Entries

Depression Economics

White House chief economist Christina Romer this week delivered a lecture on lessons to be learned from the Great Depression. Her own words suggest however that she is acutely conscious that her own administration is not learning from them! Details in my latest column in The Week .

Written by David Frum on Thursday March 12, 2009

A Better Stereotype For Republicans

Voters don't think in terms of policy or facts but rather imaginary personalities (Walter Lippmann called them "stereotypes") -- that stand in their minds for a given class of people. Time was, the Republican stereotype was an elderly gent, cigar clenched in his teeth, grousing that the government …

Written by Austin Bramwell on Wednesday March 11, 2009

A Note To Readers - And Especially To Commenters

It's been an exciting week here at NewMajority. It was just Feb. 27 that Rush Limbaugh declared in his speech at CPAC that would-be Republican reformers must be stamped out. Since then, we've had some exciting exchanges with Rush and his many, many admirers, supporters and dependents. The issues at …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday March 11, 2009

Quote For The Day

From Luigi Zingales, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, at Economist.com I am not disputing the idea that some government intervention can alleviate the current economic conditions, I am disputing that a Keynesian economic policy can do it. With a current-account deficit …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday March 10, 2009

Healthcare Healthcare Healthcare

A fascinating article in Manhattan Institute's City Journal reports an amazing statistic: in 2006, New York City was home to 807,750 self-employed workers - about one out of every five non-governmental jobs. These freelancers might have been expected to lean Republican, because of the heavy …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday March 10, 2009

Flat-broke And Busted, Alexandria Shells Out $400,000... For An Ice Hole?!

The city of Alexandria, Virginia is flat busted. The city faces a massive budget shortfall – the worst in 30 years – with potential breakdowns in essential social services looming. In part this financial collapse is owing to the city’s over-dependence on residential property …

Written by Henry Clay on Tuesday March 10, 2009

The Senator Nobody Loves

Despite various Democratic CST-NWS-quinn03.article"> efforts to get Sen. Roland Burris to resign, Burris has told everyone that he has no intention of leaving office and may even run in the primary next year - this despite the latest polls putting Burris’ support at the 0.6% level. (As …

Written by Jeffrey Singer on Tuesday March 10, 2009

Frum In Newsweek: Rush Is Wrong

This weekend's Newsweek carries a story by me about Rush Limbaugh and the GOP. Related stories from the NewMajority Scroll : Limbaugh at CPAC The Cringe of Recognition How the Dems Use Rush A reader writes to criticize my Rush Limbaugh piece. A discussion on …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday March 10, 2009

Don't Blame Obama For The Bad Market

Just sitting here watching a tape of Cantor on CNN this a.m. w/ John King, I have to say, I think the GOP is being foolish in using the stock market woes to hammer Obama. Sure, his policies or lack thereof are part of it. But there are numerous other factors too (one being the tidal wave of …

Written by Kevin Jones on Tuesday March 10, 2009

Steele The Moment

RNC Chairman Michael Steele received a lot of media flak for his March 2nd speech at Tavis Smiley's "State of the Black Union" summit. But I watched the summit and saw the speech go over with its intended audience. Seated amongst liberal luminaries such as Cornel West, Al Sharpton and Lani Guinier, …

Written by John S. Wilson on Tuesday March 10, 2009

Gop: It Is That Easy Being Green

As American conservatives struggle to find a new identity, British Conservatives have succeeded in defining theirs. A poll conducted just before Gordon Brown became Prime Minister showed that Conservative leader David Cameron enjoyed a 14 point lead in response to the question of who is “gr…

Written by Jamie Boulding on Monday March 9, 2009

A Hint For Gamblers

Intrade allows pundits to bet on the probability of a Depression-style 10% drop in US GDP. Current odds are in the low 20%s, down from a peak of 50% in late February. I can see no bet though on another and more immediately pressing question: Will there be a second fiscal stimulus bill? I'd sure …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 9, 2009

Why Geithner Is Paralyzed

"Saturday Night Live" was not kidding: We're out of ideas . Here's the problem: Today's true market value of the U.S. banks' toxic assets (that ugly stuff that needs to be removed from bank balance sheets before the economy can recover) amounts to between 5 and 30 cents on the dollar. To …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 9, 2009

Flaws In The Stimulus?

Asked to describe possible flaws in the stimulus, CEA chair Christina Romer answered : "You want me to tell you what's wrong with the fiscal stimulus package? SO not going to do that!"

Written by David Frum on Monday March 9, 2009

A Reader's Reproof

A reader writes to criticize my Rush Limbaugh piece: I'm broadly sympathetic to the Frum Forum's overall project. I agree that the worst course of action right now is to keep shouting the mantras of 1979; I agree that the worst posture right now is one of rank, unthinking oppositionism. And I …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 9, 2009

Dear Fellow Cheese Eaters:

Below follows the verbatim text of a letter sent February 2 to President Obama by James Oberstar, chairman of the House committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. From: James L. Oberstar 8 th District, Minnesota 2365 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515-2308 (202) …

Written by FF Political Report on Monday March 9, 2009

Future Now

What's the alternative, people ask in response to criticism of Rush. Over in the Think Now column, we have a link to a fascinating profile on David Cameron's success in the UK - and how it was achieved with small changes in policy supported by dramatic changes in style and tone. The picture …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 9, 2009

The Rest Of The Story

Can we pause for a moment of solemn recognition? A report by Sarah Baxter in the London Times tells what the late Paul Harvey used to call "the rest of the story": At the end of his life Santos Cardona received the affirmation he had craved. He died a “hero”, according to his …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 9, 2009

At The Trough

We've introduced a new series here at FF, over on the right hand side: excerpts from the most outrageous items in the president's lavish budget , as described by Tim Mak. The first appears today: Alas, there will be all too many more examples in the days to come…

Written by David Frum on Monday March 9, 2009

Sick

Jonathan Cohn's em> Sick

Written by David Frum on Monday March 9, 2009