Townhall Columnists Michael Barone

Michael Barone

 

Politics By the Numbers: Good Omens For the GOP in 2012

By Michael Barone (Jan 31, 2011)

Numbers can tell a story. Looking back on Barack Obama's second State of the Union message, and looking forward to the congressional session and the 2012 elections, they tell... more

Old Rules Won't Determine GOP Presidential Candidate

By Michael Barone (Jan 27, 2011)

The weakest part of our political system, by a considerable margin, is the presidential nominating process. It tends to exclude from consideration those with the... more

Shriver and Lieberman Take JFK Link With Them

By Michael Barone (Jan 24, 2011)

Last Thursday was the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech, and while the anniversary did not go unmentioned, it got less attention than I expected. I... more

High-speed Rail Is a Fast Way to Waste Taxpayer Money

By Michael Barone (Jan 20, 2011)

Where can the new Congress start cutting spending? Here's one obvious answer: high-speed rail. The Obama administration is sending billions of stimulus dollars around the... more

A Sigh of Relief When Mad and Evil People Are Foiled

By Michael Barone (Jan 17, 2011)

In his superb speech in Tucson, Ariz., Wednesday evening, Barack Obama did great service to the nation. He put to rest the libel that political incivility is responsible for... more

Systematic Assassinations Not Part of Our Politics

By Michael Barone (Jan 13, 2011)

The steam seems to be going out of the move to "deftly pin this" -- the shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 13 others -- "on the tea partiers," as one... more

Deal-Maker Daley: Obama's Emissary to Boehner?

By Michael Barone (Jan 10, 2011)

"He possesses a deep understanding of how jobs are created and how to grow our economy." That's what Barack Obama said as he announced the appointment of his new chief of... more

Wily Old Dems Take on Whippersnapper Republicans

By Michael Barone (Jan 06, 2011)

Curious fact, unearthed by Gerald Seib of The Wall Street Journal. The average age of Republican House members in the new Congress convening this week is 54.9,... more

Personal Well-being Overshadows Income Inequality

By Michael Barone (Jan 03, 2011)

Consider one conundrum in American politics. Income inequality has been increasing, according to standard statistics. Yet most Americans do not seem very perturbed by it.... more