Newt is Not the Answer in 2012

Newt Gingrich is out there campaigning for the presidency in 2012 with a new book, "To Save America: Stopping Obama's Secular-Socialist Machine."

I won't tell you I read the book. I don't feel I need to do so after reviewing Gingrich's political career through the 1990s. It's not that Gingrich isn't smart. He is.

Gingrich had his moment. He did an amazing job in 1994 leading the "Republican Revolution" and becoming speaker of the House. But Gingrich lost his way during the Clinton years. He became part of the problem. Do I really need to remind Americans he resigned the speakership in moral disgrace?

I was among the first to call for his resignation then. I sure don't think he's the right man to succeed Obama when we need a radical approach to reversing unconstitutional initiatives and policies.

Gingrich was a revolutionary until he got power. Then he became the politician, again. Ask most members of the freshman class of 1994 who betrayed the "Republican Revolution," and they will tell you Gingrich did.

He sold out his principles. He accommodated. He appeased. He fought harder to get in the front of Air Force One to chat with the president than he did to subvert that president's agenda.

Now we're to believe Newt is the fiery revolutionary, once again. I'm sorry, but I don't buy it.

Everything Gingrich says about Barack Obama's administration is true. But he's really a Johnny-come-lately to the party. For instance, his battle plan calls for stopping the energy tax. That would be cap and trade — Obama's answer to the phantom problem of climate change.

But not long ago, Gingrich was helping Nancy Pelosi and others sell climate change to the American people.

In case you forgot, I invite you to watch the happy couple in the TV commercial on this subject.

Do you really expect President Gingrich will fight to stop cap and trade after serving as an advocate of the phony climate-change scenario?

Lately, I've heard him more than once tell the American people the new speaker of the House is going to be John Boehner. Personally, I think the new class of freshman House Republicans might have a better idea about that. I think they might want new leadership in both the House and Senate.

Why? Because that's what we need. The Republican Party is moribund.

It's going to fare extremely well in 2010, but not because of any leadership exerted by the party. It will be the result of a grass-roots rebellion against the party in power.

If the Republicans were in the majority in the House and Senate, it would be they who would be voted out in droves in November. The people don't like the direction of the country under Obama, Pelosi and Harry Reid. But they are not enamored of the Republican opposition under Boehner and Mitch McConnell, either.

America needs real change today, and that does not mean looking backward for yesterday's failed leadership. I believe we have better candidates who may not be as well known as Gingrich. It's time to start talking about them.

I've given you an example of one ticket I like. It is certainly not the only one. But I wanted to illustrate that there are good people available in 2012. It's just that none of them are named Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney.

To find out more about Joseph Farah and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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