"It's not good enough to attack Nancy Pelosi or attack Governor Dean. They've got to take responsibility."

I was listening to a podcast of last Sunday's "Face The Nation" (available on iTunes) and was surprisingly impressed by what Newt Gingrich had to say about the current problems surrounding the Republican party and the realities they need to face. No doubt he was somewhat downplaying all the GOP scandals for the benefit of his party, but it was refreshing to hear a call for proactive changes in the way government runs and to speak to the American people about those changes.

Gingrich:

"Well, I think that this coming year, 2006, is going to be a very big year of decision for Republicans. We have to be the party of reform. We can't just be the party of pork barrel. And there are a number of serious questions about it. I think changing some of the rules, as it relates to lobbyists; changing some of the rules, as it relates to elections. I'm very uncomfortable with some of the things I've learned and seen over the last year, as I think most Americans are, and I think Republican leadership in the House and Senate have to confront being recommited as the party of reform, and not trying to defend things that are, frankly, not defendable.

... I think this whole system has grown, frankly, a little sick with insiders raising money for insiders to re-elect insiders to do favors for insiders...

I think any time the American people get angry, the majority is in danger. And in this case, Republicans have to recognize they have the president, they have the House, they have the Senate. It's not good enough to attack Nancy Pelosi or attack Governor Dean. They've got to take responsibility. I think we have every reason to think we can get re-elected this year, this coming year, but only if we adopt the right kind of procedures. I think we've got to be seen as a party that is fixing the problem, not as a party that's trying to explain or defend the problem."

Democrats too best take note of this. Critiquing the other party's failures is important (although as Katrina showed, the American people are good at figuring out on their own when their government has failed them), but you can't win if that's the entire strategy. You need also to put forth solutions to the problems you're discussing. It's a lesson the Democrats should heed if they really expect to win the upcoming Congressional election battles this year.

PS- Via the Washington Post, Gingrich states that Tom Delay has got to go.