Some Republicans embrace 'Party of No'

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NEW ORLEANS, April 9 (UPI) -- Some in the GOP balked at Newt Gingrich's rebranding of it as the "Party of Yes" at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, observers say.

After Gingrich urged attendees Thursday to drop the antithesis "party of no" label by focusing on their own ideas rather than reacting to Democratic ideas, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal Friday distanced themselves from the former House Speaker, saying their party shouldn't apologize for the moniker, The Hill reported.

"Let's be clear: A bad idea is a bad idea, and shame on us for being afraid to say so," Jindal said. He added that, when it comes to bad ideas, "We shouldn't just be the 'party of no,' we should be the 'party of hell no.'"

"There is no shame in being the 'party of no' if the other side proposes something that violates our Constitution and conscience," Palin said.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has been mentioned as a 2012 candidate for president, gave a speech outlining in four points his vision of good government:

"(A) fair tax structure, predictable regulatory structure, a legal system that doesn't allow over-suing and an accountable school system that yields skilled workers," Perry said. "That's it. That's it. Then get out of the way and let the private sector do what the private sector does best."