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Romney Campaign Press Release - Gingrich Attacks on Ryan Plan Ring Hollow

December 08, 2011

"Speaker Gingrich's attack on the Ryan plan as ‘right-wing social engineering' is not only wrong, but also hypocritical. Over parts of five decades in Washington, Speaker Gingrich has consistently promoted an active, expansive role for government. Conservatives know the importance of reforming the federal government and cutting spending, and it is clear they cannot count on Newt Gingrich to be a friend to their cause." —Gail Gitcho, Romney Communications Director

First In May, Then Again Last Month, Gingrich Attacked Congressman Paul Ryan's Plan As "Right-Wing Social Engineering"

Gingrich: "I Don't Think Right-Wing Social Engineering Is Any More Desirable Than Left-Wing Social Engineering." GINGRICH: "I don't think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering. I don't think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate. I think we need a national conversation to get to a better Medicare system with more choices for seniors." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/15/11)

Specifically Asked About The Ryan Plan, Gingrich Compared It To Obamacare And Labeled It "Radical Change." QUESTION: "But not what Paul Ryan is suggesting, which is completely changing Medicare." GINGRICH: "I think that that is too big a jump. I think what you want to have is a system where people voluntarily migrate to better outcomes, better solutions, better options, not one where you suddenly impose upon the ... I'm against Obamacare, which is imposing radical change, and I would be against a conservative imposing radical change." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/15/11)

Last Month, Gingrich Affirmed His Critique Of The Ryan Plan: "What I Said Was True." QUESTION: "When you said about Paul Ryan and criticized his Medicare plan and right wing social engineering..." GINGRICH: "Look, it was a technical mistake, but what I said was true. I was asked the question should Republicans impose a plan if it is deeply unpopular. And I said something that was written about, right wing social engineering is as dangerous at left wing social engineering. I had a lot of my conservative friends mad at me, but in fact, Hayek wrote it because he was right." (Fox News' "Hannity," 11/30/11)

For Years, Gingrich Has Claimed That He Opposes "Social Engineering"

In November 1994 — Days After Republicans Swept To Power In Congress — Gingrich Said "We Cannot Replace The Social Engineering By The Left With A Social Engineering Of The Right." "So far, Rep. Newt Gingrich, who will become House speaker in January, has kept his focus mostly on economic and reform issues. Gingrich has offered vague criticisms of liberal housing and education programs but with the exception of school prayer and welfare reform, two popular ideas, has spoken sparingly about social issues. ‘We cannot replace the social engineering by the left with a social engineering of the right,' Gingrich said Tuesday night." (John King, "Republicans Determined To Avoid Divisive Fights On Social Issues," The Associated Press, 11/16/94)

"Mr. Gingrich Has Frequently Said He Doesn't Want To Replace ‘The Social Engineering Of The Left With Social Engineering Of The Right.'" ("GOP Unable To Sit Under Single Tent," The Baltimore Sun, 1/1/95)

However, Gingrich Has A Long And Varied History Of Proposals That Could Be Described As "Social Engineering"

The Washington Post's Jennifer Rubin: "[Gingrich Is] The Personification Of What He Inveighs Against: Right-Wing Social Engineering." "Whatever the latest technology fashion or scientific trend ... Gingrich has always been ready to leap first, fork over taxpayers' money and save the nitty-gritty details for later. ... In this regard he's the personification of what he inveighs against: right-wing social engineering. ... Is there any reason to believe government could take on all his ventures without running up a bill and doing most of them poorly?" (Jennifer Rubin, "Gingrich Was For Cap-And-Trade And Lots Of Other Things," The Washington Post's "Right Turn," 12/5/11)

Columnist Jonah Goldberg: "A Constant Theme Of Gingrich's Career Is A Desire To Use Government To Fix The Culture." (Jonah Goldberg, Op-Ed, "Gingrich The Compassionate," Los Angeles Times, 12/6/11)

Gingrich Has Said He Does Not "Favor ... Passive, Lean, Inactive Government." QUESTION: "Several years ago you described yourself as a ‘Jeffersonian populist.' Could you please explain that?" GINGRICH: "It's one of the points I make to conservatives who often describe themselves as ‘Jeffersonian conservatives.' It usually means they want passive, lean, inactive government.  That I would never favor, nor did Jefferson." ("A Conversation With Newt Gingrich," The Ripon Forum, 5/89)

Gingrich Called For "Universal" DNA Testing In An October 2005 Speech In South Carolina. "Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich called for sweeping nationwide health care reform and praised Gov. Mark Sanford's proposed Medicaid reform program Wednesday ... The Georgia Republican called for the computerization of all of the nation's health records, universal but confidential DNA testing, increased competition between drug companies and the creation of personalized health care accounts." (Peter Frost, "Gingrich Speaks On Hilton Head," The Island Packet, 10/13/05)

Gingrich Wants The Government To Offer A $20 Billion Prize For A Manned Mission To Mars. "In a glimpse of what his candidacy might look like, [Gingrich] said he would shut down public schools that aren't performing and offer a $20 billion reward for the first private company that successfully completes a Mars mission. ‘Somebody would be there and back about 40 percent of the way into the NASA process,' he said." (Ben Evans, "Gingrich Forecasts GOP Losses In 2008," The Associated Press, 6/9/07)

  • Washington Post, 1984: "[Gingrich] Sees A Futuristic World That Includes A Mammoth Industrial Policy For Outer Space." (Myra MacPherson, "Party At The Crossroads," The Washington Post, 8/24/84)
  • Tax Credits For Space Manufacturing And Space Tourism: GINGRICH: "There ought to be tax credits for manufacturing in space and tax credits for developing commercial flights into near space for space tourism so we build a very robust launch program in the private sector." (Gregory Anderson, "A Few Words With Newt Gingrich," The Space Review Blog, 5/15/06)

Gingrich Wants To "Pay Students In Poor Neighborhoods To Take Math And Science Classes." "Gingrich also said China and India form a unique competitive threat to U.S. prosperity. ... In the future, ‘China will graduate eight times as many engineers as we do. We'll graduate more lawyers,' he said. One way to correct that is to pay students in poor neighborhoods to take math and science classes, which could be taught by people with math and science backgrounds who may not have teaching certificates." (David Yepsen, "Gingrich Talking, Acting Like A GOP Standard-Bearer," Des Moines Register, 8/16/05)

Earlier This Year, Gingrich Floated The Idea That Americans Should Be Required To Study History Before Being Allowed To Vote. GINGRICH: "Folks often talk about immigration. I always say that to become an American citizen, immigrants ought to have to learn American history. But maybe we should also have a voting standard that says to vote, as a native born American, you should have to learn American history. You realize how many of our high school graduates because of the decay of the educational system, couldn't pass a citizenship test." (Newt Gingrich, Remarks at the Georgia Republican Party Convention, 5/13/11)

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Mitt Romney, Romney Campaign Press Release - Gingrich Attacks on Ryan Plan Ring Hollow Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/298342

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