GINGRICH DEMANDS LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS IMAGINARY THREAT…. Remember, as far as the media establishment goes, disgraced former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) is a “visionary” worthy of respect, despite his frequent slips into madness.

[P]erhaps the former House Speaker’s loudest applause [at the Values Voter Summit] came when he weighed in on the controversial Islamic center and Mosque proposed to be built near Ground Zero, declaring, “We as Americans don’t have to tolerate people who are supportive of violence against us, building something at the site of the violence.” “This is not about religious liberty, if they want to build that mosque in the South Bronx, frankly they need the jobs,” he continued. “But I am totally opposed to any effort to impose Sharia on the United States, and we should have a federal law that says under no circumstance, in any jurisdiction in the United States, will Sharia be used in any court to apply to any judgment made about American law.”

Note the classic non-sequitur — converting a clothing store into a community center, in Newt’s twisted mind, is part of an effort to impose Sharia on the United States. At least, that is, what he wants his easily-confused audience to believe.

But I’m especially impressed with the legislation Gingrich wants to see. To hear him tell it, we need a law to prevent U.S. courts from basing rulings on Sharia. Are there any U.S. courts doing this? Well, no. Have there ever been any U.S. courts doing this? Nope, not one. Is there any evidence at all to suggest U.S. courts might ever do this? Not even a little. This is the talking point of fringe, unhinged radicals.

But Gingrich wants a law anyway. I was disappointed he didn’t also call for a federal law that says, under no circumstances, will Bigfoot be allowed to run for Congress. Also, unicorns must not be permitted to roam the streets, and flying saucers must not land within 100 yards of a school. We must think of the children, you know.

The disgraced former Speaker added that the Democrats’ “secular socialist machine” is comparable to “radical Islamists,” and that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius relies on “the spirit of Soviet tyranny.”

Major media outlets, however, have no qualms about considering Gingrich a credible, mainstream figure.