I’m undecided and conflicted in the 2012 presidential race. As a purely political matter, I think that former Missouri Senator Jim Talent is absolutely right: Romney would be a significantly more formidable Republican presidential nominee than anyone else now running.

However, as an iconoclastic conservative, and as a contrarian, I must confess to being a big political admirer of Newt Gingrich. Newt’s willingness — and, indeed, eagerness — to do political battle appeals to me. And his willingness to think big and to challenge the conventional wisdom also is praiseworthy in my judgment.

(more…)

Spencer Ackerman has written an amusing piece in which he predicts “The Post-Gadhafi Journalism You Will Read In the Next 72 Hours.” Ackerman offers up 10 examples of how well-known journalists, pundits and publications are likely to use Gaddafi’s death to justify their own views, ideologies and prejudices.

(more…)

The Heritage Foundation has announced that it will co-host — with the American Enterprise Institute and CNN — a Republican presidential debate on foreign policy and national security.

Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait a month (the debate won’t happen until Tuesday, November 15), but such a focus is long overdue. Because if the past is prologue — and it is — then tonight’s GOP presidential primary debate will give short shrift to the most urgent questions of war and peace, which, typically, only the commander-in-chief himself can resolve.

(more…)

One of the things that we’ve learned in the past decade is that failed and failing states are probably the single greatest threat to America. They too often become breeding grounds for terrorists and radical extremists.

The corollary of this, of course, is that there is no substitute for American boots on the ground. The stabilizing presence of an American soldier or Marine has no parallel and cannot be replaced by any ship, missile or airplane.

(more…)

Steve Jobs’ remarkable life and legacy of high-tech innovation has important lessons for policymakers, both Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives.

For liberals and “progressives,” of course, Jobs’ success should be a lesson in the importance of entrepreneurship and individual initiative. Simply put, Jobs was able to found a company, Apple, that transformed the way we live, work and play because he lived in a country, America, that is among the freest in the world.

(more…)

Last night’s debate showed that, in 2012, Rick Perry may be what Phil Gramm was in 1996: an overrated, negative candidate with a lot of money who goes nowhere very fast.

(more…)

Over at Contentions, John Podhoretz says that “Perry’s handling of the [Social Security] question was crude last night.” However, he adds,

Perry’s critics are foolish — including Mitt Romney’s team — to imagine that a candidate who says Social Security is unsustainable in its current configuration — and that it needs to be changed if today’s 25 year-olds are to receive any kind of benefit — has traveled beyond the pale.

But of course, Mitt Romney didn’t say that in last night’s debate. In fact, he said the exact opposite of what Podhoretz alleges.

(more…)

Like most Americans, I want the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial to be great. I want it to be an awe-inspiring monument to greatness and an eternal reminder of the promise of America — a promise that King helped make real for millions of African Americans and people of color.

But alas, after visiting the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial yesterday, I am afraid that Noah Kristula-Green is mostly right. Despite some impressive conceptual underpinnings and sculptural success, the new memorial is, ultimately, unsatisfactory — and unbecoming of the man and the Civil Rights Movement that King inspired and led.

(more…)

I’ve violated every rule of investing in the past two-and-a-half years and am all the richer — literally! — for it. (I’m richer at least on paper, not rich. Please note the difference!)

In any case, what’s the key to my success? One word: Apple. I made a conscious decision in March 2009 to start investing in the Cupertino, California-based company. Apple then was trading at about $78 a share; it’s now trading at around $370 a share.

(more…)

Noah Kristula-Green pokes fun at the Weekly Standard and its editor, Bill Kristol, for their unabashed promotion of a Paul Ryan presidential run. Fair enough. However, it also should be noted that Kristol and the Standard are not alone. Politico reports that the conservative policy elite is “profoundly dissatisfied with the current field” of GOP candidates and thus pines for a fresh face such as Ryan’s.

(more…)