The Newt Gingrich Plan

Washington, DC (TLS). Newt Gingrich announced a plan this week that may well be his first step toward seeking the Republican Presidential nomination. Stating that Presidential campaigns have become mindless exercises in 5-second sound bytes, Gingrich has proposed a series of 90-minute discussion forums to take place each week from September through the November election in 2008.

The participants in these discussion forums would be the two Presidential candidates representing the two major Parties, plus a moderator. This is the most reasonable proposal for Presidential campaigns that has been placed on the table in many, many years.

One of the reasons I believe that Newt has put this proposal on the table is that he plans to be the candidate for the Republicans. Very few candidates in either Party would be able to withstand such a rigorous regimen of public debates. Newt is one of the few that could not only withstand it but excel. This is his forte, his arena. Possessing the verbal and rhetorical skills that surpass 99% of politicians in either Party, Newt would drive home his points with a keen intelligence and command of the English language that would put his opponent to shame.

As we have stated before on The Liberty Sphere, we would not be opposed to a draft Newt movement, although at present our support is with Duncan Hunter. Newt has solid conservative credentials and easily grasps the nuances and intricacies of international politics.

Several questions must be answered by Newt, however. Where does he stand on enforcing the nation's immigration laws? Will he force a federal bureaucracy which at present is out of control to enforce the nation's laws against illegal aliens? Will he enforce the notion that aiding and abetting illegal aliens is a FELONY, as stated in the United States Code?

Where does he stand on free speech? He once stated that he would be in favor of limiting some of our freedom of speech in order to fight terrorism. This is highly problematic for The Liberty Sphere and millions of others who value human liberty.

How thoroughly would he take up the mantle of 2nd Amendment issues in the face of a renegade Congress that is intent on robbing citizens of the right to keep and bear arms?

Newt will need to clarify these issues before The Liberty Sphere would support his candidacy. But we think his idea about a series of weekly debates from September to November prior to the 2008 election is an excellent proposal.