Newt Gingrich, the bastion of conservatism who once interested America in the Contract with America, is claiming that if the Republican Party doesn’t straighten out, a credible conservative third-party could emerge.

“If the Republicans can’t break out of being the right wing party of big government, then I think you would see a third party movement in 2012,” Gingrich said Tuesday. The speech, to a group of students at the College of the Ozarks in Missouri, was recorded by Springfield TV station KY3.

But continue reading the article–Gingrich goes on to say that although he despises Obama’s increase in the budget, the latest economic crisis began under Bush, who passed the bailout packages. It’s good to see someone with such a big name in the conservative movement not playing partisan politics. Gingrich’s message is that, essentially, the Republican Party ought to say “mea culpa” and return to small government principles.

-Nock the Blogger

Tags: George W. Bush, Newt Gingrich, Third parties