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Newt Gingrich suggests strategies and policies to free-market activists
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Former Speaker Newt Gingrich addresses conference
This past weekend former House Speaker Newt Gingrich addressed a free-market conference in Arlington, Virginia and suggested political strategies and policies to the 2,000 grassroots activists in attendance. Gingrich shared the stage with members of Congress and other noteworthy speakers who encouraged the advocates to continue their fight for less government and lower taxes.
Americans for Prosperity Foundation, which has 700,000 members in all 50 states and 25 state chapters, held its third annual “Defending the American Dream Summit” at the Crystal Gateway Marriott across the Potomac from Washington, D.C. Conference participants rallied on Capitol Hill, enjoyed a banquet honoring President Ronald Reagan, heard from nationally acclaimed speakers – including Gingrich – and attended numerous workshops and issues sessions.
In his speech, the former House Speaker suggested that grassroots leaders and activists recruit candidates for public office at every level of government. He further advised that the candidates have a commitment to new solutions and to applying the principles that made the country great. He noted that while conservatives were fighting a battle of ideas, they were also getting help from Barack Obama.
“The president is helping to educate the American people,” said Gingrich.
He pointed out that while the president is pushing a government-run health insurance proposal, the people are responding and saying “That’s wrong.” He said, “A great orator with a bad philosophy teaches the country quicker.”
Gingrich also commented on President Obama’s failed attempt to bring the Olympics to Chicago by observing, “A smile and oratory doesn’t equal success.”
Gingrich, who serves as chairman of American Solutions, had critical words for the lack of success of the Administration’s trillion-dollar stimulus package:
A politician- and bureaucracy-centered spending program is not a stimulus. It’s a burden.
He said the Obama Administration should be focused on programs that would stimulate job growth and proposed four tax-cutting ideas that would lead to greater economic growth:
- Reduce payroll taxes for two years to encourage more hiring.
- Eliminate the capital gains tax, which would match the Chinese capital gains tax rate of zero, thereby increasing the ability of the U.S. to compete with China.
- Reduce the U.S. corporate tax rate of 35 percent to 12.5 percent, which is the rate in Ireland. This rate has provided a huge incentive for companies to relocate to Ireland.
- Abolish estate taxes permanently and thereby eliminate this cruel tax on savings and work.
The former Speaker also talked about energy policy and said, “We need an American energy policy using American sources of energy.”
Gingrich has been outspoken in his support for using all forms of domestic energy to supply what the U.S. needs, including wind, solar, domestic petroleum, shale oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear power and other alternatives.
As Gingrich is fond of saying, “Bowing to a Saudi king is not an energy policy.”
Gingrich announced the release of a new book he has co-authored with William R. Forstchen and Albert S. Hanser, To Try Men's Souls: A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American Freedom. The book chronicles Washington’s crossing of the Delaware and his army’s victory over the Hessian mercenaries during the Revolutionary War. It will be released by St. Martin’s Press on October 20.
Gingrich pushes tax cuts as antidote to U.S. economic woes
