Gingrich is freaking out over the fact that the Republicans have now lost two special elections for congressional seats. First, watch him freak, then see what he prescribes.
The freak:
Former GOP Speaker Newt Gingrich sounds the alarm after Republicans lost a second-straight special election in a GOP-held seat. "The Republican loss in the special election for Louisiana's Sixth Congressional District last Saturday should be a sharp wake up call for Republicans: Either Congressional Republicans are going to chart a bold course of real change or they are going to suffer decisive losses this November."
"The facts are clear and compelling. Saturday's loss was in a district that President Bush carried by 19 percentage points in 2004 and that the Republicans have held since 1975. This defeat follows on the loss of Speaker Hastert's seat in Illinois. That seat had been held by a Republican for 76 years with the single exception of the 1974 Watergate election when the Democrats held it for one term. That same seat had been carried by President Bush 55-44% in 2004."
Now check out what Gingrich thinks congressional Republicans should push policy-wise. Keep in mind we are in the middle of a recession in a war without end:
Gingrich offers some suggestions for the GOP leadership -- like repealing the gas tax and paying for it by cutting discretionary spending; overhauling the Census Bureau (?); establishing a one-year moratorium on earmarks; and making English the official language of the US government...
1. Nothing about the war. 2. Nothing about terrorism or Osama. 3. The Hillary/McCain cute-but-no-impact gas tax repeal. 4. Overhauling the census bureau? Yeah that'll help us buy milk. 5. Earmark reform? Again, this helps the economy and the war how? 6. English as the official language? Regardless of the merits, it won't impact any of our daily lives.
So, Gingrich, the Republican who actually has ideas, offers us three feel-good reforms that do nothing to help real Americans (gas tax repeal, English language, and earmark reform), and one that's simply bizarre (census). The Republicans simply have no ideas left. (How long before Hillary adopts each of Gingrich's ideas?)
