17 May 2011

My Take on What Newt is Doing (vs. Rush's)

On his show today, Rush Limbaugh stated that Newt Gingrich is making statements that are disliked by the Constitutionalist base and by "tea party" activists, but that are exactly what "establishment" or "ruling class" Republicans want to hear. Rush is speculating that Newt is doing this because he knows he won't win the nomination, but he wants to get "in" with the establishment, and possibly obtain a lucrative position at a think tank, if I've interpreted what Rush said correctly. Therefore, Newt is moving from a Constitutionalist position to a more establishment position.

I disagree. I don't think Newt is moving; I believe he did that some time ago. I believe Newt already has an inside-the-beltway, establishment mentality. I've said before that when I first looked at his "American Solutions" website a couple of years ago, his 12 solutions included about 8 that were bureaucratic programs or subsidies.

Newt isn't saying these things just to curry favor with people who might employ him. He's saying these things because he is one of those people.