The following was originally published at RobertReich.org
One of the few things Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich agree on is that President Obama is turning America into “European-style welfare culture.”
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At the risk of repeating myself, my response to the Romney campaign staffer who summed up the Florida primary by saying "It's about destroying Gingrich," is the same as my re
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You'd think Social Security would top the list of subjects for a presidential debate in Florida. How many questions did Wolf Blitzer ask about it during Thursday night's Republican debate in Jacksonville?
Answer: None. The words "Social Security" never passed his lips.
It was almost as if there were a "gentlemen's agreement" among the five people on the stage. And we use that phrase advisedly, since Blitzer sealed the boy's club atmosphere by asking each of the candidates why his wife would make the best first lady.
The candidates did mention Social Security a couple of times, but only in passing and only in the most misleading ways possible. It's too bad there wasn't, oh, a journalist nearby -- one who was inclined to ask follow-up questions.
What was said that night? Rick Santorum and Ron Paul both attacked Newt Gingrich from the right on Social Security. Santorum suggested that the Speaker's proposals, which would cut benefits, were too expensive and would "create a brand new Social Security entitlement."
Not true.
Ron Paul said that Gingrich's claim to have helped cut the federal deficit was false -- which is true. But then he said that the reason it's untrue is because Gingrich "doesn't count the money he takes out of Social Security" -- which is false!
Confused yet? Stick around. The layers of artificial reality became as mind-bending as a Philip K. Dick novel when Gingrich responded.
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Another GOP debate has come and gone, and there's a clear consensus on who won and who lost this round. After two fabulously bombastic debate performances, Newt Gingrich was defeated by the one man he can never seem to beat: himself.
Ultimately, Newt's problem is just being Newt. It always has been, because the real Newt bears a strong resemblance the one portrayed in his opponents attack ads.
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Looking for a new drinking game for the remainder of the Republican debates?
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The following was originally published by Politico
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It looks like the old joke about the weather — "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes and it'll change" — is also true about Newt Gingrich. If you don't like this Newt Gingrich, wait five minutes and he'll change. When it comes to his attack on Mitt Romney's vulture capitalist past, Newt has changed more often than the weather these last few days.
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It looks like attacking Mitt Romney's Bain resume has become the bane of Newt Gingrich's campaign. In his latest flip-flop, Newt wants a do-over on his 28-minute Romney attack ad.
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As I've noted numerous times, conservatives are very confused these days. Of course, many liberals are confused as well. (I won't even talk about the libertarians.) Seems to be the zeitgeist. Perhaps tough times and elite failure always have this effect. And who knows, out of the ashes, perhaps will rise a better society.
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