Fevered Policy Dreams (Newt Gingrich edition)

When asked about new, proposed sanctions on Iran that would likely stop their export of 4 million barrels of oil per day—primarily to Europe—Newt Gingrich delivered an answer from his fantasy world (found in Gingrich Urges War with Iran and Skyrocketing Oil Prices by Juan Cole (Informed Comment):

“[…] the fact is we ought to have a massive all-sources energy program in the United States designed to, once again, create a surplus of energy here, so we could say to the Europeans pretty cheerfully, that all the various sources of oil we have in the United States, we could literally replace the Iranian oil.”

The formulation is a bit confusing, but here’s the gist:

1. Create an energy program that not only covers American needs but also any foreseeable European ones (a minor detail).
2. Come up with some way of delivering that energy to Europe (also a minor detail).
3. Sanction the shit out of Iran to force Europe into buying that energy (the easiest part, actually).
4. Profit! (and celebrate the glory of King Gingrich)

You can almost see Gingrich briskly brushing his hands together—one, two—in that quintessential motion that indicates a job well done. This accompanied by a smug smile ensconced in well-developed folds. Ignore the unfortunate happenstance that his eyes are neither pointing in the same direction nor seeing anything approaching reality—or a reality that affects anyone outside the vaulted circles in which he travels.

All of this to happen immediately or with an inconsequential delay. And costing nothing. Or little. To those who matter anyway. Why piffle about cost and time when America’s survival is at stake? Don’t you care about that? Don’t you understand, like Newt, that America creates its own reality?

This policy brought to you by the current front-runner for the GOP, the debates for which do not, apparently, preclude answers from being in the form of delusional daydreams.

Gingrich went on to dwarf the lunacy of the policy outlined above by laying out his case for attacking Iran to effect regime change. No reason required, of course, and no reason given.

The front-runner, people. This is the front-runner.

Ponies and rainbows as basis for policy. Bring. It. On.