Re: NEWT-a dinosaur fan?

[larrys@zk3.dec.com]

>Let us hope that Newt is a dinosaur fan!  Considering the Republican
>Party's links to the Religious Right, it is more likely that Newt is
>a fan of the anti-science creationism cult.

Don't sell the man short, Dan.  He can be a demogogue, but he
is not fool.  I don't think you will find him amongst the
Republican fans of the Religious Right.  I expect he will be
rather closer to Goldwater - whom he cites as an important
influence on his views - and might even wind up a significant
counterbalance.  He is more the libertarian wing than the pure
conservative one.  Consider this quote:

Thomas Jefferson kept religion out of our constitution
and out of our political lives and we should be forever 
grateful to him for it.  --  Barry Goldwater


>In fact there is an as
>yet unsubstantiated rumour that the "Contract With America" plan to
>eliminate the US Geological Survey is being backed by a fundamentalist
>congressman from Ohio.

That may be so - Gingrich may even be in favor of eliminating the
USGS, but I doubt it's because a fundy from Ohio asked for it.  My
guess is he would like to see it spun off into a private organization
for professionals - pay your fee, get your map.  I don't know what he
has in mind in exact detail, but what I _have_ seen shows a lot
shrewder mind than a simple fundy.  _Helms_, on the other hand, is
a disaster waiting to happen, but that's a political comment so I
won't make it here.  ;)

regards,
Larry Smith