As I have read Newt Gingrich's Real Change and Lessons Learned the Hard Way, I have wondered something: Does Newt believe that the Republicans should adopt the tactics of the Democrats?
Newt says that the Democrats are more effective at governing than
Republicans (though Newt thinks that the Democratic policies are bad for
the country), that the Democrats are more cohesive, and that the
Democrats enforce group-think, whereas the Republicans have more
independent thought in their ranks.
My impression has been that Newt thinks that the Republicans can learn things from the Democrats. He says in Real Change
that Republicans need to learn how to govern as a majority party,
rather than retaining the minority party mindset that they had even when
they were in the majority. In Lessons Learned the Hard Way,
Newt tells the story about how conservative activist Paul Weyrich was
mistakenly invited to "a liberal meeting on civil rights issues", and,
when Weyrich observed the cohesion and the coordination of strategy at
that meeting, he went on to establish "a whole raft of conservative
organizations and institutions" (page 107). Newt also expresses
admiration for Ted Kennedy for how Ted consistently pushed his liberal
agenda over the years, and that is consistent with Newt's view that the
Republicans likewise should have a vision and take the offense in
pushing the agenda that they think is best for the country.
At
the same time, Newt supports the independent and entrepreneurial spirit
of Republicans, as opposed to the enforced group-think that exists in
the Democratic Party. Newt actually sees a little bit of
himself in the House conservatives who sought to overthrow him as
Speaker. And Newt also expresses admiration for Ohio Congressman (now
Governor) John Kasich, even though Newt disagreed with Kasich's stance
against the B-2 bomber and a budget that Kasich was promoting. Newt believes that the Republican Party is best when it is open to fresh, outside-of-the-box, and even dissident ideas.
I
do not know as much about the Congress as Newt Gingrich does, but I
question his model that the Democrats are a party of leftist
group-think, whereas the Republicans tolerate dissent. There may be
truth to that, but I don't think it's the whole story. The
Democrats, after all, have the Democratic Leadership Council, which is
more conservative. Moreover, the Blue Dog Democrats were skeptical
about Barack Obama's health care plan. And the Republicans have
exercised their share of party discipline, as occurred with regards to
the prescription drug benefit.