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Jim, I'm going to seize the opportunity of your post, and the Politico article you link, to critique Newt's plea to Republicans that Human Events posted, which the Politico piece draws from heavily.

Newt's assessment of the malaise plaguing the GOP is indisputable, although I don't think it's news to anybody, and I do think the two House races featured extremely weak candidates. Clearly improved recruitment is needed, but I don't see anyone getting excited over his prescribed remedies. For example, his solutions to the energy problems are, much like the Clinton/McCain proposals to temporarily repeal the gas tax, are cosmetic and accomplish little. More boldly conservatives ought to be bashing biofuels and pursuing repeals of ethanol subsidies. But Newt has bought into the global warming alarmism and so his responses on the enviro/energy issues aren't likely to be strong.

And is anyone going to get their dander up over flaws with the census? A space-based air traffic control system? Union workers' rights to a secret ballot? Some or all of these may be great ideas, but I don't see them as issues in most peoples' top 50, much less the top 10.

Given his reputation, I expected more out of Newt.

topics:
Global Warming, Law, Energy