Newt Gingrich

Why Newt Gingrich Is A Horrible Candidate For The Presidency

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Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has faced literal Hell this week from members of his own Republican Party for his MEET THE PRESS interview this past Sunday, where he criticized the Paul Ryan budget plan, including radical changes in Medicare, and called for the individual mandate, exactly what he believed in the 1990s, and which Barack Obama made part of his Health Care reform plans last year.

His chances to be the nominee of his party for the Presidency seem to have been destroyed by his statements, but actually there are better, more substantive reasons for him to be passed by for the Presidential nomination.

1. Gingrich is a “loose cannon”, who has no discipline and will say anything he thinks of immediately after thinking about it! As a result, he is often seen as a “firebomb thrower”, and that is no recommendation for the nation’s highest office.

2. Gingrich has a horrible moral record, in relation to the cheating he committed on TWO WIVES, and being married three times. He was condemning Bill Clinton while he was engaged in extramarital relations himself during the impeachment debacle of 1998-1999.

3. The fact that it has been discovered that he owes back taxes and is very loose with money and credit makes one state that is not a credential we want in a future President.

4. Gingrich has few friends in politics, even in his own party, with basically no one coming to his defense. He is seen as a supreme egotist, who has no loyalty to anything but his own aggrandizement and glory. He would be involved in constant conflict with his own party, as well as the Democrats, because he would be stubborn and inflexible.

5. In foreign policy, he would cause international crises and “bad blood”, as he does not have an ounce of diplomacy in his approach to those who disagree with him.

6. It is difficult to say that Gingrich has any basic principles or beliefs, as he has so often changed his views to fit the moment, and in any case, he is certainly not, by his historical record, a small national government man, which is the view of the present Republican Party and the Tea Party Movement.

7. Being a professor in his past, being an “ideas man” and an intellectual, may be seen by some as positives, but in the modern GOP, those are all disadvantages and turnoffs. He often seems to be lecturing, rather than speaking to his audiences.

So it is clear that the chances of Newt Gingrich being the Presidential nominee and even the winner of the Oval Office are as likely as the chances of Gary Johnson, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum.

It still comes down to the reality that the next Republican nominee is almost certainly going to be from Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman, or Tim Pawlenty, with Pawlenty, despite his low public opinion ratings, seen as having the fewest negatives of the three.

And don’t expect Mitch Daniels of Indiana, Jeb Bush of Florida, Rick Perry of Texas, and Chris Christie of New Jersey to enter the race, one which looks more likely to be that of a losing cause for 2012!

The Suicide Of Newt Gingrich Equals The Suicide Of The Republican Party!

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Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who just announced his candidacy six days ago, has already committed suicide in regards to his campaign for President, by what he said in his Sunday interview on Meet the Press.

Regarding Paul Ryan’s plan to wipe out Medicare as we know it in ten years, something all but four Republicans in the House of Representatives voted for, Gingrich said it was radical, and that a personal mandate for all, which he had supported, as most Republicans did in the 1990s, was essential.

In so stating, Gingrich was actually agreeing with the personal mandate aspect of Barack Obama’s Health Care plan, something which all Republicans have been railing against for the past two years.

By attacking the House GOP plan and backing a personal mandate, which actually makes total sense, Gingrich has destroyed his candidacy for President, not that he was seen as having a real chance, what with his constant controversial statements over the years and recently, and his private life, which certainly does not measure up to the family values enunciated by his party, no matter how hypocritical such assertions might be!

But the suicide of Newt Gingrich, and the insistence of the Republican Party that any candidate MUST be against the personal mandate and support the end of Medicare as we know it, is for sure the road to destruction of any chance the party has to win power in 2012!

The bitter reaction of voters in polls and at Town Halls against the Paul Ryan plan is causing an uproar that has shocked the party faithful, but the idea of supporting Gingrich in his statement that the personal mandate is being responsible–as much as having auto insurance–is totally unacceptable as party philosophy.

So the destruction of Gingrich will, ironically, cause the suicide of the Republican Party in the 2012 Presidential Election!

The Flaws In The Newt Gingrich Candidacy For President

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Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is about to announce his candidacy for the Presidency, but he presents many flaws and shortcomings that make the success of his candidacy highly unlikely. They include the following:

1. Gingrich is seen after all these years as a Washington insider, not exactly appealing to many rank and file in the Republican Party.

2. His years in Congress, including his four years as Speaker, were highly controversial and added to the gridlock and turmoil that has become endemic now in America, making him far from the ideal person to try to unite the country.

3. His approach to issues and people is to “slash and burn”, to have the attitude of “take no prisoners”!

4. His private life with three marriages and two controversial divorces does not fit the image of “family values”.

5. Gingrich is highly intelligent and a dynamic speaker, but therefore has trouble relating to “average” Americans and their daily lives, after being a college professor and a person on the public payroll for so many years, who is best at stirring public debate without having any reasonable, mainstream solutions.

6. Gingrich has made reckless statements about President Obama and has seemed to accept the “Birther’ myth, making him lose credibility with independents.

7. We have only seen one Congressman go to the White House directly, James Garfield in 1880, and he was soon removed from office by assassination.

8. Gingrich has been out of public office, out of the public spotlight as a decision maker, for 14 years by 2012, an extremely long time to be on the sidelines, just making money as a media personality, but having no responsibility for public policy for so long a time.

Anyone taking odds on a President Gingrich should be aware that his chances of being the GOP nominee, and winning the Presidency, are extremely close to zero!

The Fox News Channel South Carolina Debate: What It Tells Us About The GOP Presidential Race!

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The Republican Presidential debate in South Carolina this past Thursday, the first in a long group of debates over the next year, tells us a lot about both the Republican race and South Carolina at the same time, and it is not good!

The focus audience at the debate sponsored by Fox News Channel seemed like aliens from another planet, certainly not the mainstream of the nation, and doubtfully, of the Republican party future.

Asked their favorite candidate among the five who showed up, the majority said Herman Cain, the African American former Chief Executive Officer of Godfather Pizza, also a talk show host on radio. His main point was to get government out of the way of business, a typical Republican viewpoint, but his chances for the nomination can be seen as zero!

Their second favorite was former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, who has made himself look foolish and extreme on social issues, and no serious observer takes him as a likely nominee, either!

It was interesting that Ron Paul, despite his support among libertarians, and actually making quite a good debate perfromance, failed to excite the South Carolina focus group.

It was also noticeable that Tim Pawlenty, often considered one of the more likely nominees as a “dark horse”, seems to have had no positive impression among the participants in the focus group.

The sum total is to demonstrate that Pawlenty probably lost some advantage by NOT impressing that group of voters, and that the focus group made one realize that there are a lot of people in the Palmetto state who seem not to have advanced beyond the times of John C. Calhoun and Strom Thurmond–meaning continued hatred of the national government as somehow the evil incarnate!

Without the “serious” candidates in the race–Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee–and the controversial candidates–Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Donald Trump, Newt Gingrich–the debate was basically a waste of time since nothing came out of it that could promise a good future for the Republican Party in the 2012 Presidential race!

The “Dark Horse” To Watch In The GOP Presidential Race: Jon Huntsman Of Utah!

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Anyone who is paying attention to the GOP Presidential race knows that there is great dissatisfaction with the field of candidates.

Either they are highly controversial and divisive figures such as Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum and Donald Trump.

Or else they are such long shots that are “unknowns” such as Herman Cain, Gary Johnson, and Buddy Roemer.

Or they are candidates who have been around before, and are seen by many as uninspiring, including Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee.

Or they are newcomers who are seen as having potential, such as Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman.

There is also Ron Paul, who excites the libertarian wing of the party, but has no chance to be the nominee.

And then, there are those who imagine that Chris Christie, the “bully” Governor of New Jersey, somehow can translate his tough guy image to the national scene.

In reality, other than Mitt Romney, who has many issues to deal with, but is seen by many as the best candidate, it is, as the author has said many times, Pawlenty and Huntsman who are the best alternatives, but in many ways, Huntsman is much more interesting.

Former Ambassador to China under President Obama, and former Governor of Utah, where he came across as a moderate, Huntsman is much more charismatic than Pawlenty. He is very handsome, dynamic, has the experience in China which makes him appear strong on foreign policy, and could be much more appealing in a two man race against Obama than any other candidate. He is truly the ultimate “dark horse” in the race, and this weekend, he is in South Carolina delivering the commencement address at the University of South Carolina. He is said to be ready to enter the race next month, and seems to many the most interesting person in the race.

Being a moderate on most issues, a Mormon like Romney is, and having worked for Obama in China, are all negatives to many, but don’t bet against him surviving a long way in the Presidential race and keeping it interesting!

Watch Jon Huntsman and read up on him, as he should be a major factor in the political race for 2012!

The Crisis Within The Republican Party For 2012!

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The Republican Party, once a proud party, is in total disarray, as all the attention is grabbed by what many call the “joke” candidates who have no chance to win, and yet are promoting a terrible image for the party, so much so, that the American people are totally unimpressed!

And yet, there is growing discontent with President Obama, due to the budget crisis, the stubbornly high unemployment, and the soaring gasoline prices, but there is no valid alternative!

At this point, there could be a landslide effect toward Obama, similar to what was the situation when Lyndon Johnson walloped Senator Barry Goldwater in the 1964 election, and in fact, no candidate gains 20 percent support in the latest polls, similar to what Goldwater had 47 years ago!

The control of religious conservatives and Tea Party activists are entrapping all reasonable, rational thought, and holding hostage any realistic, mainstream candidates from emerging!

Face the facts! The following so called “candidates” are disasters in the making in any order: Donald Trump, Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Herman Cain, Gary Johnson, Haley Barbour, and any others who come out of the woodwork to claim they wish to run!

The “birther” issue and the race issue and the gay issue have destroyed all of the above from serious consideration by anyone with intelligence!

The only “serious” candidates, but lacking excitement for now, are Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Jon Huntsman, and really stretching it, Mitch Daniels and Jeb Bush, who have evinced no interest in running, but would have to be seen as serious and viable were they to announce for President!

Any “bully” Governor, such as Chris Christie, Scott Walker, Rick Scott, Rick Snyder, or John Kasich, would be counterproductive, as all of them have caused great opposition and controversy!

It is time for Republican leaders to follow former George W. Bush advisor Karl Rove and do everything they can to derail all the loonies, and promote Romney, Pawlenty, Huntsman, Daniels or Bush as the ONLY viable candidates out of a sad group of people who betray the Republican heritage since 1854–the Republican Party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and yes, even Ronald Reagan!

Donald Trump And The Presidency: How Can His Behavior Be Explained?

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Real estate mogul Donald Trump has always been a showboat, always looking for attention, whether good or bad!

Here is a man who is a billionaire, has had his own television show for 10 years, has had three beautiful wives, four wonderful children, and has had public renown for his entire adult life!

But he also is a person who has obviously poor family values, with two divorces; and has been bankrupt several times!

So one wonders how is he to seen as a potential President, with his low moral values and poor business record?

And how is he to be seen seriously, when he has no tact, no diplomatic skill, and seems to think that if he is President, he can just tell China and other nations to behave, and that they will just bend to his attacks? More likely, he could cause international crises if he acts belligerently in public discourse, and the last thing we need is to become engaged in wars because of loose mouths!

And how can anyone take Trump seriously when he has decided to pursue the “Birther” myth about Barack Obama, when in his heart of hearts, he KNOWS that the whole concept is ridiculous, and that President Barack Obama was born in Hawaii!

Trump has lost all credibility by his big mouth toward China and his stupid claims about Obama, and yet he is arrogant enough to think that IF he spends up to $600 million of his own fortune, that somehow he can be elected President!

And the fact that in new polls, Trump ends up second behind Mitt Romney, and ahead of Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich and others, is more due to his public celebrity and his constant need to draw attention to himself, even if he sounds totally ridiculous!

The best advice for Donald Trump is the following: Forgo the Presidential race, and spend the $600 million helping the poor, the sick, and the needy in this country!

Also, work on making sure your third marriage survives, and that your business dealings work out properly so there are no more bankrupcies on your part, so that you don’t evade responsibility for your financial dealings yet another time!

And also, Donald, speak to a psychologist and a psychiatrist regarding your constant need for attention, as it has gone way beyond the norm for someone who has had such a charmed life as you have had!

On The Way To Armageddon: April 8 or May 16?

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The United States is on the way to Armageddon, in regards to the national budget, as the impending date of April 8 is coming upon us, whereby if there is no agreement on budget cuts, the federal government will, effectively, shut down, to the detriment of all of the American people!

Speaker of the House John Boehner is caving in to the Tea Party Movement members in his Republican Party, and refusing to compromise, with the Democrats agreeing to go more than half way, with $33 billion in cuts, as compared the GOP demand of $61 billion in cuts!

And the problem is that an even more dangerous deadline is brewing: six weeks from today, Monday, May 16, when if there is no action by both houses, the government’s debt limit will be reached, and without an extension of the debt limit, the national government will be in bankruptcy, unable to pay its bonds, likely to cause an economic disaster nationally and overseas, as the American economy and its reputation as good payers of debts will have been destroyed!

Do the Tea Party activists in both houses of Congress care about this? NO, and that includes Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, both reckless and irresponsible, along with many of their colleagues in both houses!

If either April 8 or May 16 lead to disaster, it will be the Republican party, not Barack Obama and the Democrats, who will ultimately be held responsible, just as they were in 1995 under Speaker Newt Gingrich, leading to the re-election of Bill Clinton, and the weakening of the GOP majority in both houses of Congress!

Donald Trump: Ego Maniac, Publicity Hound, And Now Fox News Channel Contributor!

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Real estate magnate and reality television series star, Donald Trump is, obviously, an ego maniac, publicity hound, and a newly converted “Birther”, latching onto the belief that Barack Obama may not have been born in the United States!

Hinting that he may seek the Republican nomination, and stating his willingness to spend $600 million of his own fortune in such a quest, Trump has been making himself look more and more like a fool and a weirdo, joining Michele Bachmann and Rand Paul in the circus atmosphere of what the Republican Party has become, what with all the other Republicans who are becoming “Birthers”, including Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich among others.

Even conservative and Fox News Channel talk show host Bill O’Reilly has ridiculed the “Birther” idea and ridiculed Trump on that matter in an interview on his nightly show. But at the same time, Fox News Channel is giving Trump an opportunity to spew forth his views on public affairs once a week, as a new contributor to the channel, even though he is flirting with a Presidential run! Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum were taken off Fox as contributors, but Trump is added, and Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee are allowed to remain for the time being, which makes Fox News Channel look totally ridiculous in their so called “principles”!

The likelihood is that Trump will NOT announce for President, but he is certainly gaining the attention and publicity he constantly craves from the American people. Seems to the author that Trump may be super wealthy and bright, but that he is quite the classic psychological case for the psychiatrist’s couch, as man who has issues, and would actually be very dangerous as he seems to think being a “bully” with China and other foreign nations is an acceptable method of diplomacy, and that firing people is the answer to domestic policy making!

Republican Loonies Start Emerging In The Presidential Race: Michele Bachmann, Donald Trump, And Rand Paul!

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The Republican Party of 2011 is on the road to total insanity, as we are about to enter the season of the loonies running for President, and making the Republican Party look both ridiculous and reckless!

As stated in other blog entries, if the GOP hopes to have a real shot at the Presidency, they need to nominate either Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman, with the outside possibility of Tim Pawlenty.

But if they nominate Newt Gingrich, with all his skeletons in the closet and contradictions, they lose.

If they nominate Sarah Palin, with all her mindlessness and lack of knowledge and capabilities, they are destroyed.

If they nominate Haley Barbour, with his racial insensitivity and image as a promoter of the Old South and political wheeling dealing, they lose.

If they nominate Rick Santorum, with his emphasis on socially conservative issues, and his concern about man having sex with animals if gays have rights, they lose.

If they nominate Mike Huckabee, after his recent “birther” comments about President Obama and his promotion of himself as a preacher of morality, they lose.

But on top of all the above and their difficulties as candidates for the White House, it actually gets worse!

Those recently emerging as possible seekers of the Presidency include Michele Bachmann, Donald Trump, and Rand Paul–a move from the ridiculous to the loony and insane!

Michele Bachmann has been hinting she will run, because God wants her to run! This woman has proved herself to be absolutely ignorant, prejudiced, confrontational, accusatory in a way that reminds us of Joseph McCarthy at his worst, and just plain stupid, but also dangerous. She also sets up a potential rivalry with another candidate actually dumber than she is–Sarah Palin. If they both run, that should be something worth observing! Bachmann could also present a problem for Tim Pawlenty from the same state of Minnesota, as well, particularly in Iowa, the first state to vote in 2012 in their caucus, and a state where evangelical Christians play a major role, a fact that would make it impossible for Romney or Huntsman, both Mormons, to have a chance at competing!

Donald Trump has the virtue of being intelligent, but he is also arrogant, belligerent, and would be a danger in foreign policy because of his bellicose nature, and crazy belief that one can insult and denounce foreign governments, such as China, and that there will be no counterproductive developments. He could spend $600 million of his own money, but that in itself is obscene, as the last thing we need is for a President to, literally, “buy” the position! However, his involvement in debates should be some of the greatest entertainment ever seen in American politics!

And more unbelievable and loony than anyone would be the possible entrance of RAND PAUL, not Ron Paul, his dad, in the Presidential race. As bad as Ron Paul is in so many ways, Rand Paul is much more radical and dangerous and plain stupid in his assessment of how to deal with domestic and foreign policy! Libertarianism is NOT the future, and would be extremely destructive in the hands of someone who is not even certified as an optometrist by the traditional professional organization of his field, but rather by an organization formed by HIMSELF!

The Republican Party is going to provide a lot of entertainment, but unless, again, they nominate Romney, Huntsman, or Pawlenty, they are throwing away the Presidential Election of 2012 before it starts.

Oh, and by the way, some say, what about Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. The answer is to forget that, as Daniels is having trouble in his state getting legislation accomplished, and his anti labor leadership is not going to work, as the Wisconsin debacle of Scott Walker is going to hurt the Republican Party massively in 2012, and if the GOP does not realize that, they are also doomed!