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Gingrich is Inspiring -- and Distubing
Wall Street Journal ^ | December 10, 2011 | Peggy Noonan

Posted on 12/09/2011 3:59:33 AM PST by Carolyn826

I had a friend once who amused herself thinking up bumper stickers for states. The one she made up for California was brilliant. "California: It's All True." It is so vast and sprawling a place, so rich and various, that whatever you've heard about its wildness, weirdness and wonders, it's true.

That's the problem with Newt Gingrich: It's all true. It's part of the reason so many of those who know him are anxious about the thought of his becoming president. It's also why people are looking at him, thinking about him, considering him as president.

Ethically dubious? True. Intelligent and accomplished? True. Has he known breathtaking success and contributed to real reforms in government? Yes. Presided over disasters? Absolutely. Can he lead? Yes. Is he erratic and unreliable as a leader? Yes. Egomaniacal? True. Original and focused, harebrained and impulsive—all true.

Do you want evidence he's a Burkean conservative? Start with welfare reform in 1996. A sober, standard Republican? Go to the balanced budgets of the Clinton era. Is he a Tea Partier? Sure, he speaks the slashing lingo with relish. Is he moderate? Yes, that can be proved. Michele Bachmann this week called him a "frugal socialist," and there's plenty of evidence of that, too.

One way to view this is that he is so rich and varied as a character, as geniuses often are, that he contains worlds, multitudes. One senses that would be his way of looking at it. Another way to look at it: In a long career, one will shift views, adapt to circumstances, tack this way and that. Another way: He's philosophically unanchored, an unstable element. There are too many storms within him, and he seeks out external storms in order to equalize his own atmosphere.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gingrich; zots4romneybots
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To: TomGuy; Jim Robinson
On the Issues gives Gingrich a "neutral" rating on illegals.

Newt Gingrich on Immigration

81 posted on 12/09/2011 6:24:22 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are here! What will you do?)
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To: Carolyn826
I want someone guiding our recovery in whom private enterprise will have faith because he’s been there and understands the challenges they face ...

Oh please. Just say it. Don't be cowardly. You want Mitt.

82 posted on 12/09/2011 6:28:59 AM PST by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: Carolyn826

They just don’t get it. The more the mindless GOP Establishment Media-bots like Noonan trash talk him, the better Newt does with voters.


83 posted on 12/09/2011 6:30:48 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: Carolyn826
Ethically dubious? True. Intelligent and accomplished? True. Has he known breathtaking success and contributed to real reforms in government? Yes. Presided over disasters? Absolutely. Can he lead? Yes. Is he erratic and unreliable as a leader? Yes. Egomaniacal? True. Original and focused, harebrained and impulsive—all true.

SO TRUE!

84 posted on 12/09/2011 6:38:10 AM PST by pgkdan ("Make what Americans buy, Buy what Americans make, and sell it to the world" Perry 2012)
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To: Mangia E Statti Zitto
It’s hard to take Noonan seriously when 3 years ago she was gushing about what a genius Obama was.

You know...it IS possible to be wrong about some things and right about others!

85 posted on 12/09/2011 6:39:50 AM PST by pgkdan ("Make what Americans buy, Buy what Americans make, and sell it to the world" Perry 2012)
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To: Solson; LibLieSlayer
A link or other forms of proof besides second hand conversation would be helpful.

I agree. Here's a link to a recent interview Newt had with Jake Tapper ....

Gingrich Talks About the Individual Mandate

“I think a mandate per se is clearly unconstitutional because it means the Congress can require you to do anything with your own money under any circumstances, I think that’s the argument of unconstitutionality in the long run,” Gingrich said.

86 posted on 12/09/2011 6:40:17 AM PST by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: TomGuy
His Red-Card-for-Legalizing-Illegals could legalize millions. And it is going to take a new level of bureaucracy to process and keep up with the Red Card program.

Yep. And don't forget his "forced mandate for re-training skills to get an extension of unemployement benefits". What is that program going to cost us?

87 posted on 12/09/2011 6:41:01 AM PST by alicewonders
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To: DarthVader; Jim Robinson
Excellent piece Jim that is very well thought out. I came to support Newt after thinking through a similar process. You should post it as a thread topic.

************************

Agreed.

88 posted on 12/09/2011 6:45:33 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Jim Robinson
I also had high hopes for Perry because it looks like he’s done a great job in Texas, but his positions on the border issues turned off a lot of people. And his “heartless” statement didn’t win him much opportunity to turn that around.

So you're going to back Newt? He weaker than Perry on immigration, by far and he's going to have to answer all those flip flopping questions about his true positions on
1. Global warming (he's a believer)
2.The Newt and Nancy on the Couch shows
3.Fannie and Freddie
3.His support for an individual mandate
4.Dede Scuzzywhatever
5. His failure to maintain the support of his own party as Speaker

...and on and on and on. If he wins the nomination he's going to be skewered mercilessly by the media and when the very, very fickle American electorate hear about his record it's going to be 4 more years of obama!

89 posted on 12/09/2011 6:46:14 AM PST by pgkdan ("Make what Americans buy, Buy what Americans make, and sell it to the world" Perry 2012)
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To: TomGuy
That is what the GOP has to offer?

I believe the answer to that question is, Yes. Best of a bad lot.

90 posted on 12/09/2011 6:46:49 AM PST by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.)
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To: DJ MacWoW

I need to put popcorn on my shopping list, the way this campaign is going. I can’t believe the way some posters are behaving.


91 posted on 12/09/2011 6:48:20 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Carolyn826; DJ MacWoW

From your posting history, you’re a Romney supporter.


92 posted on 12/09/2011 6:52:26 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: trisham
I've been spending a lot of time laughing.

BBL. Gonna eat.

93 posted on 12/09/2011 6:56:38 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are here! What will you do?)
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To: Solson
http://nation.foxnews.com/newt-gingrich/2011/11/29/2005-flashback-video-newt-backs-individual-mandate

2005 newt said this... Rush Limbaugh said yesterday that newt reaffirmed this yesterday morning. Go to Rush's archives and see for yourself or call Rush today and ask him. If Rush said it... and he did... and he did it and it is on his site for 24/7 members... you can see it for yourself. When Rush says it... it cannot be disputed... he accuracy is far above any other media source.

Here you go... I did some research for you:

http://roaringrepublican.com/blog/2011/05/15/gingrich-reaffirms-support-for-obamacare-style-individual-mandate/

In the past Gingrich has repeatedly supported an individual mandate, a point he reconfirmed this morning on Meet The Press. See the exchange below, provided by Red State:

GINGRICH: well, i agree that all of us have a responsibility to help pay for health care. and i think there are ways to do it that make most libertarians relatively happy. i have said consistently we ought to have some requirement that you either have health insurance or you post a bond, or in some way, you indicate you’re going to be held accountable.

GREGORY: but that is the individual mandate, is it not?

GINGRICH: it’s a variation on it.

GREGORY: so you won’t use that issue against Mitt Romney?

GINGRICH: no

Gingrich also used the occasion to trash Representative Paul Ryan’s Medicaid plan calling it radical right-wing social engineering. In other words, let the big government stand as it is.

Essentially then, Gingrich and Romney have removed the lynchpin of the conservative argument. It is OK for the federal government to force individuals to purchase a private product. So then what is next? Carbon offsets? Forced higher education spending? Electric cars? Housing? Insulation? Where do we go from here?

Glenn Beck Questions Newt Gingrich On His Record

http://roaringrepublican.com/blog/2011/12/06/glenn-beck-questions-newt-gingrich-on-record/

Limbaugh Blasts Newt’s Tirade as “Inexplicable”
Posted on May 16, 2011 by admin
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/rushlimbaugh-newtgingrich/2011/05/16/id/396556?s=al&promo_code=C460-1

Just google “newt reaffirms individual mandate”... there is at least 3 days of reading on the subject.

LLS

94 posted on 12/09/2011 6:57:52 AM PST by LibLieSlayer ("Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness." Ronaldo Magnus)
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To: DJ MacWoW

:)


95 posted on 12/09/2011 6:58:23 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Lakeshark

If newt and romney are all we have... fugitaboutit.

LLS


96 posted on 12/09/2011 7:00:58 AM PST by LibLieSlayer ("Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness." Ronaldo Magnus)
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To: Jim Robinson

BTTT!


97 posted on 12/09/2011 7:01:12 AM PST by RedMDer (Forward With Confidence!)
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To: DJ MacWoW

LOL!


98 posted on 12/09/2011 7:04:11 AM PST by RedMDer (Forward With Confidence!)
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To: DJ MacWoW
I am not making reference to anyone as to their posting history. I made no comment supporting anyone... I thanked her for being the only person on FR that has even paid any attention to what newt is all about with regards to the individual mandate. When a conservative has to embrace the mandate that allows obamacare to exist... when a supporter has to embrace Mexican illegals being made legal... when a supporter has to embrace globull warming to vote for a candidate... then I am going to call that supporter mistaken and the candidate a socialist... and newt supports socialized medicine... stalin's cornerstone to overthrow Capitalism. I have posted above... links that directly quote and date newt on these statements. Rush has the info on yesterday's statement on his site for 24/7 members.

LLS

99 posted on 12/09/2011 7:09:37 AM PST by LibLieSlayer ("Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness." Ronaldo Magnus)
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To: Solson

I have supplied it for you in an above response.

LLS


100 posted on 12/09/2011 7:10:39 AM PST by LibLieSlayer ("Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness." Ronaldo Magnus)
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