Saw an interview with Newt the other night - EXCELLENT. No, I am not advocating Newt for speaker, but his views are worth listening to. Despite his personal failings, the man can strategize. When he was asked who should be speaker, he pointed to Congressman Dave Brat’s FB page & the “10 Commitments the Next Speaker and House Leaders Should Make”. Brat said he would support anyone who signs on to these ten items & Newt seemed to think anyone who espoused these would be acceptable. Food for thought - would Ryan be willing to sign on to #3?
Here is what is on Brat’s FB page:
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The House will soon make an important decision on a new Speaker of the House and potentially other leadership positions. These leadership elections are important not only because they will decide who will lead the House of Representatives, but it will also have major implications for our policy efforts and the processes of the House. The next Speaker and other House leaders should make the following ten commitments before stepping into positions of public trust.
These commitments are essential to improving the structure of the House and showing the American people that we can lead with a positive agenda that helps the American people, not the interests of Washington’s political class.
10 Commitments the Next Speaker and House Leaders Should Make
Policy
1. Facilitate a budget that balances within 10 years and seek to enforce it through the authorizing and appropriations process.
2. Encourage committees to advance market-driven health care reforms to replace Obamacare.
3. Support policies that secure the border and enable interior enforcement while opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants.
4. Urge all committees to advance agendas based on limited government, economic opportunity, and fiscal responsibility.
5. Enforce the rule of law and separation of powers against executive (presidential) overreach.
Process
6. Seek reforms of the Republican Conference Rules so leadership committees better represent the American people.
7. Adhere to the majority-of-the-majority principle for bringing legislation to the floor.
8. Support changes to the budget process to promote fiscal responsibility, particularly regarding mandatory programs (70% of current spending).
9. Empower committee members to choose chairs and craft reform legislation without fear of retaliation.
10. Broaden opportunities to offer amendments and legislation on the House floor with full debate.
The biggest problem being that they ultimately get watered down into half of what they are and many of them are not strong enough to begin with.
We need a border fence/wall within the first 18 months across the entire Southern border.
We don't need any immigration of any kind for at least two years.
We can't wait ten years to balance the budget. That's too long. Three or four years with an economy growing at 4% is more like it. We need a balanced budget within the first term of a Trump Presidency. We are in terrible economic straits. A balanced budget must happen almost immediately. I could go on but you get it.
I’d be happy with Newt as Speaker.