Newt, Your Ad With Pelosi Wasn't Dumb

Newt Gingrich recently described his 2008 appearance in a 30-second ad with then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “ the dumbest single thing I’ve done. ” Many conservatives share a negative view of it. Ron Paul, for instance, cites the ad as an example of Newt’s “serial hypocrisy.” Curious, I took a …

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Written by Kenneth Silber on Monday December 5, 2011

Make Schumer and Pelosi Defend Tax Deductions for the Rich

Michael Barone points out the three big tax deductions which are hard to eliminate: the charitable deduction, the home mortgage interest deduction, and the state and local tax deduction. I agree with him that elimination of the charitable deduction is wrong for Republicans. Home mortgage …

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Written by John Vecchione on Tuesday November 22, 2011

The Coming Super Committee Crack-Up

Under any other circumstances, one would expect a technical, lobbyist-dominated group like the Super Committee to do what Congress always does when confronted with a crisis: Kick the can down the road. However, evidence suggests that won't happen this time. Why? Because the only incentives the …

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Written by Mytheos Holt on Thursday October 6, 2011

The Shifting Balance of Power

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has just announced a new ambassador to Washington: a member of Canada's left-most party, someone who can speak the language of Pelosi and Obama. Another example of how the implosion of the GOP has implications around the world. Canadian Prime Minister …

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Written by David Frum on Friday August 28, 2009

The Reckless Right Courts Violence

Hysterical talk from TV and radio hosts may be a cynical marketing exercise. But it's getting too dangerous to ignore. A man bearing a sidearm appears outside President Obama's Aug. 11 town hall meeting in Portsmouth, N.H., under a sign proclaiming, "It is time to water the tree of liberty." …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday August 13, 2009

Limbaugh: No Retraction on Nazi Comment

The American voter dislikes and punishes intemperate talk. When Rush Limbaugh calls President Obama a Nazi, that does not hurt Obama. It hurts every Republican who by remaining silent, seems to assent. On "Meet the Press" this weekend, David Brooks used the word "insane" to characterize Rush …

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Written by David Frum on Monday August 10, 2009