« BACK  |  PRINT

RS

MEMBER DIARY

Voting for Newt Gingrich is worst than fighting with your wife

By: Griffin@griffinelection (Diary)  |  December 12th, 2011 at 08:28 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Voting for Newt in the Iowa Caucus or any primary would be akin to yelling at your wife.

When you fight with your spouse, stray and undisciplined statements come into your head that you want to say to her, even though you know you shouldn’t.  As the first word leaves your mouth you feel energized, righteous and even vindicated, but as the last word leaves your lips — reality hits, you just made a huge mistake.  In that millisecond where you survey the landscape, you suddenly realize that what seemed like a good idea such a short time ago, was in fact the worst idea you’ve had in a long time.

Sometimes when we’re upset–especially when we’ve been wronged, we can’t think or see clearly.  We do or say things we soon regret.  Primary voters: YOU HAVE BEEN WRONGED.  Americans have been slighted.  Barack Obama promised that he would stop the bleeding.  He promised to lower the unemployment rate years ago, to put the economy back on track and to restore bipartisanship to the country.  He failed us.  After two years of working unilaterally and claiming “bipartisanship” after offering to let Republicans vote for Democrat initiatives, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  When a President ignores our beliefs, values and voice in America, we are angry and rightly so.

But just because we’re angry doesn’t mean we should act irrationally.  We shouldn’t blurt out what is in our head just for the temporary euphoria that comes with it.  We can’t afford to use the primary process as a cathartic experience to vote for who we think might take it to Obama.  It doesn’t mean we should nominate Newt Gingrich as our guy just because therapeutically, he’s a fighter.  If we nominate him, it won’t be long before we regret it.

The reason our regret will set in is two-fold: Newt isn’t much more conservative than Romney and his isn’t electable in this cycle.

To be blunt, Newt Gingrich is going to be a loser in the General Election.  I realize many Newt supporters vehemently disagree but it is the simple truth.  Conservatives from coast to coast are excited by the idea of Newt becoming the nominee and going up against Obama.  We envision Lincoln-Douglas Debates where Newt presents solutions while Obama stutters and backpedals on his policies.

Many younger republicans are wondering where this guy came from and are excited to see his fight.  Well, he has been around for a political lifetime and has a lifetime of political baggage to show for it.  The reason Newt is a new commodity to many, is because most of us chose to forget about him, opting instead, to put him out of sight and out of mind.  Like Pat Robertson, George W. Bush, Rudy Giuliani, Denny Hastert and John McCain, we thank them for their service and look towards greener pastures.  We appreciate them as talking heads but we don’t yearn for their return.

Newt didn’t just retire from politics, he was forced out following a fall from grace that embarrassed the party at its height a mere ten years ago.  The party moved on.  Newt became a lobbyist.  Newt’s revolution became a note in history.

Fast Forward to 2010.  The grassroots created the tea party revolution which yielded more seats than Newt’s revolution of 1994.  This is OUR revolution.  Senator Jim DeMint, Redstate and Erick Erickson, thousands of Tea Party leaders around the nation made this happen.

In 2012, we have an ineffective and impotent President.  We have a 1980 Reagan moment.  The conservative caucus in the House rivals the size of the establishment and we have essentially whipped RINO’s into shape.   Jim DeMint and his Senate Conservative Coalition, forced Mitch McConnell to vote to ban earmarks this term.  This is a great time to be a conservative.  We can’t afford to blow it.

Before we yell at our spouse, think about the wonderful family day you have planned for tomorrow.  Your wife will be mad, the kids will be on edge.  If we show a little temperance today we will do better tomorrow.  We can get someone who is conservative AND can win.  Rather than someone who is hit-or-miss on the conservative and sure to lose to Obama.  Nothing will feel better on election day than winning and making Obama a one term President.

Newt is a fighter and he would take it to Obama in a General like McCain never did.  The possibility of someone finally calling Obama on his disastrous term that has harmed the country that we love is appealing.  I get it.  Republicans want to see a Lincoln-Douglas debate where Gingrich rips Obama a new one.  But right-leaning voters have to resist the urge.

Newt is a loser.  Next year is too important to take a risk on a proven loser like Newt Gingrich.  Newt, lost the shut down of government in 2005, he lost the media battle to the President over impeachment.  Former republican House members are speaking out against Newt running saying his time in the House was “petty” and “tumultuous.”

In a year when reform is needed, we can’t afford to run a lobbyist who has spent his lifetime in Washington D.C.  This is a really bad idea!  Voting for a lobbyist and political pro today may be as sweet as candy but we are going to have a huge stomach ache this summer and for the four years after that.  How is a Sallie Mae Represenative/lobbyist/”Historian” going to win in this kind of cycle?  IT WON’T HAPPEN.

Newt left the House in part to ethical violations stemming from his Speakership.  When Nancy Pelosi was at the height of her political career, her caucus praised her.  When Newt was at the pinnacle, his caucus begged him to leave.

Even if Newt were to win (and he won’t) what do we get?  A hypocrite that believes in government mandates to solve problems?  We can do better than this.

In the end, drinking one too many shots of alcohol might be a great idea today, but could yield large regrets tomorrow.  Worst than a fight with your spouse or a sugar or alcohol hangover is four more years of Obama, I don’t see how we can do it.  Don’t vote for a loser, even if it feels good.  Early primary states have to think clearly and vote for someone who has a proven record on jobs in their state.  That is the only kind of narrative that can beat Obama in 2012.

Tim Griffin is the edior or griffinelection.com

Tags: ,

COMMENTS

POSTING RULES  |  LOGIN TO COMMENT  |  REGISTER TODAY
  • wbf

    nt

  • LoneStarSon

    I enjoyed reading this and couldn’t agree more. However, the year was 1995, not 2005, that the government was shutdown with Newt.

    • westcoastpatriette

      And I believe that people will come to their senses before they “lash out at their wife at the ballot box”. I just don’t see the Tea Party people giving Newt a pass and buying into his rebirth as a true advocate of limited government. As you said, Newt needs to ride into the sunset and accept that his day in the sun politically is over. He has way too much baggage to be trusted–no matter how good it feels to imagine him in a debate with Obama.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    Oy.

    His caucus wanted him to leave? Let’s look at the record. When Newt was in charge there was a balanced budget and budget surpluses. After Newt was run out, the Republicans who remained never submitted a balanced budget and ran up record deficits (only to be outdone by the Democrats later). It’s no wonder they wanted him to leave, they weren’t able to bring home the bacon like they wanted.

    As for electability, from my vantage point Newt is more electable then Perry, who is more electable than Mitt, who is as equally unelectable as Huntsman.

    I never thought I’d see the Have you stopped beating your wife? argument in the primary election discussions. You can tell it’s getting close and desperation is setting in.

    • andystone

      N/T

      • Common_Cents

        They are getting crazier and crazier. Not much intellectual honesty left. Look at the sources used, mostly all lefty sources. It’s very amusing.

        True leadership is earned, it’s not waiting for your opponents to screw up. Gingrich has performed consistently throughout the race, providing real answers, solid solutions, focusing on Obama. He’s earned it.

      • westcoastpatriette

        Just where in this diary is physically beating one’s wife mentioned?
        Nowhere. Even if you disagree with the writer’s viewpoint, your reaction and exaggeration of the analogy makes you look irrational.

        • andystone

          of argumentative fallacy. It doesn’t have to be literal any more than e.g. “cat got your tongue”. If you want an example of this particular fallacy in the present diary, you need look no further than “we can

  • andystone

    about how Gingrich will definitely lose the general election, with hardly more than your intuition to back it up. If we look at polls, Gingrich is essentially tied with Obama, while Perry, who is your favorite, runs quite a bit behind. And let’s not forget Gingrich has only made his case, so far, to the Republicans who watch the race and the debates, and that he has a lot more potential for improving his favorability among the general public.

  • forfreedom

    You can look at the polls all day long, and at this point in time don’t prove anything. Gingrich could crash and burn as easy as 9-9-9 did as I am sure Gingrich has (some) baggage that has not been exposes; at least according to Nancy who has all the goods on him. I for one don’t trust Gingrich. I see him as nothing more than a silver-tongue-slick Politician, and like most Politicians will say what we want to hear. Remember, “No New Taxes”

    • andystone

      reasons, but so could anyone and we need to form our conclusion based on whatever evidence we have, not on what we may suppose. And it’s quite interesting you should mention “no new taxes” because Gingrich was one of the leaders of the conservative revolt when GHWB broke that pledge.

  • forfreedom

    I only mentioned “No New Taxes” as an example of how most if not all Politicians make promises that WE want to hear only to break their word a short time later.

    Right-Wing-Social-Engineering as coined by Gingrich on the Ryan Plan; look how quick Gingrich reversed himself as he caught flack over that statement. I mention this only to show that Gingrich is no better or worse than any politician on changing his words to fit what he thinks WE want to hear. Of course, once in office it quickly becomes another story.

    • andystone

      on the Ryan plan, he just apologized for the choice of words. To Ryan, who accepted the apology:

      http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20063901-503544.html

      Gingrich’s point was that changes in Medicare should be offered as an opt-in, not as mandatory. He does agree with the Ryan plan and wants to implement it but make it optional.

  • wonkish1

    Way to bring yourself down to the sewer in trying to attack a candidate.

    This diary reflects more on you than on the candidate. You’re a disgusting person.

  • chrysostom15

    That is a little over-the-top. Gingrich has his flaws, but being unelectable is not one of them. In 1994 he proved he could win a national election, and re-proved it in 1996.

  • wbf

    http://therepublicanmother.blogspot.com/2011/12/newt-tried-to-install-internal.html?spref=fb

    This is a very interesting article. I was not aware of this before today.

    Paul Weyrich, Congressman Bob Barr, Coalition for Constitutional Leaders Directer Lisa Dean, Dr. Ron Paul and Majority Whip Tom Delay were able to force Gingrich to drop it.

  • keven

    One thing about a wife is that you know atleast once in her life she loved you. When has Mitt Romney ever loved us? When has he ever passed something truely conservative? When has he ever spent political capital on a conservative cause? When has the media ever been angry at Mitt for being too conservative? When has he ever fought for us?

    Newt has many times.