David Frum: Restoring American Democracy

[@paulmakinson1965]

Something I don't understand about the US system, North Dakota gets 2 senators for 760,000 inhabitants, California gets the same for 49.5 million. How is that democratic? The Southern and central more rural states get more representation, they are less populated, generate less wealth and pay less taxes. Something that also sounds crazy to us Europeans is the difficulty in voting, polling stations far between, you vote on a weekday, you queue for hours, you use legacy voting machines that a 10 year old could hack. This is more like Uganda than Germany, France or the UK. I live in rural France. I vote at the mayor's office on a weekend, it takes 5mn and it is just a paper ballot. If I can't go, I can delegate voting to a person I trust just by signing a document.

[@robertproctor977]

So true!

[@danielostroff8632]

Frum has such good common sense. I only hope that his contention that Trump will lose is true. Thank you for your insights.

[@willmpet]

And now he fights a bootless fight.

[@joelweisberg]

Yep, Frum is a smart guy. Fortunately, most of the Jewish conservatives like David jumped the Republican “Ship of Fools” when it became a far right Trump adoring Christian org. of nutbags, KKK members, Swastika carrying Nazi sympathizers and anti abortion zealots.

[@squirrelattackspidy]

A chicken has more common sense than this guy. He's got about as much sense as the nitwits on the video. I find this interview makes more sense when you change Republicans/Trump to Democrats/Biden.

[@robertproctor977]

"Lock her up". Fired Comey because he was not going to give Michael Flynn a free pass. Marine and Director of the FBI and lifelong conservative Republican Robert Mueller documented ten instances of Obstruction of Justice. He documented Donald Trump Jr meeting in May on the third floor of Trump Tower Natalia Veselnitskaya a Russian attorney connected to Vladimir Putin to discuss a quid pro quo. Russian oligarchs were sanctioned because they interfered in our elections. Trump offered to remove the sanctions in exchange for opposition research on former Secretary Clinton. Now, the FEC says on their website that opposition research is a thing of value. Two things are of immense value to campaigns because they are held in finite amounts, money and time. Time is more valuable because you cannot buy back time. Campaigns order staff to perform opposition research and pay them for it and use it in contrast ads. Thus, Trump solicited a campaign contribution from a foreign national. This is a felony for a very good reason. We don't want to have a president in office who is motivated by money or aid from another country. Worse, since such campaign contributions would not be made public, the defendant, Trump, could be blackmailed. Donald Trump claimed that he could only lose if the election is rigged. He said this before the 2016 election and the 2020 election. He would not agree to a peaceful transfer of power. He attacked voting by mail in the middle of a pandemic that ended up costing us a million lives because Donald lied about COVID and minimized it and opposed wearing masks and his followers believed him. That's why the vaccination rates are lower the more of the vote Trump got in a county and why the per capita death rate is greater in counties where Trump won more of the vote. Most of what I have said was known when you wrote your post. So, you should have known better. The insurrection and the willful retention of classified documents and the RICO pressure Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger into altering the election results was yet future. The campaign finance election interference event had taken place prior to the 2016 election. I could detail that as well. The insurrection happened because Donald Trump made it happen.

[@lusciouslou250272159]

32:55 - Statehood for Puerto Rico while we're at it. Their situation looks a bit like taxation without representation if you ask me.

[@claytongunter2450]

Trump turned his back on Puerto Rico! The majority of Repubs are supporting communism! The ONLY party in American history to be caught, prosecuted, and convicted of Voter Fraud is the Republican party! So they definately have the capability to lie, cheat, steal, and corrupt elections in November! OH YEAH!

[@joeytranchina8839]

i said the same thing before I read your post. Yes, but PR is more complicated, in that it requires a vote. We have to see how he Puerto Rican people see statehood post Hurricane Maria.

[@Jawshuah]

they dont pay federal income tax

[@joeyfotofr]

@@Jawshuah No. But now they have witnessed a federal government turn its back on them in a national emergency... Paying taxes & becoming a state or breaking ties with America and becoming independent are both reasonable options. Remaining in this subservient position is not. If it were my choice, as someone who loves Puerto Rico, I'd vote IN if Trump is crushed & OUT if he wins. Obviously, it is not my decision but it's my call to say that it is time for a decision. In this case: Indecision is a decision to fail.

[@ezbody]

@@joeyfotofr The key to a stable Democracy is a human diversity, so yes, PR IN. The more we can dilute the mentally unstable, the better.

[@trog69]

Mr. Frum nailed my thinking about Trump and what he did to stress what we need to fix once he's gone. We are very fortunate that his grasping nature went with utter incompetence and willful ignorance.

[@maekong2010]

When I clicked on this video, I wasn't expecting to become a subscriber. But it happened.

[@dobnerk]

I discovered the Commonwealth Club recently and am a huge fan. You'll love their interviews!

[@bayfiax263]

This is the first Republican I've heard present sensible and insightful perspectives on our government, without lies and self-serving justifications.

[@fisheater844]

Checkout Charles Sykes even he mentioned that David Frum saw what was happening even before Charles did.

[@kbone8137]

Yes, Sykes and Frum bring sanity to any table talking American politics. I would like to see Mehdi Hussein mediate a round table with them hashing out their vision of a party that would absorb any remaining sanity that remains in the GOP and/or Independents (or even Dems) that dance around the middle. That's where the next political force will arise from if the far-left let's their idealism lead them and/or the DNC into losing more elections.

[@cavaleer]

This bum doesn't have a CLUE about anything American, let alone the purpose of the Party system, despite all of his "education" and "degrees". He sounds like what he is....a clueless Canuck who thinks America should run like Canada.

[@bigbirdmusic8199]

He's not a republican, he's a democrat that calls himself a republican so idiots like you can claim to be unbiased, when really you're listening to the same side. It's quite pathetic honestly.

[@maxclover50]

David Frum is a perceptive and articulate political thinker. My only big problem with his stance is that he sees Trump as the disease here, and not as a symptom of a much larger systemic problem. But it's not that simple--the Republican-controlled Senate had the opportunity to sink Trump and choose not to. The entire party (with a few rare exceptions like Mitt Romney) has aided and abetted Trump's trail of incompetence and destruction every step of the way.

[@HondoTrailside]

You are wrong about his incompetence. That is actually a really odd mistake to make as he is possibly the most competent person to occupy the office since WWII. But he is very atypical, his triumphs are counter the establishment. So he goes against China. Zero in the establishment want that. Every party puts the economy in the hands of a GS alumni, a company known as the Chinese embassy in the US. Trump has mastered multiple fields. When was the last time that a person who was not really a current product of either establishment has taken over a party as an outsider and won two elections. That is political magic. And election two, while in the bag... Sure, it might not happen. But purely as a candidate, there is nothing else that can rival him. And having entered Washington as a virus so powerful they invented that ridiculous Russia narrative about the election, that has since fallen apart, he none the less takes over the party. Obama had two terms and never got any mojo with his own party. He was famous for being irrelevant in office. Most presidents are.

[@lynndenault8198]

No, I have heard him speak often. He sees the bigger picture. He knows that some of the electorate and the Senate supported him.

[@thestreamoflife1124]

david frum is a republican i respect .....very bright gentleman a canadian

[@ronee1959]

His mother, Barbara Frum was a respected journalist in Canada for the CBC. She was born in the US. In Niagara Falls NY, an American

[@HondoTrailside]

@@ronee1959 She was well liked by co-workers, but could be, like her son, completely out of touch. She chaired panels on her show, and multiples talking heads would represent different perspectives on an issue, for all points of the political compass. Often people with quite a lot of disgust for each other. Barbara would try to shoehorn them into whatever point of view the CBC had decided to push. One night she got so far off the point, not in itself unusual, that all the members of the panel rounded on her and gave her the silly person talk. Someone needs to take David aside and give him a shake also. He can keep supporting the "ban the police" people, and see himself even less respected after the coming Trump landslide. Or he could wake up.

[@samuelglover7685]

His most famous "work" was helping to construct the campaign of Big Lies that allowed the Bush/Cheney junta to launch the Iraq war. In that way Frum is more an **enemy** of America than anything else. Doesn't *anybody* have a memory longer than two goddam weeks?!!?

[@bliss4383]

Indeed. You’ll also appreciate two other outspoken critics of Trump - David Cay Johnston and Rick Wilson, both Republicans. These men have some real testicular fortitude, all worthy of respect and admiration.

[@joetaylor5803]

I basically agree. He travels exclusively between Toronto and DC, and he is an alumnus of both Yale and Harvard. What I’m saying is he is just out of touch with the middle of the country. Right now, as I type this, I’m listening to him blame Russia for having Trump elected. This is incredible, that he feels confident in peddling this bile. Chutzpah comes to mind. When Trump wins in November, I can’t wait to see the dejected look on his face.

[@006pennylane]

In a year's time I would like to see Trump and his cronies in prison.

[@elaineburnett5230]

You,me and millions of other people

[@joeytranchina8839]

It's a bad look for a democracy to put former presidents in prison... I makes the "peaceful transfer of power"thing look shaky. As much as I'd like to see Trump in prison I think it might be better to have him bankrupt, broke and disgorged living in a third floor walk up over a pizza joint in Queens wearing two ankle bracelets.

[@logicsconscience]

I'm very impressed with David Frum.

[@logicsconscience]

@@SP-ml9je Why?

[@robertproctor977]

Because he's a Republican who understands the danger that Donald Trump, the defendant, presents. He understands the unrepresentative nature of how the composition of our federal government is determined. He has foresight, calling Trump's prosecutions ahead of time. Smart guy.

[@jeanettegreenfield7039]

Let us all take the pledge again: I pledge alligence to the flag of the United States of America -- and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Amen.

[@GWMRed]

It does not and must not end with "AMEN." It is an oath, meant to unite the people, by the people, to the people, NOT a prayer to GOD.

[@edwardsbarbara25]

It is not under God. Deliberately made that way. Religion taken out of government. Take what your belief system and keep it out of the American ideal for the nation

[@slowpainful]

I'm always thrilled at the language used to express the fundamental concepts of US democracy.They are a stirring and inspiring reminder of how radical and high-minded the experiment was, and how exciting it must have been to be alive at the time of independence. They are in a beautiful formal English that you rarely ever hear and that expresses how much respect those words merit. Liberty AND justice.

[@elaineburnett5230]

Now all we have to do is remember our pledge 😊😉

[@elaineburnett5230]

@Claudia Nuss Schulte please God help, is a good start...but we have to do our part to save our democracy.

[@catherineandujar2482]

Wow, I have got to read his book. I have always liked what he said even though I am more moderate. He is very perceptive and wise.

[@samuelglover7685]

He helped lie America into the moral and strategic disaster of Iraq. David Frum is a Republican bootlicker and an opportunist. Don't buy his stupid, self-serving "book".

[@pjpredhomme7699]

​@@samuelglover7685 i am not a republican by any means - while i certainly understand where you are coming from and i still am amazed at how easily people have shook off the sheer horror of the Bush administration - i have said for four years the greatest benefactor of Donald trump as president is W Bush - in only 8 short years he no longer has to wear the dunce cap for eternity. That aside i think if were willing to be a little more objective - i think you would recognize that David Frum did not stay the entire first term of the Bush administration - yes he did coin the phrase axis of evil - that was his first time in that role - at a very emotionally charged time . I sense if he had the ability to he would have done some things differently like most of us - the books and talks i have heard him over the past 10 years or so he is not a hyper partisan zealot - he has actual ideas - within conservatism and he talks cogently in complete sentences - that is pretty rare for a republican . i for one do not adhere to that philosophy but i do like to hear from someone like him to understand where another side is coming from and in there is some space to compromise- i think that is what democracy was supposed to be about . We no longer have an operational government and unless something gives - that is not going to be able to last a whole lot longer its easy to be critical especially when you don't have a public record of your own - all that gets you is more of the same and this act has played out

[@ezbody]

Love listening to the rare Conservative that actually has a good character, stands for real values, possesses a moral compass and stands by his convictions. 👍👍

[@thestreamoflife1124]

some great analysis and suggestions to heal america i am canadian toobut love america i am a democrat liberal socalist humanitarian

[@robertdevino4109]

You are a communist under a different name! Oppressive evil and should be gotten rid of as much as we had to get rid of Hitler! Socialism is evil! Hitler was a socialist! The Soviet Union was Socialist! You are pure evil lady! You are the problem in the world!

[@frogstamper]

@@robertdevino4109 Your tin-foil hat is slipping Robert...

[@robertdevino4109]

@@frogstamper Really so it's a conspiracy theory that Hitler was a socialist and socialism is evil??? I might wear a tin hat but at least my brain functions ! It seems yours is completely dead! Controlled by MSM and the democrat scumbags! She is a socialist she needs to be gotten rid of for the sake of humanity! It's people like you that allowed Hitler to come to power and you should be ashamed of yourself! I bet your grand father is!

[@robertdevino4109]

@Chris B YOUR RESPONSE SHOWS JUST HOW MUCH OF AN IDIOT YOU ARE! You obviously know absolutely nothing about Trump! And if you want to call some a anzee of any kind ! look at yourself! your incredibly stupid to be listening to the main stream press! You are seriously brain washed! So Trump is Hitler aye? Typical moron accusation with no brains! His daughter and her children his grand kids are Jewish! He moved the Israeli embassy to Jerusalem! I bet you are a democrat and you want to label Trump as a Nazi to hide the fact that everything in the DNC platform from taking the guns away to killing free speech to socialism and socialized medicine to the censoring of opposition opinions TO CHARGING PEOPLE WITH CRIMES WITH NO EVIDENCE WHAT SO EVER OR MAKING THE EVIDENCE UP! are all things Hitler actually did! THEY ARE ALSO THINGS THE DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE! GO SELL YOUR LIES SOMEWHERE ELSE ASSHOLE i DEAL IN FACTS NOT YOUR MAKE BELIEVE HATE FILLED BRAIN DEAD SICK ANTI AMERICAN kkk LOVING LEFTIST SCUM BULLSHIT! GO LOOK THE THE JIM CROW LAWS THE DEMOCRATS CREATED BACK IN THE DAY! HITLER USED THEM AS A MODEL FOR THE NUREMBERG LAWS! YOU ARE A FUCKING NAZI PUNK! STATE SOME FACTS ASSHOLE OR GO STICK A HOT SOLDERING IRON UP YOUR ASS! FUCKING TRAITOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE! SAME OLD SHIT ACCUSATION THAT ARE ACTUAL PROJECTIONS OF WHAT YOU PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY DOING! IF YOU WANT TO SEE A REAL NAZI LOOK IN THE MIRROR!

[@waikanaebeach]

Robert Devino Clearly poorly educated... Hitler was a fascist as much as Mussolini and Franco. Extreme right wing. Communism is not the same as socialism nor is ether the same as democratic socialism...

[@lynndenault8198]

PPl wan to be a jerk like Trump and he gives them permission to do so. I don't think that he does say it like it is - just how a jerk sees it. He has given ppl permission to be rude, to be a bully, to insult others, to be ignorant of history and facts.

[@thestreamoflife1124]

David is one of the BRIGHTESTS and my favorite

[@johngiglio6834]

This guy is Human Debris!

[@johngiglio6834]

I see you are a member too.@@garygjl9036

[@elaineburnett5230]

I wonder if there is a cultural difference between insiders, and those outsiders....I think David Frum is smart and scary. But as a African American we have had 400 years of scary, and we kept the faith and protected democracy. By the way,a protest is not a riot when according to Thomas Jefferson American democracy requires a revolution every 20 years. Jefferson did some dumb, racist crap like his peers, but still he said stuff that remains true today.

[@joeytranchina8839]

David Frum is very smart. I understand the scary part (idolizing Reagan makes my skin crawl) but his sincerity and the good will he extended toward democracy by prioritizing voting reform made him less scary to me.

[@evasartorius9528]

The people need periodic, kind of generational reminders. The young do not remember what it was like before. They have to learn that lesson anew.

[@elaineburnett5230]

@@evasartorius9528 Apparently, the old need to be reminded as well....

[@sanehumanbeing7019]

Unfortunately I don't see reconciling these people to democracy being very likely. We will end up having to defend democracy from them.

[@b00ts4ndc4ts]

Just saw the title and thought there was nothing to replace. Never have the USA ever been democratic.

[@robertproctor977]

We are a democracy. Our democracy has problems, but we are a democracy.

[@dambar7486]

Please someone ask David Frum about proportional representation. First Past the Post is what forces such diverse groups into the Decocratic Party. Even if it is difficult to achieve in the short term, the promise would make it easier for a Bernie supporter to vote for a centrist and a Never Trump conservative to vote for a Berniecrat - the promise being that they will in time be able to vote for who they really want.

[@slowpainful]

Canada has the same system, and it produces the same alienating results. You very probably have already, but if not, do check out Hasan MInaj's episode of Patriot Act called "We're Doing Elections Wrong," here on KZbin, in which he discusses ranked voting, a type of PR system that Maine has already put in place.

[@dambar7486]

@@slowpainful Ranked Choice is a big improvement over plurality but it is not PR. Single Transferable Vote is a form of PR that uses the ranking of candidates but as this is done in multi member constituencies it produces a result in which small parties get fair representation. It is the system that was used for a time in New York City. Hasan Minaj's video is good. You might be interested in "Politics in the Animal Kingdom: Single Transferable Vote" by CGP Grey

[@pjpredhomme7699]

you are proposing this to the country that told the world to go F itself with the metric system , global warming and countless other things and you suggest a voting system that might undercut the significance of the parties ? good luck with that .i think some adjustments in the primary system - would really help - the way we hold primaries - it incentivizes to the extremes when many times the more well formed candidates might not be so polarizing . i would start there before it is too late

[@ministryoftruth8523]

The world deems Trump to be disgusting.

[@Gymnopediea]

really he is disgusting on his own if a person has a brain. i require no media to see he's an imbecile

[@chuck2093]

You speak for the " WORLD" I don't think so.

[@joeytranchina8839]

@@chuck2093 The overwhelming majority of people in the world see Donald Trump as stupid, ignorant, dishonest and disgusting. He is favorably viewed (last time I checked) only in Russia & Israel. Here, in Europe, he is considered an ugly crude joke, and embarrassment.

[@alena2998]

Hence the sour comments below: democracy has one challenging obligation, to listen to and to respect other peoples point of view. NB, you do not have to accept, but the person with what you regard as despicable actually has a right to form an own opinion. And maybe mirrors your lust for an uppercut as the last argument in the debate... So where do we come with no respect?

[@bennetteroach1124]

Alena - there is a saying holds good today: “Respect begets respect.”

[@davidwestwater8925]

He has a right to talk but why is a person given so much attention by the media? He is wrong so offten...

[@dthelmcken420]

Reasoned perspective and strong arguments David but don’t you think that “the way out of this” also includes an aggressive legislative program. You speak of electoral reform and re-engaging internationally which will be very difficult due to the increasing mistrust for which Trump is largely responsible. But there are many seemingly lesser issues like improved whistleblower protection. What would your be your top 5 issues? Thanks. DTH1

[@ttmallard]

One-person, one-vote, ALL votes count, everyone has it, felons, all of voting age no exceptions, every one has a voice in a tribal meeting, everyone can speak, vote, their thoughts & feelings. Indigenous Cultures were democratic, Chiefs chosen for wisdom and fairness.

[@catchingthemoon]

He doesn't say like it is, he says it how he's told it is.

[@PeterOzanne]

Just like Trump supporters ;-)

[@orffrocks5667]

Brilliant, riveting, confirming.

[@diankreczmer6595]

David frum. My all time favorite 😎😎😎😎😎commentator

[@leealexander3507]

You're wrong about no one wanting to go back to the 60s. I do. Mostly for the music and sense of community among the young. This music festivals were wonderful even if he doesn't think so. I enjoyed the 60s and early 70s more than any other time in my life. I created my art and had gallarey shows. I rode and cared for my horses. It was a good time.

[@sophieb30]

Thank you David From

[@elaineburnett5230]

David Frum has nailed it....'these changes are needed to make us more like, we think we are!" As an African American, we have put our trust in the words of a slave owner because we knew they were true, even though aspirational. With faith and time, and effort - aspirational becomes inspirational, then rational, then reality: "We hold those truths that all men are ....created equal!

[@michaeledwards1193]

Ooooh, nicely put!!!

[@goldenphoenixpublish]

Until we arrive at a common vision everyone can buy into, the practice of goodwill and appreciation for diversity holds the greatest potential for seeing us through the present crises. As for a uniting vision, we might start with cleaning up our environmental mess...

[@claytongunter2450]

You still don't get it do you? The issues DO NOT MATTER! We are under attack by the communist, with the help of trump, McConnell, Barr, and many others! This must be about removal of trump at any cost or we will fall under communism! This is literally a fight for the survival of democracy and our people!

[@vincentrashad1386]

Excellent and very informative

[@carolsiebert9359]

We in the US need to follow one

[@Ploskkky]

Frum is such a levelheaded, analytical, smart guy. Imagine a republican president like that. I could live with that. Sadly the republican party is now a gathering of groveling sycophants.

[@barbfraser7194]

David Frum is a born rich, intellectual wannabe. He is a racist!straight up!He is the one who started stirring hate against Muslims both in the US and in Canada. He "gifted"Canada with the phrase "old stock" a term used by the Harper Creature to stir hate in Canada. He sent continuous messages of hate to Margaret Atwood because shes a feminist. He was the cheerleader for the bombing of defenceless Baghdad. It was shock and awe baby. David, now hiding as a "centrist"! represents the very elite. He critiques Ivanka why?Because he is one of the same! entitled spawn with a platform only possible because of his wealth. With all his advantages David could have done some good. Instead he foments hate but without the moral courage to actually OWN it. No, he does it on the sly, then slithers back into the limelight where the compromised press, bow down and lick his very expensive boots. David Frum...helped, indeed did the SICKENING PR for the GWBush cabal. David Frum!helped lay the tracks for the trump train of destruction, which completed the destruction of the Rule of Law, that ramped up under the GWBush regime. Wakey, wakey folks! You believe David Frum?I gots an Iraqi blood for oil war to sell you!Then watch!As with the press's help, I whitewash my own history!Shock and awe!That actually applies to the astonishing fact that this creature keeps surfacing. His born rich wealth?The ONLY reason why he has a platform! Grovelling sycophant?That is David's middle name.

[@photogol]

Great interview!

[@johnmartlew5897]

golaizola .....What is so great about it? Are you referring to Trumps brand of greatness? Great lies, great racism, great national debt, great coronavirus death count, great stupidity, great mental illness, great self importance.......and on and on.......

[@janquantrill9585]

🇬🇧the comparison you're looking for isn't nixon. I suggest Idi Amin

[@tobylangdale95]

Absolutely! Idi Amin ... Trump is somewhat analogous to Amin, the proud phoney with fake medals and all who paratrooped out of an aircraft sitting on the runway, lol what a joke!

[@joeytranchina8839]

Have you searched Trump's refrigerator?

[@davidanderson9664]

I'd invite David Frum to my dinner parties. He's smart and I guess he'd accept b/c he doesn't have many friends now: all his former cronies are wearing MAGA hats and selling our country down the toilet. "David Frum: Dinner Party Guest Who Won't Steal the Silverware" D.A.. J.D. NYC --best host in the NYC area.

[@Longtack55]

I'll be your gate-crashing surprise guest David. Pay my airfare bruh.

[@Matt-ou7xm]

David Frum: Dinner Party Guest Who Suddenly Proclaims "Chalabi Shall Be The New Host Of This Party, He Is Good And My Buddies Will Be Leaving With Your Houseplants"

[@harrisfoster1066]

Are u nuts ?? Frum worked for Bush/Cheney, he is a scum bag..These talks are a waste of time...a joke

[@sierramade]

Excellent I need to hear this

[@slowpainful]

I have to start with this: Quentin Hardy is a supercilious and rude interviewer. I don't care if it's called "in conversation with," he is the interviewer and David Frum is his guest. I am halfway through this "conversation" and Mr Hardy has blatantly interrupted David Frum SIX times already. Interrupted as in, Frum is mid-sentence and developing his idea, but Hardy loudly talks over him with the apparently more important thing HE has to say until Frum is FORCED TO stop. Equally shocking is when he asks Frum a question, then proceeds to avert his eyes and apparently read something or search for something on his desk, ignoring Frum and giving the impression that he has no interest whatsoever in the answer to the question. Perhaps he is busy coming up with his response that will attempt to one-up Frum. "Yes, and here's my addition to your response that shows how much more clever I am." I've rarely seen such egregiously rude, egotistical and patronizing behavior from an interviewer towards a guest. David Frum is one of the few people "on the right" who I can listen to without wanting to throw my computer keyboard across the room. In fact, I think he used to be more ideologically to the right than he is now, though I forget what particular awakening occurred. Nothing he says here is terribly earth-shaking, at least so far -I'm only halfway through- but he is refreshingly free from hysteria and his comparisons with past presidents, including Nixon, are depressing reminders of how far expectations have sunk. I look forward to hearing his solutions. If I can stop myself from throwing my computer keyboard across the room.

[@herontait7263]

David Frum. A breath of fresh air. Decent, trustworthy and of integrity.

[@MasterChiefFloyd]

Opposite.

[@Drpermer]

I have come out of this election thinking differently. There are no longer deplorables, they are now irredeemables.

[@pushkin4894]

How prescient is his psychology about Trump given Mary Trump's new books. He is a man who was never loved and never loved; nor can he connect to anything outside himself, neither historical, moral, humanitarianism that are part of the American greatness.

[@tonywilliams49]

We have to heal the country after the election.

[@mikeboate208]

tony williams which one? The north or the South. I have a hard time see a future where the states are united. When your neighbour is your enemy ...divide and conquer. That’s an old ploy ,stoke peoples fears.That is not Freedom .

[@ru.kiddingme]

Fair enough. But how will that be done? There is so much distrust and brainwash.

[@joeytranchina8839]

We must win convincingly first.

[@intrepidtomato]

David Frum is well worth listening to, and I have - thank you, Commonwealth Club. But he and his fellow travellers remind me of the Sorceror's Apprentice. Die Geister, die ich rief.... He was instrumental in shaping the rethoric that led to the Iraq war, and the populism that he whipped up - notably also directed against countries like my own, Germany, and France - has not gone away in the intervening years. The destruction of Iraq also ultimately led to the rise of Isis in neighbouring Syria and to the large wave of civil war refugees in 2015. It is laudable to see him speak out against Trump now. I fear it is too late for American democracy. No country is immune from this brand of toxic populism, and the UK and the US as former empires that never lost a war on their own soil in living memory are less immune than most.

[@joeytranchina8839]

Maybe, maybe not.. I admit it looks very bad for the US (UK too) now. but... We'll see...jt

[@BeefT-Sq]

" How to organize protection against the use of force was---and is---man's fundamental social problem ." -Ayn Rand-

[@guillermorodriguez3674]

Going back to Sherlock Holmes: who's winning the most from getting the US isolated, divided, confused, unable to deal with market, pandemia, budget, moral compass? ANS: PUTIN!!!

[@theavandenberg6876]

Very interesting insights 👍

[@AboutFace-gq1tx]

Until you or others mention taxing the very well, the rich, and appulent wealthy

[@AboutFace-gq1tx]

Nothing will ever change.

[@graniteworks70]

This is supposed to be a republic not a democracy Democracy is a system of government in which laws, policies, leadership, and major undertakings of a state or other polity are directly or indirectly decided by the “people,” a group historically constituted by only a minority of the population.

[@leadgenmagic4554]

"When this is all over NOBODY will admit to being for it." LOL! Bill Barr: "History is written by the Winner." It isn't over yet. VOTE! LOL! Imagine Trump going to his Chinese Creditors when his loans come due and he cannot use Quid Pro Quo to avoid Bankruptcy. That image is almost worth the price of a ticket, so to speak. Almost.

[@samuelglover7685]

"When this is all over NOBODY will admit to being for it" Yeah. Kinda like spinning the phrase "axis of evil" as part of a marketing campaign for a war -- Frum's always pretty quiet about *that* admission.

[@evelynpetroski1]

Lead Gen Magic Ivanka is cleaning up. Maybe “Daddy” can be be bailed out by her and Kushner?

[@bbj1947]

I don't think the disorder in Portland and Trump's attempt to deal with it will have much effect on the election. At this late stage, most of us have already made up our minds where we stand on Trump, and what we think of him. I hope that we are successful in making the right choice where he is concerned in November. I am voting for Joe Biden.

[@SokemRokemRobot]

I'd rather see the restoring of the American Republic.

[@jonibosworth5887]

Thank you Mr. Frum I so enjoy listening to you.

[@PateeSarasin]

This is very good!!

[@joeshea1010]

always helpful to listen to david frum.

[@APackard1955]

Just a Smarter trump( low bar) don't be fooled! VOTE BLUE IN 22!🌊🇺🇸

[@carolblaquiere3864]

Seems to me that one draw for politicians may be the garantee of a very comfortable retirement.

[@joeytranchina8839]

That's true for the lower end... But, to my surprise, most of the politicians I worked with (especially US Senators) were taking a pay cut to work in government

[@desh79]

17:00 From a German/European viewpoint, the main problem is the lack of consistency in US foreign policy. During the Cold War, there were obviously differences between Dems and Reps (the 1980 election being a case in point), but by and large their foreign policies were cohesive and consistent and most of all, reliable. In recent decades - and arguagly Iraq was the major turning point - both political parties have grown further and further apart on issues such as NATO, Russia, the Middle East, the EU, China, protectionism/isolationism vs internationalism/globalisation, etc. that from an ally's viewpoint it's difficult to plan much further ahead because whenever there's a change in Presidency (such as this January) there's also the possibility of a 180-degree turn in foreign policy. I'm not worried about the pettiness and the insults that Trump threw at leaders like Merkel when he was President, our alliance is strong enough to withstand things like that - it's the lack of consistency I'm worried about, because that is likely to continue in the future, irrespective of who the Republican nominee is going to be in 2024.

[@freeradt]

It's nice to hear intelligent people rationalize life without Trump in the White House on the very night I view this video feeling like all is lost, life as we once lived it is over, just as the musician inside me says, "what timing!" Thank you for this very necessary HOPE.

[@leealexander3507]

Trump followed me on Twitter which made my skin crawl. I didn't follow him back because I didn't want to see his tweets or encourage him. I still have no idea why he follows me. It's not as if I were wealthy or important. It would probably bother me to have any President follow me but not as much as Trump.

[@leealexander3507]

Nixon was annoying to those of us who protested the war so I was glad to hear we scared him badly when we protested around the Whitehouse. I still smile when I think back on it after all these years;-)

[@Badgersj]

The weakness of the transition period in the US is its length. It really should be as quick as possible. In the UK we don't have voting machines, votes have to be recorded on paper in one way or another and that does cause a few hours' delay, but once the result is give that's it, one in, one out. Once the decision is given, that should be end, just for the sake of the country. IF I WERE YOU... I'd ditch those voting machines, they're too vulnerable to abuse. Just open more polling stations. Then, once the result is given, get the electoral college together (they don't have much else to do, make sure they know they have to be in place). Then make them give their result within hours, then abide by it.

[@carolinemaybe]

Please vote in every election. Vote for everyone from police chief to president. It matters.

[@Longtack55]

A piss poor 55% voted for Pres in 2016. Yanks dont care.

[@karamathenia9537]

Voting is our right we shoukd take seriouly and spend the time learning about the people that are running for office.

[@jonathanedwardgibson]

How’s that democracy he established in Iraq going and does ‘qualified immunity’ apply to the lives and treasure sunk into that… how many deca-trillions?!? Let’s hear some more about the conservative austerity we need here at home. Please.

[@jonathanedwardgibson]

We see where our PPE budget last decade went : AI GI Joe cops flexing like Iron Man with milspec gear that can ONLY be used on citizens… while doctors and nurses wear garbage bags as a result of the defenestration of government this man aided and championed.

[@catb1881]

He didn't put lives in it! He pulled them out!

[@barbaraguido3634]

Frum predicted incorrectly - WE GOT JAN. 6TH - The loss of OUR DEMOCRACY CAME DANGEROUSLY CLOSE.

[@michaeledwards1193]

I agree with Frum in his saying that Trump has damaged the standing of the US abroad. I grew up in Ireland revering the US. That reverence is now gone. I lament the decline of the US but at the very same time I am not surprised. For too long "american exceptionalism" has been an indefensible doctrine. We here in Europe looked the other way too long. The election of trump was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I wish your country well. I very much hope to visit before I croak. But I no longer have admiration or consider it a beacon.

[@dobnerk]

He called it at 45:00!!! Certification day

[@leealexander3507]

I still remember Eisenhower's I Like Ike campaign buttons.

[@lochfc]

David has just argued cogently in effect for compulsory voting. First, you save an awful lot of money and effort on getting the vote out for a very insignificant loss of 'freedom'. Second, since candidates can't rely on their bases only; they simply must look to the middle and the unaffiliated, extreme views have nowhere to go and no constituency. Next, those who really don't want to vote can either accept a piffling fine, or spoil their ballots. Yes, there's a 'donkey vote', but many people have to inform themselves about their politicians who would not otherwise, which is good. Finally, there is no scope for voter suppression. Finally, and very damagingly, voluntary voting involves a prisoner's dilemma for the disadvantaged since the perceived cost of voting outweighs the benefit, the result of which is that their not voting reduces their benefits even further.

[@dambar7486]

I suspect he would say that compulsory voting is unachievable. Simply making it an obligation to provide enough polling places so people never stand in line would be a first step.

[@stevefitt9538]

David Frum, the Constitution gives to Congress the power to direct the states as to how the House Reps shall be elected. A simple law can make the House 100 Reps larger and also how they are elected. Using current numbers of Reps as an example, currently 37 states have 9 or less Reps.. I suggest that all those 37 states be required to elect their Reps from 1 district. That voters be encouraged to vote for a few by voting for more than 1 which evenly splits their single vote into fractional votes. Thirteen states are larger and would have 2, 3, or 4, up to 8 Districts. Calif has 53 Reps.. It should have 8 districts, 3 dist with 6 Reps. and 5 dist with 7 Reps. (18+35=53). For me the ideal num. of Reps. per district is about 7 and the minimum if there are 2+ dict. should be 5 Reps/dist. This would create 3rd and 4th parties with seats in Congress. This would make gerrymandering useless.

[@martinmcsweeney732]

"The love of a Horse, a dog... or even a cat!" HAHA.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Martin McSweeney - What do you mean "even a cat?" Cats are my favorite creatures.

[@joeytranchina8839]

Great practical plans for 24 months to make a difference. Smart time-line. How about Puerto Rican statehood? I understand it's more complicated than DC statehood but four senate seats are twice as good as two. Plus, what a brilliant analysis for an inaugural speech for Biden in January. That is a master class in political rhetoric.

[@leealexander3507]

Donald Trump has become a cult leader and I don't know how we can hope to deprogram a cult of millions What really breaks my heart is my brother has become a cult follower and I don't know how to get him back. He has never had any interest in politics before. He has never been hateful before.

[@kristendavis7870]

Omg Frum just called S. Palin's speech eloquent!! I'm done!

[@samuelglover7685]

Totally in-character for Frum.

[@claytongunter2450]

Most speeches are done by a writer for them. We all know she has the IQ of a bucket of dirt! LOL! No worries there.

[@lancebybee7962]

At least she could read. 45 sounds like he struggles with words.

[@hus390]

(14:50) Wow!!! Spot on!!!

[@Me-lb8nd]

How was it possible? The rise of the stupids, that is how.

[@elaineburnett5230]

"both sides get their wish!" ha, ha, ha, ha

[@davidanderson9664]

Even before the pandemic you couldn't travel. What if you lost your passport and had to go to the American embassy and encounter his smirking orange face on a portrait? Nu-uh. ---oh, and sorry to all the foreigners watching our last 3 years - we ARE INDEED ashamed. D.A., J.D., NYC

[@64slugirl]

Interesting discussion. I'ts unclear how men his age feel privileged to be rather chauvinistic. Mr. Frum accepts that's ok. Or, he doesn't recognize it. He doesn't speak about the younger men and millenial men AND women, having less "acceptance of oinkish attitudes". He would be fathers' age, of the younger men, so I'm hoping the Mothers of these young men have raised sons to be better men, than the fathers like Mr. Frum's generation. He doesn't say much at all about women's political views/strengths either. I've read many Frum articles (Atlantic and such) and now understand why I often feel his POV is sometimes, SOMETIMES really difficult to agree with. This is a good discussion to ponder, thanks!

[@mcdibbern9919]

Parlez64 Don’t know how you got the idea that David Frum thinks it’s ok to be a chauvinist. He says no such thing. He merely states that SOME men , particularly although not exclusively of his age like the way Trump expresses himself and find it liberating. He was making an observation NOT endorsing this attitude.Pretty much everything he says indicates just how much he deplores Trump and what he has done to his country. What I like about David Frum is his calm , rational analysis where is opinions are backed up with facts and data. His depth of knowledge about American politics going back to the founding of the Republic is informative and instructive. BTW I’m a British woman.

[@beckymesser4896]

Why not just one vote per person? Why is this so hard to do?

[@carolinemaybe]

Right now, with little media noticing, the House GOP are talking up a show down with Venezuela and Iran.

[@joetaylor5803]

We truly are a psychotic nation, aren’t we?

[@Remie5000]

Why is no one using the TREASONOUS ACT

[@Remie5000]

By the president

[@jgar611]

Where do we go from here, how do we get there?

[@richardcrighton8079]

being an arsehole belongs to horrible children if they are badly brought up. i do not agree with the acceptance that adult men should be allowed to behave in such a way.

[@jeanmorin3247]

David, you have to come back to Canada and run for office. You'd have a chance here.

[@johnmartlew5897]

Jean Morin .....you have got to be kidding. One half baked American tried that in Ontario politics. We saw through him and sent him packing. Remember Ignatieff?

[@mpetry912]

David is so insightful and this was a really worthwhile discuss. Liked subscribed and shared. thank you !

[@marcoochoa3287]

Ok I hear you.. now my story

[@semo...]

please guys help me for free i need this book ASAP Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy thanks

[@kendaiker2635]

After the fact Frumm was prescient about Trump. But did not predict the Jan 6th power grab.

[@altitudeillume6729]

#FEMALECONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP OF THE FUTURE

[@altitudeillume6729]

AND hillary was #putinized for trumpf

[@kathyorourke9273]

The man who shows what he’s really like to his terrorized wife and children!

[@justgivemethetruth]

Restoring American democracy? When has America ever been democratic? Never. Oh, America was more democratic in the old Native American Iroquois tribes who actually practiced real democracy, and who inspired the Founders who could not get the stubborn vicious white people to really support democracy. we've never been democratic except in some kind of image to strive for. The biggest problem is that although we have made some progress we are not striving very hard, and in fact we are striving more to avoid being democratic than we are to restore any kind of real democracy. Americans are still pretty ignorant about this, and that yet another way we keep from moving towards democracy.

[@kaarlimakela3413]

If we (we the loose collection of everybody else aka 'OTHER') have to have conservatives in a future more normal world ... I don't want the people who want to drown the social compact in a bathtub. I don't want people who hate people and love money. No sell-outs lacking character. Conservatives should just be squares who think things are too expensive, forgetting people are a good investment. People are a great investment ALWAYS. Especially compared to not heartfully investing in people, which is where we are. Anybody, any crew that is crazier, meaner, stupider ... no longer should be acceptable company to decent proud conservatives.. They should tell them f-off and join the flat earth society or something. When I listen to you, and some of the ex-republicans on MSNBC I almost think you actually are not out to ruin things and hatefully make life miserable ... the view from Motown ...

[@lynndenault8198]

America talks about elections all of the time - no matter what. We are closer now to it but it is a daily thing on news channels. Tiring and doesn't allow a government to just get on with it.

[@TTownTim]

"what do you call a presidential candidate at 43%?.. a loser" D. Frum =]

[@HondoTrailside]

@88Gibson LesPaul All that is falling is the number of people who want to stand up and be counted by nameless machines at the other end of the phone. Trump has been right about most things recently: He closed incoming flights against advice; he has been keeping the huge economic cost in the spotlight; he has been right things would moderate with the coming summer, or we at least hope that is correct. He was even right about his favorite drug. Turns out the evidence against it was the result of fabricated, peer reviewed studies. 150 scientist demanded the study be withdrawn.

[@leealexander3507]

I love my adult children, I love my black arabian stallion, I love my friends and they love me back. I can't imagine being someone who is incapable of love.

[@robertgagne8892]

It shouldn't need to be said, but you CAN "love" money, but in no way can money EVER love you back! D-ump is the lonely, miserable, malignant "miser on the hill", looking down on all the real happiness in the world, and like a real GRINCH, hates every last bit of it! "And they'll sing, and they'll SING, and they'll SING SING SING!!!" (think "chant" :-} He'll simply have none of that...

[@hereigoagain5050]

What is your favorite war since WWII?

[@robertthweatt1900]

My favorite is not another ww2, which is really the point. 50 million (or more?) died in that one. We've done that, however wastefully. So we're still here.

[@HondoTrailside]

@@robertthweatt1900 A quick calc, on the basis of you broke it, you pay for it: The US has killed 19 million people in colonial wars since the Philippine war. Not counting the WWs. You can come up with other numbers, but people have in mind vastly low numbers for the cost of US imperiealims. Oddly, in my feed, just to the right, there is a video called "Albright: Trump The Most Un-...". This from the lady whose video is still on YT with her saying the deaths of 600-900 thousand Iraqi women and children due to US sanctions between the two US wars on Iraq, "was worth it". She might be right. But it sure isn't low cost to the world when the dems are around.

[@HondoTrailside]

@@robertthweatt1900 I am happy US hegemony thrives. But technically you would not need another WW, because the US took over the imperial mantel after the last one. They just need to manage things as well as possible.

[@johnmartlew5897]

Hondo Trailside ......that makes that lady a war criminal along with the trigger pullers.

[@johnmartlew5897]

Hondo Trailside ......some humanitarian humility would go a long way in making any one nations global hegemony worthy. If it requires so much military force, it’s not about making a better world, is about making a few people very rich. If America was actually doing anything truly good out there, why would anyone fight so desperately to stop them? Where are the positive results of this hegemony? In America only. It’s certainly not in the areas they control. And even in America, it’s in the hands of the top few percent. Look around you. You have no health care, education and infrastructure in shambles. Race riots, failed government, constitution in shreds.......on and on.......

[@FaFa-fl1kh]

Mr Frum, your hatred of Trump is visibly consuming you. I hope you don't die of hypertension.