Posted on 12/20/2011 11:08:45 AM PST by Servant of the Cross
If Newt Gingrich were being nominated for sainthood, many of us would vote very differently from the way we would vote if he were being nominated for a political office.
What the media call Gingrich’s “baggage” concerns largely his personal life and the fact that he made a lot of money running a consulting firm after he left Congress. This kind of stuff makes lots of talking points that we will no doubt hear, again and again, over the coming weeks and months.
But how much weight should we give to this stuff when we are talking about the future of the nation?
This is not just another election, and Barack Obama is not just another president whose policies we may not like. With all of President Obama’s broken promises, glib demagoguery, and cynical political moves, one promise he has kept all too well. That was his boast on the eve of the 2008 election: “We are going to change the United States of America.”
Many Americans are already saying that they can hardly recognize the country they grew up in. We have already started down the path that has led Western European nations to the brink of financial disaster.
Internationally, it is worse. A president who has pulled the rug out from under our allies, whether in Eastern Europe or the Middle East, tried to cozy up to our enemies, and bowed low from the waist to foreign leaders certainly has not represented either the values or the interests of America. If he continues to do nothing that is likely to stop terrorist-sponsoring Iran from getting nuclear weapons, the consequences may be beyond our worst imagining.
Against this background, how much does Newt Gingrich’s personal life matter, whether we accept his claim that he has now matured or his critics’ claim that he has not? Nor should we sell the public short by saying that they are going to vote on the basis of tabloid stuff or media talking points, when the fate of this nation hangs in the balance.
Even back in the 19th century, when the scandal came out that Grover Cleveland had fathered a child out of wedlock — and he publicly admitted it — the voters nevertheless sent him to the White House, where he became one of the better presidents.
Do we wish we had another Ronald Reagan? We could certainly use one. But we have to play the hand we were dealt. And the Reagan card is not in the deck.
While the televised debates are what gave Newt Gingrich’s candidacy a big boost, concrete accomplishments when in office are the real test. Gingrich engineered the first Republican takeover of the House of Representatives in 40 years — followed by the first balanced budget in 40 years. The media called it “the Clinton surplus” but all spending bills start in the House of Representatives, and Gingrich was speaker of the House.
Speaker Gingrich also produced some long-overdue welfare reforms, despite howls from liberals that the poor would be devastated. But nobody now claims that they were.
Did Gingrich ruffle some feathers when he was speaker of the House? Yes, enough for it to cost him that position. But he also showed that he could produce results.
In a world where we can make our choices only among the alternatives actually available, the question is whether Newt Gingrich is better than Barack Obama — and better than Mitt Romney.
Romney is a smooth talker, but what did he actually accomplish as governor of Massachusetts, compared with what Gingrich accomplished as speaker of the House? When you don’t accomplish much, you don’t ruffle many feathers. But is that what we want?
Can you name one important positive thing that Romney accomplished as governor of Massachusetts? Can anyone? Does a candidate who represents the bland leading the bland increase the chances of victory in November 2012? A lot of candidates like that have lost, from Thomas E. Dewey to John McCain.
Those who want to concentrate on the baggage in Newt Gingrich’s past, rather than on the nation’s future, should remember what Winston Churchill said: “If the past sits in judgment on the present, the future will be lost.” If that means a second term for Barack Obama, then it means we’ve lost, big time.
Newt (and Dr. Sowell) ping.
Gingrich is the Devil no doubt about that...
Like Patton or McArthur.. or Sherman during the Civil War..
Do you want somebody “NICE” or a President?..
Make your choice this is no GAME...
“how much does Newt Gingrich’s personal life matter”?
Not much. Marrying his high school geometry teach is a bit creepy but I’m not too into the personal matters. They count but they aren’t everything.
“In a world where we can make our choices only among the alternatives actually available, the question is whether Newt Gingrich is better than Barack Obama — and better than Mitt Romney.”
Yes. Heck, my neighbors dog is a better choice than Obama or Romney.
I’ve said this before ,so please forgive.
Ted Kennedy killed a woman.
He ran for President and was elected and lionized as a Senator for years.He was a known drunk and womanizer,married,divorced and married again.I know this is not about Ted ,but all eyes averted to the left to let this guy run a public life.
This is not to sanitize Newt in any way.
Dr.T Sowell is wise a wise man indeed.
He lost me right there.
IF it came to Newt or Obama ...?
There it is & there is our nominee. They’ve all been vetted. Let’s close ranks & get the MoJo go’in.
I’m sitting here wondering, if Gingrich is correct and this is “the most important election since 1860”, is Gingrich the best we should do?
Newt’s personal “baggage” has nothing to do with me.
Have heard the statement “It takes one to know one” or “Fight fire with fire”? Well, Newt was one of them at one time and knows how to deal with Washington. He got a lot done while he was Speaker.
He has more creative ideas than any of the others on the stage. We need someone who is not afraid to make a fool of himself every once in a while.
Screw the media.
Yes, but those ideas usually involve the government controlling something NOT the government giving up control of something.
BTW when you fight fire with fire you get more fire
(don't ask me how I know)
All due praise to Dr. Sowell...I don’t choose to choose between Mitt and Newt.
He does.
His choice is better than the only other alternative he presented.
Newt isn’t as bad as Romney. Newt is better than Obama.
Doesn’t address the issue of taming Big Daddy Government. Newt has been on the wrong side of that many times. He says otherwise when it suits his purpose, and even acts otherwise at times, but he reverts back to it, and back, and back.
You totally missed what Newt was saying. It was the strength of FDR not his policy. Better rethink before looking foolish.
***We need someone who is not afraid to make a fool of himself every once in a while.
Screw the media.***
I love your observation - that Newt is not afraid to take risks, make mistakes and take the criticism that is sure to follow.
Regarding the media - if they had any sense - they would want Newt in power. Think of all the material he would provide their sorry butts.
A man who sits on his a$$ gets a fat a$$ - God didn’t put men’s brains in their a$$es for a reason.
What results? He was elected on the Contract With America"
Name one of those 10 contract items that have survived. Just one.
His presidency will be likewise promises made while he preaches global warming and amnesty and expanded government programs like he did with Medicare and TARP.
With only a couple of weeks between now and the Iowa caucus (and the only actual alternative scenario to the above matchup that is being written about involves LRon Paul?!), this would seem to be, imho, denial on your part.
I would suggest that a very credible source, Dick Cheney, gives Newt the credit for the Contract With America.
“and the fact that he made a lot of money running a consulting firm after he left Congress”
I have to disagree with the good Doctor on that point. If you run the numbers the money he made is peanuts in the total scheme of things.
You are correct.
There are other choices besides the moderates polling highest (not running away with are they either?) and a conservative.
By 'other choices' do you mean the crazy Texan who is trouncing his own Governor?
Wasting no time, let's just get right to the strawmen.
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