Cain and Gingrich to debate in The Woodlands

A Texas TEA Party organization will host a different kind of presidential debate in November. Bill O’Sullivan of Texas Tea Party Patriots tells National Review Online that Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain have confirmed that they will engage in a “modified Lincoln–Douglas debate” focused on fiscal issues next month:

O’Sullivan says the event, which will be held on November 5 at the Woodlands Resort near Houston, will also feature Rep. Steve King (R., Iowa) as an emcee.

In background conversations, both campaigns say they look forward to the discussion. A source close to Gingrich tells NRO that the former speaker will speak at length about his policy proposals and will, “in a friendly way,” illustrate his differences with Cain.

“We initially wanted a forum with all of the candidates,” O’Sullivan says. “But when we heard Gingrich say he wanted a more serious debate, like the Lincoln–Douglas debates, we wanted to do that, especially since watching the recent superficial debates has been frustrating.”

[...]

“This debate is going to be dominated by the candidates going back and forth, in a respectful way,” O’Sullivan says. “It will be divided into parts, one for each major entitlement — Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid — with each candidate detailing their arguments.”

Mo broadcast or cable news network has yet agreed to air the forum, but there has been some talk of live streaming the debate on the Web.

The Lincoln–Douglas Debates of 1858 were a series of seven debates for Senate in Illinois between Republican Abraham Lincoln and the incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas, a Democrat. The format for each debate was that one candidate spoke for 60 minutes, then the other candidate spoke for 90 minutes, followed by the first candidate speaking again for 30 minutes. The candidates alternated speaking first from debate to debate.

- JP

Gingrich draws Tea Party crowd in North Dallas

Newt Gingrich told a standing room only crowd at the Embassy Suites Hotel in North Dallas Thursday that he thinks Gov. Rick Perry is doing a good job of running the state. "Help me make sure we don't deprive Texas of a very good governor," the former House Speaker joked, as his audience applauded.

At the event, hosted by The Dallas Tea Party, Gingrich covered topics ranging from the economy, to immigration, to Iran and China, to American values. After a short speech, the GOP presidential candidate fielded questions from the audience. The former history professor's depth of knowledge in his field was on display during the town hall like event, as he frequently referenced events in American history and demonstrated his expertise on a variety of topics.

Days after what many called a strong debate performance, Gingrich spoke about his plans for the government if he wins the GOP nomination and is eventually elected president.

On Inauguration Day 2013, Gingrich said he will have as many as 200 executive orders ready to sign. He said he doesn't know what all the orders will be yet, but by the time the Obama family arrives at their destination, "we will have dismantled most of his government."

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Among his goals if elected would be to shrink the Education Department and eliminate most federal regulations regarding education. While he said he can't sign an executive order protecting unborn children, he said he would "certainly recommend to Congress that they look at that, and look at the consequences of that."

Gingrich said he worries about the war on terrorism and believes that "we are much closer to the collapse of our civilization than we think." While he said he admires former President George W. Bush's "courage" in leading the country after the 2001 terrorist attacks, "I think he didn't ever have ... control of the State Department."

"We need to confront how serious this is and how real this is," he said.

Gingrich spoke at length about his “21st Century Contract with America,” a 10-point plan which calls for repeal of Obamacare, cutting the corporate-tax rate by more than 50 percent, offering individual taxpayers a flat-tax option, reducing federal regulations and pursuing an “all of the above” energy strategy that he claims could make the nation “the largest oil producer in the world by 2017.” The former Speaker said his plan is larger than legislative ideas alone and is based on the premise that if you have specific, positive ideas, you can “rally Americans on a scale” that rises above “bickering, partisan politics.”

- JP

Cornyn amendment defunds DOJ 'gun-walker' ops

A U.S. Senator and former Texas Attorney General took the lead Tuesday in the Senate’s move to cut off funding for the DOJ's “gun-walker” operations such as the one which resulted in the now-notorious Fast and Furious scandal:

The amendment, written by Sen. John Cornyn III (R.-Tex.) reads: “No funds made available under this Act shall be used to allow the transfer of firearms to agents of drug cartels where law enforcement personnel of the United States do not continuously monitor and control such firearms at all times.”

The amendment passed 99 to 0.

Cornyn, who serves on the Finance, Judiciary, Armed Services and Budget Committees, said, “When 2,000 firearms go missing, and at least one is found at the crime scene of a murdered U.S. Border Patrol agent, we must do everything possible to ensure that such a reckless and ill-advised operation like Fast and Furious is not repeated.”

The former Texas attorney general said U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder has not be forthcoming in his explanations of the Fast and Furious and other similar operations.

“In addition to this amendment, Mr. Holder owes Americans a full accounting on all alleged gun-walking operations, including a response to allegations of another Texas-based scheme, and I encourage him to come up to Capitol Hill to do so as soon as possible,” he said.

In addition to previously serving as Texas Attorney General, Cornyn is also a former Texas Supreme Court justice and Bexar County district judge.

- JP

McAllen HS Students Forced to Recite Mexican Anthem, Pledge

According to The Blaze, Students in a McAllen, Texas public high school were made to stand up and recite the Mexican national anthem and Mexican pledge of allegiance as part of a Spanish language class assignment, but the school district sees nothing wrong with it:

Wearing red, white and green, students had to memorize the Mexican anthem and pledge and stand up and recite them in individually in front of the class.

That didn’t go over well with sophomore Brenda Brinsdon. The 15-year-old sat down and refused to participate. She also caught it all on video:



“I just thought it was out of hand, I didn’t think it was right,” she told The Blaze. “Reciting pledges to Mexico and being loyal to it has nothing to do with learning Spanish.”

[More]

Brenda's father, William, who share his daughter's thinking on the assignment, called the school district superintendent to complain.

- JP

Pamela Geller to Address Sugar Land Tea Party (Updated)

Activist, author and blogger Pamela Geller will speak to The Sugar Land Tea Party Tuesday, Oct. 18, at the Hyatt Place:

Geller is the founder, editor and publisher of the blog Atlas Shrugs. She is the executive director of Stop the Islamization of America, as well as the Freedom Defense Initiative, and is a regular columnist for American Thinker, Human Events and other publications.

Geller is the author of The Post-American Presidency: The Obama Administration’s War on America and the newly released Stop the Islamization of America: A Practical Guide to the Resistance. She has been a guest on numerous news programs, including “Sean Hannity.”

The event will start with a meet and greet at 6:30 p.m., with Geller’s presentation to follow from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. After the event, she will sign copies of Stop the Islamization of America.

The Hyatt Place is located at 16730 Creek Bend Drive in Sugar Land.

h/t: Martha

Update: Houston Hyatt Place Hotel caves to Islamic supremacist intimidation, forces last-minute venue change for Pamela Geller event: Details here. The new venue for Pamela's speech is Sugar Land Community Center (Across from old Sugar Land Post Office), 226 Matlage Way, Sugar Land, TX 77478 (Map).

- JP