the Big Things Wrong

Obama has been trying to bring about major changes in both energy and healthcare policy, on top of his massive stimulus spending. In so doing, Obama has spread his political capital thin, let his energies dissipate and largely left it to Congress to figure out what's going to be in all this …

Written by Kenneth Silber on Monday August 17, 2009

Obamacare: A Giant Wealth Transfer to the President’s Supporters

Obamacare is an attempt at an inter-generational and inter-demographic wealth transfer. It is an effort to redistribute income and benefits to the core of Obama’s support and the urban precincts of Blue America away from older and suburban Americans. Obamacare is an attempt at an inter-generation…

Written by Lloyd Green on Monday August 17, 2009

New FCC Officer’s Proposed Regs Would Stifle Free Speech

Mark Lloyd has been named Chief Diversity Officer at the Federal Communications Commission. Lloyd is expected to continue the push for localism regulations which could send many radio stations in small markets out of business. According to Jillian Bandes, localism (read: government-forced …

Written by Dustin Siggins on Monday August 17, 2009

Thomas Hardy's Jude: Not Nearly Obscure Enough

Negative reviews of Jude the Obscure so jolted Thomas Hardy that he left off writing narrative fiction ever after. When this story is usually told, much is made of the supposed squeamishness of Hardy’s Victorian contemporaries. One critic nick-named the novel, “Jude the Obscene.” Negative …

Written by David Frum on Sunday August 16, 2009

The Headlines Review

Napoleon Linardatos presents a humorous take on today's headlines. Napoleon Linardatos presents a humorous take on today's headlines. “Cash-strapped Cuba says toilet paper running short” - Reuters , 8.10.09 Now the socialist government of Cuba is left with the hope …

Written by Napoleon Linardatos on Sunday August 16, 2009

The Science Behind a Fat Tax

From today's New York Times : "Only 10 percent of early deaths are the result of substandard medical care... The biggest contributor, at 40 percent, is behavior." From today's New York Times : J. Michael McGinnis, a senior scholar at the Institute of Medicine, has estimated that only 10 …

Written by David Frum on Saturday August 15, 2009

German Social Democrats Mulling Grand Deal with Former Communists

With general elections upcoming in Germany on September 27, many signs suggest that the Social Democrats are prepared to enter into a coalition with a party which includes remnants of the former East German Communist Party. With general elections upcoming in Germany on September 27, all the …

Written by John Rosenthal on Friday August 14, 2009

Remember Afghanistan? Iraq?

This week’s Jo Moore award goes to us, the media, for abdicating our responsibility to cover substantively important stories so that we could go live to “Joe the Plumber High School in Just Another Small Town USA” where there are angry people yelling at some congressman. At 9:55 am (EST) on …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Friday August 14, 2009

The Big Money Speaks

Yesterday, the first ad debuted in what is being described as a $12 million campaign in favor of the Democrats’ health plans. After an August of angry public meetings, September looks to be the month when the big money is heard. Yesterday, the first ad debuted in what is being described as a …

Written by David Frum on Friday August 14, 2009