[Miss Marple]

You and I are on the same page. I offer my telling example of "Mr. Conservative" Newt.

Right after Katrina, he was on Fox trashing Bush for his poor response (with nary a word for Blanco or Nagin) and advocating a MARSHALL PLAN for the Gulf Coast.

I don't know about you but a "Marshall Plan" means a large, federal program spending lots of money.

Well, Congress did throw a lot of money at the Gulf Coast, and this summer, when all the corruption and waste started being uncovered, Gingrich was on Fox again.

Only THIS time, he said that the corruption and waste is what you get with a large, federal program, and rebuilding and aid should have been left to the private sector and charities!

I can think of no other reason for this flip-flop other than OPPORTUNISM.

To heck with him!

[MadIvan]

I don't know about you but a "Marshall Plan" means a large, federal program spending lots of money.

People get confused about that - the best and most effective Marshall Plan aid didn't give Europe money; they gave equipment to modernise farms and industrial plants.

Money does nothing on its own...with tools, one can build and produce.

Regards, Ivan

[Cecily]

Speaking of Newt's opportunism, is he still all cozy with the Hildebeast on the issue of universal health care and medical history cards for all Americans? There were some threads here last year pointing to a personal financial interest Newt seems to have in the production of medical history cards.

[LibLieSlayer]

Excellent... just excellent!

LLS

[Reagan Man]

So, at this point, you oppose a conservative like Newt Gingrich, but would favor a liberal like Rudy Giuliani, or as MadIvan calls him, "...we're waiting for it to be made "glorious summer" perhaps by the "son of *New* York"

Rudy maybe a son of New York, but he's also a liberal SOB!

Anyone who keeps advancing this notion of Rudy the Liberal for POTUS in 2008, is barking up the wrong tree. I'm not saying Newt has a good chance of getting the nomination. His baggage and personality upsets many. But Newt remains one of the best political thinkers and issue oriented conservative Republicans around. The Contract With America was no fluke. By any standards, the CWA was a success. 100% of the CWA was voted on by the House, 90% of it was passed by the House, and roughly 65% was signed into law by Clinton.

And what has Rudy Giuliani done? He was a liberal mayor of America's biggest liberal city. He reduced the city income tax by working with the socialist leaning city council. They abolished the 12.5% surtax on high incomes. Rudy cut the welfare rolls in half, but he also added 15,000 new teachers to the city employment rolls, increasing the membership of the AFT and NEA in the process. Rudy also left behind a projected $2-billion deficit and a $42-billion debt. Crime rates went down under Mayor Giuliani. Great. They were headed down under Mayor Dinkins too. They've dropped off even more under Mayor Bloomberrg. That doesn't mean I'll be voting for Dinkins or Bloomberg for Prez.

Rudy isn't the answer for Republican Party in 2008. Look at the GOP platform and tell us, what Rudy agrees with. Not using his current political rhetoric, but by gaging his political record as mayor. Rudy is pro-big government, pro-abortion on demand, pro-partial birth abortion, pro-gun control, pro-assault weapons ban, along with supporting special rights for homos and illegals. Rudy doesn't have a conservative bone in his body. Rudy is the Joe Lieberman of the GOP.

If Rudy somehow gets the nomination, it will fracture the GOP. A Democrat will be sitting in the WH come Jan.21, 2009.

[trisham]

Agreed. I confess I am disappointed in his strategy. More than that, I am mystified as to why he believes it will further his cause. He did some good things for the Republican party back in the day, but apparently didn't learn anything from Reagan's good example regarding other party members.

Unfortunately, he's not alone.