a good case laid out that if Newt wasn't such f'n Machiavellian bastard...we wouldn't have trump and the 'no compromises' stance the Republicans have had since the 90's
Funny. I was listening to the Economist this morning on my way to work and heard this line:
"America’s democracy is robust—it was designed to be. However, one by one, its institutions are being infected with toxic polarisation. Congress caught the bug in the 1990s, when Newt Gingrich was Speaker."
I audibly said "Thank you" referencing how his damage is not often enough referred to as the precursor for where we are today. In 1994 I ran my only campaign - a Democrat in Orange County (Anaheim) for State Assembly. I didn't expect to win, but I didn't expect to lose by 30 points either. And it was all Gingrich and that Contract with America. Scarred me - I didn't work on another campaign until 2008, so discouraged by the electorate.