Newt Was Brilliant in the CNN Debate

Whatever your opinion of former speaker Newt Gingrich, his response to John King in the recent CNN debate wherein John King chose to open the republican debate with a question about the accusation by Newt Gingrich's former wife that he wanted an open marriage was nothing short of brilliant. The standing ovation he received from the audience was more than well deserved. Even Mitt Romney deserved some kudos for his very poignant response, "John, let's get on to the real issues."

My sentiments exactly.

The sad fact is that so many of these debates led by the largely liberal media have been grossly out of touch with the many real issues we are currently facing as a nation, focusing on things that frankly aren't all that important. Just one example would of course be the "condom" question posed to Mitt Romney in a debate not so long ago. Newt made an obvious point when he said, "I am tired of the elite media protecting Barack Obama by attacking republicans." Because that's exactly what the media has been doing by posing really silly questions in debates that should not only shed light on the proposed policies of the candidates vying for the presidency, but that should also shed light on the very real failures of the Obama administration, and the very real dangers we face nationally if Barack Obama is elected to a second term in office.

The media is supposed to be reporting the news objectively. In the world of journalism there should be no democrats, and no republicans. There should only be unbiased reporting of the facts. Something that is, without question, seriously lacking in the reporting of the news as it relates to our politicians.

No real news, of course. This has been going on for years. But I absolutely applaud Newt Gingrich for attacking back. Isn't about time someone finally takes the media to task?

Another thought comes to mind when I think of Newt Gingrich, because he's really been doing this since the very start of his campaign. He takes no prisoners. He tells it like it is. He does not parse his words. I find this interesting in the sense that one of the guys we all would have enjoyed seeing enter the presidential race was Governor Chris Christie. Without a doubt Christie would have responded in much the same way that Newt Gingrich had if he had found himself in a similar light.

Which leads me to another thought that perhaps there is still some steam in the Gingrich campaign to actually win the nomination after all is said and done. The fact is that what conservatives are looking for is someone who can go toe to toe with Barack Obama in a debate. Newt can do that. What conservatives are looking for is someone who can articulate his ideas and plans. Newt can do that. And conservatives are looking for a strong voice who can lead the party, and right the path we're currently on. I think Newt can do that too.

There's still time to make that determination. But in the meantime if we get one thing out of the CNN debate, my hope is that we get a return to a focus on the issues. It's time to get down to the brass tacks. It's time to stop wasting time talking about things that don't matter. We need to be talking about tax policy, economic policy, getting Americans back to work and how we accomplish that, how we restore faith in our president and our system of government, and how we regain respect from our allies as well as our enemies. And most importantly, we need to get on to talking more indepth about exactly why Barack Obama's policies not only do not work, but why they will harm our country if we continue with them.

Let's hope that happens.

Vapor is the New Smoke. Get the environmentally safe alternative to regular cigarettes at BluCigs.com

A 9-9-9 Plan At Home

In 2011, Herman Cain made "9-9-9" famous. It was a simple idea, even if the odds of it ever becoming real were slim. Even if he'd somehow ended up in the White House, I doubt the plan would have survived intact. It would have faced heavy scrutiny and almost certainly would have been reshaped into something else. We might have gotten movement in the right direction, but it wouldn't have been the exact plan he campaigned on.

Still, the simplicity of the concept is useful. As Americans heading into 2012, we can borrow that basic framework for ourselves—looking for ways to increase our earnings, cut our spending, and reduce our debt. The goal isn't to hit some perfect 9 percent on each. It's to stop drifting and start making deliberate progress on our own finances. After the last few years, most of us could use a clearer path and a little more breathing room.

So, what does a "9-9-9" approach look like at home? It means treating those three areas—earnings, spending and debt—as connected pieces of the same plan. Raising your income by a fixed percentage isn't always realistic. A lot of people will be lucky to see anything close 2 percent raise. That's fine. The number itself matters less than having a number and sticking to it.

Even having a 1 percent target can work. On $40,000, that's only $400. Not life-changing by itself, but useful when it's pointed at the right place. If you manage to increase what you earn, you can steer that extra money toward savings or debt instead of letting it disappear. Paying down debt has its own payoff in lower interest. Each piece supports the others. A modest gain in one area can make the others easier, and the combined effect is usually larger than any single percentage suggests.

Heading into 2012, the more important thing is getting onto a better track. We need to be more self-reliant, and better able to handle a rough stretch. That means looking at what we've been doing, admitting where it hasn't worked, and choosing something more deliberate. The exact percentages you pick are secondary. What matters is refusing the "0-0-0" option—or worse, continuing the pattern of negative progress that got so many of us into trouble before 2008. A small, consistent plan beats standing still.

Do you like the way I write or the things I write about? Follow me on my Facebook page to keep up with the latest writings wherever I may write them.

© 2012 Jim Bauer/The Springboard. All rights reserved.