Newt Answers Critics Over Ethanol Comments (Still fails to address issue raised by critics)

Hotair ^ | 02/05/2011 | Jazz Shaw

[nathanbedford]

We actually import very little oil from Saudi Arabia, the Saudis export it elsewhere. We import oil and energy from Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, and West Africa so the question is what proportion of imported energy are foodstuffs which we unaccountably burn up? That proportion is very small indeed but it is about a quarter of our grain production.

We used to export oil just as we export grains. With the current policy of burning up grain instead of domestically available natural gas or oil we might soon be importing that too. We are certainly importing and exporting unrest around the world and storing up worldwide resentment for this wanton destruction of foodstuffs when billions of people are spending half their income to eat.

Gingrich is to be credited for being right on energy over all and to be early in his opposition to Obama's energy policies. He is to be faulted for pandering to Iowa farmers in advance of the caucus. Gingrich is not perfect, and he sometimes supports rinos in congressional districts in New York, for example.

But Gingrich is a conservative, more conservative than anybody out there right now except perhaps Bockman and Palin. He is the most effective debater and speaker. He has more intellectual candlepower than all the rest of the Republican field combined. He is the closest thing in politics today to men possessed of varied and deep talents like Teddy Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

Let us assume that we take the White House in 2012 and begin changing policy in 2013, what new policies do you want to put in place? First, you must get the government out of the way so that the economy can reignite, Ronald Reagan style. Second, you must, dare I say it, "transform" the government so that it actually works. Gingrich has said that it cannot be reformed, it must be radically revised, and I think he is right. It must be massively privatized, a Gingrich idea or at least an idea that he is advancing. We need someone with his drive and powers of persuasion in the bully pulpit to force such reforms to completion. He demonstrated as speaker in shutting down the government that he would take reform to the hilt. Do you expect Romney, Pawlenty, Daniels, or Huckabee to do that? I do not.

I expect Bachmann or Palin would take reform all the way, either would be my first choice, but neither can be elected.

Gingrich is sound on foreign policy and would put the country back on a rational track. We confront threats from radical Islam, operating for now in tandem with the radical left, and the ambitions of an emergent and aggressive China. Our trade policy must be rationalized along with a tax policy, energy policy, environmental policy which are undercutting American business and exiling it to foreign jurisdictions. Gingrich possesses the breadth and depth of comprehension to work a comprehensive reform. Only Romney on his record rivals Gingrich in this respect but he is disqualified on abortion and health care.

Gingrich is not without his demerits, a zipper problem being principally among them, but on balance and compared to the rest of the herd he possesses the experience, the talents, and the conservative bona fides to deserve more respect certainly than he gets on these threads.

Now that I have quite consciously ignited a firestorm, I ask in closing, if not Newt, who?

[barb-tex]

I think the EtOH problem is, not only do we subsidize the production for the farmers & ADM, But it amounts to a Subisdy to Big Awl also. In my case at least 10% raises the cost of fuel by 8% which makes the $3.00 actually cost $3.24. Who steals this 24 cents? BIG AWL. At least we are saving the planet.

[steelyourfaith]

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[lowtaxsmallgov]

“My support of increased domestic energy production of all forms, including biofuels and domestic drilling, is born out of our urgent national security and economic needs.”

No no no. How about cutting subsidies to everyone, and cutting taxes, and letting markets decide? If prices go up, fine, consumers can pay for that from their higher after-tax disposable income.

How can domestic oil producers NOT make money when oil is $90/barrel? Canada makes money off its tar sands at $70/barrel! Less regulation, less subsidies, less taxes, less government.

I don’t care whether the winner is oil, gas, nuclear, solar, ethanol, whatever - just as long as it is the market making the choice, not a liberal president or for that matter a crony capitalist leech like Jeff Immelt.

[SteamShovel]

He failed during the Clinton impeachment,running rather than fighting

I don't like Newt, I think he's a two-timing weasel that cannot be trusted.

But my recollection is that Newt did not run, he presided over the Impeachment of WJC.

It is the Senate that ran away from the issue. WJC was guilty and should have received the proper sentence. The Senate balked as they always do on matters of principle and importance.

[sand88]

Farmers, via self financed coops built the infrastucture themselves.

did you forget the /sarc tag?? That is an outright and bold falsehood. Without taxpayer subsidies ethanol would not exist AT ALL.

Ethanol is purely a result of statist policies. Ethanol is quite destructive to equipment and our economy. Ethanol is just another cancer on our Republic -- another part of the destruction of our way of life. Ethanol will NEVER be a viable, unsubsidized energy source.

[sand88]

Now that I have quite consciously ignited a firestorm, I ask in closing, if not Newt, who?

Newt is a non-starter. Because of his support of Ethanol and the Global Warming Fraud, he will NEVER get my vote. This man is weak in many ways. He talks a good game but where it matters he will very easily betray conservatives.

[AuntB]

When you look back through Newt’s history, you will find votes and actions that took care of his big money donors. I expect ‘ethanol’ has such people in Newt’s ‘big tent’.

Example....in 1998, the Clinton admin was doing a pretty good job of busting companies employing illegal aliens...until...
Newt and the rest of the Georgia delegation DEMANDED workplace enforcement be stopped....because it was annoying their big Vidalia Onion producers.

[AuntB]

More open border Newt this week:

Bipartisanship in Immigration ...
By Mark Krikorian
The Corner at National Review Online, February 2, 2011
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/258715/bipartisanship-immigration-mark-krikorian

... means a Republican and a Democrat getting together to support open borders. Case in point:

A characteristically feisty Newt Gingrich mixed it up – and traded some good-natured cracks – with Howard Dean about immigration policy and a host of other hot-button issues Tuesday night during a student-sponsored debate at George Washington University.

The all-but-declared Republican presidential candidate said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had devised the DREAM Act so it could never pass but that Democrats could score political points with Latino voters. The former chairman of the Democratic National Committee revved up – his face red, his finger wagging – as he talked about how every American who doesn’t have Native American blood comes from an immigrant family.

“I think Newt’s very common sense about this,” Dean said. “Obviously we can’t open our borders and let all kinds of people through, and he’s thought this through, and I agree with most of what he said, but I don’t believe we ought to demonize people who try and do the best they can.”

If the only thing they disagree about in immigration is the political gamesmanship behind the latest push for the DREAM Act — as opposed to the substance of the measure, or of any other immigration measure — then Newt’s prospects in Iowa and New Hampshire are likely to be dim. Maybe someone should ask him direct, concrete questions about immigration levels and mechanisms and see if we get anything more than his trademark high-falutin’ flapdoodle. [snip]

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/258715/bipartisanship-immigration-mark-krikorian

[nathanbedford]

The question stands pristine and unbesmirched by reply:

If not Newt, who?

The question "why?" is left implicit.

[dools0007world]

Newt has nothing meaningful to say anymore. He has demonstrated cowardice and a very confused sense of conservatism. It would be good for conservatism and the country if the man could find the humility to very quickly fade away.

[Balding_Eagle]

And try finding a yellow corn tortilla. Twice the price!!

With about 5 or 6 cents for the corn going into that product, do you think that maybe something other than the corn price may have caused the increase?

[Balding_Eagle]

Maybe Newt realizes the American Consumer is the ultimate beneficiary of all these production enhancement subsidies.

Agreed.

Many people think "The Farm Subsides Program" is to primarily benefit farmers. It is not.

It actually should be called "The Cheap Food For Consumers Program", as they are the intended beneficiaries.

Well, OK, hte politicains are the intended beneficiaries, as high food prices means a new politicin will take his place, one who agrees to reinstate "The Cheap Food For Consumers Program".

[bonehead4freedom]

Remember when he resigned for having an affair while he was House Speaker?He played right into the Clinton spin of it’s just about private sex and Republicans are sexual hypocrites rather then Clinton lying under oath while chief law enforcer for the United States.By resigning and conceding the whole position on impeachment he neutered himself and the augment for the rule of law. And yes the fix was in the Senate the political class protected one of their own.
Neutered Gingrich, I think that should be his FR name.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Eye Of Newt

[GOPJ]

Newt’s off the rails on this one...