http://www.nationalreview.com/frum/frum-diary.asp en-us dfrum@aei.org 2006-04-30T10:19:28-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04302006.asp#96288 I'm a huge fan of Stephen Colbert's Colbert Report, and though illness has had me in bed by 8 almost...: I'm a huge fan of Stephen Colbert's Colbert Report, and though illness has had me in bed by 8 almost every night this week, I struggled on Saturday night to stay awake to watch both the president's speech to the White House Correspondents Association dinner and then Colbert's afterward. I... 2006-04-30T10:19:28-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04292006.asp#96250 Here's Mickey Kaus on some unexpected positive effects of high gas prices: "$3.50 gas appears to have had one effect:...: Here's Mickey Kaus on some unexpected positive effects of high gas prices: "$3.50 gas appears to have had one effect: for the time being, it's at least partially solved L.A.'s worsening traffic congestion problem. On Monday I made it from the beach to Eagle Rock in 45 minutes at rush... 2006-04-29T09:13:20-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04272006.asp#96132 ... when a man cannot argue that the United States is controlled by a sinister Jewish conspiracy without being accused...: ... when a man cannot argue that the United States is controlled by a sinister Jewish conspiracy without being accused of anti-semitism. That, at any rate, is the argument used by defenders of the now notorious Walt/Mearsheimer paper. Well speaking of Jews, there's an old Jewish joke about the successful... 2006-04-27T20:32:16-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04272006.asp#96089 There was much ribaldry in the Canadian press during the recent federal election when Conservative candidate Stephen Harper borrowed Bill...: There was much ribaldry in the Canadian press during the recent federal election when Conservative candidate Stephen Harper borrowed Bill Clinton's 1992 line about people who work hard and play by the rules. Not to be outdone, one of the candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party, Bob Rae,... 2006-04-27T12:53:23-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04272006.asp#96034 I know there are probably few subjects that excite blogosphere readers to quite the same pitch of frenzy as the...: I know there are probably few subjects that excite blogosphere readers to quite the same pitch of frenzy as the Canada-US softwood lumber dispute, but if you'll bear with me for even a sentence or two, you may see something important in it. As a concession to Canada's new Conservative... 2006-04-27T08:26:17-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04262006.asp#96026 That depends on what the question is. If the question is, "Who would be a better press secretary than Scott...: That depends on what the question is. If the question is, "Who would be a better press secretary than Scott McClellan?" then, yes, Snow is a very good answer. But what if the question is, "How do Republicans avert calamity in November?" or "How does the Bush administration regain the... 2006-04-26T21:13:17-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04262006.asp#95923 Four Canadian soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on April 22, Canada's fifth combat fatalies in the...: Four Canadian soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on April 22, Canada's fifth combat fatalies in the reconstruction phase of the war there. (Four Canadians were killed by US friendly fire in 2002.) Canadians are debating whether national flags should fly at half-staff to express the nation's... 2006-04-26T07:53:43-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04252006.asp#95823 John Fund of the Wall Street Journal last week reported that Yale is considering hiring Juan Cole to teach at...: John Fund of the Wall Street Journal last week reported that Yale is considering hiring Juan Cole to teach at its Center for International Area Studies. My AEI colleague Michael Rubin gently but devastatingly explains why this appointment is seriously ill-judged: "Universities thrive on scholarly discourse. Professors should be open... 2006-04-25T09:32:40-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04242006.asp#95796 Actually the contrast between the media response to Plame and that to the alleged McCarthy leak is too glaring even...: Actually the contrast between the media response to Plame and that to the alleged McCarthy leak is too glaring even to make for good sport. The indispensable Media Research Center has been all over this story. Here is John Kerry in all his self-congratulatory ponderousness. And here, not to be... 2006-04-24T22:39:02-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04242006.asp#95735 Illness is slowing me down, so blogging will be light for next days. But here are some Monday morning thoughts...: Illness is slowing me down, so blogging will be light for next days. But here are some Monday morning thoughts to start the week .... 1) I am trying to wrap my mind around the idea that revealing the name of Valerie Plame - an effectively retired midlevel CIA operative... 2006-04-24T10:42:24-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04212006.asp#95523 Two observations: 1) Whoever ultimately gets chosen as press secretary (I'm guessing Dan Bartlett myself), here's a suggestion: Can we...: Two observations: 1) Whoever ultimately gets chosen as press secretary (I'm guessing Dan Bartlett myself), here's a suggestion: Can we please stop televising the mid-day press briefing? The televised briefing invites the White House press corps to posture and preen - and effectively prohibits the White House press secretary from... 2006-04-21T08:38:53-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04212006.asp#95513 Steve Postrel of the Southern Methodist University department of economics writes that the analogy between enforcing the immigration laws and...: Steve Postrel of the Southern Methodist University department of economics writes that the analogy between enforcing the immigration laws and enforcing the tax laws is "not apposite": "The illegals pay FICA on phony SS numbers from which they will never collect (causing a massive improvement in the US fiscal position,... 2006-04-21T06:40:25-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04202006.asp#95380 Timothy Garton Ash in The Guardian offers this unconvincing but highly psychologically revealing argument against military action against Iran. "May...: Timothy Garton Ash in The Guardian offers this unconvincing but highly psychologically revealing argument against military action against Iran. "May 7 2009 will surely go down in history alongside September 11 2001. '5/7', as it inevitably became known, saw massive suicide bombings in Tel Aviv, London and New York, as... 2006-04-20T06:45:38-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04192006.asp#95281 If it's not too late by blogosphere time, I want to return to this, the Clarke & Simon oped on...: If it's not too late by blogosphere time, I want to return to this, the Clarke & Simon oped on Iran that ran in the New York Times on Sunday: "Bombs That Would Backfire." Clarke is Richard Clarke, the author of Against All Enemies, and Bill Clinton's one-time counter-terrorism chief... 2006-04-19T07:03:50-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04172006.asp#95152 The invaluable Mark Krikorian points out that Congressman Steve King of Iowa introduced a bill to this effect last year,...: The invaluable Mark Krikorian points out that Congressman Steve King of Iowa introduced a bill to this effect last year, H.R. 3095. And today Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a similar bill into state law. Meanwhile, the inbox is full of fascinating responses. A sampling: ** For health reasons, I... 2006-04-17T23:04:52-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04162006.asp#95061 Last week, I posted a note from a reader who urged that businesses not be allowed to deduct wages of...: Last week, I posted a note from a reader who urged that businesses not be allowed to deduct wages of workers who cannot prove their legal status in the United States. I didn't post the reader's name at the time, but he has since given me permission to give credit... 2006-04-16T21:31:54-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04132006.asp#94978 James Fallows argues in the current Atlantic Monthly that any attempt to prevent Iran from going nuclear is simply hopeless....: James Fallows argues in the current Atlantic Monthly that any attempt to prevent Iran from going nuclear is simply hopeless. Diplomacy is not working, we can all see that, and force won't work either, and so the best course is ... well nothing at all it seems. The article reminds... 2006-04-13T23:49:54-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04132006.asp#94974 How corrupt is the UN? Here's another point of view, this from a former AEI intern, Alykhan Velshi. "I'm currently...: How corrupt is the UN? Here's another point of view, this from a former AEI intern, Alykhan Velshi. "I'm currently backpacking through the dodgier bits of Africa before returning to Washington, and the only--and I mean the only--way to safely cross certain borders is by bribing a UN official. In... 2006-04-13T23:20:38-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04132006.asp#94901 If you are able to read the New York Times either on paper or online do see David Brooks' very...: If you are able to read the New York Times either on paper or online do see David Brooks' very fine and moving column today on Iraq's past and future. Nonpaying customers can however read this important piece on an under-covered news story, the Maoist insurgency in rural India: a... 2006-04-13T10:22:13-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04122006.asp#94780 A brainy NRO reader proposes this ingenious self-executing response to companies that use illegal labor: "If you really want to...: A brainy NRO reader proposes this ingenious self-executing response to companies that use illegal labor: "If you really want to stop hiring of illegals cold without having to boost the ranks of enforcement staff by huge amounts, simply make this simple change to the tax code: 'Expenditures for wages and... 2006-04-12T08:13:09-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04122006.asp#94779 Here is an interesting backgrounder on the current political stalemate in Iraq, by Nibras Kazimi, an extremely intelligent observer of...: Here is an interesting backgrounder on the current political stalemate in Iraq, by Nibras Kazimi, an extremely intelligent observer of the Iraqi scene, newly arrived in Washington from Iraq. Here is my appeal to Canadian newspaper readers to take seriously the call to UN reform. And here, finally, a thought... 2006-04-12T08:09:36-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04112006.asp#94766 OK, I've been in Washington too long.... A number of readers have kindly written in to query my reference below...: OK, I've been in Washington too long.... A number of readers have kindly written in to query my reference below to the cost of constructing Israel's border fence as "$1 billion per mile." (Some have volunteered to do the job themselves for that price!) In fact, the $1 billion figure... 2006-04-11T22:27:03-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04112006.asp#94651 You know, there are a lot of tax cheats in America too - and yet you know they would never...: You know, there are a lot of tax cheats in America too - and yet you know they would never stage a demonstration on the Mall. They would worry that the IRS would stake out the demo site, photograph marchers, and audit them. Yesterday's marchers for immigration amnesty, however, seem... 2006-04-11T08:31:44-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04102006.asp#94539 OK, they dont give them out for magazine journalism. But if they did, Claudia Rossett certainly would deserve one for...: OK, they dont give them out for magazine journalism. But if they did, Claudia Rossett certainly would deserve one for her unrelenting scrutiny of the UN as it really is.... 2006-04-10T00:11:49-05:00 http://frum.nationalreview.com/archives/04092006.asp#94528 Important article in this weekend's Weekly Standard about the ongoing scandal of the persecution of converts away from Islam. North...: Important article in this weekend's Weekly Standard about the ongoing scandal of the persecution of converts away from Islam. North American Muslims have long pressed for a role as interlocuters between East and West. Well here is a role for them: They should act as advocates for religious freedom in... 2006-04-09T19:32:47-05:00