Romney Camp Attacks Newt Gingrich For Opposing George H. W. Bush’s Tax Increase

Redstate ^ | 12/8/2011 | Erick Erickson

[TBBT]

Let’s step into the Way Back Machine and go all the way back to 1990.

That year, George H. W. Bush decided to break his “no new taxes” pledge. You remember, “Read my lips,” don’t you?

Well, at the time Newt Gingrich was the Minority Whip of the United States House of Representatives. He was not the leader of the Republicans. He was the number two guy. And he initially said he’d support the deal, but twelve hours later, no doubt after consulting his colleagues, he decided to oppose the deal.

The deal, by the way, was made between George H. W. Bush and the Democrats. Newt was not exactly a consequential figure in the dealings largely because he was the number two man in a small minority, all of whom could have voted against the deal and it still would have passed.

Oh — and I dare you Romney guys to say anything about Gingrich changing his mind twelve hours later considering how Romney tends to change his mind twelve hours before entering a new election when a new position is to his advantage.

*snip*

It says something rather pitiful about the state of the Romney campaign that they have decided to attack Newt Gingrich for opposing a tax increase that wiped out the presidency of George H. W. Bush. Oh, by the way, it would have also taken out a lot of House Republicans except Ed Rollins was in charge of the NRCC and insisted they all run against George H. W. Bush and squishy Republicans. That move saved a lot of them.

[TBBT]

weak

[cotton1706]

Romney the idiot is trying to shore up the “moderates and independents” who supposedly always favor those who “can work across the aisle”

Nice try Mitt but there is a little electoral anomaly that’s intentionally overlooked: the Reagan landslides.

Ford: loss
Reagan: 45 state victory
Reagan: 49 state victory
Bush (Reagan coattail): 40 state victory
Bush (on his own): Loss
Dole: loss
Bush: razor thin victory
Bush: razor thin victory
McCain: loss

See the pattern and the anomaly?? We don’t need to pick someone who is mushy or can work across the aisle or who praises worthless budget deals.

[petercooper]

Cut taxes.
Cut spending.
Balance budget.
Drill here for oil.
Reform entitlements.
Control the borders.
Reduce government regulation.
Implement strong National Security.
Nominate conservatives to the bench.

Pretty simple really. Why can’t be find 1 person who shares these common sense ideas.

[apillar]

WTF?!? If this is the best Romney can do, Newt might as well begin writing his convention acceptance speech now. I think virtually all Republicans agree with Newt that the 1990 tax increase that killed the Reagan Revolution and insured GHWB’s defeat and Clinton's election was a bad idea, and it kind of scares me that Romney thinks otherwise.

[G Larry]

Mitt would be Charlie Brown to the Dem’s Lucy.

He would fall for the Tax Hike for Spending cut lie, Dem’s present to Republicans, every year.

The Tax Hikes are immediate and the Spending cuts never happen.

[JAKraig]

The LAST thing we need is a Republican president who reaches across the isle! If the Democrats are for it I'm against it.

[EternalVigilance]

The LAST thing we need is a Republican president who reaches across the isle!

Yeah, or the loveseat, as the case may be.

[Timaeus]

I am incensed that Gingrich opposed a bipartisan deal to raise taxes, because apparently this is some alternate universe where a GOP candidate like Romney attacks another GOP candidate like Gingrich for not raising taxes. /sarc I will never vote for Romney. No way. No how.

[Truth is a Weapon]

This is weak. It makes Newt look like a frickin’ genius in this one instance. If Bush had listened to him he would likely have won a second term and we might have been spared the Clinton regime.

I want a POTUS who is willing to change his mind to get on the right side of history. We have a stubborn idealist in office right now who stays with a position when it is proven to be wrong and harmful.

[sarge83]

Maybe Newt figured it out, you can’t trust any deal the democrats sign on too. They will and have violated everyone. Like the former USSR, you can’t trust a communist.