Dear Commons Community,

David Brooks’ column in the New York Times is on the money in analyzing Newt Gingrich’s candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.  Brooks, a conservative, sees Gingrich as loyal to the conservative cause but his personality would be a disaster for the Republicans. For example on the plus side:

“He [Gingrich] talks about using government in energetic but limited ways to increase growth, dynamism and social mobility…. The opportunity society calls not for a laissez-faire society in which the economic world is a neutral jungle of purely random individual behavior, but for forceful government intervention on behalf of growth and opportunity.”

On the negative side:

“Gingrich was perfectly content to belly up to the Freddie Mac trough and then invent a Hamiltonian rational to justify his own greed… He seems to have understood that a moderate Republican like himself can win so long as he adopts a bombastic style when taking on the liberal elites. Most people just want somebody who can articulate their hatreds, and Gingrich is demagogically happy to play the role”

Brooks’ conclusion:

“As nearly everyone who has ever worked with him knows, he would severely damage conservatism and the Republican Party if nominated. “

I agree!  Run, Newt, Run!!

Tony