Please Explain Newt Gingrich's Appeal

[Elok]

My wife and I disagree on almost everything politically. She's a hard libertarian (no need for comment on this), I'm a moderate, there's not much overlap between those two positions. One thing we can agree on, however, is that Newt Gingrich is easily the most repulsive of the Republican candidates.

Basically, he combines the worst aspects of W and Cheney, with a little of Bill Clinton's flaws thrown in for good measure. Psychotic neocon worldview? Check. Alarmist fear-mongering? Oh yeah. Full of grandiose ideas with no practical plan for achieving them? Of course. Hypocritical? Completely. Crooked? Like a snake's back. Ruthless? Vicious? Immoral? Check, check, check.

AFAICT his present front-runner status is due largely to all the other non-Mormon, non-Paul candidates wearing out their welcome. He doesn't hopelessly flub every public speaking opportunity and he can make himself look intellectual when he isn't talking about putting giant mirrors in space, and that's about the best you can say for him. Is there anything else you can sell him with?

[Wezil]

He's named after a lizard. What more do you need to know?!

[Wezil]

From wiki:

"They have the ability to regenerate limbs, eyes, spinal cords, hearts, intestines, and upper and lower jaws and political careers."

"Many newts produce toxins in their skin secretions as a defense mechanism against predators...the toxins are only dangerous if ingested, and the newts can easily and safely live in the same ponds or streams as frogs and other amphibians"


I think this explains Newt's appeal to Republicans.

[Lorizael]

Yes, and he would be the most embarrassingly named president yet. You thought President Millard was bad. That ain't got nothing on President Newt.

[DanS]

He doesn't hopelessly flub every public speaking opportunity and he can make himself look intellectual when he isn't talking about putting giant mirrors in space

What's wrong with giant mirrors in space?

[kentonio]

Stupid people think he's clever. I don't think it gets much deeper than that really.

[Elok]

What's wrong with giant mirrors in space?

1. Expensive to develop at a time when we're drowning in debt
2. Fraught with potential unanticipated effects
3. Proposed benefit: lighting highways at night? Really?

[Guynemer]

I see no possible way that could ever backfire.

[Aeson]

Benefit: mirrored ceiling for whenever you want to **** out in nature

[DanS]

1. Expensive to develop at a time when we're drowning in debt
2. Fraught with potential unanticipated effects
3. Proposed benefit: lighting highways at night? Really?

Re #1, why do you believe this would be expensive to develop? Solar sail technology is directly applicable. It's one of the cheapest near-term space technologies to work with.

Re #2, I think you have an unclear idea about the application. This is merely using a small mirror to light a small area on the ground. Say, lighting an area the size of New York City. Besides, there are always unintended consequences to consider, even when doing something so simple as getting out of bed.

Re #3, there could be a number of benefits, so he chose one that's not a favorite of yours. So what...

Listen, just because you have put blinders on to new ideas, doesn't mean that our president should.

[Elok]

Okay, how about just the extravagant, expensive ideas that will accomplish something of minimal use even if they succeed? Can we get some sort of blinders that only block out the daft stuff, or just ideas that involve launching stuff into space?

[DanS]

Why do you think this would be of minimal use or extravagant? Extra hours of sunshine in the Winter for a place like New York City would be a great benefit and the cost could be reasonable. Just think of all those psychiatrist bills avoided.

[giblets]

There are people who want us to put giant mirrors in space in order to light highways...?

[Elok]

Why do you think this would be of minimal use or extravagant? Extra hours of sunshine in the Winter for a place like New York City would be a great benefit and the cost could be reasonable. Just think of all those psychiatrist bills avoided.

You think disrupting the natural cycle of light and darkness (further than it already has been disrupted by the advent of electricity) is going to reduce mental health bills?

[DanS]

Think of it as correcting a suboptimal natural phenomenon. Summertime daytime year-round.