Warning To Tea Party: Beware Newt Gingrich

Ladies and gentlemen of the Tea Party, I address this missive to you. I have seen news articles that include polling data showing that members of the Tea Party are choosing Newt Gingrich to be their candidate. In my humble opinion, this is a bad idea... Allow me to explain.

The main reason the Tea Party movement started, the initial spark, was the TARP bailout program. We got together initially to protest taking money from us and giving it to irresponsible businessmen. I don't know about you, but I STILL think TARP was a bad idea.

The problem here is that Newt Gingrich SUPPORTED the TARP bailouts. By choosing Newt, you choose a candidate who is opposed to us over the very reason our movement formed!

Another of the major issues for us was ObamaCare. We didn't like the massive Federal intervention in our health care, and we absolutely detested the individual mandate. If government has any limits at all, we said, surely they cannot force us to spend our money on something we did not choose to buy!

And again, the problem is that Newt Gingrich supported the individual mandate. Well, maybe "supported" is a bad word. How about "supports?" Some of his websites still carried statements in support of an individual mandate as recently as LAST MONTH!

So, in Newt Gingrich, we get a candidate who opposes us on our two major issues. Will someone in the Tea Party PLEASE tell me why they think this is a good idea?

As to other issues, many in the Tea Party cared about immigration reform and gun rights. These two issues make strikes three and four for Newt. He is on the record for wanting a "comprehensive solution" to immigration that doesn't include taking the illegal immigrants and sending them home OR strengthening the border. He is also on the record, way back when he was in Congress, for supporting the assault weapons ban. News Flash: NEWT LIKES GUN CONTROL!

Look, ladies and gentlemen of the Tea Party, PLEASE pick your candidate carefully. If you select and vote for a candidate who holds positions that are contrary to the very reason the Tea Party was formed, you toss all of our hard work into the dustbin of history. You belittle the movement... and you ridicule yourselves.