July 27, 2004
TAKE OUT A CONTRACT:
Go for wedge issues, Gingrich tells lawmakers (Jonathan E. Kaplan, 7/26/04, The Hill)
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) has advised Republicans to focus this year’s presidential campaign on a few “wedge issues” in an effort to paint Sens. John Kerry and John Edwards as an out-of-the-mainstream ticket.One GOP lawmaker told The Hill that Gingrich encouraged Republicans to pick issues such as school prayer, strengthening work requirements for welfare recipients and barring the United Nations from monitoring U.S. elections, which all polled at higher than an 80 percent rating.
“There’s a consensus developing among activists that new issues are emerging where [the polling] is decidedly with us,” the lawmaker said. “We can show a contrast.”
Gingrich spelled out his views at a meeting last week organized by House GOP Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio), the fourth-ranking member of the GOP House leadership.
Lawmakers who attended Wednesday’s session expressed excitement about Gingrich’s policy proposals and political tactics.
Good to see Mr. Gingrich learned the lesson of '98, when he thought a position on any issue would only hurt a GOP that could skate by on Bill Clinton's impeachment. The Contract with America was all issues that polled in such a high range and it worked brilliantly. Why no one has duplicated it is beyond comprehension. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 27, 2004 7:21 PM
He seemed to make sense to me, but he was politically incorrect when speaking honestly, which I naively thought was admirable. Ahh politics.
Posted by: genecis at July 27, 2004 7:43 PM
Proof of the boneheadness of the elder Bush was his unwillingness to follow Gingrich's lead in dealing with Congress. May very well have lost him the 1992 election. (by the way otherwise I'm an admirer of the elder Bush)
H:
"41" never really knew how to deal with Congress, so when he began to struggle as President, he was finished. Having people around him like Darman, Brady, etc. didn't help.
The question about the Contract With America is a very good one. I remember clearly how much of an impact its announcement made, and I remember thinking, the Republican party is finally ready to do something right. I can understand why the Democrats are unable to duplicate such a position (the electorate would slice up their favorite positions), but the GOP should consider re-visiting the Contract with the voters. Sort of like giving them a stake in the Republic, no?
Posted by: jim hamlen at July 27, 2004 8:56 PMThe Government shutdown of '95 killed the contract with America. Bill ran an advertising blitz with the money he made selling nukes to the Chinese (and got a lot of free help from the liberal media) and the GOP blinked and caved in and never got the backbone to fight Clinton or the dems on anything and still haven't gotten it back. That's who Dashole and his cronies can jam up so much with only a minority. They have the President and both houses and STILL they're afraid to take a stand.
Posted by: MarkD at July 27, 2004 9:44 PMMarkD;
Republicans aren't called the Stupid Party for no reason.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at July 27, 2004 10:53 PMBut as I recall many of the planks of the Contract did get passed, not that the Reps got much credit for it.
Posted by: PapayaSF at July 27, 2004 11:30 PMThem's the breaks when President and Congress are of different parties: the President catches the flak if Congress does something bad, but he also takes the credit if they do something good.
Posted by: John Barrett Jr. at July 27, 2004 11:45 PMIn 95 the Republicans were actually trying to cut spending. GWB won't make that mistake, he's for tax cuts without spending cuts.
This election is going to be close. If you really want to give the Dems an advantage with the small group of swing voters, bring school prayer into the mix. It didn't work so well in the 1990s. GWB got elected by downplaying such religiously partisan issues. If you really want your kids to get religion in schools, push the school choice issue. It has legs, school prayer doesn't.
Posted by: Robert Duquette at July 28, 2004 12:11 AMSchool choice alienates the white middle class, aka, the GOP base.
Posted by: oj at July 28, 2004 12:42 AMThe minority party can stall things in the Senate because every Senator has the power to halt proceedings, not because anyone lacks backbone.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at July 28, 2004 12:29 PMWhile growing up nothing made me hate Christians more than enforced Christian Prayers in school. Public school. Of course I was not required to recite them but even being forced to sit through them was distasteful.
You have no idea how badly this will backfire on you if you get what you want.
It took me 40 years (including being married to a former Christian who held her previous religion in some esteem) to get over it.
You guys would do better to follow Jesus on this one. Pray in private. It seems more sincere. In fact according to Jesus it IS more sincere.
BTW people get interested in Eastern Religions because they are novel and mysterious. The fact that the liberals are pushing what used to be novelty as norm has made Christianity more interesting and novel. Keeping Christianity out of the schools may have made it more popular.
Human nature. Fascinating.
Human nature is deep. Many levels deep.
Posted by: M. Simon at July 28, 2004 8:07 PM