David Frum's Blog, page 185

Why the Unease from the Chinese?

Xinhua squawks today about Mitt Romney's warnings of Chinese currency manipulation.

Speaking in Southern Ontario

Reminder: I'll be speaking tonight at the Toronto Central Library. Admission is free, but tickets are required. I believe some still remain, if interested check this URL.

Egypt No Ally? Obama's Shrewdest Gaffe

Last night I tweeted a question: was President Obama's rejection in a TV interview of the term "ally" to describe Egypt a gaffe - or a useful rap on the knuckles?

Chicago Teachers Strike to End With a Whimper?

Looks like the extended summer vacation for Chicago schoolchildren (and teachers!) is about to end.

3 Cheers for Bernanke and QE3!

Today's decision by the Federal Reserve to begin a third round of quantitative easing is unlikely to thrill fans of hard money (and your gold standard crowd), but advocates of modern economic policy seem pretty happy.

Thought of the Day

A thought for the day from Franz Kafka, forwarded by a friend:

Ron Paul Revolution's Jesse Benton Joins... GOP Senate Leader, Mitch McConnell?

Business Insider caught up with Jesse Benton, Ron Paul's 2012 campaign manager, to figure out how a committed activist could possibly join the staff of one of the most powerful members of the Republican establishment.

Is China's Economy in Trouble?

Further to that piece by Mark Kitto in Prospect comes this report in today's Financial Times, reporting from the World Economic Forum meeting in Tianjin.

Milner's Timeless Political Question: "Why Won't They Listen to Me?"

Courtesy of Helen Rittelmeyer, a wonderful quote from Alfred Milner about his decision to quit politics. Milner was the chief British civil administrator in South Africa through the (bitterly controversial at home) Boer War. Think of him as the Paul Bremer of his day, only successful.

Bibi's Barrage Reflects that America Isn't Always the Center of the Political Universe

The indispensable Ottomans & Zionists blog explains that Prime Minister Netanyahu's outburst about "red lines" and "moral rights" was not any kind of intervention in the US political process - was not about the US political process at all.