Newt Gingrich inspired many people, rich and poor in the South Carolina debate when he spoke about the need of poor kids to earn "cash money" through hard working. Every job that a person earns money from helps a person learn the value of hard work and gives them the dignity of receiving a pay check for that hard work. Many kids in poor communities have very few save and legal job opportunities. Newt's idea of giving kids job entry level jobs at a young age will go a long way in helping them earn a higher paying job after school. The values of self discipline, hard work and commitment to a job will encourage a whole generation of young people.
Newt's speech was encapsulated in this video starting at 1:20.
There's a short excerpt of a 1988 C-SPAN video purportedly showing Newt Gingrich bashing Reagan when talking about how Bush, Sr. should run. As I suspected, it's edited to give a false impression. What you don't see is immediately after when Gingrich praises Reaganism and the Reagan platform. If you can't watch it all, it begins at about 2:30 in to confirm it's the same segment. It's the minute or two afterward you also need to hear to understand that Newt wasn't bashing Reagan at all.
He was merely saying, Bush isn't Reagan and the GOP needs something new to sell. He even points out the Reagan landslide, saying Reagan's platform won 48, or whatever states and was inclusive.
Question for those that think Newt Gingrich is attacking capitalism:
Can a person be a part of the free market system and capitalism and then do it in a unfair or corrupt way?
We have seen it in Enron and Bernie Madoff. If Newt was critical Ken Kay or Bernie Madoff for stealing money and the future of their employees would that be an attack on capitalism or on the individuals and the way they participated in the free market?
Mitt Romney has a terrible Governing record from a conservative stand point. So he is trying to run solely on his business experience. With that fact, it is completely fair to ask what type of business man was he. Are his business dealings reflective of the type of leader we want to represent the people? What has Mitt Romney and Bain Capital done that we need to know?
The free market system is the most successful economy in the world's history. But whether you have a free market system or socialist system it all comes down to how people operate in the system.
Today, would it be an attack on capitalism to criticize Enron or Bernie Madoff?
The following is a full clip of Mitt Romney's Debate for Massachusetts Governor in 2004. Mitt Romney says that he agrees with Massachusetts law allowing a minor to have an abortion without the permission of the parents as long as they have the permission of a judge. He then defends this position by saying that a judge as never refused a minor's request for an abortion. Later in the debate at one point tries to accuse Shannon O'Brian of being Pro-Life. Now there is a twist on positions. A Republican governor criticizing a democrat for being pro-life.
Here is a statement from Mitt Romney's 2002 campaign website: On Abortion Rights As Governor, Mitt Romney would protect the current pro-choice status quo in Massachusetts. No law would change. The choice to have an abortion is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not the government’s.
Through is political career we have seen Mitt Romney all over the place on the issues. Depending on the audience and electorate Mitt Romney will change is opinions and answers to questions of the issues.
In 1994 when running for Massachusetts Senator Mitt Romney ran as an alternative liberal to Ted Kennedy.
This following snapshot was take from then Governor Mitt Romney Website in 2002. This content was from is "Issues" section of the site. Notice the highlighted areas. We wonder if he feels the same way today. Sure looks like he was a democrat.
MITT ROMNEY ON THE ISSUES
On Running for Governor
Mitt Romney is convinced that Massachusetts can translate its extraordinary human and natural resources into better education, better health care and a better environment for our state’s families and citizens. The key is leadership. From his experience in the private sector and in the nonprofit world running the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake, Mitt Romney has the background and management skills to end politics as usual on Beacon Hill and make Massachusetts great.
On Taxes
Mitt Romney is in favor of low taxes and opposes repeal of the voter-approved tax rollback.
On Education
Romney/Healey Unveil Education Agenda for Massachusetts
K-Job PowerPoint Presentation
On Gay Rights
All citizens deserve equal rights, regardless of their sexual orientation. While he does not support gay marriage, Mitt Romney believes domestic partnership status should be recognized in a way that includes the potential for health benefits and rights of survivorship.
On Abortion Rights
As Governor, Mitt Romney would protect the current pro-choice status quo in Massachusetts. No law would change. The choice to have an abortion is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not the government’s.
On Minimum Wage
The minimum wage is important to our economy and Mitt Romney supports minimum wage increases, at least in line with inflation.
On Gun Control
Mitt Romney supports the strict enforcement of gun laws. He is a supporter of the federal assault weapons ban. Mitt also believes in the rights of those who hunt to responsibly own and use firearms.
On Capital Punishment
In the most grievous cases, Mitt Romney supports the death penalty.
On the Big Dig
Romney/Healey Unveil Plan for Big Dig and Beyond
Big Dig and Beyond PowerPoint Presentation
Mitt's Work Day on the Big Dig
On Housing
Romney/Healey Unveils Innovative Housing Policy
Unlocking the American Dream PowerPoint Presentation
In the State of the Union address last night President Obama announced, "General Motors is back on top as the world's #1 auto maker." Is this statement suppose to make everyone happy? Image you own stock in Ford and you hear that GM is the #1 auto company. Ford chose to work through their financial difficulties and and they are now #2 to GM.
For year GM was mismanaged and allowed the unions dictate the direction and quality of their product. Union bosses and leaders where more concerned about employee benefits then product quality. When the company was about to go bankrupt and liquidate the strongest parts of the company, employees and assets they where bailed out by the federal government.
Ford, through some poor decisions was also in need of a bailout, but they decided to work though the problems and right their ship. They did right and now have to listen the the CEO of GM, President Obama talk about how great GM. Did GM have to pay for that free advertisement?
Imagine yourself as the owner of a business in another industry and your lagest competitor is now owned by the government. You knew they where in financial trouble and where considering acquiring the best people and parts of the business to strengthen your company. But not your largest competitor is own and managed by the federal government. Would you feel like you are at a disadvantage? Would you think that this same government may look the other way when running safety tests on their products (Chevy Volt). Do you think you lost your competitive edge. What happens when the government rules in favor of their business and not yours? Who are the impartial legislators and judges? They are have a vested intrest in seeing the government run business working. Why else did they invest in it?
You see the biggest problem with government owning and operating companies in the private sector is not that they broke the law, but it is that they are now creating conflict of interests. How do they fairly represent GM and the auto safety agency that oversees the safety all products in the industry? How do they say to you as a private business owner, "Compete with us?"
A 1999 report from CNN's "Inside Politics" reports of how the Democrats tried to accues Newt Gingrich of Ethics Violations, all of which were later dropped.
Now Mitt Romney is trying to attack Newt on this same issues. Read and watch for yourself:
CNN February 3, 1999
NOTE: Of the 84 ethics charges filed (exclusively by Democrats) against Newt Gingrich, 83 were subsequently dropped due to a complete lack of merit or foundation in fact. The remaining charge is the subject of the below video. It too proved to be utterly baseless.
It's always good to keep the record straight.
TRANSCRIPT BELOW beginning with CNN's Brooks Jackson:
JACKSON (voice-over): It was legal after all. Newt Gingrich's oh-so-controversial college course that he started back in 1993, before he was speaker.
Remember how Democrats denounced it?
REP. DAVID BONIOR (D), MICHIGAN: Mr. Gingrich engaged in a pattern of tax fraud.
REP. JOHN LEWIS (D), GEORGIA: We now have a speaker under investigation for lying to the council, investigation his involvement in a massive tax-fraud scheme.
JACKSON: Tax fraud? Well, never mind. After a three-and-a-half year examination, the Internal Revenue Service -- Bill Clinton's IRS -- hasissued an official finding: no violation of tax laws. Critics said the course, which was videotaped and widely distributed, was too political; a scheme to use a tax-exempt educational foundation to promote a Republican agenda and elect Republican candidates.
But in a 74-page memorandum, the IRS said otherwise, quote: "The taught principles from American civilization that could be used by each American in everyday life, whether the person is a welfare recipient, the head of a large corporation or a politician." It said: "The course was not biased toward particular politicians, or a particular party. The facts show the class was much more than a political platform."
There was no comment from Congressman Bonior, who had accused Gingrich of tax fraud, but there was comment from the president of the foundation that sponsored Gingrich's course.
JEFF EISENSACH, PROGRESS AND FREEDOM FOUNDATION: To be vindicated, as we have been by the ultimate authority, really, the InternalRevenue Service, is about as sweet as it gets.
JACKSON: Gingrich issued a statement: "I consider this a full and complete vindication. I urge my colleagues to go back and read their statements and them, with no fact, based on nothing more than a desire to politically destroy a colleague." But ruling comes too late to help much: Gingrich has resigned from Congress, and already paid a $300,000 fine to settle House Ethics Committee charges that he made misleading statements during an investigation of the college course.
(on camera): When he settled those charges, Gingrich also agreed he should have sought better legal advice about the course, but it turns out he was right, and those who accused him of tax fraud were wrong.
