>> Have those guys you mentioned achieved more in Congress since Newt left in 1999 than Newt did when he led? <<
Maybe not. But it’s altogether beside the point as far as I’m concerned. No bearing on the logic of the matter. Not apposite, as they say in the courtroom.
The bottom line for me is is that those GOP leaders and former leaders are smarter than me, and they know Newt “up close and personal” — which is the kind of knowledge I could never have. So when somebody with the stature and experience of a Tom Coburn says he can’t support Newt, then I probably shouldn’t need a lot of additional info.
And here’s just an example of the “integrity” and trust you can put in the statements of some of these people who claim to “know Newt best...”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2843674/posts
And if you don’t think one or the other was bought off somehow, wouldn’t you want them to give you specifics? Don’t you get suspicious when you ask them why Newt was so terrible, and they can’t explain to you why? It makes me think some just have a personal grudge, over something like Newt changing the way positions were granted in the House to not be by seniority anymore, or maybe some pet project of theirs that Newt canned. The massive grudge that Bush, Sr. and Sununu have over Newt opposing their 1990s tax hike should open anyone’s eyes as to how deep and personal some people take political disagreements that to the rest of us are ancient history. As for me, I’d trust what Newt says about them much more than I’d trust what they say about Newt. I saw that Newt wanted to change things to better serve the American public and I know that would have caused great opposition, because there were reasons the status quo was what it was...the powers-that-be liked it that way.
So much for Senator Coburn’s “stature...”
Coburn was questioned why he voted Thursday against a bill intended to prevent members of Congress, their top aides and administration officials from using nonpublic information for insider trading. New disclosure requirements will require public reports online within 30 days of buying and selling stock.
Coburn, one of three to vote against the measure, said the bill was merely an attempt to help members of Congress improve in poll approval ratings that have fallen to the teens.
He said he doesn’t know if any congressional member had violated any trading laws.
“The facts aren’t all in yet,” he said.