Gene Lyons on the delusions of moving to the center

[mooseandsquirrel]

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who fancies himself something of a futurist, recently prophesied: "If the Republicans can't break out of being the right-wing party of big government, then I think you would see a third-party movement in 2012."

Conservative ideology, see, cannot fail, it can only be failed. In Gingrich's fevered imagination, principled conservatives vigorously objected to George W. Bush's profligate ways; they deserted the administration in droves after Dick Cheney reportedly said that Ronald Reagan "proved that deficits don't matter."

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http://moose-and-squirrel.com/gene/gene.html
m&s (donate)

[MADem]

1. Well, that does accurately describe Bush's GOP--the right-wing party of big government

Dubya has run up the nation's credit cards to the point where the debt collectors are calling on the hour.

Newt wants to return to the "drown in the bathtub" GOP, the "catsup as a vegetable" outfit. "I got mine, now you git yers! Social programs? We don't need no stinking social programs!"

[MissMarple]

2. Gingrich is a guy in an ivory tower, the stars of conservative idealism are making him blind.

He loves to pontificate, but I am surprised he still has an audience of any note. But, hey, they are Republicans and any port in the storm will look good to them. They need their ideology fix.

[MADem]

3. He's hoping that people forget about his shenanigans with his staffer-now-wife

in the Speeee-kah's office.

They need to be reminded that the Spee-kah was getting his carrot waxed, and then some, while he was complaining about Clinton's transgressions.

The only reason he can get away with putting himself out there is that there's no "field" of players to choose from on that team of any note.