Lone Wolf Tickets

A question. Has anyone yet attempted to leverage yesterday’s tragedy at Fort Hood into a defense of the Patriot Act’s “lone wolf” provision? Maybe the question is not if, but when. I’m thinking of starting a pool.
Of course it may not be necessary. Yesterday [correction--last month] the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to extend three provisions: roving [...]

Grand Old Populists

For the Blue Dogs, Tuesday was a fire bell in the night.
Virginia Republicans led by Robert McDonnell crushed the most conservative Democrat nominee in decades, rolling up a victory that rivaled Ronald Reagan’s rout of Walter Mondale.
[...]

Thinking about the Mainstream Media

Whenever someone uses the term “mainstream media,” you can almost be certain it will be meant derisively. For folks on the right, “MSM” is convenient shorthand for talking about a nefarious elite bent on imposing radical leftism, both of the economic and cultural variety, on America. Indeed, despite the journalism profession’s protestations of objectivity, the [...]

J Street Runs in the Wrong Direction

I was pretty positive about J Street when it launched 18 months ago. And of course, on balance I prefer J Street to the bellicose AIPAC. The former does not advocate that America launch wars (Iraq) that are not in its interest to fight.
But J Street’s premises may be flawed. This “pro-Israel, pro-peace” lobby exists [...]

Politicians Aren’t Popular

Barack Obama’s disapproval rating has been notching upward during the summer and fall, to the point where about 44 percent of Americans polled now have an unfavorable opinion of his performance. Republicans have rejoiced, but there’s bad news for them, too — the GOP’s favorability rating is now a 25-year-low 36 percent, according to CNN/Opinion [...]

A Party in Search of Its Soul

“Sometimes party loyalty asks too much,” said JFK.
For Sarah Palin, party loyalty in New York’s 23rd congressional district asks too much. Going rogue, Palin endorsed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman over Republican Dede Scozzafava.
[...]

Nixon and Obama: Soul Brothers?

Four decades ago, Lamar Alexander worked in Richard Nixon’s White House. Sen. Alexander today says Barack Obama’s White House reminds him of that place, that time, that mindset and those people.
Intending no disrespect to my old colleague, these days are not at [...]

Alienated and Radicalized

In the brief age of Obama, we have had “truthers,” “birthers,” Tea Party activists, and town-hall dissenters.
Comes now, the “Oath Keepers.” And who might they be?
Writes Alan Maimon in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Oath Keepers, [...]

Battle of Copenhagen

Before President Obama even landed at Andrews Air Force Base, returning from his mission to Copenhagen to win the 2016 Olympic Games, Chicago had been voted off the island.
Many shared the lamentation of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, “What has become of America, when [...]

Back with the Bank

I promised when I returned from my blogging vacation (a little longer than I had anticipated) to address Richard Spencer’s critique of my TAC article “Breaking the Bank”, back in August, specifically his question “What then?”:
“A more fundamental problem with Scallon’s essay is that he never informs us what he wants to take the place [...]