Posted on 01/13/2012 1:49:07 PM PST by indianrightwinger
Gingrich is a perverse product of political system
byTimothy P. Carney Senior Political Columnist posted January 11, 2012 at3:26pm with26 Comments
One reason to deplore our corrupt revolving-door politics and crony-corporatist economy is that it has produced a man like Newt Gingrich.
Through his defenses of his pro-corporate welfare lobbying efforts and his facile attacks on Mitt Romney's profits, Gingrich has emerged this election as an enemy of the free market -- an unlikely distinction for a member of the Republican Party, which is supposed to stand for the free market. The pious preachments of liberal college professors, the foolhardy machinations of liberal central planners, and the even the greedy public-policy profiteering of subsidy-suckling CEOs and regulatory robber barons are all less harmful to economic liberty than the insidious and Orwellian campaign by the former speaker.
Gingrich, both himself and through a superPAC technically separate from his campaign, has attacked Romney's lucrative career at Bain Capital. This is not automatically unconservative. There is nothing sacrosanct about making money, and defenders of the free market certainly aren't obligated to side with finance, as the bailouts reminded us. But the Gingrich video doesn't hit Romney for chasing bailouts or subsidies, for using eminent domain, or any sort of cronyism. Gingrich is attacking Romney for trying "to reap massive rewards for himself and for his investors."
The knocks on Romney in Gingrich's video are that Bain Capital "took foreign seed money," and that the struggling firms Romney tried to save laid off workers. The Gingrich narrative -- that Romney made money by laying off good working men and women -- is breathtakingly simplistic, the sort of thing you expect from an Upton Sinclair or a Dennis Kucinich.
(Excerpt) Read more at campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com ...
Just because some Conservatives have been defending Bain does not mean that they want this loser to win the presidency. Mittens underperformed in IA and NH and he is not doing great in SC. 66% of voters rejected him in NH, a state he should have cleaned house in. Your argument is BS. Zot you later.
I watched on TV, expecting fireworks. I think it was at the beginning of 1995 in New Hampshire. It wasn’t so much that Clinton destroyed him as Newt self-destructed. He acted like he and clinton were drinking buddies. He didn’t challenge the slickster on anything.
You must be too young to remember.
It wasn’t a debate. It was a photo-op. Newt thwarted everything Clinton did and then brought the articles of impeachment to the Senate. Your Marxist statement is stupid, childish and a lie.
Not an ounce of Marxism in Newt Gingrich, but perhaps you’d like to tell that to Jim Robinson, instead of me?
I actually was drifting toward Newt, but he’s a loose cannon. There is plenty to criticise about Romney, but Newt chose to criticise him for, choke, gasp, making a profit.
He could have gone after him for Romneycare. he could have gone after him for costing the government money in some of his takeovers, as described often by Newtbots trying to change the subject, except that Newt, himself, has gotten millions from the government.
He could have gone after Romney for crony capitalism, except that newt has profited himself from crony capitalism, so, instead he went after Romney for just plain ordinary captalism.
At this juncture, there is nobody in either party that I’m feeling all that enthused about for the Oval Office, maybe Santorum, maybe, but I’m very disappointed in Newt. Sorry, Jim, but there isn’t anyone to build up. We’re doomed, Artoo.
Well said. I am one of those fighting Bain attacks. Not because of Romney.
I’m sorry, but it was billed as a Lincoln-Douglas type of debate. I’m just saying that Newt isn’t the master debater as the Newtbots bill him. He is, but with the middle two syllables deleted.
And, I’m really getting sick of his commercials trashing Romney for (G-d forfend) making a profit.
I agree absolutely. Newt needs to shut his face about Romney’s business history. Santorum comes out of this looking like the hero he is.
“Santorum comes out of this looking like the hero he is.”
I wouldn’t go so far as to call Santorum (or most politicians) a hero, but he does come out of this looking better than either Newt, Mitt, or the other Rick.
On the basis of comparison of records in governance, there is simply no contest who is best prepared to defend the Constitution and conservatism as president. Newt Gingrich had to first take down the establishment republicans before he could become the conservative revolutionary and take out the democrats in the House after 40 years.
Look who supports Romney now, led by John Sununu (advisor who influenced Bush 41 to break the no new taxes pledge, and brought us Justice Souter), Bush 41, who does not forgive Newt for standing with him when Newt refused to be part of the new new taxes betrayal The ‘victorious’ John McCain and a whole gaggle of the moderates who didn’t get us anything but defeat in ‘08 and showed us we need to be ‘fair’ with the historic Obama. Compare that to who supports Newt, led by Art Laffer, architect of Reaganomics, Thomas Sowell, Palin’s (Todd has publicly, Sarah has all but said it) and you will know where we are as a party.
Romney can claim credit for running a successful business, making money and restructuring some businesses. He claims his efforts created 100 thousand jobs. Newt can claim credit for being a key driver of Supply-Side economics and helping enact laws that created an economic environment that led to 11 million new jobs. Newt went on to become Speaker of the House, led to spending and taxing reform, forced Clinton to a ‘Triangulation’ strategy and was in power during a time when unemployment was effectively 4%. The markets soared after the American people voted in the Gingrich House, because Newt’s conservative leadership created consumer confidence. Anyone who wants to credit Clinton need only look at his decisions before Newt, and after.
Gingrich took action on the Clinton crime enterprise, formed the Burton committee and took action on crimes that aligned with a tremendous advance in Chinese technological capabilities. Not a day goes by that we don’t suffer economically from China’s advance. By necessity, many jobs that were ‘saved’ by Bain’s acquisitions had to go overseas. Newt Gingrich pushed the House committee that led to the Impeachment of Clinton. Without his strength, Gore would have had an easy course to the presidency in 2000. Newt left the congress strong and conservative, the moderates ran it into the ground.
The moderate GOP senate never forgave Newt for forcing the Impeachment Trial into their hands. When the heat came on Newt for that phony ethics problem in ‘98, it was moderates who turned on him. Moderates are the problem - Romney is a moderate.
Our country owes a debt of gratitude for Newt’s record of service in governance. Romney has one unimpressive term as governor of Mass. All his other service has been as a capitalist who in many ways benefitted from the efforts of Newt Gingrich. I will be thrilled to elect Romney the president of the Chamber of Commerce. May his skills in business be shared with us all.
For President of the United Staes, I want the candidate with the real record of conservative service and results for our country. I support Newt Gingrich.
Unfortunately, Santorum will get no coverage because he won’t trash his opponents. The media is only interested in elephant-elephant-violence.
Romney, friend of Ted Kennedy who assisted him in implementing the first socialized medicine in the USA. A base for Obamacare; Mitt Romney who ran smear ads on Newt for sitting on the coach with Pelosi..YET Mitt Romney was lauded by algore over his belief in man made global warming; Mitt Romney who paid thousands and thousands to the very people that are supporting his presidency is trying to BUY the white house...he will be moving down into the slums compared to the homes he owns; Mitt Romney whose smears against Newt in Iowa denied he knew who was behind the ads or that he even saw them....Newt was attacked for practicing FREE ENTERPRISE as a private consultant. The govt hires many doctors, scientists, ex military, engineers as consultants...but OH NO...Newt was not supposed to make a living off his expertise according to Rove and the msm. Rove GROOMED Forti...the man heading up the smears and attacks on Newt. Newt attempted to run a decent campaign and make Obama the target but since Gingrich soared in the polls...the GOP ESTABLISHMENT, FOX NEWS brought out the bash attack machine. Newt is the man with the conservative record NOT Romney. Newt bucked Bush 41 on tax hikes, Newt as speaker accomplished more for the conservative cause than any speaker I can remember in my lifetime. SO VOTE FOR ROMNEY...he is too close to Obama for me. I will NEVER support that socialist pig. OH AND ROMNEY protested in SUPPORT of drafting guys to go to Nam in the 60’s but HE fled to France to serve as a missionary. What a piece of shit
First, is just one tale of a Bain deal under Romney. Bain invested just $30 million to take over a company. It then arranged for this company to pay Bain and its investors a special dividend of $180 million– or six times the amount of equity capital Bain invested to take control. This technique of forcing your prey to pay back your original investment or more, as in this case, is to ensure that the Private Equity Firm is assured of a profit. It is an exploitative way to strip the company of its spare cash and is indefensible corporate rape. It is one selfish and destructive way to play the Private Equity game. For the average holding period by a PE firm is somewhere between 3 and 5 years– in and out with little thought as to the long term performance of the company or the protection of its employees.
Special report: Romney's steel skeleton in the Bain closet
a federal government insurance agency had to pony up $44 million to bail out the company's underfunded pension plan. Nevertheless, Bain profited on the deal, receiving $12 million on its $8 million initial investment and at least $4.5 million in consulting fees.
His supporters say the pension gap at the Kansas City mill was an unforeseen consequence of a falling stock market and adverse market conditions. But records show that the mill's Bain-backed management was confronted several times about the fund's shortfall, which, in the end, required an infusion of funds from the federal Pension Benefits Guarantee Corp.
The U.S. Cannot Have A Private Equity President, Mitt Romney - Forbes
First, is just one tale of a Bain deal under Romney. Bain invested just $30 million to take over a company. It then arranged for this company to pay Bain and its investors a special dividend of $180 million– or six times the amount of equity capital Bain invested to take control. This technique of forcing your prey to pay back your original investment or more, as in this case, is to ensure that the Private Equity Firm is assured of a profit. It is an exploitative way to strip the company of its spare cash and is indefensible corporate rape. It is one selfish and destructive way to play the Private Equity game. For the average holding period by a PE firm is somewhere between 3 and 5 years– in and out with little thought as to the long term performance of the company or the protection of its employees.
I don’t argue with any of that, and if Newt had criticized him for taking federal bailouts, I would have agreed. Instead, newt criticised him for the normal operations of the free enterprise system.
The problem Newt has with criticising Romney for costing the taxpayers money, is that Newt has taken taxpayer money, and caused taxpayer money to flow to his clients, and to him as his fee.
He’s been in academia and Washington DC too long.
Nobody is saying Newt is a Marxist like Obama. But, saying corporate raiders, looters and making money while laying off hard working Americans come across as Marxist rhetoric as far as I am concerned.
Perhaps, more people will learn there's a difference between "investment profits" and "job creation" --- the latter is what Romney claims.
Gingrich said no such thing.
The problem Newt has with criticising Romney for costing the taxpayers money, is that Newt has taken taxpayer money, and caused taxpayer money to flow to his clients, and to him as his fee.
Big difference is that Gingrich was hired to do a job. And he was PAID for that job.
ROMNEY owned the company and drained others of money, walked away with millions and let government pick up the tab for the bailout.
You are fact challenged.
No Romney has ever served in our Military, yet he wants to be Commander-in-Chief.
Newt Gingrich was well on his way to the nomination when Romney realized his lust for power was slipping away so he went scorched earth against Newt Gingrich, and Ru Paul piled on too.
Now, it is what is what it is.
Iowa gave life to Santorum. Without him, Newt Gingrich could easily rebound to the top.
We’ll have to see how South Carolina goes.
Pray!
My husband has been watching FAUX NEWS slime Newt and defend Romney all DAY! it is now a 24/7 thing...I would love to hide his remote until after the election.
If Newt loses in SC...bad for us. I still believe the Iowa election was fixed...8 votes? and we know about the NH election and video on dead people voting. Also, did you note how long it took for them to tally the votes between Newt and Santorum? Newt moved into 5th days after the election. Rove was gloating with his frog face on tv.
Newt was attacking Obama during his Iowa campaign and totally shocked at the mega millions spent smearing him. There was NO outrage from the gop establishment or Rush?
As for Mittens being CnC....he will have to abandon his faith.
Well there are very few people here who see a problem in this line of attack.
You are STUPID. I'll vote for a turnip before I cast a vote for mitt. Freep you M R.
http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/01/selling-out-capitalism-in-the-defense-of-romney-and-bain/
Scroll down for video of Gingrich.
Romney is a politician and a phony one. That does not make Newt any better. And, that won’t make Newt’s pathetic Marxist rhetoric justifiable.
Yes, I notice FR has degenerated into a forum for goading Newt because he “gives ‘em hell”. Whoever it is.
It will pass.
You’re wrong of course and you have never liked Gingrich, so please save your Marxist talk for the Marxist sitting in the White House.
Watch cnn, where Romney is outed!
cnn isn’t a fan of any of our candidartes, but at least their conservative points are noted, and then slammed.
Romney’s? LOL. He has none, and they point it out! LOL.
You have a beef with FR?
FR has "degenerated"?
Who's Newt Gingrich?
Check out Jim's poll:
Newt
225
59.7%
Perry
77
20.4%
Santorum
75
19.9%
It amazes me, the utter acceptance of GOP Establishment propaganda that a few Freepers accept.
All to usher in a total RINO Liberal like Romney.
Gingrich has done so much for conservatism and he was tossed out like trash so the Big Spending Boehners’s ofthe world could destroy the GOP Brand.
Gingrich has survived and has the cajones to beat cutthroat Romney and Marxist Obama.
He will win South Carolina.
It is absolutely right to question someone on their record no matter what the subject is if that candidate holds up that record as a plus in their qualifications.
That's called "vetting". In this case it happens to be business deals. It is NOT anti-capitalist to question a candidates honesty and ethics.
If you don't like FR, you could start your own forum. Plenty of detractors have tried. And tried. AAAAAAAAAAAnd tried.
You are right. I never liked Newt. There is no single reason to like him as a standard bearer for GOP in 2012. That is the reason.
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Please tell us whom you support.
That is the sad part. Given Newt’s liberal record on Health care, GSEs, education and many such, and his bashing of conservatives at every opportunity, and his awful past month of campaigning and his complete support for Romney Care, it is unbelievable that people on FR still support him.
Perry. And, I hated when he used Bain to attack Romney and said so here. Thank god he stopped it.
Mark Levin does a great job tonight on his radio show calling out the hypocrites who claim they are for capitalism and bashed Newt when they themselves are guilty of being anti-capitalist. Romneycare was mentioned, support of TARP was mentioned. The first hour and 15 mins. were a gem.
You lie.
I'm looking at Gingrich On the Issues and I'm not seeing it.
You’re off your rocker, indianrightwinger. Just by your comments, you’re refuting Jim and almost everything he’s written about Newt Gingrich. I have to say that you could not have been attention.
Newt Gingrich is the Reaganite in this field of candidates, yet you’re claiming he supports Romenycare!
Outrageous and completely false!
Why do you think Romneys ethics and honesty at Bain should not be questioned?
After he says anything he will say the opposite
I’ll be back ASAP. Quick kitchen run. This is unreal!
Seriously? Have you not seen his newsletter from 2006??
You can ignore it if you want.
What have you answered? Nothing. You’re just flinging brown stuff at the wall to see what sticks.
And why? Why support a candidate who is unable to make his presence known in a campaign?
“DO YOU SUPPORT ROMNEY??”
You may consider this to be a fair question but it’s none of your business.
Besides, we have your posting history to look at and you believe in Mitt.
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It seems a fairly simple question. Why would you be unwilling to answer it?
“GO NEWT GO!”
For his next fundamentally transformative endeavor, Newt might be a good spokesperson for Weight Watchers.
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