The Cato Institute makes several good points in regards to Newt’s 11-point 2006 Republican strategy/personal Presidential platform planks. I, too noticed the disturbing expansion he would seek for NCLB with nationwide teachers’ standards and the big-government nationwide “voter-ID card” and increased subsidies to solve the energy problem (as opposed to, oh I don’t know, giving more freedom to the private market).

Cato also has this to say about Gingrich’s proposed 7-year balanced budget idea:

Gingrich does call for Congress to cut spending. Well, not exactly. He does not actually call for any specific spending cuts. What he proposes is budget legislation that would lead to a balanced budget in seven years. Perhaps balancing the budget takes so long because he wants to spend so much more on a national energy policy. Gingrich proposes an array of subsidies to every conceivable energy interest group and project from ethanol to hydrogen-powered cars. Of course, there’s nothing in Gingrich’s manifesto about reforming entitlement programs. That’s hardly surprising—Gingrich supported the Medicare prescription drug benefit.

I think, that while Gingrich does make several good points (enhancing border security, making English the official language, repealing death tax, etc.), these are points that most Republican candidates would embrace in 2008 anyways. What we need is to break away from Bush’s “compassionate conservatism” and embrace more free-market, limited government, and Federalist principles. Gingrich looks to be strong on issues that essentially every Presidential Candidate is going to be strong on: national defense, tax cuts, property rights, et al; it is the candidate who will embrace the Republican Study Committee principles more than mainstream Republicans who will garner my support and hopefully primary voters’ support.