Gingrich Is Inspiring—and Disturbing ( A Noonan Kerfuffle)

WSJ ^ | December 10, 2011 | PEGGY NOONAN

[yoe]

I had a friend once who amused herself thinking up bumper stickers for states. The one she made up for California was brilliant. "California: It's All True." It is so vast and sprawling a place, so rich and various, that whatever you've heard about its wildness, weirdness and wonders, it's true.

That's the problem with Newt Gingrich: It's all true. It's part of the reason so many of those who know him are anxious about the thought of his becoming president. It's also why people are looking at him, thinking about him, considering him as president.

Ethically dubious? True. Intelligent and accomplished? True. Has he known breathtaking success and contributed to real reforms in government? Yes. Presided over disasters? Absolutely. Can he lead? Yes. Is he erratic and unreliable as a leader? Yes. Egomaniacal? True. Original and focused, harebrained and impulsive—all true.

[snip] There are many good things to say about Newt Gingrich. He is compelling and unique, and, as Margaret Thatcher once said, he has "tons of guts."

But this is a walk on the wild side.

[yoe]

Ms. Noonan overlooks that we have been walking on the 'wild side' ever since the Marxist Obama took office...and we are Trillions of Dollars more in debt.

Newt offers the corrections needed to restore America - I'll take the wild side with Newt any day as to the continued construction of America under Obama.

[yoe]

....continued destruction....

[BunnySlippers]

You didn’t see the huge thread yesterday?

[WellyP]

I’ll take him, warts and all!

[BarnacleCenturion]

 

Newt Gingrich Backs Funds For Abortion - http://articles.sfgate.com/1995-04-10/news/17801484_1_poor-w...

02/15/2007 - Newt Gingrich supported a proposal for mandatory carbon cap and trade - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hotpolitics/intervie...

02/10/2011 - Newt Gingrich wants to replace the EPA instead of abolishing it - http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20031365-503544.html

01/30/2011 - Newt Gingrich lobbied for ethanol subsidies -http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870469800457610...

Newt Gingrich's Environmental Problem -http://www.salon.com/2011/05/11/gingrich_environment_america...

Newt Gingrich co-sponsored the Global Warming Prevention Act which says that “the Earth’s atmosphere is being changed at an unprecedented rate by pollutants resulting from human activities, inefficient and wasteful fossil fuel use, and the effects of rapid population growth in many regions...global warming imperils human health and well-being...and [demands] to reduce world emissions of carbon dioxide by at least 20% from 1988 levels by 2000... major threat to political stability, international security, and economic prosperity.” - 1998 - http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d101:H.R.1078:

Newt Gingrich Supported the Bailouts/TARP

Newt Gingrich says he would've voted for TARP -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJb2NfqwghY

Newt Gingrich gets back on the couch with Pelosi-http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/28/gingrich-gets-back-on-t...

Newt Gingrich Supported Federal Health Insurance

Newt Gingrich supports Obama and Mitt Romney's healthcare plan-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYHSdRRLb7U

Newt Gingrich says the government must force people to buy health insurance- http://www.healthtransformation.net/cs/opeds_news?pressrelea...

11/15/2010 - Newt Gingrich defended Romneycare -http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1110/Gingrich_defends...

03/19/2011 - Newt Gingrich has no regrets about supporting Medicare drug coverage. (Now $7.2T unfunded liability) -http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/health-care/6...

Newt Gingrich said: “All of us have a responsibility to help pay for health care.” - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870350910457632...

Newt Gingrich said: “I agree that all of us have a responsibility to pay — help pay for health care.” MSNBC’s David Gregory: But that is the individual mandate, is it not? “It’s a variation on it.” -http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/267330/gingrich-i-oppos...

In 2008 Newt Gingrich suggested ‘insurance mandates for people who earn more than $75,000 a year.’ Two years later, he was telling Sean Hannity at Fox News that health insurance mandates were unconstitutional.” -http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2011/0327/New...

Newt Gingrich Supports Amnesty for Illegals Aliens

Watch the video of Newt Gingrich proposing amnesty in his own voice -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-OKFOhCaDY

Conservatives are critical of Newt's amnesty stance -http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/283932/gingrich-amnesty...

More criticisms about Newt's desire for illegals to receive amnesty -http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/45873.html

Newt Gingrich voted to raise the debt ceiling 4 times:
1 - http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h1979-449
2 - http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h1980-936
3 - http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h1981-7
4 - http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h1984-754

Newt Gingrich voted for a $50 billion tax increase - (House Roll Call Vote 569 - 1984)

Newt Gingrich was paid by Freddie Mac to lobby Republicans for support -http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-16/gingrich-said-to-be...

More on the Newt Gingrich Freddie Mac lobbyist scandal -http://www.cnbc.com/id/28108013/How_Freddie_Mac_Splashed_Cas...

Newt Gingrich's Charity Paid Money to Gingrich's Business -http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2011/06/gingrich-cha...

Newt Gingrich voted to create the Department of Education -http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h1979-468

Newt Gingrich voted for the single largest increase on Federal education spending ($3.5 Billion) - http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1996/roll135.xml

Newt Gingrich flip-flops on Libya in less than 16 days-http://www.slate.com/content/slate/blogs/weigel/2011/03/23/n...

Newt Gingrich supported the World Trade Organization, voted for GATT/WTO - http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1994/roll507.xml

Newt Gingrich supported GATT - http://www.cfaba.org/cf05006.htm

Newt Gingrich supported WTO - http://www.nolanchart.com/article368-bill-clinton-and-his-na...

03/15/2011 - Newt Gingrich says that NAFTA worked 'because it created jobs in Mexico' - http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/03/15/150658/gingrich...

Newt Gingrich helped push through federally-funded loan guarantees to communist China - http://www.lessgovisthebestgov.com/Newt-Gingrich-Candidate-P....

"Newt Gingrich was passionately in favor of helping Russia (with US foreign aid), saying it was a "great defining moment" for America and we had to do the right thing. Newt was trying to "out-Russia" me, which I was only too happy to have him do." - Bill Clinton -http://www.issues2000.org/My_Life.htm

In one year (1994-1995) Newt Gingrich voted for nearly $45 billion in foreign aid - http://www.unelected.org/socialist-of-the-week-newt-gingrich.

Newt Gingrich was for the United Nations before he was against it -http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/08/11/gingrich_...

09/16/1996 - Newt Gingrich voted for the anti-gun Brady Campaign’s Lautenberg Gun Ban, which took away gun rights-http://www.nationalgunrights.org/the-inconvenient-truth-abou...

Newt Gingrich has a bad firearms record - http://gunowners.org/gingrich-mixed-record.htm

Newt Gingrich worked for the Rockefeller campaign -http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/interviews.html

10/16/2009 - Newt Gingrich endorsed super liberal Dede Scozzafava -http://michellemalkin.com/2009/10/16/an-acorn-friendly-big-l...

05/04/1979 - Newt Gingrich voted for a federal land grab that put tens of millions of acres of land in the hands of Washington bureaucrats. -http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h1979-107

04/02/1987 - Newt Gingrich cosponsored the 1987 Fairness Doctrine (anti 1st Amendment legislation) - http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2011/04/29/newt-gingrich-co-sponso...

Newt Gingrich voted to take land away from states and individuals. The “Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act,” which Newt Gingrich voted for in support of President Jimmy Carter, was a federal government power grab that put tens of millions of acres of land in the hands of the corrupt cronyism and bureaucracy in Washington. -http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h1979-107

Fiscal conservative Steve Forbes' magazine says that "Newt Gingrich Represents The Worst Qualities Of The GOP Primary Field" -http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/11/16/newt-gingric...

The Many Flip-Flops of Newt Gingrich -http://www.tnr.com/slideshow/politics/85743/newt-gingrich-li...

World Net Daily (WND) - Joe Farah says that "Gingrich is a Liberal" -http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=299873

Democrats Think Newt Gingrich Will Be Easy To Beat -http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/68414.html

Jack Abramoff says 'Newt Gingrich is corrupt' -http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/jack-abramoff-n...

[proxy_user]

Two theories for y’all:

1. As you grow older, you become mature and more stable.

2. As you grow older, your character flaws become exaggerated and you become a caricature of your younger self.

[EricT.]

Great, a choice between a Marxist-Leninist and a Teddy Roosevelt Progressive with ethical baggage.

Once again, Conservatism is kicked to the curb.

[livius]

Isn’t this the second time the WSJ has published this?

I know they came out backing Romney on a couple of things the other day, so maybe the Journal’s preferred candidate is Romney. I’m pretty sure he’s Noonan’s fave.

[catnipman]

Peggy Noonan. Yawn.

[bwc2221]

“Great, a choice between a Marxist-Leninist and a Teddy Roosevelt Progressive with ethical baggage.

Once again, Conservatism is kicked to the curb.”

You couldn't be more correct. There are those who are deluding themselves that Gingrich is a conservative. While a Gingrich presidency wouldn't move toward socialism as fast as Obama’s, it would do nothing to reverse course.

[Chainmail]

OK, Swell. Another laundry list of supposed Gingrich sins.

So, what's your solution? Palin's out. Cain's out. Romney/Huntsman unsuitable. Paul's an idiot, Nixon's dead, Reagan's dead and we have a disease in the White House.

Either support Gingrich and get Obama out of the presidency or just go ahead and vote for Obama. Those are the choices, nicht war?

[Common Sense 101]

Hey Pegs....

If you want to see something “disturbing”, take a look at your idiotic blatherings about the skid mark during the 2008 presidential campaign. Nitwit.

[traderrob6]

Barnacle Centurian = Pissant.

[sissyjane]

I’m for Newt. He’s the only choice that we have. Obama or Gingrich. Pick one.

[RIghtwardHo]

Gingrich is dangerous. He offers only that which is good for Newt.

No RINO Newt, no RINO Romney.

[faucetman]

SO WHAT? I am not wasting one second of time looking at your links. I already know they are just lies, distortions, & half truths. All criticisms of Newt are like them. Out of context statements meant to trash Newt.

Forget the soundbites, listen to what Newt actually says. ALL of what he says on any topic.

[o2bfree]

The GOP insiders want to gather all our tax money and put it in their bank accounts.

Spend, Spend, Spend.

Anybody who wants to balance the budget is enemy number one.

[1rudeboy]

I know they came out backing Romney on a couple of things the other day, so maybe the Journal’s preferred candidate is Romney.

Pet peeve of mine, sorry. I read the WSJ every day, and haven't seen "them" endorse anyone. Just because it publishes an opinion that someone writes on its opinion pages (go figure) does not constitute as much.

[InterceptPoint]

Peggy who?

[Chainmail]

I’m alway amazed how some of our number don’t get it - the Gingrich haters need to sum up the lists of things that Obama and the Democrats have done to our country, or finances, and our freedoms these last four years - and maybe sum up all the damage that they would do with four more years... Then maybe the choices will be clearer to them.