Starve the Beast...
Ramesh Ponnuru is a senior editor at National Review and a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, widely recognized as one of the leading voices in conservative intellectual circles. He contributed articles to The Weekly Standard between 1996 and 2013, writing on conservative political strategy, economic policy, and Republican Party dynamics. He is also the author of *The Party of Death*, examining debates over life issues in American politics.
JOHN MCCAIN'S CAMPAIGN has begun to roll out his newly repackaged economic program, and the early headlines have been all about federal spending. "McCain Reverts to Balanced Budget Pledge," the New York Times reported, and the quote most often pulled out of McCain's remarks had to do with his "stem…
John McCain's June 3 speech in New Orleans was widely panned by his fellow Republicans, who criticized both his delivery and his timing, as it was a day dominated by Barack Obama's finally clinching the Democratic nomination. But some Republicans were heartened by the content of the speech, because…
Anxious lower middle class families are shaping up to be the crucial political constituency of this year's election. Polls show that financial security is their biggest concern. They worry about health and education costs, about retirement, and about their prospects for getting ahead. Their…
Anyone who doubts that the ideal of assimilation is under siege should look at the reception of The Accidental Asian, Eric Liu's new meditation on identity. What criticism Liu has received thus far has been for his defense of assimilation -- which is proof of how far we've fallen, for Liu's defense…
Anyone who doubts that the ideal of assimilation is under siege should look at the reception of The Accidental Asian, Eric Liu's new meditation on identity. What criticism Liu has received thus far has been for his defense of assimilation -- which is proof of how far we've fallen, for Liu's defense…
REPUBLICANS HAVE ALMOST AS MANY facile explanations for President Clinton's success as he does for the allegations against him. They credit -- i.e., blame -- his personal emotive skills, shameless dissembling, and sheer good luck. They complain about a biased press, that hoary excuse for…
CONSERVATIVES HAVE BEEN HAVING a lot of fun with the Dick Morris affair. And far be it from me to be a spoilsport. It's hard to top a story with toe- sucking! prostitutes! and a love -- or is it lust? -- child! (Although Roger Stone has managed to top it with a story that makes Morris's sex life…