punditbuzzpunditbuzzDaily scoop of the best opinions and commentary on the current news events from left, right, center, and beyond. Articles
Hamastan? Perspectives on the Conflict in Gaza
2007-06-20 15:31:00 Gaza is now in the hands of Hamas and Palestine is reeling from the conflict. Hundreds of Gazans are gathered at the Eretz crossing to get to Palestine and the West Bank itself is falling into a crisis of authority. What is to come of Palestine? The LA Times mourns the rise of “Hamastan” in Gaza: “This outcome is further evidence that President Bush has spent six years allowing a terrible More About: Gaza , Conflict , Mast , The Con , Perspectives
The Six Day War: Forty Years in the Desert
2007-06-05 13:41:00 On June 5, 1967 Israel launched the Six Day War. An opportunity for peace came in its aftermath, but it wasn’t taken. The why’s and what’s of that missed chance at peace have the pundits buzzing on this 40th anniversary. Meir Shalev was born during the 1948 war. He grew up with Israel and next year they will both turn sixty: “Neither of us is young anymore, but I am pleased to report that I More About: Years , Desert
Immigration Reformation: Can the Senate Fix the Immigration Problem?
2007-06-04 13:04:00 The Senat e returns to work today to resume debate on the immigration bill. It’s a massive bill that claims “comprehensive reform” which means there’s plenty to complain about. Mickey Kaus argues that, “far from being a sensible centrist departure from the sort of grandiose, rigid thinking that led Bush into Iraq, ‘comprehensive immigration reform’ is of a piece with that thinking. And it's More About: Immigration , Problem , Nate
The Quiet Crisis: Iran's NGO Hostages
2007-05-31 17:12:00 Iran has taken five U.S. scholars prisoner on charges of espionage. The story has gotten too little play in American opinion pages, but here are a few pundits and advocates who have decided to speak up on their behalf. Michael Ledeen wonders why more pundits aren’t talking about Iran’s new “hostage” crisis. Five Americans have been imprisoned and the press isn’t talking about it much. Trudy More About: Hostages , Crisis , Quiet , Hostage , Cris
Gasoline and Global Warming, War Hawks and Honey Bees
2007-05-29 17:13:00 From war hawks to honey bees, the opinion journalists weigh in on a potpourri of issues. The Energy Crisis The LA Times says it’s time to tax carbon. We have to get our emissions under control and a cap and trade system just won’t cut it. Daniel Taylor wonders why the Democrats would pass a bill against gas “price gouging” while they are trying to rally to stop global warming. Are they More About: Global Warming , Global , Honey , Gasoline , Bees
Amnesty, Immigration, and the American Dream
2007-05-28 02:11:00 The Senate's immigration bill, a bipartisan compromise, has not made the partisans on either side happy. Many on both the left and right are displeased with the legislation and they are ready to tell us why. Peggy Noonan asks us to stop, sit, and contemplate immigration for awhile. In the meantime we should close our borders and tell the American story to the immigrants already here. “We More About: The American Dream , Immigration , Amnesty , Dream
Punditbuzz Potpourri: Arms, Veganism, Katrina, the Farm Bill, and More
2007-05-21 14:27:00 Frida Berrigan says America is still number one in one thing: arms sales. America, she argues, has created a global attitude of arms consumerism—selling arms to countries that didn’t know they needed them or wanted them. The Washington Post asks if congress can create a farm bill without too much pork: “The farm bill can be a vehicle for investing heavily in important priorities such as rural More About: Katrina , Arms , Farm , Potpourri , Bill
Compromise? The Senate Bipartisan Immigration Bill
2007-05-18 16:52:00 The Senate created a bipartisan immigration bill. As it goes to the House many see hope, while others on both the left and right are not happy with the compromise. Glenn Hurowitz argues that immigration is not just an issue of immigration. There are serious environmental consequences to the immigration of low wage workers, but most environmentalists have stayed out of the debate: “With More About: Immigration , Bill , Nate , Artis
Iraq War Rhetoric Unspun
2007-05-17 18:39:00 War rhetoric is sophistry with serious consequences. These two notable pieces together unravel some of the rhetoric on both sides. Steve Chapman traces a long history of shrewd Republican cut-and-running—from Korea and Vietnam to Lebanon, Somalia, and Kosovo. "It's terrible to lose a war. But as several Republican presidents could attest, it's even worse to persist in one you can't win." More About: Iraq , Iraq War
A Farewell to Falwell
2007-05-16 15:35:00 Jerry Falwell died on Tuesday. He is credited with the rise of the “religious right” and their political power over the last few decades. How he will be remembered is a question open to debate. The Washington Times pays tribute to Falwell. He may be dead, but one only has to watch the Republicans running for office to see his legacy. Zev Chafets says that Falwell “was a born-again Christian, More About: Farewell , Fare , Well
Free Trading Pharma?
2007-05-16 15:15:00 As long as Canadians can get prescription drugs cheaper than their southern neighbors there are likely to be those in the U.S. who want to import them. Congress recently took up the issue once again and the pundits addressed the issues of free trade and big pharma. David Sirota accuses senators from both sides of the aisle of hypocrisy. While officially rallying for free trade they're More About: Trading , Free , Pharma , Arma
The House: Hatin' on Hate
2007-05-14 15:49:00 The House passed new hate crimes legislation last week. The bill extends “hate crime” status to crimes motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation and provides grants for local law enforcement to investigate such crimes. The bill brings up many difficult legal questions that the pundits are plodding through. The LA Times believes the House’s hate crimes legislation accomplishes two important More About: Hate , The House
Free Trade Isn't Free
2007-05-13 17:39:00 Congress and the Bush administration came together for an unprecedented agreement on U.S. trade policy. Many pundits are applauding the deal as a demonstration of bi-partisanship while others believe it is proof positive of lobbyist influence among the Democrats. The Washington Post applauds the Bush administration for its flexibility this week. They gave the Dems what they have been wanting More About: Free , Trade , Free Trade
Blair Bids Farewell
2007-05-11 15:40:00 Tony Blair officially announced that he would be stepping down as Prime Minister yesterday. He leaves a mixed legacy that ranges from socialist domestic reforms to his support for the Iraq war. What his legacy will be depends on where you stand on the political spectrum. The left and right weigh in. A.N. Wilson finds Blair “a boundlessly superficial person.” That superficiality came in handy More About: Farewell , Fare , Well , Lair
Offshoring: The Blinder Debate
2007-05-09 15:41:00 Alan Blinder is worried about offshoring. It is likely to hurt U.S. companies and workers, and “may be the biggest political issue in economics for a generation.” His op-ed in the Washington Post about his worries is stirring up controversy. Today’s punditbuzz is dedicated to Blinder and his detractors. Greg Mankiw thinks Blinder’s criticisms are overblown. Offshoring has many benefits and More About: Debate
Sarko's France
2007-05-08 17:36:00 Sarkozy won Sunday’s election in Franc e and his presidency has the potential to be a new chapter in France. What sort of chapter that will be is up for debate. The New York Times worries that Sarkozy’s zeal for security will thwart his desire to be “president of all the French.” The Times says that, “he needs to recognize that there are many equally legitimate ways of being French. And that the
Condoleezza Rice in Profile
2007-05-07 12:31:00 Condoleezza Rice ’s moment has come. She’s the last surviving member of Bush’s dream team and she is running much of the show. But who is she? Several recent articles have tried to answer that question. David Samuels looks at Rice and her policy challenges in one of the longer features to run in The Atlantic Monthly. He paints a complex picture that might have some people changing their mind More About: Condoleezza Rice , Profile , Dole , Profil
Sego and Sarko: The French Elections
2007-05-06 17:55:00 The French elections, closing in a few hours, are interesting as ever. No centrists here, it’s left against right—Royal the socialist against Sarkozy the slightly pro-American. What the election means for the rest of the world is up for debate. Sophie Pedder looks at Sarkozy’s new book, Testimony, to see what kind of president he might be. She says that “President Sarkozy might even live up More About: Elections , The French , French election
Republican Candidates Face Off (sort of)
2007-05-05 22:33:00 Now it’s time to meet the Republican presidential candidates, who held their first debate in the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. Like the Democratic debate before it, the Republican debate was mostly a congenial affair. It’s still early, though. The New Republic has a handy blogger roundup on who won and who lost. John Dickerson says the real winner was former President Ronald More About: Republican Candidates , Candidates , Face , Sort
Are Benchmarks the New Timetables?
2007-05-04 01:29:00 As promised President Bush yesterday vetoed the Iraq War supplemental funding, which defined timetables by which the U.S. would begin withdrawing combat troops as early as October. While timetables were an indefensible position for the president and nearly half of Congress, ‘benchmarks,’ on the other hand could be an idea everyone can get behind. But is this anything more than semantic quibbling? More About: Benchmarks
Turkey's Democratic Turmoil
2007-05-02 19:58:00 Turkey is in the midst of a national crisis over the future of its secularism. Moderate Islamists are gaining power and many fear for what this might mean for Turkey. Others don’t think we should worry. The Washington Times worries that if Islamists take greater control of Turkey, the important international role of Turkey as a moderating Eastern force will be damaged. The New York Times also More About: Democratic , Turk
The Winograd Fallout
2007-05-01 08:32:00 An official Israeli government report published yesterday criticized Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, military chief of staff, for “serious failure in exercising judgment, responsibility and prudence” during the lead-up and first six days of Israel’s month-long war with Lebanon last summer. In a televised response, Olmert acknowledged the mistakes, More About: Fallout , Allo
Tenet, Timetables, and the War
2007-04-30 14:36:00 The war in Iraq continues and the opinions are plethora. Four years into the war we are still debating why we’re at war, how we got there, and how to win. Robert Novak looks at Chuck Hagel, a man he says “represents millions of Republicans who are repelled by the Democrats' personal assault on President Bush but are deeply unhappy about his course in Iraq.” Niall Ferguson looks at the
The Dems Debate
2007-04-28 17:31:00 The Democratic presidential candidates held their first debate Thursday in South Carolina. Most commentators were bored. Lane Hudson found yesterday’s debate questions “softball” and the answers status quo. The National Review’s “Hillary Spot” blog offers a republican strategist's wrap up of the debate. He was underwhelmed by Obama and Hillary. Walter Shapiro talked to strategists for the More About: Debate
Check This: When’s the Withdrawal Date?
2007-04-28 15:30:00 Finding the key facts beyond the rhetoric Congress sent the president an Iraqi War Supplemental Funding Bill yesterday. Even before the votes were cast, Bush was denouncing the legislation for setting an arbitrary date for the withdrawal of U.S. troops, which he says will only embolden the terrorists. So what day will the last soldier in Iraq come home? See if you can find it in the text of H.R More About: Check , Withdrawal |
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