Newt Gingrich’s problem

I’ll agree with Newt Gingrich about one thing, political activists—whether Democrat or Republican—shouldn’t insist on government activism. That being said; Gingrich having stirred up quite an uproar over his remarks, then flip-flopped, backpeddled, and tried to pander to the Republican and religious activists.  You know, the very people who do like the idea that government should be activist in supporting their agenda.  And of course, using government to impose their will on the rest of society.  Which makes Mr. Gingrich a serious non-contender for the U.S. Presidency. 

“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” went to great and hilarious lengths to describe Mr. Gingrich having a problem with his message, the news media reaction to his “message,” the GOP reaction to his “message,” and a gay rights demonstrator tossing rainbow confetti all over him during a book signing tour.  Dana Milbank though, in his republished editorial in the Spokesman-Review 19 May 2011 neglected to mention the news since Gingrich said something that even I could actually applaud and then did a 180° trying to move away from an embarrassing statement and get himself into an even more embarrassing situation.  No, Mr. Milbank just discussed his remarks.

So, I think that I’ll discuss Mr. Gingrich’s remarks:  like hypocrisy.  Gingrich assumed power as the Speaker of the House during the Republican revolution circa 1994, that as Mr. Milbank said, the GOP would use various words and methods to undermine support for the Democratic party in general and President Clinton in particular to gain majority control of Congress by 1994.  Usually, you’d associate a revolutionary with radical!  Someone after all, who wants to make a complete break from the status quo, what ever that may be.  For Mr. Gingrich, radical to call Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan radical, is worth it’s weight in ROTFL.  But, let’s do bear something in mind, that Gingrich had nothing against government supporting and being activist on the behalf of certain special interest agendas, as long as he was the one who determined who was on the favored list that government would be activist on the behalf of.  But just like any other partisan politician, the other side shouldn’t promote this government activism.

Years later, Gingrich has been out of Congress for quite awhile, he has been a member in good standing of various Republican and special interest think tanks.  Then he mulls a run for the presidency.  That was back in 2008.  To finally declare his run for the top office in the country and then literally scuttle his campaign within a short time of his announcing his desire to be the next POTUS.  A guy who now can’t make anyone happy.  I get the impression that Gingrich either became politically rusty, or for a change was actually able to get honest, however briefly.  If the latter, he was soon to find out what that brief burst of honesty can cost him.  The GOP practically spat the word “treasonous” at the man.  Which also says a great deal about where the GOP themselves stand in this day and age.  They can’t appreciate the candor of being told that they are just as supportive of government “command and control” as long as they are in charge.  For a fellow Republican like Gingrich to tell them that, and I’d have to swear that was a lot of oxen being gored right there and then, such was the GOP outrage just because of Gingrich’s remarks.

Unlike Bill Clinton, Mr. Gingrich did not have his Sister Souljah moment.  He did not stand on a principle that he had clearly articulated; he did not distance himself from the fringe.  Rather regrettable, that.  For one brief moment he had actually become almost presidential.  Then he demonstrated just how much he feared the pure anger that he stirred up and proceeded to duck and cover.  There is nothing extraordinary about that, run of the mill politicians do that all the time.  You need more than this to be president.  You need to accept the criticism for your pronouncements as well as your agendas and policy plans and actually stand by them.  If you abandon them at the first sign of hostility, that simply means that you are no leader.  Gingrich may continue his campaign, but he is definitely not a guy worth voting for.