The Crystal Ball's Senate Ratings By Larry J. Sabato
It’s time for a quick update on the 2012 Senate and Governor contests. Even though only two months have passed since our January roll-out, a surprisingly large number of shifts have occurred.
Political Commentary
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March 11, 2011
March 11, 2011
How Not to Fight Terrorism By Joe Conason
Despite the dubious credentials of Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., as an opponent of terrorism, owing to his years fronting for the Irish Republican Army, his controversial hearings on the "Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community's Response" might still have proved useful. Had they included testimony from real experts, officials who are responsible for counter-terrorism and actual leaders from the Muslim community, the proceedings could have revealed fresh and important information.
March 10, 2011
Social Security: Why America Can and Should Allow Private Accounts By Howard Rich
The Social Security debate is no different than the debate over any other government program – there are just a lot more zeroes involved. Of course the more zeroes, the less willing Washington politicians usually are to confront the problem – particularly when so-called “guaranteed” benefits are at stake.
March 10, 2011
Who's Missing in Utah's Immigration Deal By Froma Harrop
Someone is missing at the celebration for the Utah Compact on immigration. Who could that be?
March 10, 2011
Why NPR Should Urge Congress to End Its Subsidy By Michael Barone
What do they put in the water cooler over at NPR? First, they fire Juan Williams in October for comments he made on Fox News Channel -- and Vivian Schiller, the CEO of public radio, smilingly suggests he needs to have his head examined.
March 9, 2011
Is the President Really in Good Shape for Re-Election? By Tony Blankley
The media tend to be filled with many items that are either untrue or obvious. Last week -- from Politico to cable television, from Karl Rove to Mike Huckabee -- was a moment for the obvious to be stated and restated: "The GOP should not underestimate how hard it will be to defeat President Obama next November; indeed, he has to be considered the favorite to win the next presidential election." True.
March 9, 2011
Spending's Not Better the Second Time Around By Froma Harrop
Before we take an ax to the federal budget, let's try a scalpel. Many things done in one federal department or agency are also done in others, according to a new Government Accountability Office study. Even wonderful programs don't get better in the duplicate, triplicate or quadruplicate. By locating and excising them, taxpayers could save billions, the GAO suggests, with minimal loss of government services.
March 8, 2011
Government Shutdown? So What? By Lawrence Kudlow
According to news reports, Team Obama and House Republicans are at least $50 billion apart in the budget negotiations for FY2011. I'm willing to bet that Team Obama and Senate Democrats won't agree to even $20 billion in spending cuts.
March 8, 2011
In Wisconsin and Washington, Broke Ain't Broke By Debra J. Saunders
"America is not broke," filmmaker Michael Moore told a group protesting against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's attempts to curb public employee union collective bargaining in Madison over the weekend.
March 7, 2011
Who's to Blame for Union Woes? By Michael Barone
The labor union movement is in deep trouble. Only 6 percent of private-sector employees are union members.
March 7, 2011
What You Can Learn About Wisconsin Dispute from Differences in Poll Questions By Scott Rasmussen
In recent national polling about the situation in Wisconsin, Rasmussen Reports and Quinnipiac found a slight plurality in favor of Governor Scott Walker and his efforts, the Pew Center found a plurality opposed, and Gallup and the New York Times reported strong opposition.
March 6, 2011
First the Public Service, Then Endless Litigation By Debra J. Saunders
Last month, the website Politico reported that the Department of Justice dropped its representation of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, his former deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, and other defendants in a lawsuit filed by convicted al-Qaida operative Jose Padilla and his mother. The Department of Justice continues to represent Defense Secretary Robert Gates, but no longer the Bushies.
March 5, 2011
Stocks Diss Oil, for Now By Lawrence Kudlow
Big economic-growth stats are trumping oil prices and the Mideast tinderbox. In optimistic trading on Thursday, stocks soared nearly 200 Dow points. Oil barely fell to just under $102 a barrel. Know what? The market may be shouting out that the recent oil spike is not going to derail economic recovery.
March 5, 2011
How Law Works By Susan Estrich
My guess is that there was not a single member of the United States Supreme Court who was not personally appalled that the Westboro Baptist Church would target the funeral of a soldier who died in battle so they could get publicity for their anti-gay views.
March 4, 2011
Don't Believe the (Union-Busting) Hype By Joe Conason
If you are a normal, trusting consumer of American journalism, you might well have gotten the impression by now that the current attempt to break public-sector unions -- with its epicenter in Wisconsin -- is overwhelmingly supported by the nation's voters.
March 4, 2011
Who Wants To Be Charlie Sheen? By Debra J. Saunders
This week, Charlie Sheen owns network news. No wonder Americans hate the media.
March 4, 2011
Grabbing Those Coattails By Larry J. Sabato
It is already obvious that control of the Senate will be up for grabs in 2012, with Republicans needing just 3 or 4 seats to take control (depending on whether the GOP wins the presidency and, along with it, the vice president’s tie-breaking vote).
March 3, 2011
“Collectively” Bad By Howard Rich
A decade ago, when our national debt stood at a “mere” $5.6 trillion, the federal government was already dramatically overpaying its employees to perform all sorts of non-core functions.
March 3, 2011
Government Shutdown No Longer a 'Train Wreck' By Michael Barone
Sometimes you get an idea of the way opinion is headed by the phrases you don't hear. Case in point: In all the discussion and debate these past weeks about a possible government shutdown if Congress and President Obama fail to agree on funding bills, I don't recall having heard the phrase "train wreck."
March 3, 2011
Public Workers Join the New Reality By Froma Harrop
Too bad the showdown with public employee unions has come to this, however long in the making. One can be pro-union and still feel a growing resentment at these workers' ability to set their own dream retirement benefits as the private sector's were being amputated. Not that they are to blame. They got what they could -- it's the American way -- though they overplayed their hand by resisting honest efforts to reform government, schools above all.
