Political Commentary

November 11, 2013

Are Politicians who Cut Food Stamps and Deny Health Access Truly 'Pro-Life'? A Commentary by Joe Conason

When Wendy Davis proclaimed that she is "pro-life" -- a description long since appropriated by conservatives opposed to abortion rights -- the right-wing media practically exploded with indignation. How could she dare to say that? But having won national fame when she filibustered nearly 12 hours against a law designed to shutter Lone Star State abortion clinics, the Texas state senator with the pink shoes doesn't hesitate to provoke outrage among the righteous.

November 8, 2013

Lessons for Both Parties in Virginia and New Jersey Elections by Michael Barone

In an August Washington Examiner column, I argued that this year's governor elections in New Jersey and Virginia would have little precedential significance, unlike some other off-year elections in those states.

Boiled down, my argument was that in New Jersey you had a governor who could not lose and in Virginia you had two governor candidates who could not win.

Michael Barone, senior political analyst for The Washington Examiner (www.washingtonexaminer.com), is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Fox News Channel contributor and a co-author of The Almanac of American Politics. To find out more about Michael Barone, and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM

November 7, 2013

A President Christie Would Spell Tea Party's Doom by Froma Harrop

Mainstream Republicans are doing backflips over Chris Christie's frolic to re-election as governor of New Jersey. Here is a Republican who took on public employee unions, spoke out against abortion and gay marriage, and still scored a landslide win in a blue state. And he won Latinos' and women's votes, too.

November 6, 2013

Privatize Everything By John Stossel

The market is fine for some things, people will say, but other activities are too important to be left to the market. Or too complicated. Or too fundamental to our democracy.

I say: Privatize everything.

November 5, 2013

Audacious Wildcatters Trigger Fracking Revolution by Michael Barone

Capitalism, said economist Joseph Schumpeter seven decades ago, is a process of creative destruction. New inventions, new processes, new methods of organization lead to the creation of new profitable and efficient businesses and to the destruction of old ones unable to compete.

November 5, 2013

Americans Keep Moving to States With Low Taxes and Housing Costs by Michael Barone

Where are Americans moving, and why? Timothy Noah, writing in the Washington Monthly, professes to be puzzled. He points out that people have been moving out of states with high per capita incomes -- Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland -- to states with lower income levels.

"Why are Americans by and large moving away from economic opportunity rather than toward it?" he asks.

November 1, 2013

The Problem With Twitter by Froma Harrop

Jofi Joseph was a smart guy -- up to a point. He rose smoothly through the foreign affairs establishment, boosted by a fancy fellowship and political connections. He ended up a staff member on the National Security Council.

But he led a second life on Twitter, using the handle @NatSecWonk to post snide comments about national security leaders. His droppings included such juvenile sexism as, "What's with the dominatrix-like black suit (national security adviser) Susan Rice is wearing at this announcement?" And sophomoric snark: "When was the last time (deputy national security adviser) Ben Rhodes said something not painfully banal and obvious?"

October 31, 2013

End the Fed by John Stossel

I've always avoided reporting on the Federal Reserve. I know it's more important than much of the stuff I cover, but it's so boring. How can I succeed on TV reporting on the Fed? Fed chairs even work at being dull.

Alan Greenspan said he tried to be obscure because he didn't want to spook markets. He called his obfuscation "Fedspeak." It's a far cry from the clarity of his language -- and principles -- when he was young and a disciple of libertarian Ayn Rand.
John Stossel is host of "Stossel" on the Fox Business Network, and the author of "No They Can't! Why Government Fails, but Individuals Succeed." For other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

October 30, 2013

Dracula Style By Froma Harrop

Dracula sets the bar high for timeless style. His refined silhouette and eclectic tastes make him an internationally recognizable figure. Fashion writers shifting and swerving through constant change still freeze in the vampire's presence. Some cultural figures, like Audrey, like Cary, like Jackie, create a signature look defying the march of trends. Dracula is one such fashion icon for the ages.

October 30, 2013

Will the Christie Juggernaut Roll over Ted Cruz and Rand Paul? By Joe Conason

With his impending re-election in "Blue Jersey" evidently assured and his national profile rising, Chris Christie is a formidable presidential hopeful. If not always a voice of reason, the blustering governor usually sounds sane in a Republican Party where conspiracy, paranoia and extremism reign. His decision to abandon the state's legal appeal against gay marriage exemplified the canny pragmatism that worries Democratic strategists looking forward to 2016.

October 29, 2013

Little Wars Turn Messy Because of Politics on the Ground - A Commentary by Michael Barone

"The examination of war from an exclusively military perspective, isolated from its social and political context, leads to false conclusions and poor strategy."

That is the conclusion of Emile Simpson, a former infantry officer in the Royal Gurkha Rifles, who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan, in his book, War From the Ground Up.

October 25, 2013

In Shutdown Fight, the Dog That Didn't Bark: Taxes By Michael Barone

Sherlock Holmes famously solved a mystery by noticing the dog that did not bark. In the recent government shutdown/debt ceiling fight, there was a five-letter dog that didn't bark: T-A-X-E-S.

October 24, 2013

Scandal in Candyland By Froma Harrop

Ever notice how some government programs draw the ire of almost everyone? Conservatives, liberals, environmentalists, libertarians, business, labor, consumers and grouchy taxpayers are all opposed. Yet these programs go on as though directed by an unstoppable particle beam from a neighboring galaxy. The public rarely sees who in Washington keeps the outrage in motion, and that's how "they" get away with it.

The sugar support program is one such curiosity. We will get into the "who" and "how," but first an explanation of why almost everyone hates it.

October 23, 2013

Broke U.S. Resumes Spending By John Stossel

What would you think of a person who earned $24,000 a year but spent $35,000? Suppose on top of that, he was already $170,000 in debt. You'd tell him to get his act together -- stop spending so much or he'd destroy his family, impoverish his kids and wreck their future. Of course, no individual could live so irresponsibly for long.

October 22, 2013

Unions Turn on Obamacare, but Don't Call Them Hypocrites By Michael Barone

It's not just Republicans who are unhappy with Obamacare. Labor union leaders have been complaining too.

In July, the presidents of the Teamsters, United Food Commercial Workers union and UNITE-HERE (combined membership: 2.9 million) wrote a letter to congressional Democrats saying that Obamacare will "destroy the very health and well-being of our members along with millions of other working Americans."

October 22, 2013

California Conquers Partisan Chaos By Froma Harrop

California has found a formula for ending the partisan warfare that once paralyzed its government: Get rid of one of the parties, in this case, the Republican. The state's famously dysfunctional government now hums with calm efficiency.

Democrats there hold a supermajority in the state Legislature, making it well-nigh impossible for Republicans to gum up their plans. The governor, Jerry Brown, is a Democrat, as well.

October 21, 2013

Peterson Study: Tea Party Extremism Cost Millions of Jobs, Risks Millions More By Joe Conason

If Americans learn anything from this month's shutdown-and-debt-ceiling debacle, they ought to realize that political extremism brings real costs -- denominated in dollars and jobs, as well as national cohesion and prestige -- and that those costs are not small. As long as the tea party faction continues to wield its malign influence over the Republican leadership in Congress, the threat of further and even worse damage will not subside.

October 18, 2013

What if Obamacare Software Crashes and Burns? By Michael Barone

Amid all the tussling over the government shutdown and the debt ceiling, a couple of bombshells went off in the blogosphere that may prove of more enduring importance.

October 16, 2013

Fashion Can't Be Tech's New Big Thing By Froma Harrop

I never cared much for the tarted-up Burberry. The upscale British clothier sells its wares at prices for which one might reasonably demand a classic style lasting through several monarchies. But that's just me talking. Burberry is said to have turned its traditionalist label around thanks to fashion innovation. So that's just me talking.

Apple Inc. has hired Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts to apply her fashion smarts to updating its 400 stores and online shopping experience. On this I feel better equipped to predict success or failure.

A number of tech businesses are now getting mixed up with fashion. That's a dangerous trend, for tech.