Respect By Susan Estrich
I don't hate George Bush. I never have. I voted against him twice. I disagree with him, sometimes passionately. I think the country is in worse shape now than it was eight years ago, and that history will not be kind to him.
Political Commentary
Most Recent Releases
January 14, 2009
January 14, 2009
A Truncated Presidential Honeymoon? By Tony Blankley
It was fairly common chatter from congressional Democrats in Washington during the autumn months of the presidential campaign that while Barack Obama was almost certain to win, in 2009 policy would be driven from the House speaker's office.
January 13, 2009
From Jack Bauer to Leon Panetta By Debra J. Saunders
Sunday's New York Times ran two columns that advocated for investigations into America's use of coercive interrogation techniques -- known to editorial writers as "torture" -- of enemy combatants, as well as one that opposed a show trial.
January 13, 2009
Taxes Will Have to Be Raised, Eventually By Froma Harrop
During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama portrayed his tax plan as a way to help "spread the wealth around." That was an unfortunate choice of words, though not as silly as the "conservative" formulation that raising taxes "punishes success."
January 11, 2009
How Big-Government Is Obama? By Lawrence Kudlow
Obama spoke Thursday at George Mason University about his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan -- a.k.a. the stimulus package. There's an interesting section that would warm the heart of John Maynard Keynes.
January 11, 2009
Governator, the Sequel By Debra J. Saunders
Former eBay chief Meg Whitman is preparing to run for governor in 2010. Considering that California is so broke that next month it may have to issue IOUs instead of checks, I cannot imagine why anyone would want the job.
January 9, 2009
For Love of Israel By Susan Estrich
"Go back to the oven," the woman in her hijab in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., yelled to the Jewish Americans demonstrating their support for Israel. "You need a big oven, that's what you need."
January 8, 2009
Timing Is Wrong for Phony Thrift By Joe Conason
As the government contemplates spending very large sums of money, it is reassuring to know that somebody still worries about waste. Or it would be reassuring, if only that somebody were not Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, who promises that he and his fellow Republicans will "protect taxpayers against the rush to spend their money."
January 8, 2009
Empty Seats By Debra J. Saunders
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has an identity problem. In blocking the lawful and legitimate appointment of Roland Burris -- admittedly tarnished by its maker, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich -- the Nevada Democrat apparently thought that he was the king of Illinois, with the veto power over whom Illinois could send to the Senate.
January 8, 2009
Inaugurations Past and Present by Larry J. Sabato
Rituals matter in any society, but in a democracy they are especially significant. Most authoritarian regimes are stable for long periods of time; the barrel of a gun ensures it.
January 8, 2009
Onus Now on Dems for Ethical Government By Froma Harrop
There are those who regard politics as sport and those who see it as an adjunct to government. They frame things very differently.
January 7, 2009
Crazy Like a Fox By Susan Estrich
As the weeks pass since Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was publicly drawn and quartered by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, the man has simply refused to give up. The Energizer bunny has nothing on this guy.
January 7, 2009
Being President 101 By Tony Blankley
With two weeks still left in President-elect Barack Obama's transition and because of the alleged corrupt conduct of several people in his proximity and his own passivity and public silence (and the inherent drama of current events), his has become the most dramatic presidential transition in memory.
January 6, 2009
Eric Holder and All Political Prisoners By Debra J. Saunders
Conventional wisdom last week decreed that President-elect Barack Obama had done such a fine job culling his Cabinet that only one pick -- Attorney General-nominee Eric Holder -- would present a problem, but most likely, a surmountable hurdle.
January 6, 2009
The Mortgage Thieves Return By Froma Harrop
First come the shady operators, then comes the collapse, then comes the bailout, then come the shady operators. That, too often, is the sad history of financial meltdowns and their cleanups.
January 4, 2009
Big Brother/Backseat Driver By Debra J. Saunders
For lo these many years, the Democratic motorcade class has scolded American workers for driving gas-guzzling cars. Now that Americans have begun driving more fuel-efficient cars and driving less, how have the finger-waggers reacted? No, they are not planning a parade -- they already are working on a new tax on miles driven to make up for lost gasoline-tax revenue.
January 3, 2009
No Permanent Majorities in America By Michael Barone
As we approach the change from a Republican to a Democratic administration, I have been thinking about the differences in the basic character of our two historic parties -- the oldest and third oldest free political parties in the world (number two, at least by my count, is the British Conservative Party).
January 2, 2009
Offshoring Is One Sure Thing By Froma Harrop
Barack Obama's pick for commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, vows to create millions of technology jobs that can't be outsourced. Sounds good, particularly in this melting economy.
January 2, 2009
Time for a Choice -- Not an Echo By Lawrence Kudlow
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell is absolutely right to warn against Obama's gigantic stimulus-spending package. McConnell says it "will be the largest spending bill in the history of our country at a time when our national debt is already the largest in history." As a result, he says the bill "will require tough scrutiny and oversight."
January 1, 2009
Happy New Year ...By Susan Estrich
When I was younger, New Year's was a time fraught with frantic uncertainty revolving around the seemingly critical questions of whether I would have a date and-or something to do.
