Overview for republican-party

The Cost of the Tea Party

Here's some interesting data from Pew. Americans turning against the "tea party" (however they understand the "tea party" to mean) is not exactly a new story, but here it continues to accelerate. More surprising: the tea party seems to be contaminating the larger Republican brand. …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday November 30, 2011

Gingrich Passes a Very Low Bar

Newt Gingrich has a voluminous history of misdeeds as a public figure. But since he is now emerging as the consensus alternative to Mitt Romney, we should pause to appreciate how he is succeeding where others have failed in auditioning for that role. I write this not as a Newt Gingrich fan, …

Written by Jay Gatsby on Tuesday November 29, 2011

Signs of Hope, Part 4

Frum Forum is on the lookout for Signs of Hope that the conservative movement is moving towards intellectual openness . Today's entry comes in the form of a new Facebook group: Republicans for Responsible Reform . The group was started by friends of the site D.R. Tucker and Michael …

Written by FrumForum Editors on Monday November 28, 2011

Where's My Party?

Last month, New York magazine challenged me to answer the question: Why are the other Republicans so mad at you? What's the argument about--and how's it going? They allowed me generous space for an answer, which you can read here .

Written by David Frum on Sunday November 20, 2011

Who Burned the GOP Brand?

Aaron Blake and Chris Cillizza describe a new CBS/NYT poll : The poll also asked which class voters thought the Obama Administration and Republicans in Congress favored. While people were pretty evenly split on whether the administration favors the middle class, the rich or the poor, …

Written by David Frum on Thursday October 27, 2011

Clear it with Rush

I heard Rush Limbaugh talk in his first hour today about the details of the Boehner plan. I was in the car returning from the gym, and I just assumed I'd missed the release of the plan earlier. But no. Limbaugh indeed got the scoop . It's worth noting that for all the conservative obsession …

Written by David Frum on Monday July 25, 2011

"I Knew Ronald Reagan: You're No Reagan, Newt"

Former Reagan campaign staffer Richard V. Allen dismisses Newt Gingrich's claims his faltering presidential bid can be compared to The Gipper's 1980 run. GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich this week attempted to compare his troubled campaign's recent upheavals to those experienced by Ronald …

Written by FrumForum Exclusive on Thursday June 23, 2011

Is GOP's Default Talk Slowing Recovery?

In the D.C. Examiner Michael Barone accuses Obama of harming business confidence and weakening the recovery. If that's right, what about the GOP's default threat? Michael Barone is one of the smartest and most even-tempered observers in Washington. In today's D.C. Examiner he offers his …

Written by David Frum on Monday June 6, 2011

GOP Fringe Plays Into Obama's Strategy

The weak economy gives the GOP a good chance to win in 2012. Unfortunately, the party's fringe is distracting voters from Obama's dismal economic record. The weak economy gives the GOP a good chance to win in 2012. Unfortunately, as I discuss in my latest column for CNN.com, the GOP's fringe is …

Written by David Frum on Monday June 6, 2011

GOP's Debt Fight Strategy Backfires

Initially, many Republicans believed Obama would be blamed for any pain from not increasing the debt ceiling. That party's beginning to realize that was wishful thinking. A very strange thing happened this week—truth appeared in Washington, D.C. After President Obama met with House Republicans…

Written by Steve Bell on Thursday June 2, 2011

A Debt Fight the GOP Can't Win

Fighting over the debt limit will end in a GOP defeat. The party should instead use its political capital to fight for serious entitlement reform. Congress’ rejection of a “clean” debt ceiling increase isn’t surprising and probably won’t have many short-term consequences. Largely because most …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Tuesday May 31, 2011

Wall Street's Getting Nervous About a Default

Who are you going to believe: the GOP Congressmen who say a short-term default won't matter or the financial professionals warning against that? “Don’t go to a butcher for back surgery.” My Air Force veteran father used to say that. It meant: don’t listen to folks about important matters unless …

Written by Steve Bell on Sunday May 29, 2011

Israel Alone Won't Win GOP Jewish Voters

Conservatives are hopeful that Obama's missteps over Israel will bring more American Jews into the Republican camp. But it will take more than one issue. These days, it seems that Jews have more reason to vote Republican. Frum Forum ’s Fred Messner noted that the Republican Jewish Coalition …

Written by Stephen Richer on Saturday May 28, 2011

Want Dems to Win in 2012? Then Default

Jim DeMint may try to place the blame for a potential default on Obama and Geithner, but voters will know to hold Republicans responsible in 2012. Senate Republicans are telling Treasury Secretary Geithner that a default will be his fault even though they are the ones refusing to raise the debt …

Written by Andrew Pavelyev on Friday May 27, 2011

CT GOP Chair Healy to Step Down

Connecticut GOP state chairman and one-time RNC chair candidate Chris Healy announced this week that he would not be running for reelection. Connecticut Republican state chairman and one-time Republican National Committee chair candidate Chris Healy announced this week that he would not be running …

Written by Tim Mak on Thursday May 26, 2011

GOP's Clean Debt Vote Won't Fool the Dems

If the GOP continues to substitute theatrics for substantive spending proposals the Dems will end up getting the debt ceiling increase and a lot of political capital. The House proposal for a "clean" debt vote is pure political theater. Given the way the House works, leadership almost never …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Tuesday May 24, 2011

Stop Flirting with Debt Disaster

I always assumed that the first American political party to contemplate default as a way to achieve its political goals would be the Communist Party of the USA, not the GOP. The Wall Street Journal 's weekend interview with famed investor Stanley Druckenmiller may have the most eyebrow-raising …

Written by David Frum on Saturday May 14, 2011

What the GOP Can Learn from Canada's Conservatives

Canada's right wing won control of parliament this month — but their strategy on immigration and Tea Party-types wouldn't work in the United States. American conservatives are looking at Canada's Conservative Party election win for lessons. But as my latest column for The Week points out, it's …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday May 11, 2011

GOP Punts on a Real Energy Plan

Last week, Rep. Alan Nunnelee spoke at Johns Hopkins about the GOP's energy policies. His speech highlighted the party's problem: bold ideas, but hazy plans for action. Last Tuesday, Johns Hopkins University hosted Congressman Alan Nunnelee (R-Miss) to speak to the College Republicans and …

Written by Rachel Ryan on Sunday May 8, 2011

Wall Street's Wake-Up Call

Neither President Obama's deficit reduction plan speech nor Congress' response seem to have settled market fears about America's soaring debt. This morning Standard and Poor’s put its long-term rating on United States sovereign debt on negative outlook. The equity market, as I write, is off by …

Written by Steve Bell on Monday April 18, 2011