The Club For Growth, the big-money conservative group that advocates right-wing economic views — and has waged some serious primaries against GOP incumbent along the way — has just released a “White Paper” detailing their views of Newt Gingrich’s record. The verdict: “One could reasonably expect a President Gingrich to lead America in a pro-growth and limited government direction generally, possibly with flashes of real brilliance and accomplishment, but also likely with some serious disappointments and unevenness.”
Gingrich is the first 2012 GOPer to receive a White Paper from the Club, with more yet to come for the other candidates.
The Club’s dossier does indeed praise Gingrich’s record on taxes, spending cuts and free trade, finding only a few blemishes along the way. But when there are blemishes, as the paper says at one point, “Gingrich has a few doozies in his record.”
“Gingrich has an affinity – all too common even among conservative politicians – for gimmicky, special interest tax incentives that empower politicians to pick winners and losers in the marketplace,” the report says. “His favorite device is the tax credit.” On another economic issue, the report blasts Gingrich for his vigorous defense of ethanol, which the report says is a market that would not exist at all if not for government intrusion in the economy.
On health care, the report criticizes Gingrich for urging the passage in 2003 of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit — and for his past advocacy of the individual insurance mandate, which Gingrich is now backing away from now that it is the centerpiece of President Obama’s health care reform.
And of course, the report criticizes Gingrich for being on the opposite side of the Club in some key electoral battles in the last few years: The NY-23 special election in 2009, the defeat of Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT) in 2010, and others.
From the report’s conclusion:
His opposition and momentary defeat of the 1990 Bush tax increase, his leadership of the 1994 Republican Revolution, and his spearheading of the provisions of the Contract With America are major league achievements. His consistent support for pro-growth tax reform, free trade, Social Security reform, tort reform, and political free speech also evidence a clear and impressive understanding of the fundamentals that underlie the free enterprise system that has made America prosperous.
Unfortunately, the problems in Speaker Gingrich’s record are frequent enough and serious enough to give pause. On two of the most important recent issues that confronted limited government conservatives (creating the new budget busting Medicare drug entitlement, and the Wall Street bailout), Gingrich was on the wrong side. His advocacy of an individual health care mandate is problematic. His penchant for tinkering with rewards for favored industries and outcomes shows a troubling willingness to use federal power to coerce taxpayers into his preferred direction. And his occasional hostility toward conservatives who do not share his desire to support liberal Republicans or to compromise on matters of principle is worrisome.
