[Zevonismymuse]

Newt's just trying to be "non-partisan", loved by everyone, and the next maverick, sorta like, McCain.

I think you are very wrong here. When McCain was regurgitating commie ideas Newt organized the Drill Here, Drill Now effort. That was an idea well received by the majority of Americans but then the "credit crisis" hit and threw the attention on the bail-out while oil prices suddenly plummeted. Newt consistently has conservative solutions to problems people care about.

[adorno]

Newt consistently has conservative solutions to problems people care about.

I will agree that he is more conservative than McCain; almost any republican would be more conservative than McCain.

But, "drill here, drill now"? That is an issue which most Americans agreed with and just about every republican. It's very easy to jump on the bandwagon, and if you're nationally recognized, like Newt, then he obviously will get more recognition and more credit than others who were in support of the idea from the beginning. like most FReepers.

He was very good at one time, back in the 90s, and now, he's not close to what he used to be. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't support him if he were to, say, run for president. But, that support would be only after he wins the primaries. You know, the same way that republicans were stuck with McCain in the general election?

[slowhandluke]

Newt consistently has conservative solutions to problems people care about.

And he equally consistently mixes it up with non-conservative nonsense.

One of the pamphlets he wrote had an argument that banks should not have to pay income tax on interest payments. Interest payments are just rent paid on money, but he didn't exempt rent paid on land or anything else.

I stopped paying attention to Newt at that time as I could find no argument that an honest many could use to support that argument. Maybe there is such an argument, maybe I misread the booklet, I'd be reasonably happy to be proved wrong, as Newt does have skills in political battle. But I've had enough of Republican winners with mixed values who tend only to follow their liberal values after they win.