Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich took his shoot-from-the-lip political nature into the latest GOP presidential debate Tuesday and wandered into dangerous and uncharted territory on immigration and Social Security.
It was vintage Gingrich, unleashing the riverboat gambler style that served him during is contentious days in Congress.
Instead of playing it safe, Gingrich offered ways for illegal immigrants to avoid deportation and become U.S. citizens, a defiant stance to the rapid Republican right wing that wants all illegals shipped home.
“I don’t see how the party that says it’s the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families which have been here for a quarter-century. I’m prepared to take the heat for saying let’s be humane in enforcing the law,” Gingrich said in the CNN-sponsored debate in Washington.
Gingrich’s gamble could hurt him in the upcoming Iowa caucuses. His remarks brought immediate rebukes from GOP conservatives who oppose any kind of amnesty program for illegal immigrants.
“Newt did himself significant harm tonight on immigration among caucus and primary voters,” said Tim Albrecht, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad‘s deputy chief of staff.
“This is classic Gingrich,” GOP activist Eileen Jennings told Capitol Hill Blue. “He can’t keep his mouth shut.”
Gingrich also favors privatizing Social Security, citing Chile’s model.
“It has increased the economy, increased the growth of jobs, increased the amount of wealth, and it dramatically solves Social Security without a payment cut and without having to hurt anybody,” Gingrich said in the debate.
Recent polls in Chile suggest those who live there aren’t as enthralled as Gingrich.
Pushing privatizing is a political minefield. When George W. Bush proposed it right after his re-election in 2004, both Congress and the American people responded with anger and opposition.
With his unorthodox stands, Gingrich garnered most of the attention in Tuesday’s debate. Most analysts agreed that Gingrich and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney dominated the debate while challengers Herman Cain and Rick Perry continued to stumble. More questions did go to challengers like Texas Congressman Ron Paul, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman or former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum but it didn’t help any of them break through.
“Romney and Gingrich dominated the debate,” longtime Republican Samuel Hastings told Capitol Hill Blue. “Everyone else came across as pretenders.”
GOP consultant Matt Mackowiak summed up Gingrich’s performance as “classic Newt.”
“Newt’s mouth got him back into the race. It very well might take him back out.”
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12 thoughts on “Gingrich rolls the dice in latest GOP gabfest”
The problem with the GOP lineup is that the ones the Republicans like the least–Paul, Romney, Huntsman–and Gingrich, who may be on a downswing after this comment, are likely the only ones who can win the independent vote. I still think independents gave Obama the election in 2008, and I’m guessing that whoever wins the independents in ’12 will win the presidency.
I saw the typo in the headlines…should it be Gingfarright?
I saw some of the excerpts and Gingrich actually makes some sense. Time for another trip to Mexico and make sure I get the real and not faux Prozac this time.
Immigration is a highly volatile issue and no matter what the two parties say it will have equal ranking with the jobs and the economy. This was illustrated on CNN cable when former Speaker Newt Gingrich stated for the record, that people who had been here at least twenty five years, with roots could in some way become a legitimate member of this society, but with no path to citizenship–and those who came here in the last 5 years would not be accepted and would be eventually deported. The only problem I see with this as many others in the GOP race to become President simply did not entertain this, because others will see this as soft on immigration enforcement, and a ‘magnet’ for others to arrive in even larger numbers. It’s a complex state of affairs and the only avenue, I see for long term illegal residents, no matter if they are paying taxes, without a criminal background, have children or as Newt said ‘going to church, is to file papers and then leave the country and wait in line like every other potential immigrant. Otherwise is greatly unfair to honest people, who have waited patiently years for a visa in other countries.
For the other illegal aliens who have no support, especially those who are in the welfare system, they must depart under their own means or eventually be deported. With the potential inception of the ‘Legal Workforce Act’ getting any job nationwide, will grow even more difficult for illegal migrants and immigrants. Businesses are under the growing pressure of being caught, with a chance of a large fines, loss of business assets and even prison. With an estimated 22 million Americans unemployed, many given-up, should add a urgency to enacting E-Verify. But as the candidates informed Moderator Wolf Blitzer, in last night’s debate, the border fence must be secured initially as that to me means the 2006 Secure Fence Act. Texas Governor Rick Perry added to the commentary a need for ‘Boots on the ground’ Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, whom Gingrich had overtaken in the polls, jumped on the prospect in distancing himself from the former congressman.
So far the Mandatory E-Verify Congressional bill has been ignored, accurately as the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli bill had been–that GOP nominating candidate Gingrich expressed. Newt Gingrich is very well versed in immigration history; he and other supporters of the bill were promised certain regulations that were watered down. Gingrich added, “We were going to get two things in return,” he said. “We were going to get control of the border and we were going to get a guest worker program with employer enforcement. We got neither.”
So the giant magnet for cheap labor is still obvious, because the politicians had obviously colluded with the business lobbyists, not enforcing the 1986 Immigration Control and Reform Act. This type of reply will not go down well with Conservatives, specifically the millions of TEA PARTY members-a growing force of voters in thousands of nationwide branches. The Liberal Progressive, including their compatriots in the media, has tried to undermine the voting power of the TEA PARTY, moderate Democrats, and uncountable numbers voters in every political party. The disillusionment for the present administration has drawn the regular American out of their morass; unknown numbers who have never voted before. Not just white citizens but, but black people, Hispanics, Orientals and all racial majorities.
On private land along the borders are hidden cameras placed there by concerned ranchers and property owners. The mind-set of the Democratic agenda is to expel that fewer aliens are crossing the border? The camera’s lens show a different story as the trails are still full of both hundreds of illegal groups daily, with the packed (mules) of drug migrant recruitment. There is no slowdown, as being recorded through this equipment. The border is still full of vast stretched of open land, barring a few rusty strands of barbed wire that has been there for decades. What all the prospective presidential candidates impressed on the audience was that the ‘Fence is not secured’ and without the House and Senate being integrated fully with the new fresh-faced TEA PARTY policymakers—it never will. Our immigration laws remain broken because of the undying influence of the thousands of lobbyists who jamb the halls of Congress. IF YEARS BACK ENTERING THE UNITED STATES WAS A FELONY, THEN THE WHOLE ISSUE WOULD BE RESOLVED.
Legal Workforce Act (H.R.2885) that would require 100% of businesses to utilize E-Verify for all new hires within 2 years. The bill would also require all federal, state, and local agencies as well as federal and state contractors, sub-contractors to use E-Verify within 6 months. The Legal Workforce Act could open up jobs currently held by the approximate 8 million plus illegal aliens. I do agree with the larger populace of this nation that we should be attracting the cream at the top of highly skilled people, whose occupations is in Science, Math and computer technology and other highly specialized trades. What we must stop is those who come here to gain access to public entitlements. We have already become a free HMO medical care, to the world’s poor and a free schooling system for unknown numbers of children of illegal alien parents that courts make us use our taxes to incur. Where are we going to find the money to pay for these unfunded mandates, that if Obama’s health care for the majority is found constitution-the funding will spiral upwards even more?
MAYBE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS—PERHAPS MILLIONS WILL GO HOME, TAKING THEIR FAMILIES– ONCE E-VERIFY IS FULLY IN OPERATION.
Firstly there is strong support for E-Verify law, The Legal Workforce Act, bill number H.R.2885, as just 35 co-sponsors are needed to bring this to the House floor. . Those American not working and want a job should get into action and phone 202-224-3121 in Washington and demand ‘ The Legal Workforce Act’ bill be passed. As an addition, you can go to the website of NumbersUSA and freely fax your House Representatives. All politicians, especially who are in the new TEA PARTY leadership will be held accountable in coming elections. The majority of those politicians in Washington have their own site on the web, so everybody with access to a computer can write an E-mail.
The Legal Workforce Act, E-Verify will prosecute businesses with harsh fine and prison for hiring foreign nationals. .NumbersUSA has all the facts and a free faxing system to contact the House to bring H.R. 2885, to the floor of the House.
All this campaign rhetoric is simply so much “white noise insanity”.
The uber wealthy, movers and shakers that control these puppets on either side of the aisle could care less about who wins in November 2012.
They own them and “We the People”, lock stock and barrel.
I simply enjoy this CHB repartee’ as chewing gum for the intellect, regardless we’re still pedestrian toast in the final analysis. / : |
Carl Nemo **==
As I’ve implied in another article here on the board it appears the only personality that is offered to the American voter for president (or any political office) is an egotistical narcissist. Or simply put, arrogant morons, the whole lot of them!
Spot-on Bill Cravener! Seemingly this type of political persona appeals to the greater unwashed masses who are addicted to ‘entertainment’ rather than substance.
Carl Nemo **==
Another interesting thing to note, Ron Paul was the only veteran on the stage. Interesting how his “extremist” views of non-intervention and “do unto others as we would have done unto us” conflicted with those of the violent war hawks and nation building globalist/fascists.
I guess it’s easy to send others to fight when you run and hide.
Worst thing about the debate: They let the disgraced Paul Wolfowitz ask a question.
Hawks! Hawks! and more Hawks! We are at war (a religious war) with Islam. Everyone on that stage except Ron Paul would take us to war in a flat minute and audience showed their backing. Between the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage group, America will be for white straight Christian men only.
That is the final agenda for this Conservative Party. We are back in the same mode as the Crusades. They don’t care who they kill as long as they wear a cross while doing it. They will sacrifice every damn one of us for their end game. They will even allow the Congress to destroy Wall Street for Jesus. They want to break the backs of all Americans who dare to deny their power.
I was in tears last night and had to turn off the debate. I saw this coming and was powerless to stop this movement. I have back flashes to the days of the Inquisition when the Vatican became the executioners.
Sandy,
Please note that the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage group are both funded by the Koch brothers. I’m not sure they are mainly interested in a religious government…Hell, they have more money than God!!! LOL!!
You would be amazed at how much of what you say, I, a liberal, agree with 100%. We both agree that our country is on the wrong path, for instance. We both agree that the religious Right Wingers are getting/have gotten too much power.
I just don’t see this religious “thing” going on where I live or in the cities and towns I visit in the USA. Maybe I am just cloistered? Franky, I view it as just more hyperbole.
DARE… to speak seriously and pay the price.
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