Gingrich Blasted From Center And Right

by Stuart Shapiro

Politico is reporting that both wings of the Republican Party have found something they can agree on.  They don’t like Newt Gingrich.   From the moderates:

“At some point, people will learn to stop taking Newt Gingrich seriously,” said former Rep. Mickey Edwards (R-Okla.) in POLITICO’s Arena. “Newt is utterly unconcerned with the welfare of the country … he cares about (a) Newt and (b) power for Newt.”

And from the right:

Former Rep. John Hostettler (R-Ind.) blasted Gingrich from the right. Hostettler pointed out in Arena that the 1994 Contract with America — the blueprint drafted by Republicans outlining legislative promises if they won the House — included a provision that transformed federal food stamp entitlements into a state block grant. Once Republicans held a House majority, they failed to make good on that promise despite then-freshman lawmaker Hostettler’s efforts to do so in committee.

This is the problem for politicians who have been around for a long time.  No one has been elected president with more than 14 years in elected office since Nixon.  You make too many enemies and you take too many positions that can later be held against you.

By: Stuart Shapiro

Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.