12:22 p.m.
(p. 39) Gingrich goes further pushing his Personal Savings Account Social Security plan by advocating none other than the Ryan-Sununu Bill which called for a total reform of the system, including privatization and personal accounts. That’s Paul Ryan (R-WI) and former Senator John Sununu. At this exact moment that he’s pitching their plan l look over to my television to see John Sununu, a big time Ronmney supporter, on Candy Crowley slamming Newt Gingrich for his lack of discipline. In fact, just last week the Romney camp launched the ad “With Friends Like Newt” attacking him for calling Paul Ryan’s recent budget proposals “Right wing social engineering”. It’s pretty clear to me that Newt’s going to max out his Home Depot card mending the bridges he’s burned with fellow Republicans. When people you praised just 5 years ago are now gunning for your head it’s not a good sign.
12:31
The next couple of chapters Newt Gingrich takes on his personal tour of God (p. 46) and his view of the U-Newt-Verse.
I’m done. I need a break before my head explodes.
1:53 p.m.
I’m back and refreshed. I do not think I am channeling all of Newt Gingrich’s thoughts right now but I do have a better sense of him thus far: French Bad; Privatization Good. The next couple of chapters give the speaker the chance to show off his PhD in history as he rails against overactive judges, especially the 9th circuit court of appeals in San Francisco. Their greatest crime? The court is consistently overturned by the Supreme Court which proves to Newt that they are liberal and out of touch.
2:20 p.m.
I’m not sure if this is a precursor to 1984 or Big Government Newt Gingrich Style, but in a quick succession of pages this champion of small government proposes:
“…..the House and Senate education committees……should establish standing subcommittees on patriotic education. These subcommittees should give school boards and parents standards by which patriot education will be taught. Failure of schools to meet these standards would result in an end to federal and state funding.” (p. 95)
“We must take young children out of violent homes by enrolling them in prep schools for the poor.” (p. 100)
And to make sure it goes down more smoothly he ends chapter 7 with:
Also, let me be blunt: These problems disproportionately affect African Americans, and we need to recognize that it is harder to be black in America than it is to be European, Asian, or Latin American because of the history of slavery and government-endorsed segregation and welfare dependency. (p. 101)
Hmm, when he’s talking about taking kids out of “violent” homes and putting them in prep schools, who do YOU think he’s talking about? It is nice to know that Newt Gingrich, our benevolent White Paterfamilias, is there to make sure that colored folks break the bonds of welfare dependency and segregation. Mind you, he makes no mention of racism or discrimination in housing or education and how those things might have some impact on why it’s so hard for a Black man in America. I just wonder if any of the African Americans out there climbing over each other to support Gingrich lately have ever actually READ anything he’s written before. Just a thought.
2:27 p.m.
Gingrich waxes poetic about his personal healthcare struggles and shares some advice that even pre-Subway Jared would dismiss.
“The scientists at Nestle’ convinced me several years ago that a combination of activity, attitude, and good nutrition, could go a long way in preventing individuals from becoming patients.” (p. 115)
Wait, you’re taking health advice from the folks at Nestle? These are the people that used a brown rabbit with ADD to convince us that chocolate was one of the four food groups. I’m sorry but I don’t care how good the advice is, I’m not taking cardio instructions from the doctors at Phillip-Morris either. But Newt is just getting started on the way to his big finish.
In what is perhaps the largest head snapping moment section of the entire book Gingrich lays out his healthcare reform proposals.
1. All medical records should be put online for all patients to have easy access. (p. 111)
2. Americans should be able to get pooled healthcare insurance (p.116)
3. And lastly:“People who for libertarian reason don’t want to be insured should be required to post a bond so their healthcare costs will be covered if they have an accident or expensive illness.” (p.116)
Suggestion 1 was a big part of the Obama Healthcare plan. Suggestion 2 was implemented into the Obama healthcare plan and Suggestion 3 – Read that again very carefully. Charging people a fine if they refuse to buy health insurance? That sounds frighteningly close to mandated healthcare.
In fact, Gingrich is proposing the same thing as the Obama Healthcare plan that he’s railed against throughout this campaign. The current Healthcare bill imposes a fine of about 2.0% of your annual income on anyone who chooses not to purchase healthcare or accept a government subsidized program. I can’t overstate just how important this is. On one of the most fundamental drivers of Republican Anger, NEWT GINGRICH HAS THE SAME HEALTHCARE POLICY AS OBAMA and to a lesser extent Mitt Romney.
Why hasn’t anybody caught on to this yet?
If Mitt wasn’t so hamstrung with his own ObaMney-Care problems he could take a swipe at Gingrich for this one. But Mittens has his own problems. I’m taking another break. Reading that Gingrich agrees with Obama on the absolute worst part of his healthcare plan but he still rails against it like Obama authorized concentration camps is too much political gymnastics for one sitting. I’m taking a break.
This article originally appeared online at Politic365.com.