This is not a list of the best books published in 2012, just the best I’ve read in the past year:
Hagel Still Twisting
Tom Friedman weighs in on the Chuck Hagel non-nomination, with some very clear thinking. But the Obama Administration is still silent–which remains deeply unfair to Hagel, and deeply satisfying to the extremists who oppose his nomination.
The Timing of the Fiscal Cliff
Without a plan to avert the “fiscal cliff,” Congress realistically has two days on which it can pass a bill this year: Dec. 28 and 31.
Kerry, Absolutely. But What About Hagel?
John Kerry will make a fine Secretary of State. He knows the world, and is easy in it. But I’m worried about the Obama Administration hanging Chuck Hagel–Kerry’s good friend and fellow Vietnam veteran–out to dry.
John Boehner’s Unhappy Holidays
The so-far insurmountable problem for House Speaker John Boehner and President Barack Obama as they try to reach a budget deal is that nothing matters more to Republicans than fighting taxes.
The NRA Responds to Newtown: America Needs More ‘Good Guys’ with Guns
A week after a gunman killed 20 students and 6 adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre responded to those demanding more gun control by calling for more guns.
Hell Freezes Over
Krauthammer is right about the three components of our culture of violence.
Kerry for Secretary of State: Obama Nominates a Seasoned, Willful Diplomat
The senior Senator from Massachusetts is poised to succeed Hillary Clinton in Foggy Bottom.
Creamed by Congress: Farm Bill Inaction May Mean Higher Dairy Prices
Forget defense cuts and tax hikes. If Congress doesn’t act before Jan. 1, the price of milk will skyrocket, according to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
50
Obama Takes a First Step on Gun Control After Sandy Hook
President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that the White House would submit new gun-control proposals to Congress next month and pledged to “use all the powers of this office” to identify and promote new polices to address the …
The Cost of Romney’s Government-Assisted Transition: $8.9 Million
One of the less scintillating milestones of the 2012 election was marked by the General Services Administration, when Mitt Romney became the first candidate to take advantage of the Presidential Transition Act of 2010.
The Teddy Awards 2012
It isn’t easy to find examples of political courage in an election, but I give it a shot in my annual column.