PrintDecember 5, 2011
Newt, the Not-So-Un-Romney
Of all the "Not-Romneys" to flash in the conservative-candidate pan, Newt Gingrich seems the most unlikely. Not because Newt lacks a strong resume, political savvy, or admirable intellect, but because Gingrich is more like Romney than any other candidate in the race (save perhaps Jon Huntsman).
In some corners of the conservative media, there is a narrative emerging that Gingrich and Romney are polar opposites, locked in an epic battle between Big Ideas Man (Newt) vs. Great Manager Man (Mitt). What is left out of that analysis is that both Mitt's management and Newt's ideas center on government.
During the recent liberal political ascendency, starting with George W. Bush's Social Security proposal and ending with the advent of the Tea Party, Gingrich was a fountain of interventionist ideas, each one tinged with some market aspect for good measure. Examples include his proposal for "prizes [to] unleash the creative, entrepreneurial spirit that built this...(Read Full Article)
