Monday, December 19, 2011

No Newt, Now or Ever


By Alan Caruba

Back in March I wrote about “The Newt-ster” and ended by saying, “I like the Newt-ster. I just don’t want him to run.” I still don’t.

As Speaker of the House and since, Newt’s legislative record has been all over the political spectrum. He has long been known to have various enthusiasms that he later abandons.

Though Newt did get welfare reform, then-President Clinton played him like a fiddle, getting him blamed for shutting down the government. Then the House Democrats finished him off with a plethora of ethics charges, most of which were dismissed, but he ended up paying a fine for one and resigning.

He has been ethically challenged in both his political and personal life. That kind of behavior rarely changes.

His main claim to fame was engineering the return to power in Congress by Republicans after forty years of Democrat rule. He co-authored a Contract with America, organized the Republicans in Congress to get behind it, and power switched hands in 1994. President Reagan who held office throughout the 1980s demonstrated how much can be accomplished by real leadership even with a Democrat-controlled Congress.

I have a major warning to offer regarding Newt Gingrich and I say it as someone who has studied history and witnessed a big chunk of it. Whenever the U.S. has elected an intellectual, it has suffered.

The most notable example is Woodrow Wilson, a former New Jersey Governor and president of Princeton University. His legacy includes the implementation of the income tax and establishment of the Federal Reserve. He wanted the U.S. to ratify the League of Nations, but the Senate rejected it for the same reason it should have rejected the United Nations.

Before him, Teddy Roosevelt, a man of action as well as intellect, was a progressive whose own party would not nominate him and who formed a third party which the voters rejected. This is not to say men of superior intellect have not been President, but the office calls for both leadership and the pragmatic capacity to understand “the real world” as opposed to the world of the mind. It also requires real courage.

Throughout history, men of intellect have concocted some of the worst systems to control the human population which they generally regarded with contempt. Karl Marx comes to mind. Generally speaking, intellectuals distrust the common sense of a humanity unencumbered by idiotic laws. These days the process of control is referred to as “social engineering.”

Obamacare is an example of social engineering and all the wasted billions on Green or renewable energy is another. The pathetic efforts to stamp out the use of the word “terrorism” from government pronouncements as well as the idiotic “Fast and Furious” gun-running program to undermine the Second Amendment are two more. So far as the federal government is concerned, there is no aspect of our lives in which it does not want to interfere or require obedience. Incandescent light bulbs anyone? The volume of water in a toilet? Nutritional standards? It is endless!

Gingrich began his career as a professor of history and his present rhetoric reveals his penchant for lecturing audiences while demonstrating his intellectual prowess. He is an engaging speaker, but behind it is a life spent being on both sides of most issues and often on the wrong side. Since leaving Congress he has been a well-paid “consultant” to anyone seeking to eat from the federal trough.

A glaring example of his willingness to embrace really bad ideas was his book, “A Contract with the Earth” which espoused all the usual environmental claptrap that assists and underwrites the horrid Green legislative agenda to limit carbon dioxide emissions for the real purpose of harming economic growth.

A Wikipedia synopsis describes the book thusly: “’A Contract with the Earth’ is, broadly, a manifesto that challenges those on the right to provide a strategy for repairing the planet and calls on government to embrace the concept that a healthy environment is required for a healthy democracy and economy. This approach, alternately branded mainstream and entrepreneurial environmentalism by the authors, requires that companies should lead the way in environmental issues while governments provide them with incentives to reduce their carbon footprint.” (Emphasis added)

Carbon footprints are an absurd concept conjured up by the same crowd that tried to impose the Kyoto Protocols on nations in 1997. As of the recent UN conference on climate change, most nations have signaled they will, having signed on, ignore it, along with China which was exempted along with India. Canada will drop out. And the Protocols will be consigned to the dustbin of history along with “global warming.”

Newt has never found some absurd intellectual notion that he would not embrace, short of Communism. He was dismissive of the congressional Republican proposals to reduce spending as “right wing social engineering” when many understand that they represent the best way to extricate ourselves from the enormous debt the Obama administration has imposed on the nation and the necessity of restructuring Medicare.

In short, he could just as easily run as a Democrat as a Republican and, if nominated, would be utterly destroyed by Barack Obama and the Democrat machine in the same way Obama dismembered Hillary Clinton’s bid in 2008.

A December 15 poll by Rasmussen Reports found that Gingrich “now trails President Obama by double digits, his second straight weekly decline since becoming the GOP frontrunner.”

If, by now, you have concluded that I distrust intellectuals and most of the ivory tower academicians, you are right. Since the 1960s many of left-wing ideologues---protesters---found their way onto the faculties of the nation’s colleges and universities, and it is why the teacher’s unions have done everything in their power to eliminate the truth about American history from the curriculum.

No Newt now or ever is my slogan and I hope he is rejected by sensible Republicans in the forthcoming primaries.

© Alan Caruba, 2011

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Romney before Paul... Newt before Romney... Perry before ANY of them, at least in MY opinion...

Having lived in Texas under the entire Perry administration I know a few things;

1. Perry isn't perfect
2. Perry is VERY hard-headed
3. Perry IS a man of faith
4. Perry is a man of his word
5. Perry has led Texas through the recession and done an outstanding job

And with all of that, I still think America can do a lot better, but for now, Rick, and all of his quirks, would still make for the best presidency...

Ronbo said...

So the Newtster - whose only big draw was that the D.C. Elite hated his guts - is dead in the water...

The Last Republican Standing is...

...drum roll...

RINO ROMNEY!!!

Big Cheers From The Obama Campaign and serious plans laid for the second Obama administration.

Rich Kozlovich said...

Alan,

You have made completely astute observations on every point. I agree about the intellectuals and I especially agree on the leopards rarely change their spots argument.

I have been involved in my industry's affairs extensively over the last almost 20 years and two things become obvious to those who stick with it. There are those who run around acting is ways that say "look at me...look at me....look at me... and never once have I seen a one of them that ever did anything that was worthwhile for our industry, and in some cases they left devastation in their wake. Then we have those who build a reputation of accomplishment because they are only concerned about the mission, i.e doing the best they can for the industry.

One of the qualities that becomes obvious is their lack of concern about who gets the credit for all the work and accomplishments. They only concern themselves with the outcome. It is amazing what can be accomplished as a result. That unselfish dedication becomes so obvious that everyone trusts and respects them.

Newt is the former…not the latter.

Alan Caruba said...

@Fred: Spoken like a true Texan! I keep think that Rick is not ready for prime time.

@Ronbo: RINO Romney is just such a better choice than COMMIE Obama.

@Rich: Thanks. I tried to be as objective and realistic as possible. Newt is just too erratic.

Mark said...

Newt would be useful in a Cabinet or staff role in a Republican administration where his "big" ideas - many well intentioned and reasonably conservative in their origins - will be tempered by political realities.

I worry, as a Canadian (we are NEVER well served by Democrat Presidents and Congresses) that you may torpedo Romney's chances while searching for the perfect candidate.

Get a Republican in the White House and concentrate on getting as many conservatives in the congress - and then on the SCOTUS - as possible.

Conservatives need to own the the branches that matter - a suspect Republican in the White House is better than any Democrat.

Alan Caruba said...

@Mark: How can I torpedo Romney's chances when I am on record supporting his candidacy?

It's Gingrich and the others who I believe are not ready for prime time.

Mark said...

@Alan - sorry I didn't suggest "you" were torpedoing Romney's chances - I was referring to "you" conservatives as most likely to vote (or not) for Romney...

Alan Caruba said...

@Mark. Okay. It's still rather early in the game for most conservatives. I believe they will sift through the GOP candidates, Paul, Bachmann, Santorum, etc., and conclude there is only one of them who has the money and organization to win. That would be Romney. He doesn't have to win Iowa and knows it. He needs New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida. After that, it's pretty much just gravy.

Anonymous said...

Rick may NOT be ready for *Prime Time*, but who exactly, in this current crop is??

Alan Caruba said...

Fred: Read my lips--ROMNEY!

As in who just got endorsed by the Des Moines Register? Ny Gov. Nicki Haley? By Sen. John Thune?

The bandwagon is picking up steam.

Mark said...

@Allan - I am hopeful your path for Romney to the nomination comes to pass - some of the primaries are critical, others not so much - however it's the general election where states like Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida, maybe even Colorado are going to be pivotal.

Romney can win those states AND have the full support of traditional republicans and independents - Newt has no chance winning those states or those critical voters - and would quite likely damage Republican house candidates while loosing the White House.

The conservative purists may not be entirely on side with Romney- hopefully they'll recognize that it is Obama, and not Romney who is the enemy.

My interest in this is self serving - We need the change here for our prosperity and freedom as much as you need it there for yours.

Merry Christmas

Dave's Daily Day Dream said...

You are correct Alan, in your assessment of intellectuals. In my 50 years of real experience (the first 23 I didn't know squat) I have never met someone who could be classified as an intellectal who could actually perform in a chosen field. In the USAF, we kept them a Squadron HQ, in the airline driving business - corporate HQ (in neither case should they have been allowed to manipulate the controls of an aircraft). As a pastor, they stayed in seminary, away from (gasp) the people. In retirement, I find them talking about the successes of the current administration. Good grief! Good article and I wish more would read your stuff. You need a thousand followers.

Lime Lite said...

You disappoint me Alan. A few weeks back you were supportive of Newt, or am I confused? Just as the USA may not have, according to you, prospered under an intelligent President, the country sure hasn't prospered under Obama. When will he release his education records so he can be investigated to the extent that the GOP nominees are dissected? And could you please clarify if Romney is eligible if his father is a Mexican citizen? Although Romney still reminds me of a snake-oil salesman with his perfect hair and false smile (and he also doesn’t look you straight in the eye) he would be better than Obama any day of the week.

Ronbo said...

@Alan:

Please don't get me wrong!

If Romney gets the GOP nomination, I am on record as saying I will vote for him and hope the TPM (Tea Party Movement) can educate him on the virtue of limited constitutional government.

This country simply cannot afford a second four year Obama Regime of rule by presidential decree, unelected czars, power mad federal bureaucrats and the State Controlled Media.

If this happens, I really do believe this country - starting by way of a new confederacy led by Texas - will rise in a very bloody Second U.S. Civil War.

Anonymous said...

You preface your article by saying "I like Newt". Then you rip him for all the right reasons. I could add more, but, another time. If you truly do 'like' him, it must be something like the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.

The Tea Party teach Romney about limited government?? If Newt cannot, or will not change his stripes, do you really think Romney will? I don't think so.

For me, the right candidate hasn't shown up yet. There is still time, or am I guilty of wishful thinking?

LarryOldtimer said...

Romney? A big government person, who brought the equavalent of Obamacare as governor. A man who still thinks that government can be run as private industry is run?

I guess not, for me.

Perry still looks best to me.

With Romney, our nation will perhaps collapse in somewhat more time, but it willl collapse.

Have you actually read Nwet's platform????

Do away with Bernanke as head of the Fed.

Totally end the EPA.

Work to impeach federal judges who legislate from the bench.

I would vote for Gingrich without hesitaton, but I still like Perry the best.

Ronbo said...

@Dean Yale:

The Republican Party is dominated by a minority of Nationalist elites and their choice is Romney - the man whose plan for socialized medicine in Massachusetts was copied by the Socialist Obama.

So what's the difference between Big Government Nationalist and Big Government Socialists?

Not much...The first President Roosevelt was a Progressive Republican Nationalist and the second was a Progressive Socialist who ruled the USA for over twelve years.

The Nationalists love a first class military that makes America the world's only superpower, and the U.S. Dollar, which is the world's reserve currency.

The Socialists want to put the big bucks into programs of social security and want everyone to follow the PC New Order that is designed to destroy the family.

The United Nations likes to believe the pipe dream that they are the "World's Government" - but in fact, America is the Atlas on whose mighty shoulders rests the world order - the greatest empire in history, although, like Rome for many decades after the fall of their representative democracy, many still believes she is a republic.

In short, while a majority of Americans cling to the idea that elections matter, the ruling class of Left and Right Power Elites have so well rigged the game that only their candidates will appear on the presidential ballot - and the choice We The People will have next November is one between Caligula Caesar and Nero Caesar.

The five good emperors are a hundred years in the future...

"Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon

Going to the candidates debate

Laugh about it, shout about it

When you've got to choose

Ev'ry way you look at it, you lose"