Gingrich Faces Backlash From The Right on Immigration

Flip-Flopping Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich’s chronic flip-flopping almost makes the ever-malleable Mitt Romney look consistent. Here’s a compilation from MSNBC and please note, this is just the tip of the iceberg:

Health-Insurance Mandate:

Flip: “Personal responsibility extends to the purchase of health insurance. Citizens should not be able to cheat their neighbors by not buying insurance, particularly when they can afford it, and expect others to pay for their care when they need it.” — June 2007

Flop: “I am against any effort to impose a federal mandate on anyone because it is fundamentally wrong and I believe unconstitutional.” — May 16, 2011

Cap-and-Trade:

Flip: “I think if you have mandatory carbon caps combined with a trading system, much like we did with sulfur, and if you have a tax-incentive program for investing in the solutions, that there’s a package there that’s very, very good. And frankly, it’s something I would strongly support.” — February 2, 2007

Flop: “A carbon cap and trade system … would lead to corruption, political favoritism, and would have a huge impact on the economy.” — April 21, 2008

Climate Change:

Flip: “I think is that the evidence is sufficient that we should move towards the most effective possible steps to reduce carbon-loading of the atmosphere.” — April 10, 2007

Flop: “I actually don’t know whether global warming is occurring.” — November 8, 2011

Paul Ryan’s Budget Plan:

Flip: “I don’t think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering… [Paul Ryan's Medicare proposal] is too big a jump.” — May 15, 2011

Flop: “I made a mistake…” — May 17, 2011

Libya:

Flip: “Exercise a no-fly zone this evening … Provide help to the rebels to replace [Qaddafi] … All we have to do is suppress his air force, which we could do in minutes.” — March 7, 2011

Flop: “I would not have intervened. I think there were a lot of other ways to affect Qaddafi … I would not have used American and European forces.” — March 23, 2011

Criminal Court Trials for Suspected Terrorists:

Flip: “Well, I think if [members of the Bush administration] believe they have enough evidence to convict [Jose Padilla], going through the process of convicting him and holding him, I suspect, may be for the rest of his life without parole would not be — would hardly be seen as a loss. I think this administration is still wrestling with what are the real ground rules for dealing with people who are clearly outside of normal warfare? They’re not wearing a uniform. They’re not part of an army. They are openly threatening to kill thousands or even millions of people.” — November 22, 2005

Flop: “Why would you take a Nigerian national who just tried to blow up a plane over Detroit … Why would you take that person, put them in the American criminal justice system, give them an attorney, read them their Miranda rights?” — January 4, 2010

Bob Vondruska of CA 4:01AM November 27, 2011

Illegal aliens have no right to live and work in America. Experts say 7 million illegal aliens now hold non-farm jobs citizens could fill. At a time of persistent high unemployment, let us look to measures to remove this illegal workforce in favor of jobless citizens. Elected officials and political candidates should consider supporting the "Legal Workforce Act (H.R.2885). The bill would require 100% of businesses to begin using E-Verify for all new hires within 2 years and require all federal, state, and local governments to check new hires and existing employees within 6 months." For more information, check numbersusa.com. With no job, the illegal aliens will self-deport, at their own expense, while taking with them their medical ills and social problems. With smaller illegal alien communities, the authorities may more readily identify and detain fugitive aliens for their due deportation. Likewise, criminal aliens would become easier to identify and apprehend. America already has enough criminals. Let us take back our dear country from these undesirables. America can get along without them, and will prosper all the more.

anotherview of CA 11:31PM November 25, 2011

If Gingrich could just keep his mouth shut, he could maybe...maybe...well, maybe still not get anywhere as far as elected office goes, but at least we wouldn't have to listen to him.

William Doonan of CA 8:37PM November 25, 2011

Decades ago this conflict wouldn't have come up. Romney would say one thing to northern moderates and another thing to midwestern conservatives, and there would have been no issue. Newt would have earned big dollars lobbying and then campaigned on not being a lobbyist. But, in today's world, there are clips available on YouTube to prove the inconsistencies. The reality is that we'll never be able to form a coalition party in an environment like this. http://bit.ly/rYjsL2

ReasonableViews of CA 4:11PM November 25, 2011