Gingrich's message to Congress: Don't legislate

When half-way pressed by Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace on whether the Democrats were wrong to offer a resolution against Bush's troop escalation plan, former House speaker Newt Gingrich said Democrats are entitled to criticize but not legislate:

WALLACE: "..aren't Democrats perfectly entitled to say we shouldn't be sending more troops after the ones that are already there?"

GINGRICH:"There's a different — look, I can offer advice. The Senate can offeradvice. Any American can offer advice. There's a difference betweenoffering advice, which I think we should do, and legislating."

Telling the Congress not to legislate is the same thing as telling a judge not to rule, or an executive not to govern.

Comments

[Tony]

If Newtie boy had it his way, we'd have our own little Siberia somewhere in Alaska. After all.. free speech is one thing, but speaking freely is another.

"Telling the Congress not to legislate is the same thing as telling a judge not to rule, or an executive not to govern." Great analogy.

[Tony]

Not really relevant to the post, but worth posting: This was on C&L.

"What's Harry Reid's Priority?"

Wow, so after the failed Iraq surge vote, Harry Reid lets the Senate vote to go on recess.  That's the key, not the nonsensical anti-surge resolution which was always going to fail.  You see, recess is something the Senators want for themselves.  This is how they suffer from the Iraq war, by having to give up a weekend.  Keeping them in session, and I know it sounds lame, is one of the only ways that a Senate majority leader can create leverage on the opposition to vote.  The fact that Reid wasn't even willing to force the Senate to give up recess time to debate the war is pathetic.

Politics is about priorities, not just theater.  Reid just doesn't think the war in Iraq is an important priority at this moment.

 

It's almost all of them! Them being politicians. Recess? That is bullshit. Put your foot down then buy them candy?

[Administrator: Todd]

Yeah, I was truly upset with Reid allowing the Senate to go to recess after the vote. Hagel and Snowe, two Republicans, wanted the Senate to stay in session until they got the resolution squared away.

Reid really REALLY has been ineffective so far. That was why I wished that Hillary Clinton would end up being Senate Majority Leader. I guess not.