Newt Gingrich and fair-weather Federalism

To be perfectly honest, I think partisan politics is a hustle... It's a well paying gig for the mendacious and charismatic who are either too unattractive or don't have enough of a southern drawl to work a pulpit. So I'm rarely surprised when a politician acts hypocritically or takes contradictory positions based on their personal self-interests... But this one is REALLY a gem...



If you go to Newt Gingrich's website, in his issues section, he has tabs on "limited government" and "religious liberty". (You can already see where I'm going with this can't you)

Under the grand heading of "Religious Liberty", Newt writes:

A steadfast commitment to religious freedom is the very cornerstone of American liberty. People came to America’s shores to be free to practice their religious beliefs. It brought the Puritans with their desire to create a “city on a hill” that would be a beacon of religious belief and piety. The Pilgrims were another group that poured into the new colonies. Quakers in Pennsylvania were another, Catholics in Maryland yet a fourth.

It is important to recognize that the benefits of these supports accrue to people of not just one particular faith, but those of all faiths, and for all people of goodwill, whether religious, agnostic, atheist, or radical secularist. Likewise, the Founders clearly believed that the weakening of these religious supports – such as by the hostile treatment of religion in American public life -- threatens to undermine the very republican institutions under which the religious and the non-religious alike find their liberties.

Under the grand heading of "Limited Government" he speaks about the "gaming the system mentality" and inherent corruption of big government, stating:

Markets are ultimately fair because they empower individual consumers to make their own choices. Bureaucracies are fundamentally unfair because they empower a few insiders who inevitably drift toward cronyism and corruption. The only solution for big-government corruption is smaller government.

Hmmmmmmm, Let's recap... our commitment to religious liberty must be steadfast and should extend to all faiths - AND the government should stay out of free-market transactions...

OK

Now can someone reconcile that shit with Newt Gingrich's NEW position: That when it comes to an old Burlington Coat Factory building being leased to a group who want to construct an Islamic community center, that the Federal Government should "game the system" by declaring the whole Ground Zero area a 'National Battleground'?

He even went on to say:

"The Attorney General of New York, Andrew Cuomo, could intervene because frankly he has the ability to slow it down for decades if he wants to."

"There are a number of different steps that could be taken. There's no reason this has to occur and whether it's city, state, or federal there are plenty of ways for America to stop it."

Clearly, one of y'all (and by y'all I mean "Gingrich A" or "Gingrich B") is pandering... Either website Gingrich is stating your true positions and talking point Gingrich is trying to build support for a political run by fanning the flames of racism and anti-Muslim sentiment, OR - you're just another race-baiting asshole and your website is designed to build political support for you with eloquent displays of fake piety and philosophical fuckery.

I don't know which one is true, but I do know one thing - You sir, are full of shit.

~~**And that's one to grow on**~~