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.
No matter what anyone says, the only people who have control over this upcoming election, are the voters like you and me. If We stay home because, We're pissed off at the way things are going, We'll seal our own fates. DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!
I'd be for a guest worker plan that brought in workers only, that worked seasonal jobs that couldn't be filled, and the guest workers were in place of normal immigrants. So instead of letting a bunch of legal immigrants in, we just let them come work here, not both.
Don't forget to eliminate the provision that allows their children born here to automatically be US citizens.
IMO, Gingrich is on to something. The Dems have nothing, nada, zero, zip to offer unless you are a big fan of higher - MUCH higher taxes and naked vote-buying schemes (in addition to hysterical rantings from the likes of Howard Dean and Al "I'm-a-bigger-hypocrit-than-anyone" Gore). The'Pubbies have not proven themselves to be any better. With Bush's refusal to veto a single bill, whether it be budget-related, bad law (McCain-Feingold), or pushing for immigration "amnesty" and guest worker programs that are out-of-step with mainstream America.
We are facing a period in which polar extremes are driving the country's direction. The left, continuing the losing streak that began in 2000, believes that the direction to go is FURTHER left because they haven't figured out that mainstream America isn't going to go with them.
IMO, much of the country (politically) is more conservative than politicians from either party can grasp. We are tired of being spent into oblivion by drunken, unethical, unprincipled politicians whose first concern is for themselves - NOT their country, their constituents, or even their party. We are tired of rewarding those who violate our national sovereignty and break our laws. We are weary of politicians who have been given mandates by the public during national elections and refuse to act on it. We are tired of the spinelessness of the "leaders" in our own party and the (apparent) lack of direction from either party. We are tired of an America that has become a rudderless ship of state.
FWIW, I think that the politician who emerges with a plan to right our rudderless ship of state, close the borders, deport the illegals, develop a sound energy policy (d@mn the environazis, full speed ahead!), control spending (including using the veto power), restore value and integrity to our public school system and end the tax inequity by either a flat tax, fair tax or other tax plan that puts the burden of operating this nation on the backs of us all and not just a few, will be the big winner in '08.
especially if they put McCain as the candidate...
Newt's focussing on Bush's "failures" because he's running for president himself.
I'm not sure if I see a winning option here. A GOP government that continues the same free-spending & open borders policies they've had for the past several years, vs. free-spending, open borders dems?
Looks to me as if we're damned if we do, damned if we don't. Sorry for being a pessimist.
"Newt's focussing on Bush's "failures" because he's running for president himself."
It does feel that way but traditionally you help the party win mid terms first.
"...so it is going to be the Republican voter who stays at home that will doom the election for us."
But you and I will be working VERY HARD to get rid of our WI 'Rat Governor, AG and at least put up a fight, versus rolling over against Kohl, Feingold & Baldwin, right? ;)
If you say "well designed" then yes, I think he's right.
A guest worker program is fine if you make sure that A-it is in NO WAY a guarantee of citizenship or permanent resident status, B-they must apply from their country of origin, C-we do something to stop more illegals from entering (fence, patrols, etc.)
The GOP ain't all that great in coming up with solutions either. Tax reform? Entitlement reform? Immigration reform? Spending reform? Energy independence? Where they act at all they seem to be acting not for the people but for moneyed interests. The perfect example is that just prior to Tax Day, instead of discussing how to make the tax burden lighter, the top item on the agenda was an attempt to give citizenship to 11 million illegal aliens.
How about one member per family, either sex. One nanny or one fruit picker, f'rinstance?
"How about one member per family, either sex."
The reason I suggested male only was to eliminate the anchor babies in the future.
Good point.
"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."
I disagree. If the Republican voter stays home, it's because he sees no point in re-electing Republican incumbents who act like Democrats. If our Rs won't change, they need to be replaced; if they keep their jobs while doing what we don't want, then they're encouraged to keep it up.
Fortunately, in my district the RINO incumbent (who sneaked in the primary last time because there were 3 good Republicans and himself and the vote split) is being challenged and won't even be a candidate in the fall, God willing. So, I should be able to happily vote Republican to replace a useless RINO without even staying home and enduring a Rat for two years.
This can't be true...he is kidding right?
Republicans better tell people just what the hell they stand for, because it sure isn't for lower taxes and lower spending.
In 1997 there were 17,554 arrests and 778 fines levied against employers; in 2003 there were 445 arrests and 124 fines levied. Only 4 employers were fined in 2004 for hiring illegal immigrants (did they neglect to grease the palm of the local politician?). Law doesn't seem to be the problem, lack of enforcement is.
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