Endorsing Newt Gingrich (Updated)

The posts are not as frequent due to my work schedule, but it doesn't mean I'm not keeping up on things. For several months, I have been uncertain and somewhat unhappy about the 2012 presidential field. The political science major in me had to default to a candidate that would be capable of running the government and someone with an intellect that demonstrated a working knowledge of historical perspective. Yet, having read columns and blogs both pro and con, I could do nothing more than lean in Newt Gingrich's direction but never enough to lead me to an endorsement.

Some who read me will not like this endorsement because those who support Newt Gingrich will see that I am merely picking him as a bandwagon candidate because the political science textbook says he's the best fit and because Todd Palin endorsed him. Those who don't support Newt will rip me for choosing a candidate who is anti-gun, pro-global-warming and too moderate. I get it. It's rhetoric (Newt is a conservative but the points made in the labels have some basis in hitting on his weaknesses), but its nothing different from rhetoric that is being thrown at all the other candidates.

No matter who I or anyone else chooses, someone else will have a problem with it. The party is now divided as we vet our candidates. But, we already know what we what we have. Out of what we have, Newt Gingrich is the best. That's not saying much. Obviously, this endorsement I make is not a ringing one. But, it is my pick given the field.

I am my own thinker. Yet, because Todd Palin endorsed Newt Gingrich, I had to go in that direction. All other directions had nothing pulling me. It will always be a staple of my belief that because I share the Reagan philosophy in much the same way as the Palins do that there is an attraction of thought to how they view politics. As such, their endorsements and opinions hold extremely high weight with me. I consider Sarah Palin to be the closest thing America has had since Ronald Reagan. If Sarah runs in the future, America will see a bold Reaganesque leader. Until then, all we have his Newt.

UPDATE: Thomas Sowell also gets high regards from this blogger. He makes the best argument for Newt here (h/t @ginthegin):

There are no guarantees, no matter whom the Republicans vote for in the primaries. Why not vote for the candidate who has shown the best track record of accomplishments, both in office and in the debates? That is Newt Gingrich. With all his shortcomings, his record shows that he knows how to get the job done in Washington.

Art Laffer, one of the founding fathers of Reagan economics, also endorsed Gingrich (h/t libertarian neocon).

(end Update)

Newt will competently remove the presidency from the hands of Barack Obama and immediately begin turning America in a positive direction. But, the trek back to greatness requires a second step. Gingrich clearly is capable of taking the first step and winning the presidency - which would result in stopping America from going down the road to socialism. Yet, none of the candidates are Ronald Reagan. Only a bold Reaganesque leader can handle step 2.

Without an end to crony capitalism, corporate incompetence and ridiculously high government regulation, we will simply return to the country we were before the Obama socialists got their hands on it. Returning to the Rockefeller GOP establishment days of running the party is not the answer. At some point, Tea Party and conservative grassroots activists have to help take back the Republican Party and make it perform like a legitimate political party that is responsive to the people. But lets get our country back first and deal with the rest of it through the Congressional elections.

Gingrich is good for now. Let's focus down the road when the country is beginning to make its comeback so we can continue searching for that next great one who can lead us back to the prosperity and exceptionalism we enjoyed in the Reagan years. That dream could be clouded by years of recovery or, even worse, further collapses in the banking industry; but we must never stop going after it.