Newt Gingrich addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference today and, as is his habit, had some interesting things to say. This session doesn’t seem to have been as much fun as the 500 Racist Hillbilly Over the Top Rope Battle Royale we had yesterday, but credit the far right with understanding the value of offering up a diversity in its entertainment, if not in its actual politics.
For instance, Newt said this:
“The Republican establishment is just plain wrong about how it approaches politics,” Gingrich said.
For once, he and I agree on something, although we disagree for vastly different reasons. He also said that GOP leadership is “mired in stupidity.” Again, couldn’t agree more. Again, really different reasons.
He said this, which is certainly true:
“It is virtually impossible to get people in Washington, D.C., to actually learn how to think about a new world.”
Of course, he also said this, which is utter silliness:
“We are not the anti-Obama movement; we are for a better American future.”
I mean, it’s been pretty well documented that the GOP’s prime (and sole) directive since early 2009 has been to obstruct anything and everything the Dems propose, even if it means they wind up filibustering themselves.
Then we got to the money shot. Here’s what Newt said:
“You’re going to hear a false attack that we don’t need new ideas,” he continued. “Let me draw a distinction: we don’t need new principles, but we need lots of new ideas about how to implement those principles in the 21st century.”
Since I speak Republican, let me translate for you.
The problem isn’t our sexism, racism, and neo-feudalist economic principles. It’s that we have to find a way of convincing minorities, women, the middle class and the working classes that racism, sexism and neo-feudalism are good for them.”
I guess my take is that the GOP has plenty of ideas. The problem is that the demographics have turned on them and many of the people dumb enough to believe those ideas are dying out.
If I worked for Mr. Gingrich, I might pull him aside and say “sir, with all due respect, I think maybe your principles are the problem. It’s easier to sell the public a bag of apples than it is to convince them that a bag of road apples are really tasty.”
Just thinkin’ out loud here….
Categories: Politics/Law/Government
Progressive Culture | Scholars & Rogues 
your translation is great. you should stand up next to newt like a sign language translator.
It probably wouldn’t be good to let me stand that close to him.
Ya know how the CPAC types are always carrying on about the decadence and imminent destruction of our Great America? I think they’re right, what the rest of us are missing for all the spittle and hyperventilation is them telling us their plan. It’s too bad the Democrats don’t have an answer for that plan, and i don’t consider aiding and abetting a plan.
I also read the link on the racial tolerance seminar or whatever that was, given that it sounds more like a Stockholm Syndrome workshop. The guy complaining that the rest of us don’t give the Confederacy enough respect only makes me wonder why in a conservo-libertarian-free-market-social-Darwinist utopia we should give any respect to losers? Sounds like he wants a public opinion handout.
“… public opinion handout.” –> Public opinion entitlements … hmm … you may be on to something here.