The Criticism of Newt

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/23/opinion/frum-gingrich-enthusiasm/index.html?hpt=op_r1

“Looking back on that Gingrich platform from the perspective of eight years later, it's striking how utterly irrelevant those five highlighted points were to the largest problems of the time.” This quote shows why the progressive faction (Democratic and Republican) alike dislike, and fail to understand Newt. They thinking he is stressing the wrong issues. Newt is trying to return the country to a less active government, the progressives can only address issues via massive government programs.

Newt’s issues were:

"1. A work requirement for welfare: 87% of Americans say yes, 5% no. John Kerry and the Senate Democrats have blocked the bill for three years.

2. Government should help faith-based initiatives help the poor: 72% of Americans agree, 26% disagree; Kerry is with the 26%.

3. U.S. interests are more important than international organizations: 73-24; Kerry's positions favor the 24%.

4. Violent attackers of pregnant women who kill the baby should be prosecuted for killing the baby: 84% of Americans say yes, 9% no. Kerry voted no.

5. Children should be allowed to pray at school: 78% of Americans agree; Kerry is against it."

Newt is stressing individual rights, which if restored would allow people to solve their own problems. Each of these issues restore power to the individual by assuring the maximal ability to solve there own problems. Requiring work, relieves the individual of the drag of the “takers”, Allowing the faith based to help the poor would substitute for the government effort and would be tailored by the religious organizations instead of federal workers. Protesting unborn children stresses the worth of human life, and protects everyone’s life from arbitrary government decisions. Allowing the children to pray in school , allows them to form their own thoughts, which would make them less pliable to the progressive group think.

These are exactly the things that matter.