Nobody cares.

The House just passed the Bush tax cuts for families making $250,000 or less, so Newt can suck it.

I think it speaks volumes for the state of today's Republican Party that Newt Gingrich is considered an intellectual.

Meh....after every election someone is crowing about a permanent majority. Rove talked about in 2000 and 2004; after Obama's win some lefty bozos drank too much and said the dems could possibly make it happen.

Left or Right,it aint never gonna happen.

I hope neither party ever gains a permanent majority.

That said, Newt's own program reveals the hypocrisy and dishonesty of the current Republican leadership, which claims to want to use the states to stop the expansion of federal power, and in the next breath, says that it wants to use the power of the federal government to implement a new required class that students would have to take every single year.

Isn't this kind of like...government intervention into state programs?
Isn't this kind of like...an unfunded mandate?
Aren't the Republicans supposed to be against these things?

"That we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights," unless you are Muslim. Or look Mexican.

"endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights" Hey Rush, I think you have a typo in that Declaration.

They might not be able to communicate a complex message all at once, but they can boil it down to several bite-sized, hyper-emotional blurbs (e.g., "Death Panels!" "Radical Islam!" "Apologizing for America!") and throw a few of those out every now and again. Fox viewers gobble those up.

Oh, and "reasserting American Exeptionalism?" Um, if you have to teach people that America is great, then maybe it's not that great? Isn't that something people should intrinsically feel if they believe it's true? Although I guess that's pretty standard protocol for republicans... just keep repeating something enough and eventually their followers will assume it's the truth.

I look forward to Republicans teaching our youth why independence was declared, including the following grievances against the King:

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither . . . .

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us . . . .

Oh yeah, this will be good.

Yes, let's never forget that Newt Gingrich's Contract on America was a veritable Magna Carta for the 21st century.

(And here's an appropriate theme lyric for his new 12-pt opus--currently playing on my radio-- "Your poor huddled masses, let's club 'em to death, and get it over with and just dump 'em on the boulevard." )

american exceptionalism = its not a war crime if we do it.

With that said, Larry the Fucking Cable Guy has perfect talking points for the lazy media, should he make a presidential run.

Ah, Urgutha, I see you've read today's NYT. Yep, you're correct. We don't get to say we're the best; that's for others to say.

The Newt's a good man at heart, and I think he really cares about this country. But we can pretty safely write him off as a contender. Nobody wants to have to think.

Newt may be singularly focused on the Declaration of Independence but wouldn't it be great if Civics was a required lesson for all students - with real subject matter. Including things, like how to actually understand and use the bill of rights, due process, equal protection, and everything else? The real liberties that teabaggers shit all over during their marches demanding the return of their liberties?

Anyone ever ask why Comrade Newt never served?

Was he just chicken, or did he hate America THAT much?

Enquiring minds want to know.

And what's up with Beck not serving ...

Forgot to add that if we ever come to a point where there is a permanent Republican majority, I will be in wholesale favor of teaching our nation's youth the rationale for insurrection set forth in the Declaration of Independence. They're going to need a handbook.

I predict a cold & stale bag of McDonald’s french fries - found on the dirty format of an old Chevette - will get the Republican primary nomination.

"have a brief course annually on the Declaration of Independence,"

Key word there: brief. Wouldn't want our kids learning actual context and perhaps *oh nos!* the possible awareness of blemishes on our nation's history and character, just learn 'em the sanitized talking points & move on before they ask any questions. My guess is Newt would try to have "Lies My Teacher Told Me" banned from the schools if there was any real fear of it being taught there.

@5280,
Actually, I didn't get a chance to see the Times today, but it just seems like it should be common sense, right?
I mean, I think America's a great country, but not because some random guy told me so. And knowing that a large proportion of the population blindly follow the "'Merica's the best damn country evar!" parade only helps ruin those feelings.

I meant to say floor mat not format - not that my outburst(@18) made any sense anyway

When students are paying $20,000 to $30,000 a year to attend state colleges I'm sure they'll be more than happy to take Newt's prescribed Junior High School Civics brush-up course on their own dime every year that they're in school.

Hey, Bush had a 12 point justification for invading Iraq (just one disposable point at a time), so it could work. Faux carpet-bombs one "idea" for 5 to 10 days, with progressively shorter time-frames as you move through the late summer to Nov. 5, 2012, while the Democrats desperately try to catch up to debunk the bullshitssue-du-jour. Newt can probably be trained to stick to the playbook.

@17 you and me both.

I prefer President Camachos 3 point plan instead.

PRESIDENT CAMACHO: Now I understand everyone's shit's emotional right now. But listen up. I got a three point plan to fix everything. Number one, we got this guy Not Sure.

Joe appears live on the jumbotron.

PRESIDENT CAMACHO: Number two, he's smarter than anyone in history, and number three, he's gonna fix everything! I give you my word as President!

The crowd starts to rally. Joe looks uneasy.

PRESIDENT CAMACHO: He'll fix the starvation! And that ain't all... (Jimmy Swaggart rhythm) I give you my word, he's gonna fix the , crops too! And I give you my word, he's gonna fix the dust storms!

Yeah, but the Second Lady was way hotter than any of Newt's wives, Kinison.

The Newt's a good man at heart

Define good man, and provide examples from Gingrich's political and personal life to prove this statement, because I don't see it.