Newt’s brilliance still shines at CPAC

NewtGingrichCPAC2012  

February 10, 2012

Written by Juliana Simone

 

Washington, D.C. – After a loving introduction from his wife Callista, Newt came on stage and told the audience ‘we are a people based campaign’ and thanked his many volunteers. Never short on verbage, insight or historic detail, the former Speaker informed his listeners that CPAC was founded to challenge the Republican establishment.

Gingrich remembered that Ronald Reagan first came to speak to CPAC  (http://reagan2020.us/speeches/Let_Them_Go_Their_Way.asp) and it was ten years before his first great speech in 1985. The vision Reagan had for his country was considered “unrealistic” by the Republican establishment, Gingrich said. What was described as “Voodoo economics” entailed using more American energy, lower taxes and limited government. Under Reagan’s administration, sixteen million jobs were created, the Soviet Union came to an end, the “Contract with America” was later made in 1994, nine million new voters were registered, unemployment was at 4.2%, and there was a balanced budget.

“Changing the trajectory” is not for the Republican establishment, Gingrich pointed out. It takes too much work and change. Using a timeline in history, the former speaker used the Taft/Goldwater conflict as a reference for today’s comparible tea party/Republican establishment divide that is the same fight. 1980, 84 and 94 are all examples of Republican conservative wins by uniting…

He reflected how during World War II it took American’s only 44 months to beat the Nazi’s and Imperial Japan but in today’s government we’re told almost nothing can be done in more time than that. (he gave a couple of novel examples)

All of you have seen the Republican establishment jump on top of me, he told CPAC, and there’s a good reason for that – Because this campaign wants to change Washington, not accomodate it.

Newt, never short of shining example after shining example, used Federal Express and UPS to illustrate how illegal immigration can be solved: Twenty four million packages a day are shipped by these two companies. He asked for a show of hands on how many people here have looked up on their computers even once to track a package they had shipped or were waiting to receive. Every hand went up. Newt observed they track these packages and let you track them, too, for free, but the government today can’t find eleven million illegal immigrants? (laughter) Newt’s solution: Send each illegal immigrant a package and we’ll know where they are and pick them up. (applause)

The solution to get America going again, Gingrich continued, if I’m the nominee and I need your help, is to repeal Obamacare and Dodd/Frank. Two hours after the inaugural address, I will sign executive orders to:

Abolish all of the White House tsars (applause) {editor: friends of Obama}

Approve the Canadian pipeline to Houston (applause) and send a message to the Canadian Prime Minister that you don’t need to sign a contract with the Chinese because now America is open for business…

Move state department and embassy to Jerusalem

No federal money for abortions overseas

Repeal any/all Obama religious freedom (policies)

Gingrich told the crowd, by the time Obama lands in Chicago, 40% of his policies will be repealed. (cheers)

Moving on, the former Speaker laid out how to create jobs:

A paycheck President vs. a food stamp President (Gingrich noted when he worked with President Reagan sixteen million jobs were created; after Reagan, when he worked with President Clinton ten million jobs were created. This is not about fairness or revenue neutrality, it’s to become the number one country again…

Zero capital gains

One hundred percent expenses to modernize all equipment (whether it’s farmers, manufacturing, doctor’s, etc.)

Unemployment compensation changed to include training for a job – no ninety-nine weeks of pay for nothing. In ninety-nine weeks you can get an associates degree, he surmised to applause.

Eliminate the Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) – it’s a job killing agency he told supporters. Replace it with an Environment Solutions Agency which uses common sense and economics; radicals occupy the EPA said Gingrich.

A 12 1/2% corporate tax rate. (Ireland’s tax rate) He says he kids colleague’s who disagree with this amount, with this rate, General Electric will actually pay taxes! Cheers.

Abolish the death tax.

Republican Presidential candidate Gingrich digressed to point out that challenger Mitt Romney recently released his tax returns and the liberals were shocked he was only paying 15%. The establishment will say this is not revenue neutral – that’s right, said Newt, it’s a tax cut! Cheers.

How do you balance the budget he asked?

Cut spending

Cut taxes

Reform government

Use American energy

Cutting Spending:

Replace 130 year old civil service system (saves 500 million)

Look at every single agency – Abolish the Department of Energy

Get rid of credit cards and save over a trillion dollars

Apply the tenth amendment (Gingrich thanks Gov. Perry for launching a project on this subject)

American energy (refers to No. Dakota, Alaska and offshore drilling as U.S. sources for fuel)

No future President ever bows to a Saudi King again! (Cheers)

Personal social security accounts

Audit the Federal Reserve (Cheers) – who got our money and why.

Ask Congress to end Bernanke’s term (Federal Reserve Chairman) (laughter)

Two things not about the economy:

This administration and the courts are raging a war on religion. Gingrich remembered our Founding Fathers came here to escape religious persecution and reminded CPAC that dictorial judges are rewriting the Constitution.

This administration lies about who our enemies are – they’ve crippled our intelligence and weakened our county. We need an administration that tells the truth about radical Islamists who seek to kill us.

Closing, the former House Speaker and Presidential candidate told fellow Republicans, this has to be an American campaign – paychecks vs. food stamps, recognize our enemies, Declaration of Independence/Constitution/Federalist Papers. “We don’t have the scale of money some do but we have a plan.” Newt Gingrich thanked some of his many supporters including, Gov. Rick Perry, Todd Palin, Oliver North and many others he said, you’ll have to go to Newt.org to see the list.

{Editor’s note: I wanted to post this second archived article of Newt’s speeches after hearing negative commentary today on the possibility of his becoming Trump’s VP pick. More discontent and disagreement about candidates this election when someone’s favorite isn’t picked it’s all gloom and doom. Gingrich has always impressed me when I’ve reported from live venues and when hearing his commentary on network television. He has tremendous knowledge he can provide Donald Trump as a tenured legislator and D.C. veteran whether it’s as Trump’s VP choice or as a cabinet member. – May 17, 2016)

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Mitch McConnell – CPAC 2012

February 9, 2012

Written by Juliana Simone

MitchMcConnellPRphotoCPAC2012

Washington, D.C. – Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell took the stage at CPAC’s 39th event shortly after popular Florida Senator Marco Rubio. A different stripe but shared philosophy as fellow conservative Rubio, McConnell opened his speech telling attendees, “for those of you who haven’t noticed our ranks are growing.” He added ‘I’m happy to have the reinforcements – I needed them.’ Referring to his caucus, McConnell said, ‘conservatives are simply more open – there’s a reason for that -we’re always right.’ Democrats are always wringing their hands and trying to convince others what’s wrong is right, he said.

The President’s job is to unite the country not divide it….encourage success not condemn it…he continued. I think the President should have higher priorities than picking on Fox News!, McConnell continued…adding how he was always looking for a scapegoat. The Senate Minority leader went on to discuss how under President Obama the government has gone into the auto industry, health care industry, etc. and how none of these things should be government business.

McConnell said his caucus was going to push hard for tax reform and to subsidize energy among many other vital issues. He told CPAC attendees, “We’re not in this because of a tsunami in Japan – but because the President got everything he wanted for two long years.” “It’s the Obama economy now and we’re not going to let the American people forget it” he declared, energizing the audience.

In referring to statistics, McConnell said unemployment has been at record highs for over 36 months, three long years – 14% African Americans, 10.5% Hispanics…”this is not an economy to be proud of!” Continuing on about Obama, the Senate Minority Leader noted, “He said he’d cut the deficit by half the end of his first term! He hasn’t even come close…!” adding how the national debt was now over a trillion dollars.

The speaker told supporters this has brought more spending, more debt, fewer jobs…that’s the sad legacy of this President and his administration. One good thing he surmised, was ‘one good thing came out of all of that – a resurgence of common sense conservatism.’ Engaging fellow Republicans on hand statistically, he laid out 2.2 million people are in the federal work force and that the government is spending a trillion or more than it is taking in…Research shows lay-offs for federal workers is only 300 a year. This means a federal employee will die of natural causes before they are laid off… “President Obama has added 150 thousand jobs to the federal government while he’s been President.  Federal debts have gone up 43%. Tax isn’t too little, the government spends too much!”

“People should be rewarded for what they know not who they know” he stated. (Sadly, in politics, nepotism is a large part of hiring – where experience or knowledge has little to do with someone’s job placement – and it is common who they know or what member of their family is connected politically puts them on the payroll. This runs from the lowest tiers to the highest.) Continuing on into why Obamacare should be repealed, he felt this mandate could be replaced with commonsense reform.

The Kentucky Republican also dedicated a few minutes to the current administration’s attack on religious freedom and birth control mandates and said this would not be forgotten until the federal courts reversed it. Perceived by some as a conservative, for his support of Guantanamo Bay and offshore drilling, and some as a moderate, for his soft views on the second amendment, earmarks, and supporting the right to burn the American flag, the veteran legislator was clear to all at the convention today Obama should not be re-elected to a second term for the sake of our country.

Sizing up the sitting President before leaving the stage, McConnell opined that punishing enemies and silencing critics strike at what the heart of America is all about. Personally, the Senate Minority Leader told his party members he would not waiver from his own ten year battle with its constitutional challenge and for reform. He will continue to fight it through the federal courts and despite any members of his own caucus who disagree.

In parting, he told CPAC “I want to thank all of you for your devotion to the constitution and energy in supporting the candidates that share our views.” He reminded his audience of President Ronald Reagan’s words – ’freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.’

 

Ed.: This article written and reported by Juliana Simone, also appeared on Ameriborn News Network, a CT internet news site taken down in October 2015.

Sen. Marco Rubio rallies CPAC crowd today

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Florida State Senator Marco Rubio – CPAC 2012 (photo: CNN)

 

February 9th, 2012

Written by Juliana Simone

Washington, D.C.  –  Florida’s junior Senator but fast rising Republican star packed the ballroom of the Marriott this morning at CPAC’s 39th event, a gathering for Conservative Republicans who meet to hear their legislators, candidates and activists speak.  With all the media seats taken, bloggers and press people took every available space on the large staircase to transcribe his words. Fans packed the aisles and crowded the back walls to even eliminate standing room only availability.

Senator Rubio took the stage in jest, with an opening remark when arranging his notes “It’s hard to get a teleprompter in this town.” Loud laughter. “There’s a guy here who uses a lot of them.” (Cheers) In remembering what it was like to be first elected to the Senate and his first few weeks in Washington, Rubio said he looked around the Senate chamber in awe of so many Senators he’d seen on television for so many years. He said he was told ‘you can be here for thirty years and you’ll still be the youngest guy.’ More laughter. Talking about liberals and how they will never admit that they are liberals if you ask them, he said, “Liberals even came up with a new word for themselves – “Progressive” – I thought this was an insurance company.” (laughter)

Reflecting on Republican candidates, Rubio noted all Republican’s like to fight over who is the most like Ronald Reagan. I never hear the Democrats fighting over who’s the most like Jimmy Carter. Applause. In addressing reform, the Senator said to his fellow Republicans, “we are the party of tax reform; Conservatism is about regulatory reform.” He then discussed the current issue of President Obama’s infringement on religious institutions that would mandate what was paid for or not paid for, to much enthusiasm among on-lookers as this has been a hot news story for over a week from columnists to network panels.

Turning to history, Rubio reminded people it wasn’t that long ago that the Nazi regime was trying to rule the world. He reflected, “Imperial Japan and the Nazi’s would have won if not for the will of the American people.” “The greatest thing we can do for the world is be America,” he said to cheers.

Saying this is what is at stake here in November, he declared Obama is a terrible President, and asked at the core of this issue is, what kind of nation will he leave behind? In terms of democracy and leading by example to help other countries achieve this, Rubio said “We don’t want Afghanistan to be another state.”

In summary and pointing out how important this next Presidential election is, Marco Rubio said it is not even a choice between a Republican and a Democrat. It’s a choice between someone who’s failed, and is asking for four to five more years, and someone who has not. CPAC attendees gave Senator Rubio a long and enthusiastic standing ovation.

 

Ed.: This article written and reported by Juliana Simone, also appeared on Ameriborn News Network, a CT internet news site taken down in October 2015.

 

 

 

Archives:Southern Republican Leadership Conference: Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal

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Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal in New Orleans addressing the Southern Republican Leadership Conference (photo: blogs.reuters.com)

 

Written by Juliana Simone

June 17, 2011

New Orleans – Louisiana’s popular Governor Bobby Jindal finished up the Friday speakers list, talking before many state and national supporters in attendance who gathered these three days in June to see first hand the majority of Republican Presidential Candidates for 2012 and active U.S. Senators and Congressmen. A standing ovation greeted the Governor and his lovely wife. The Governor had a VIP buffet dinner in the Hotel Hilton Riverside later that evening.

Looking back in time when he was first elected as Governor, Jindal told the crowd how when he visited the state prison, people there said to him ‘you’re the first Governor to come to our prison without handcuffs on.’

Now years later, the Governor was proud to state Louisiana was number one in economic development in the entire country. “When government creates a job it costs taxpayers money – When Americans create jobs it saves taxpayers money,” he observed.

Addressing child abuse, Jindal said in Louisiana, ‘we’ve passed laws giving our judges the option of castration.’ He wondered why other states and federal lawmakers are so lax in terms of punishment for those who commit such heinous crimes against others.

‘We must focus our energies on replacing President Obama. Hating President Obama is foolish but defeating President Obama is crucial. What President Obama thinks is best for this country is a disaster. America is approaching a tipping point. Despite all this failure, he is asking us for four more years,’ he stated.

On the economy, the Louisiana Governor said, America’s addicted to spending. “Will we continue to be enablers?” he asked.

“We won a majority last year, he said in closing. We must now put that majority to use. Our leaders stopped being conservative,” he reflected.

#          #          #

Later, at the Governor’s dinner which Ameriborn News attended, the Governor was approachable to any and all of his constituents, and out of state supporters for the entire engagement. Clearly, he is an amiable man who is a true patriot at heart. With views of large freighters floating down the Mississippi River, patrons ate from multiple tables of representative Cajun cuisine. Having to attend many of these functions, I commend the Governor for his generous layout of food – from carving tables of roast beef in every doneness, to Creole jambalaya and Italian pastas. Appetizers, salad and desserts were also on hand as well as a cash bar which many of us had drink tickets for out of appreciation for our service.

 

 

 

Editors note:

Many thanks to the fine carver who assessing the situation, went and fetched me a chair from rooms away to sit down. I am sure this is something she was not in the habit of doing even with Southern hospitality, but noted why I was eating on my own.

 

Southern Republican Leadership Conference 2011: Newt Gingrich

Written by Juliana Simone

Newt Gingrich Southern Republican Leadership Conference New Orleans 2011
Newt Gingrich Southern Republican Leadership Conference New Orleans 2011

June 16, 2011

New Orleans, LA

The second major speaker to address the conference attendees on Thursday, the first day of a three day session in June that showcased the Republican Party’s perspective Presidential candidates for 2012, as well as popular Governor’s and vocal U.S. Senators and Congressmen, Newt Gingrich, former House Speaker, author, historian and Presidential Candidate greeted the crowd as a Tulane alumnus and father of a daughter born in New Orleans. He asked how many people here thought America is on the right track, and how many of you believe America will fight very hard against getting America back on track? This is the key question about the 2012 campaign, Mr. Gingrich noted.

 

It’s very important to beat President Obama, but we also need to gain 12 U.S. Senate Seats and 30 to 40 seats in the U.S. House, he outlined, as well as strengthen our states with Republican Governors and state legislators if we are going to implement the 10th amendment and return power back home to the states. He added we need to make sure conservatives are in power there to enact Republican principles. We have been given the opportunity to give the American people a choice so clear ‘we could win a cataclysmic election which would end the 80 year rule of the left.”

 

Mr. Gingrich noted in all of his experiences this is clearly a center right country with a left wing governing mechanism, and with over 90% of American people believing students should be allowed to have a moment of silent prayer in school, a Texas Judge ruled students giving speeches at their graduations could not use the word prayer or voluntarily express the word God for their success, they will be arrested. “I thought that’s what free speech was all about” he went on. “My answer to that judge is the judicial reform act in 1802.”

 

He told the audience in 1802 Thomas Jefferson and James Madison passed this act which eliminated 18 out of 35 federal judges; they didn’t impeach them, they just told them their office doesn’t exist and they were not getting paid – to go home. “We don’t need judges who don’t understand America,” Newt pointed out. He said he would eliminate this Texas judge and in order to create a demonstration effect, “I would eliminate the 9th Circuit.”

 

For those in the media, Mr. Gingrich suggested they read the federalist papers by Hamilton, Madison and Jay, the most amazing campaign brochure ever written at 85 chapters and 600 pages which explained the constitution to people so they would vote for it. In this, the authors say the judicial branch is the weakest branch – not the strongest. Jefferson said the idea of the Supreme Court being supreme over the legislative and executive branches is an absurdity.

 

Laying out his first day in the oval office if elected in 2012, the former House Speaker said we will sign 50-200 executive orders effective as of that minute.

He told onlookers in a couple of weeks on his website newt.org they would be able to submit on-line what they think would be a good executive order and experts would review them; Former Bush and Reagan White House staffers would write them and then all would be put up on the website for the public to see. If Obama says he’s for that, then we’ll say, good, here you go, sign them.

Newt Gingrich stated what his first four Executive Orders would be to cheers and applause:

  • His first E.O. would be to eliminate all of the White House tsars as of this moment.
  • His second E.O. would be to reinstate Ronald Reagan’s Mexico City policy that no American pays for abortions overseas.
  • His third E.O. would reinstate President George W. Bush’s “Conscience Provision” which says no person, doctor, nurse, pharmacist or hospital can be forced to perform any medical procedure that is against their religious beliefs.
  • His fourth E.O. will say quite simply, that as of that date, the United States accepts and recognizes the capitol of countries as defined by their Government, and we will move the U.S. Embassy to that capitol as defined by that Government.

“And the only Country in the world that effects is Israel, because the U.S. State Department has consistently refused to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – which I believe is an insult to a country that is a democracy and that is our ally!”

In a speech available on Newt.org where he spoke about 9 major changes in our policy in the Middle East, Newt said he says “there is no moral equivalence between a self-governing rule of law free society, and a terrorist organization that commits evil acts, and no American President should force Israeli’s to negotiate with people who are trying to kill them.”

Talking about jobs, housing and energy the Speaker moved on to address what he defines ‘the Obama depression.’ “I commend the Democrat National Chairwoman who said yesterday that they owned the economy. It was more honestly than we’ve gotten out of the Obama White House in 3 years.”

He asked how the President can to the country he’s not concerned about a second recession? How can he not be concerned when 14 million people are out of work? How can he not be concerned when 1 out of every 4 Americans is in a house that is currently worth less than their mortgage? How can he not be concerned with his anti-American energy polocies that have been driving up the price of gasoline and pouring money outside of the United States…?

Reflecting we’ve been here before, when (former President) Carter made a total mess out of the economy, (former President) Ronald Reagan carried more states in 1980 than Franklin Delano Roosevelt carried in 1932. “Reagan had a very simple phrase – when your brother-in-law’s unemployed it’s a recession, when your unemployed it’s called a depression.” Newt mused, “when Jimmy Carter’s unemployed it’s called a recovery.” Laughter from the crowd.

The Republican Presidential candidate spoke at length about how destructive the Obama energy policies are and why, siting for one example a two million dollar loan he gave a Brazil company to drill off shore that is financed by George Soros, and telling them he wants us to be there best customer. Mr. Gingrich said you don’t hire the President to go around the world as a purchasing agent, you want a President of the United States to go around the world being a salesman for American products.

Bringing up how the media criticized him recently for describing the President as “Obama is the most successful food stamp President in the American history” he affirmed, “Well, guess what? Obama is the most successful food stamp President in American President. I would like to be the most successful paycheck President in American History” he proclaimed to cheers. Gingrich continued saying the majority of parents from any neighborhood or ethnicity would say they would much rather see their children grow up and have a job and a paycheck then live on food stamps from Washington.

The former House Speaker talked at length about American exceptionalism and what it was, how it came from our Founding Father’s and the Declaration of Independence in its wording, and why it’s principles made America what it is and how we needed to embrace this again to succeed. He remembered President Obama was asked if he believed in American exceptionalism in Britain in his first year in office and the answer he gave, to Mr. Gingrich, showed he didn’t have a clue what it is. “Obama’s going to fail in both practice and in radicalism. The reason the practice fails is because the radicalism is hopeless. You would think by this stage that people would figure out that socialism doesn’t work, because as Margaret Thatcher once said, “the problem with socialism is you run out of other people’s money to spend.”

In defining the Founding Father’s words “we are endowed by our Creator, with certain unalienable rights along which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” Newt said this was his core argument with Obama. “He is a natural secular European Socialist. He believes in big government, he believes in centralized power, he believes he is a politician that knows more than we do and he should help us redesign our lives by letting him and his bureaucrats live them for us. This is the opposite of freedom.”

In closing remarks, Newt Gingrich detailed how the new team in 2012 would have to start with tax policies. “Job killing policies kill jobs.” Then they would have to move on to deregulation including the Dodd-Frank bill and repeal anti-small business bills. He said the Enviromental Protection Agency needed to be replaced with a new Environmental Solution Agency. The Food and Drug Administration would have to be modernized to get new science to patients as fast as possible not as slow as possible.

Finally, the Federal Reserve should be audited so we can find out who got our money and the Federal Reserve should also be reformed to take away the power to give money to banks and return it to the U.S. Treasury where it can be inspected and looked at and made public. He went on that we should change the law to say to the Federal Reserve “it is your job to protect the value of the dollar, because inflation is a terrible tax on the middle class.”

“This campaign is going to be about three things: Economics (which includes about 50% healthcare), American exceptionalism (which includes about 50% healthcare) and National security.” “This is going to be a philosophical campaign. It’s not going to be full of attack ads. You don’t need to attack Obama. All you need to say is look at reality – it attacks you every day.”

 

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