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The Tea Party Case for Newt Gingrich
American Thinker ^ | 11/07/2011 | Kevin Tharp

Posted on 11/07/2011 7:00:02 AM PST by SeekAndFind

The Republican Party seems to be struggling to find a candidate it can unite around. One impediment may be a mindset common among some of my fellow Tea Partiers, a false dichotomy that if you are in government you are part of the problem, and if you are not in government, you are part of the solution -- whatever those problems or solutions may be.

Herman Cain says, "The folks in Washington have held public office. How's that working out for you?" It's a catchy comeback. But is government tenure, whether recent or not, the reality of the problems in Washington? The biggest problem in Washington today is that we have a president who basically has no experience doing anything important or relevant. And he has surrounded himself with advisors and staff that are inexperienced as well. That's the problem.

This problem can befall Democrats or Republicans. Let me give a Republican example. President Bush's first cabinet had many folks with Washington experience like Donald Rumsfeld, John Ashcroft, Mel Martinez, Norm Mineta, and Spencer Abraham. All of these, except Mineta, were conservatives. Many of their replacements had no Washington experience. Most folks would agree that Bush's second term was not as successful as his first. Experience was the difference. Next, let's look at the recent Tea Party successes. Two of the biggest successes are Marco Rubio, who had legislative experience, and Scott Walker, who had much executive and legislative experience. I won't belabor the Tea Party failures here. Needless to say, some of them lacked valuable experience. And what about folks in Washington who agree with the Tea Party, like Senator DeMint or Congressman Pence? They predate the Tea Party but they believe the same policies. Are they part of the problem? No, they are not.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections; newtbots; newtgingrich; potus; teaparty; untrustworthy
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To: SeekAndFind

So, Newt sort of repackages himself and some folks go wild.

Face it. Newt’s time has passed.


41 posted on 11/07/2011 7:51:23 AM PST by Reagan Man ("In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.")
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To: SeekAndFind
..Newt is an academic--loves ideas--all kinds of ideas. But he can be attracted to good ideas as well as bad.

Also I have watched him move back and forth from premier bomb thrower in the Reagan years to brilliant policy tactician to painfully reckless in his personal life.

The present manifestation of Newt can be helpful to a victory in 2012, but IMHO, it must never be at the top of the ticket.

Mr. Cain is that man...

42 posted on 11/07/2011 7:53:59 AM PST by WalterSkinner ( In Memory of My Father--WWII Vet and Patriot 1926-2007)
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To: SeekAndFind

What is Newt’s plan? /S

Who is on board with it? /S

Buehler? Buehler? Anyone? Buehler?


43 posted on 11/07/2011 7:55:07 AM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
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To: ObamaMustGo2012

Newt is looking to be our best choice, by far. Paul said he will not support the Republican nominee unles they adopt his platform. I think now would be a good time for him to leave and go to whatever third party he is going to end up with. I don’t think he gives a rat’s ass whether or not obama gets defeated unless it’s him. I think with Paul it’s all about Paul. NEWT 2012 AMERICA’S ADVOCATE


44 posted on 11/07/2011 7:56:26 AM PST by duffee (FOR VOTER ID, one LEGAL voter, one vote)
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To: Bigtigermike

also, newt sold out to fannie mae:

“fannie mae is an excellent example of a former government institution fulling is mandate while functioning in the market economy”.

p. 63, reckless endangerment, times books.


45 posted on 11/07/2011 7:57:25 AM PST by ken21
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To: ontap

I agree.
I like Herman Cain very much, but we do not have time for a learning curve. Things are too dire, and we need someone who can understand the system and turn this ship back AROUND!


46 posted on 11/07/2011 7:57:44 AM PST by astratt7 (obama,muslim,politics)
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To: SeekAndFind

Frankly Newt can try all he wants. He is a political hack who only wants the status quo to continue. I will not vote for him. He is not up to standards.


47 posted on 11/07/2011 7:58:56 AM PST by SouthernBoyupNorth ("For my wings are made of Tungsten, my flesh of glass and steel..........")
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To: Reagan Man

ditto.

the rino-progressives are real scared of a conservatile like cain.

it’s amazing how many people on this forum drink the rino kool aid.


48 posted on 11/07/2011 7:59:10 AM PST by ken21
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To: SeekAndFind

Mark it down...Newt Gingrich will be the 45th president of the US. The only question remaining is who will be his running mate?


49 posted on 11/07/2011 8:07:58 AM PST by Hotlanta Mike (TeaNami)
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To: tennmountainman

Newt is an establishment guy, pure and simple.


50 posted on 11/07/2011 8:08:38 AM PST by jospehm20
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To: SeekAndFind

I would not vote for somebody as enthusiastic about enforcing a personal mandate for health insurance as Newt has been in the past. Newt can say he has changed but I believe he will change back in a heartbeat based on political expediency if his past actions are any indicator.


51 posted on 11/07/2011 8:15:14 AM PST by jospehm20
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To: Hotlanta Mike

RE: The only question remaining is who will be his running mate?

If he chooses Jim DeMint, I’m all in.


52 posted on 11/07/2011 8:18:48 AM PST by SeekAndFind (u)
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To: Vendome

RE: What is Newt’s plan?

SEE HERE:

http://www.newt.org/21st-century-contract-america

and here:

www.newt.org/contract/legislative-proposals

RE: Who is on board with it? /S

No one yet really. I mean he has his own flat tax proposal but few seem to know about it.

But you can find it here if you’re interested:

http://raymondpronk.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/newt-gingrichs-optional-15-flat-tax-plus-15-3-social-securitytax-more-taxes-than-cains-9-9-9-27-tax-plan-but-less-than-perrys-optional-20-flat-tax-plus-15-3-social-securitytax-videos/


53 posted on 11/07/2011 8:23:40 AM PST by SeekAndFind (u)
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To: hdbc
Gingrich’s Plan Far Bolder than Perry’s Plan and Will Lead to Far More Robust Job Creation and Capital Investment in United States
Gingrich Perry Verdict: Gingrich Plan Better
Rate 15% 20% Gingrich has advocated for several years an optional flat tax rate of 15%, which when coupled with Gingrich’s bold entitlement and regulatory reforms, will usher in another era of booming economic growth and new, higher-paying jobs. The Perry rate of 20% is higher than the 17% that Steve Forbes proposed in his 1996 and 2000 presidential campaign.
Who Gets to Make Deductions for Charitable Giving and Home Ownership?? Everyone Families making less than $500,000/year By creating two separate classes of taxpayers, the Perry plan buys into the same class warfare that characterizes the Obama and Romney economic plans. The fact that there are still two brackets – even under a supposed “flat tax” plan – calls into question whether this is really a flat tax at all.
State and Local Tax Deductions Not deductible in optional flat tax plan Deductible in optional flat tax plan The Gingrich plan has a lower rate so less need for state and local deductions. The deduction is a federal subsidy for states to adopt higher state and local taxes. Removing the subsidy would lead states to reduce state and local taxes, or adopt their own flat tax reforms. The Perry plan erodes states’ competitive advantages by making state and local taxes deductible in his optional flat tax plan.
Who Benefits from Elimination of Capital Gains Tax? Everyone Depends whether capital gains is long term or short term. Perry’s plan eliminates cap gains only for long term. The Gingrich plan maximizes the capital investment and job creation that will accompany the elimination of this tax. The Perry plan only goes halfway, and by levying up to 35% tax on short-term capital gains, it will discourage investment, venture capital, and new jobs creation.
Corporate Income Tax 12.5% 20% The Gingrich plan will create a boom of new American entrepreneurship by dramatically cutting the corporate tax rate to one of the lowest in the developed world. The Perry plan relies upon a short term “tax holiday,” then only drops the corporate tax rate to 20% — only average in the developed world, and still over 20% higher than our closest economic competitor Canada, which has a rate of only 16.5%. Gingrich rate makes U.S. more competitive than Canada.
Payroll Taxes Eventually replace payroll tax with personal accounts, financing better results No change in existing payroll tax Gingrich supports personal savings investment and insurance accounts that would eventually be expanded to finance all of the benefits now financed by the payroll tax, allowing that tax ultimately to be phased out altogether.
Family Deductions Under Flat Tax Plan $12,000 personal deduction for every individual. Both the EITC and the Child Tax Credit are preserved in Gingrich’s optional flat tax system. $12,500 personal deduction for every individual. No information provided. Preserving the EITC and Child Tax Credit are critical to ensure that the optional flat tax system does not unfairly target low-income Americans. Gingrich passed the first child tax credit as Speaker in 1997, and will preserve this credit and the EITC under his optional flat tax system.
Record in Achieving Dramatic Jobs and Economic Recovery at the National Level? Yes. Substantial. See record at right. None. Speaker Gingrich’s Record (1995-1999):• Eleven Million New Jobs
• Four Straight Balanced Budgets for the First Time Since the 1920s.
• Unemployment rate of 4.2%.
• Federal Spending Held to the Slowest Growth Rate Since the Early 1950s (avg. of 2.9% a year).
• Venture capital investments grew 500% in three years and manufacturing sector grew to 17.43 million jobs.
• Bipartisan Welfare Reform that Lifted Millions from Poverty.
• Over $400 Billion of National Debt Paid Down

http://www.newt.org/news/lets-bump-plans-comparison-gingrich-and-perrys-flat-tax-plans

Let’s Bump Plans: A Comparison of Gingrich and Romney’s Tax Plans

http://www.newt.org/news/lets-bump-plans-comparison-gingrich-and-romneys-tax-plans

Gingrich Romney Verdict: Gingrich Plan Better
Personal Income Tax Choice of current system or 15% flat tax with personal, homeowner, and charitable deductions Maintain current tax rates The Gingrich plan gives Americans a choice to continue to file under the existing system, or to eliminate compliance costs and hours of paperwork by filing with a flat rate of 15%. The Romney plan hopes to make taxes “flatter” in the future, but offers no immediate choice and no immediate relief.
Capital Gains Tax for Individuals Eliminate tax completely Depends how much money the taxpayer makes. Romney’s plan eliminates capital gains taxes for those making less than $200,000/year, but maintains the current system, with rates of up to 35%, for the rest. The Gingrich plan maximizes the capital investment and job creation that will accompany the elimination of this tax, and acknowledges that a tax reform is only fair if all Americans receive relief. The Romney plan determines that some Americans should pay no taxes on a particular investment, while other Americans should pay taxes of up to 35% on the same investment.
Capital Gains Tax for Corporations Eliminate tax completely Maintain current system The Gingrich plan is modeled on the success of the 1997 capital gains cut, which spurred job creation and a 500% increase in venture capital in just 3 years. The Romney plan maintains the corporate capital gains tax, an unequivocal burden on American job-creators who need to be freed to grow, prosper, and compete in a 21st century global economy.
Corporate Income Tax 12.5% 25% The Gingrich plan will create a boom of new American entrepreneurship by dramatically cutting the corporate tax rate to one of the lowest in the developed world. The Romney plan will still be average-to-high compared to the rest of the developed world, and still over 50% higher than our closest economic competitor Canada, which has a rate of only 16.5%. Gingrich rate makes U.S. more competitive than Canada.
Payroll Tax Eventually replace payroll tax with personal accounts, financing better results No information Gingrich supports personal savings investment and insurance accounts that would eventually be expanded to finance all of the benefits now financed by the payroll tax, allowing that tax ultimately to be phased out altogether.
Medicare reform Choice between the traditional system or opportunity to purchase private insurance with premium support No information Under the Gingrich Plan, any American who wants to enjoy the existing Medicare system will be able to do so. Americans can also opt to transition to a more personalized system in the private sector with greater options for better care, where they would receive premium support to purchase private insurance.

54 posted on 11/07/2011 8:25:48 AM PST by SeekAndFind (u)
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To: Vigilanteman
Too funny. I give you factual information and you give me: "Allowing the Clintonistas to blame him for the government shutdown and meekly failing to respond."

LOL! How dare Newt not control the MSM?! How dare he "allow" the Clintonistas who controlled the MSM, the Justice Department, and the "bully pulpit," to control the dialogue?! /rolleyes . . . Why, he should have . . . what, started his own news organization? . . .passed a law that forced reporters to report the truth and what Newt wanted? LOL! How very reasonable you are.

And then, you give me: "Allowing the Clintonistas to drive him from office because he couldn't control his peckerwood any better than Bill."

Wow, not only are your fact wrong, but you actually compare Newt's divorcing his wives for new marriages with Bill Clinton's serial sexual assault and rape. Got perspective. Got facts? It was Bob Livingston who resigned because of his infidelity. Newt Gingrich resigned because he was being blamed by Republicans for the electoral setbacks in the '98 election. We now know that Newt did not, as was alleged by people on both sides of the aisle, visit his wife in her cancer bed to get her to sign a divorce settlement. We also know that he did nothing wrong and violated no congressional ethics rules, but did voluntarily decide to "pay back" the $300,000 that it cost to investigate him.

The closest comparison to what happened to Newt is Sarah Palin's resignation from the governorship of Alaska. Newt was hit with 83 charges of ethical violations, and 82 were dropped. The last, having to do with Newt's college course was total BS, but would have caused Republicans even more problems in upcoming elections.

The last point is inconsequential, but valid. Newt has demonstrated the occasional tendency to make a bad judgment--Didi Scozzafava was a stellar one--but one ultimately that had more to do with his belief that any Republican would be better than a Democrat regardless of their politics and there he has a lot of company.

I do not find the Pelosi couch incident either to be that egregious, or what many, like yourself, portray it to be.

Is Newt human, yes, but I think you will find that Cain, Perry, Mitt, Joe, Ron, and Michelle will all reveal their equally questionable choices and decisions.

Simply put, for all of his short comings, Newt is the best man for the job among those running.

Your entire argument is reminiscent of nothing so much as a jilted lover. Try for a little perspective.
55 posted on 11/07/2011 8:29:08 AM PST by Sudetenland (There can be no freedom without God--What man gives, man can take away.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Count me in as well...Grand Slam!!!


56 posted on 11/07/2011 8:32:02 AM PST by Hotlanta Mike (TeaNami)
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To: Vigilanteman

How ironic that Cainiacs would use a Politico article to attack the man most likely to beat Herman Cain. LOL!


57 posted on 11/07/2011 8:38:56 AM PST by Sudetenland (There can be no freedom without God--What man gives, man can take away.)
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To: Hotlanta Mike

“Mark it down...Newt Gingrich will be the 45th president of the US. The only question remaining is who will be his running mate?”

Michelle Bachman


58 posted on 11/07/2011 8:49:24 AM PST by Sir Lurks Alot
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To: Sudetenland
How dare he "allow" the Clintonistas who controlled the MSM, the Justice Department, and the "bully pulpit," to control the dialogue?

Nobody reasonable is asking for that. Reagan had all these problems and more. Do you remember what he did? Or are you old enough?

Hint: He didn't wilt like a little violet after the first frost.

FWIW, I still like Newt. I still think he has great ideas. I still think he would make a halfway decent president if given the chance.

I just don't think he is the best candidate given his baggage and electability. But I'd rank him third after Herman Cain and Michelle Bachmann, neither of whom is a perfect candidate either.

59 posted on 11/07/2011 8:52:35 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: SeekAndFind
Newt is a genius when it comes to political anaylsis. But Newt has the same character flaw that is manifest in virtually all professional politicians, an insatiable thirst for power. Your admiration for Newt's and the Republican Congress's handling of the original Contract with America provides an excellent demonstration of professional politicians' character flaw with Newt being at the center to mislead conservatives. Just as Newt cheated on his wives, he also cheated conservatives.

Cain is right to want to take advantage of Newt's skills and genius, but it would be a mistake to put Newt in line to hold political power, a position he would have as Vice President. The better choice would be to make Newt Whitehouse chief of staff to the President. This would be a fit that takes advantage of his skills, but isolates him outside of being able to garner political power for himself.

It would be very helpful if conservatives begin to change how they think about elections. Focusing on conservatives winning in order to exercise political power is not the ideal target. The target we need to focus on is electing conservatives who will strip government and the politicians who run it of being able to exercise any power except the protection of life, individual freedom and property.

Socialists believe government can affect the economy in a positive way. Nothing can be further from the truth. And conservatives forget this as well. Far too many believe conservative government policies can affect the economy in a positive way when the truth is government interferes with the economy and that only thing that government can do of benefit for the economy is to stop doing anything at all except protecting life, individual freedom and property. It's these issues, and these alone, that actually matter.

60 posted on 11/07/2011 9:07:46 AM PST by Vintage Freeper
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