The Greening of Gingrich (Newt joins the ecotard chorus)

Human Events ^ | April 10, 2007 | Amanda B. Carpenter

[xjcsa]

In a heavily hyped debate – one that environmentalist Democrats hoped would be a “smack down” on Republicans -- former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich disappointed them and conservatives alike when he declared that human activity was causing the Earth to warm.

The concession was made in a debate on global warming with Sen. John Kerry (D.-Mass.) today on Capitol Hill that was sponsored by the Brookings Institution and the RAND Corporation.

In his first portion of allotted time Gingrich said there were two undisputed areas of scientific consensus on global warming: that the earth is getting hotter and the warming had been caused by human activity.

At one point, Kerry asked Gingrich what he would say to conservatives like Sen. James Inhofe (R.-Okla.) who do not believe global warming is caused by human activity. Gingrich said, "The evidence is sufficient that we should move to the most effective possible steps to reduce carbon."

“We should be moving to develop all kinds of new green technology,” Gingrich said. He challenged Kerry to find market-based solutions to reduce carbon emission instead of increasing environmental regulations.

“Regulation and litigation are the least effective ways of getting solutions,” the former Speaker said. “Reshaping markets with incentives are the fastest way.”

Kerry argued that environment laws drafted with help from the United Nations have been successful.

Kerry said the laws were “needed to create the leverage and the market so they would go out and invest in the technology because they don’t invest without it.” Government regulation, he said “is the only way to invite people to make that investment.”

“We are not arguing bureaucracy and regulation. We are arguing whether putting a price on carbon is bureaucracy.”

Kerry said it was not. “This is not bureaucracy. You set the standard the market will set the price,” he said. “We all live in a world where we don’t pay for the cost. We don’t pay for the loss of fish, we don’t pay for the lost of these species. None of that is priced into the goods today.”

Before launching into his initial speech, Gingrich endorsed the book Kerry had co-authored with his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry "This Moment on Earth.".

“This is excellent, this is a very good book,” he said. “I would commend this book to anyone who wants to see local leadership make a difference.” Gingrich said he didn’t agree with “about 60% of it” but would urge others to “read it because it’s an example of individual local leadership against the odds.”

Gingrich’s concession was expected in many news circles as part of his long-shot strategy to run for President in 2008. He has said since last year that he would make a decision to run or not sometime in the fall of this year. He is planning to release a new book, "Contract with the Earth" this November that he co-wrote with conservationist Terry Maples.

Yesterday, in his weekly email newsletter “Winning the Future” Gingrich said that September 27 would be “Solutions Day.” This is to honor the 13th anniversary of his 1994 “Contract with America.”

Last week, Gingrich called the Spanish language a “ghetto language.” Immediately after the mishap, he recorded an extensive apology, in Spanish, directed to the Hispanic community that made available on YouTube. Last month, he revealed to Focus on the Family’s James Dobson that he had an extramarital affair on Dobson’s radio show.

In January, Gingrich appeared at a hearing conducted by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to talk about how to stabilize Iraq.

[katiedidit1]

Newt is not suggesting govt regulations but incentives..I am with Newt on this...he is brilliant. IMO, more reading between the lines and LESS headline gasps are a must!

“Regulation and litigation are the least effective ways of getting solutions,” the former Speaker said. “Reshaping markets with incentives are the fastest way.”

[denydenydeny]

*John McLaughlin voice*

BOY, BOY NEWT!

/John McLaughlin voice

[George W. Bush]

Newt just lost his chance for victory as a ‘08 GOP Presidential candidate, not that all of his negative personal baggage helps any either.

Watching the '08 GOP contenders, you almost get the impression that they're all competing to see who can come in last.

[Duke Nukum]

What an absolute weasel.

[campg]

Newt taught Environmental Science and cares about the planet. He also knows how to generate discussion and get people thinking in ways that may not appear on the surface to make conservative sense. We’ll have to see where he goes from here.

[Tail Gunner John]

I was all for Newt because he was able to understand, articulate and defend the war with the Islamists. Now I would not be surprised to see him “debate” Nancy Pelosi about the quickest way to cut and run.

I still don’t believe he believes the crap he voiced in the debate. I respect him less than Gore on this issue. At least with Al you get the impression he’s crazy enough to believe his own rant. This was just a cheap calculated political sellout on Newt’s part. How disgusting!

[BigSkyFreeper]

Many predicted his slide on the pre-debate thread.

I predicted it when Hillary was running for re-election in the Senate. At the time, Newt hitched wagons with her and championed her Socialist health care proposal as something this country needs.

[Excellence]

Well, he lost me.

[FastCoyote]

“He’s a joke all around.”

I think this is the silver stake in his heart. Gingrich is toast.

[nctexan]

"This was just a cheap calculated political sellout on Newt’s part. How disgusting!"

Thanks... I think that you've made a pretty honest assessment.

I just get concerned when so many here on FR are quick to jump on what is viewed as "a conservative savior"...

We need to keep our eyes open and not stampede.

We have to pick the best, if not perfect candidate to go against Hillary/Obama. No for the sake of ideology, but for the sake of our country.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Please take me off the Newt ping list.

Global Warming Hysteria or Nanny State Behavior Syndrome in an elected official isn't a disease in and of itself...it is simply a symptom of a much larger disease...SOCIALISM.

There are only 2 plausible explanations why a politician would take this position:

A. He/she actually believes the junk science and bogus studies...in which case he/she is TOO STUPID to hold public office, or

B. He/she is just pandering to the liberal lame stream media in order to garner power for it's own sake...in which case they are even more dangerous than A.

[narses]

C. He has consulting contracts with companies poised to make money off of the ‘green’ movement.

[RockinRight]

Fred supported Linc in name and majority retention purposes only.

Had some of us listened to him, Harry Reid might not be Majority Leader today.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

Must we all be forced to say President Hillary Clinton?

[Eric Blair 2084]

C. He has consulting contracts with companies poised to make money off of the ‘green’ movement.

In which case he is a closet capitalist posing as a socialist in order to make obscene capitalist profits at the expense of stupid actors in Hollywood who would pay $50,000 to buy "carbon offsets" so that some dirt farmer in Zaire can plant a few trees that cost $90 (and get paid $1.98 for his trouble). It's great work...if you can get it.

Don't get me wrong. I don't feel sorry for liberal Hollywood elites like Leonardo DiCaprio...A fool and his money are lucky enough to get together in the first place!

[ncphinsfan]

“Had some of us listened to him, Harry Reid might not be Majority Leader today.”

That’s a bunch of BS. Rhode Island is a big time blue state. Linc couldn’t get the Democrats to continue to vote for him. Linc would probably have already made the switch anyway if he had been reelected and no one would have noticed because his voting record would have changed very little if at all. Aside from Coburn, Kyl and a very few other conservatives in the Senate you can have the whole lot of them.
Thus far Harry Reid hasn’t been able to get anything passed in the Senate. To date, no harm, no foul.

[elkfersupper]

Yup and dittos.

[onedoug]

Two politicians debating science makes as much sense as considering Al Gore a physicist.

[B Knotts]

I understand your anger, and lean toward joining you...

I just hope some other conservative candidate comes along that has the stuff it's going to take to win.

[hosepipe]

[... former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich disappointed them and conservatives alike when he declared that human activity was causing the Earth to warm. ..]

But Americans WANT politicians to lie to them..
They want to be told what they want to hear.. especially the WOMEN..

Pretty smart actually.. since Hitlery will be elected anyway..

OH!... thats NOT what you wanted to hear.. Sorry..