Posted on 04/16/2006 10:34:41 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican Party is in serious danger of losing political ground in November elections if it does not enact reforms that eliminate waste and hold the federal bureaucracy to higher standards, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said on Sunday.
"I think they're in very serious danger of having a very bad election this fall," Gingrich said on Fox News Sunday.
"You have to respect the right of the American people to say they want change," he said, criticizing the federal government's bungled efforts to cope with Hurricane Katrina and the Republican-led Congress' failure to enact immigration reforms.
"Are they going to learn some lessons and get their act together?" Gingrich asked.
Republicans currently outnumber Democrats 231-201 in the House and have a 55-44 advantage in the Senate.
The former representative from Georgia said the "debacle" over measures to strengthen U.S. borders and create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants "was one more piece of the puzzle" for many voters who have lost faith in Republican leadership.
"The country absolutely wants control of the borders," Gingrich said. "The country absolutely wants us to insist that becoming an American citizen requires that you passed a test in English."
A well-designed guest worker program would have the support of 75 percent to 80 percent of the American people, he said.
With the federal budget deficit at record levels, Gingrich said Americans are losing patience with "pork," the discretionary spending earmarked to benefit local political constituencies.
"We were sent here to reform Washington, not to be co-opted by Washington," he said.
The Democrats have no solutions, so it is going to be the Republican voter who stays at home that will doom the election for us.
Newt manages to criticize the establishment R's for not passing a tough enough border bill but, it turns out, he is just another establishment R who want's guest worker programs.
"Gingrich warns Republicans Americans want change"
Yes we do. And I like Newt. But Newt needs to suggest positive changes rather than focusing on what he thinks President Bush did wrong.
He got that one right.
A well-designed guest worker program would have the support of 75 percent to 80 percent of the American people, he said.
Don't think he got that one right.
Key words: well designed. The current green card/legal immigrant program is not a problem, it is the illegals who are.
People come here to work without any intent of becoming citizens, and not just from Mexico.
I have met people from all over the world working in the oil patch in the US, they are here to gain experience, and will return to their countries and work there, probably for the same corporations they worked for while here.
It is the people who come here illegally who are a problem.
As far as the Federal handling of Katrina, well, most of that bungling was in allowing the press to present the SNAFUs of NOLA as being the Federal Government's fault. Properly handled, those birds of blame would only have been allowed to roost where they belonged. The foul-ups were mostly on the PR end, not so much the logistical one.
"so it is going to be the Republican voter who stays at home that will doom the election for us."
No, it's going to be the republican leadership that dooms the election for us...
"The Democrats have no solutions"
No they don't, but look at the loud mouthed way way left of center the MSM has been parading around. How much have the Democrats detached themselves from their base? The Republicans don't have the corner on anger from DC these days.
No, it's going to be the republican leadership that dooms the election for us...
I don't believe the elections are going to be as bad as everyone is predicting. I will admit that if this was a Presidential year then we probably would be getting a dem for a President, but when people vote in "off year" local elections they look at it differently. I am not saying that we may lose a few here and there, but I don't see it being the Armadgedden as most would think.
Do you really have a problem with a guest worker program that is carefully regulated and where the border is secure?
I don't think it's a bad thing if we have allow a regulated number of two-year work visas as long as we have tough legislation and enforcement to levy fines against employer's who hire these people or other illegal immigrants after those two years are up.
"I don't believe the elections are going to be as bad as everyone is predicting."
I hope your right...
Don't you just love that form of "logic".
Went through that same garbage on another thread earlier. It's the logic that says that it will be my fault if future elections go badly because I won't blindly support whichever republicans are running. It will be my fault, yet the republican leadership that is continues to drift further and further to the left is given a pass because....well, they're republicans.
Sometimes I don't know what's worse, the ever leftward leaning republicans, or the party sycophants who continue to blindly support them.
Good assessment T90, and that is the same thing I was telling some FReeper who was thinking of staying home because of something the party had done that didn't sit well with him (and there are several). The thing is that sitting home just gives the Dems an extra vote, and while GW has not been 'perfect' by any measure he is still better than any Dem out there (and the Dems would be far worse on all measures). The Dems have no viable solutions to anything (apart from blaming Bush), and the only way we can lose is by warming our lazychairs come election day.
All the Dims will do is propose instant citizenship for border crossers and massive welfare programs for any border crosser. Also, the Dims will dissolve the Border Patrol, because it is a "Racist" organization.
Mercy,
Seems most of you are missing the big picture! If the current trend continues, we will become much like the Canadians...dual language, dual traffic signs, etc. This problem is not just about Democratic/Republicat issues, but about the future of America. Wake Up!
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