This article is part two of an eight part series on the Top 5 Reasons to Vote For and Against the four remaining presidential candidates.
1. His “grandiose thoughts” are nice in theory, but improbable in reality
I’ve already written about my feelings toward Gingrich’s “grandiose thoughts” (and how I secretly believe he wants a reality show instead of actually being President). But it goes beyond that. Colonizing the moon? At a time when the country is facing disastrous unemployment, Gingrich wants to dump millions of dollars into a federal program to colonize the moon? Besides his ill-thought-out Moon program, there are dozens more examples of policies Gingrich has promised to scrap or change during a Gingrich Administration. Some include the repeal of Obamacare, Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley by January 20, 2013 (his inauguration date), eliminating the EPA, squashing the capital gains tax to 0% and move the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. He has big ideas, but are they all just pipe dreams?
2. His debate prowess and rhetoric
For many, this is a giant PRO in the Gingrich column. There’s no doubt Gingrich’s performance in the debates has helped him tremendously and given us some of the best moments of the election cycle thus far. But we shouldn’t be swayed by rhetoric and debate skills alone. That’s how we ended up with this guy. I’d caution Republicans to remember 2008, when they wanted to remind the voting American public not to be swayed by Barack Obama’s slick public speaking skills.
3. His association with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Regardless of whether Gingrich did or didn’t ever lobby for Fanny Mae or Freddie Mac (he says he didn’t) is irrelevant. Being associated with what many believe to be the cause of the 2008 economic crisis is enough to give pause before throwing support behind a candidate. Although Gingrich claims he was hired as a “historian,” recent reports are saying his ties are “deeper than you think.” Republicans eviscerate Democrats like Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and even President Obama for their role with Fannie and Freddie, but they’re willing to overlook it for one of their own? That sort of logic loses elections.
4. He’s tries to be all things to all people
Remember when Gingrich did this climate change commercial with Nancy Pelosi? At the time, Gingrich thought it was a wise move, but has since reneged, saying it was the “dumbest thing” he’s done in the last four years. So why’d he do it? Because it fit his political motives at the time. The same can be said for when he teamed up with Hilary Clinton back in 2005 on Hilarycare.
Reaching across the aisle is a good thing, but coming from Gingrich it doesn’t appear sincere–it appears calculating. He’s been very clear in describing his dislike of President Obama and Obama’s policies.
5. Questionable Ethics
Again, it doesn’t matter a large number of the charges were eventually adjudicated. As Speaker of the House of Representatives, he was brought up on ethics violations in the 1990s for misuse of tax-exempt funds. He still paid $300,000 and was forced to admit he “engaged in conduct unfitting to the House of Representatives,”for misleading the Ethics committee. Not to mention, his affair with then-House staffer, now-wife Callista Gingrich, happening in the midst of the Clinton Impeachment. Which brings me to his divorces. I’m not casting judgment on him. Everyone makes mistakes. But when you have two ex-wives and a very public affair, there’s going to be massive scrutiny over your background. Coupled with the ethics investigation, there’s little doubt Gingrich has questionable scruples.
BONUS: Pets with Newt
There are no words for this. It alone should be a disqualifying factor to be President of the United States.
About Stacey Disterhof
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