(CNN) - Newt Gingrich proposed a plan Friday that would allow poor children to clean their schools for money, saying such a setup would both allow students to earn income and endow them with a strong work ethic.
Speaking at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, the former House Speaker said his system would be an improvement on current child labor laws, which he called "truly stupid."
"It is tragic what we do in the poorest neighborhoods, entrapping children in child laws which are truly stupid," Gingrich said. "Saying to people you shouldn't go to work before you're 14, 16. You're totally poor, you're in a school that's failing with a teacher that's failing."
Gingrich then proposed a system he said would help those students rise from poverty.
"I tried for years to have a very simple model. These schools should get rid of unionized janitors, have one master janitor, pay local students to take care of the school. The kids would actually do work; they'd have cash; they'd have pride in the schools. They'd begin the process of rising."
Gingrich pointed to successful acquaintances as examples of the benefits of beginning a job early in life.
"Go out and talk to people who are really successful in one generation," Gingrich said. "They all started their first job at 9 to 14 years of age. They are selling newspapers, going door to door, washing cars. They were all making money at a very young age. What do we say to poor kids in poor neighborhoods? Don't do it. Remember all the stuff about not getting a hamburger-flipping job? Worst possible advice to give the poor children."
Gingrich said his idea would be "making work worthwhile" for children.
From CNN Politics
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Great idea! Let's repeal the Child Labor laws so we can lower the costs of schools. And then we can lower taxes! Newt and the rest of his Republicans come up with some great stuff. Let's just repeal the 19th and 20th centuries. Everything was great in 1700.
What a terribly misleading headline. Please be more honest.
so Newt's great plan to address poverty is to create a workforce of poor kids.
wow
The rethugs are constantly showing their true colors. they just can't help themselves. now Newt is openly supporting child labor. wow, can repeal of the minimum wage and the 40-hour week be far behind?
What an idiot- put the poor kids who really need the money to work taking care of the school rather than do homework or participate in other activities such as clubs or athletics! I am all for programs that instill pride and work ethics,but having students work to take care of school grounds is not the way to promote loyalty!
That's insane, like creating indentured servants out of unfortunate students whose only "sin" is having poor parents. When would these kids have time for homework or, you know, playing, being kids?
Has he lost his mind? People say he believes he is the smartest person in the room...yeah right.
The repubs are actively trying to turn the U.S. into a third world country.
next it will be drilling rigs and coal mines or Pages for Republican Senators..naw been there done that
It's even more tragic that people legitimately want children to work several hours after school while having homework to deal with.
Why there ARE anti child labor laws?
To prevent poor children to help their families (as Gingrich believes)?
Or to allow poor children to have an education and a future?
The guy is living in the early 1900's.
Put children to work and get rid of unions. I wouldn't be surprised if Newt shot a load in the drawers after that piece of brilliance.
Well look how well it works in prison. the guys cleaning the place have access to smuggled contraband that makes them money.
Great idea there, Gingrich. Train poor kids to be janitors at a young age. That way, they won't have any expectations later. Geez, why not treat poor kids like rich kids and prepare them for excellence? Does Gingrich suggest that poor kids should be mentored by financial analysts? Or intern at computer tech companies? Nope. Take this mop and bucket, kid. Gingrich is possibly the biggest idiot to ever hold the gavel.
He made one good point, and then completely ruined it in a way only Newt can manage.
Is it me or is it just this man is as he put it, Stupid it.
Oh My God! Newt wants to go back to children doing labor in schools for money. Isn't a grade enough Newt? Then they will be dragged back into the mines and factories. Republicans are slowly undermining everything positive about labor for the last 100 years.
I actually think the idea of deunionization of teachers will be a boon for the economy myself! I had some miserible teachers in my life and cannot stand them myself with their complaining about pay an d or benefits. Well, maybe we should rise the standards on ouor communities by not talking down to our children like 4th graders till they graduate. We should also have simulated examples of real-life examples of work in economics to history of our nation. Money management should be taught ever couple of year and the cost of normal items to what they will be in a few years with inflation to anything for that matters. Likewise, we should teach them tat liberal art majors aren't very profitable and to go into science, mathematics and not history or political science. By the way, liberals and conservatives out there listening tha I'm an independent and realize our existing system is stupid and inaffective.
I actually find myself agreeing with this!! I started delivering newspapers at age 12, and it gave me an incredible work ethic. I work with kids whose parents totally took care of them, and they didn't get their jobs until 16 or 17, and they were only during summer. Now they don't like to work, where I enjoy a productive day. Get this idea moving!!
Good onya Newt... You are the man to get America moving again...
Oh yeah, Newt, let's put the kids to work at schools with the janitor perps... wonderful idea. Stay home with your third wife, dufus.
The problem is that without those laws radical situations arise that don't bother to just install a simple work ethic in our children. They turn our children into slave labor. That was the reason the law was put in place in the first place. To protect them from that abuse. It's easy to voice an opinion on a law without studying up on history enough to know why it was put in place in the first place.
Newt, is this only for kids in poor schools, mostly minorities, so they can "rise?" How about applying your proposal to middle-class and affluent schools too? You seem to be targeting the poor here. Plus you want to get rid of unionized janitors. Another GOP attempt at killing off unions. No wonder the 99% are against your elitism!
So the old and the less fortunate are not enough for the GOP to use for their own personal gain. Now Newt want to extend it to only less fortunate children. Pure Vile and Senile and out right disgusting. How about the rich kids like yours clean their class rooms too?
Gingrich's stupidest comment sofar. Why not raise the standard of education in the US? It's clear that the former Speaker of the House lacks a bit in his own education. A good education is the key to a fulfilled life. Not abolishing laws that prevent exploitation of children. Shame on you Newt!!!
I am not fan of either side but I am with you when you right! Ginrich hit the mark with this one.
Hey Newt, I can't believe you actually said that. You are even worse than I thought. Wait, I'll bet that goes over real big with the republicans. That kind of thing is right up their alley.
Can you imagine what the other students would toss just to get the poor kid to clean it up? Yuk
Oh my. That's an interesting proposal. Many on the right will embrace it, but will not win Gingrich nomination.
Great idea. Kids who work young develop an ethic.
I guess he just sealed his campaign with a "LOST" label.
The only work 9-14 yr olds should be concentrating on is homework for school. Now if Newt Ginrich's plan were to call for making janitorial services mandatory for rich kids, I'd be all for it. It might give them a sense of perspective and empathy for what is means to be part of the working poor in this country.
It is so easy to talk about the poor when you have no idea what the poor face daily. I've not come across anyone's opinion that is worth $1.6M dollars. Maybe he should clean a school or two to reconnect with real Americans.
Agreed totally. No different from chores and allowances, only this would feel more real for the kids, and like Newt said, would give them a sense of pride in the result of their product. Among many other positive results.
Are you kidding me?? you just want a cheaper way to teach the poor that they are gonna be janitors whan the grow up. Newt ,you are so out of touch with the real people it is sickening. You just want it to go back too the old days of child slavery for the rich, disguting. Your mom should have named you Dick!
Gingrich nobly suggests getting rid of unionized labor and giving their jobs to their kids for peanuts - and that's not a euphemism, he would literally pay them peanuts.
While that is really not a bad idea at all, I am sure someone would scream child abuse and slave labor. This proposal would be a lot better than having them hang out in the streets or with gang bangers.
He makes a good point. I won't vote for him, but I think he's right on this issue.
Hmm, I don't know how many ways this is wrong, but let me point out one:
He wants to put janitors out of work and have students in poor schools take their jobs?
The worst form of 'class warfare' has got to be killing the middle class and replace them with underage labor.
Please GOP... please vote for Gingrich over Romney... please I beg you! I need a something funny to laugh at until next November.
Wow! So let me see...
according to:
Herman Cain, if you are poor in America it is your own fault...
Michelle Bachman those occupy Wall Street protesters just need to "get a job"...
another Republican Senator we don't have a job problem – there are 3 1/2 million jobs that Americans just won't take...
and now we can just take jobs away from poor families and give them to kids...
Please God, don't let me be standing next to a Republican on Judgment Day! I promise...I'll be good from now on!
These people are heartless!
What an idiot. I guess he missed the entire chapter of American history where children as young as 6 were cruelly exploited for labor exactly such as this, and worse. It's the ADULTS responsibility to ensure the cleanliness of schools, not the poor kids who attend them. He and his retroactive, cruel, heartless ideas disgust me
So he's a socialist after all.
Gingrich must still be living in the Industrial Revolution...He thinks child labor is opportunity vs oppression. Wow!
and why not? Seems logical to me.... oh, that's right, becaus emost of the workers will be minorities..... PLEASE..... stop it and just work your way out of poverty.....
That is, without a doubt, the single most truly stupid idea I have ever heard, and if it weren't coming from a mouth like Gingrich, I wouldn't take it seriously. But he's no Jonathan Swift, and this is no satire akin to "A Modest Proposal." No, thiis windbag is serious, people, and if you want to keep a dangerous, truly stupid windbag from having a shot at the highest office in the land, DON'T GO TO SLEEP THIS ELECTION. Here ended the lesson.
And that sound you hear are his presidential hopes crashing. Hard.
I sure don't remember him saying this. Throw out the unionized janitors, who are probably supporting a family, give the jobs to the kids for a cheaper wage and give unemployment and food stamps to the janitors and their families. Make sense?
Would Newt Gingrich allow his child to clean schools? Does he truly believe that young people can do the job of a custodian? Could he be any more belittling to those who work in our schools and keep them clean and keeping all systems working!
Children do not have a work ethic because parents do not encourage them to help at home. They do not go out and help shovel snow from yards. They do not rake leaves, etc. We have lawn companies, plowing companies, etc. to do that work. Children are not asked to put things away in their rightful places. There is always someone there to do it for them. Of course, the tv and video games take up a lit of time.
Having children work in the schools is just another example of how little Mr. Gingrich about custodial work, how little he knows about work ethics, and how little he knows about American History. Child labor laws were established for a purpose and as a historian he should not make light of that fact by calling them stupid.
Is he serious??? Sorry, but I don't see how a bunch of 10-year-olds (or whatever age – maybe even 5 years?) could be an effective work force – under a single "master" janitor. Are you going to have them work with hazardous cleaning chemicals? When would they do the work? Before school, after school? How about transportation? Do away with child labor laws? What would they get paid? Oh, I know – find out the going rate for a 7-year-old in Bangladesh. What a blasted IDIOT.
How about you propose a way to stop so many schools from failing, Newt? That would be a much better solution than training the children of the poor for the career of janitor you're trying to set aside for them.
It is true, I started working at 14 at the Boston Public Library fo th summer and then at McDonalds, I taught myself to save money and my mother taught me not to expect anything but to earn everything.
Its a wonderful idea.
I'm worried about potential abuses however. Mainly, over-working kids, eligibility, SAFETY (especially if these kids are in schools after hours).
Planned, organized, supervised and implemented correctly it could work!
The kids will learn some work ethic, have a vested interest in their school (at least more than they did), and earn some money.
Having a job early in high school was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me in regards to teaching work ethic(lets face it HS does not teach any work ethic of any sort)...other than splitting wood at my parents cabin for 5 hours....
?? are all the GOP candidates on a path to self-destruct ??
Maybe when they grow up they can even become a congressman, or maybe ven a lobbyist with a 500k account at Tiffany's ? Sure hope those poor kids can grow up and feel like they are a part of the establishment.
Anyone who thought that the GOP candidates weren't working to turn us into China? Well here is your proof. What next Newt, sweatshops? What about putting them back into mines to get into small ore areas? Or how about cleaning your house instead of illegals?
Newt Gingrich just showed how he is the 1% and wants the 99% to be their slaves.
Allowing teens to work is acceptable if there are strong enough laws in place to prevent exploitation of young people and provisions which do not permit work to take precedence over education. Obviously a country would not be well served by encouraging large numbers of children to skip education in order to start to build a personal fortune at an early age. Work can definitely build character but the choice, especially for the disadvantaged, should never be between work and education in a nation as rich as the U.S.
Gingrich just killed his own campaign
Gingritch is an idiot
I'm a Republican, but if Gingrich is nominated, I'm voting for Obama. At least Obama doesn't chaet on his wife.
And what does he plan to do with the people who clean schools now? The ones who are grown up and need the job to feed their families?
I'm sure the "poor kids' appreciate offer to "...begin the process of rising" by cleaning up after the rich kids. I guess if you aren't growing up poor there's no need for a strong work ethic.
So, poor kids have bad work ethics? You want them to be Janitors? You are a fat idiot!How about making sure that the poor schools don't look like poor schools? Inside and out. A school in a neighborhood where the kids are from "Poor" families should look no different than one where the parents are upper income. This isn't Robin Hooding, this is providing an equal education. If tax dollars targeted for schools in a state were then placed in a single account and then doled out equally, we would not be having these conversations. I also believe that districts should make an effort to get corporations to sponsor a school each. You want a corporate tax break? Sponsor a school.
I can't even believe he said this.
What does a millionaire republican know about impoverished neighborhoods and students from poor families? Students have a job: to go to school and do homework.
Newt happens to be exactly right about this. "Progressive" reformist overkill has messed this country up.
A candidate proving once again.......you have no idea how the real world works. Besides the obvious flaws, how does laying off unionized custodians help the unemployment rate?
This wouldn't be a bad idea except that it comes from someone who get millions from just being "available"! Share the wealth you putz...
Newt doesn't have a chance at the nomination, too many people remember his jerkish behavior during the 80s, such as divorcing his wife while she was in the hospital with cancer. He's simply the flavor of the week so the GOP can pretend that Mitt Romney isn't the only halfway viable candidate in the group. And even he has no chance of defeating Obama.
Newt needs to get a job cleaning toilets and the first toilet he should clean is the toilet right under his nose.
Newt Gingrich – Fast forward USA to 3rd world country
Child labor laws "truly stupid."?!? Newt is Truly an Idiot!!
Child labor laws were passed to keep children out of dangerous factories but what do they want now families to send their kids there for income?
So, our 'beloved' Newt distorts Obama's statement about POLICYMAKERS being lazy by not taking a more global view, earlier, and says that Obama meant that Americans are lazy (No, Newt, it's YOU). Now he thinks making our poorest kids clean johns will impart work ethics and pride. Only someone in the top 1% would be so dismissive. He has no clue how much the 99 % are hurting. We need the jobs HE and his CORPORATE BEDFELLOWS sent abroad! VOTE THEM OUT!
Bush had 8 years to dig this pit; shouldn't Obama have the same time to get us out?
Current child labor laws are "truly stupid"? Huh. I guess someone really doesn't want to be president.
I wonder if Mr. Gingrich ever sold newspapers, sold items door to door, washed cars, or did janitorial work to make money, either as a child or an adult? I doubt it.
So much has been made of birth places..., just where was Newt Gingrich born? Has anyone seen his birth certificate.., the long version? That really needs to be done. That name sounds just a little foreign. And, which of the 400 or so brands of Christianity support him and his child labor theory? Seems like you can't get anywhere in the Republican party without it. Then again, it seems to be failing Ms. Bachman and Gov. Perry.
Are you kidding?? Oh, let the poor kids clean the toilets and the floors and the cafeteria. It's not 1931, Newt!! And what's this labeling of "poor kids"?? Those "other" kids that live far far away from YOUR kids. Horrible man here with no understanding of life– he's into all those archaic ideas of how to get poor people out of the way. Hey.. go sell newspapers and get accosted by a Jerry Sandusky. Have you ever worked in a menial job, Newt?? I don't think so. You with all your high price budgets for necklaces and bracelets. Newt is a fraud. Throw the poor kids a bone, right?
This plan presumes a benevolent and moral employer. If we lived in an ideal world, where kids weren't abused and taken advantage of with alarming consistency, this would be a good idea. But we don't live in that world. Apparently, there are no Dickens novels on planet Newt.
Remove the professional cleaning staff that uses harsh chemicals and works full time as it is to make the poor kids – not the rich ones, that wouldn't go over well down at the country club – slave away. Rich kids get janitors; poor kids get mops. Because of course we can't fund all schools equally – wouldn't be 'Merican! This is inches from Oliver Twist. What a sick pile of goo this guy is.
This disgusts me beyond belief. How out of touch can a politician be with those outside of the 1%? So, he wants poor kids to clean up after their contemporaries? Would they be taken out of class to do this? Would it be mandatory (must be since he's firing the union workers)? These kids should be encouraged to study and achieve, but he wants to kick them down and teach them how to be subservient. Does he plan on hiring middle class kids as teachers & secretaries? Will the rich kids be appointed principal & superintendent? Perhaps kids should be employed as cancer nurses so they can keep patients company during their treatments while their sack of s#!t husbands file for divorce.....
Are you kidding?? Oh, let the poor kids clean the toilets and the floors and the cafeteria. It's not 1931, Newt!! And what's this labeling of "poor kids"?? Those "other" kids that live far far away from YOUR kids. Horrible man here with no understanding of life– he's into all those archaic ideas of how to get poor people out of the way. Hey.. go sell newspapers and get accosted by a Jerry Sandusky. Have you ever worked in a menial job, Newt?? I don't think so. You with all your high price budgets for necklaces and bracelets. Newt is a fraud. Throw the poor kids a bone, right?
typical, one the one hand Republicantts like newt here talk out of one side of their fat power hungry money grubbing mouth about "Education, Education, the boy needs an Education"....bu the first sign they can start making a buck form child labour, THAT'S the score right there.......yeah newt, I guess you may need those little hands to polish the inside of casings....really stupid idea...so I guess newt, you aren't for education....typical
"The kids would actually do work; they'd have cash; they'd have pride in the schools."
Another pathetic effort to undermine labor by eliminating child labor laws. How about stop cutting education budgets while spending more money building prisons and imprisoning more youth from poor neighborhoods? How about improving education, make schools and parents more accountable, teach kids to enjoy learning, and maybe they would actually take pride in their schools?
WOW, newt has lost his mind.
How elitist of him. Working for pennies in next-to-slavery janitorial service isn't going to help anyone "rise" from poverty. Getting a good, solid education and instilling that in their children will. I was a poor white boy cleaning my private school for the tuition to attend. To me it wasn't worth it. I can't help but think this man wouldn't be happier than to see little poor white, black, and latino children cleaning schools.
It's not that I have a problem with paying poor children to work in their schools. My husband's first job was that same thing and he was just in junior high.
But the problem I have with it is that you then lay off all those adults with families to support. So then their kids drop into poverty. It's kind of six of one and half dozen of the other.
Gingrich should be in JAIL for his crimes, but he should never be release cause these remarks!
How thoughtful of you to suggest that kids who feel low because they're poor, should be allowed to get a little lower and clean schools! Sorry buddy, but you missed your mark! Those who HAVE, have no idea what it's like to HAVE NOT! These kids are lucky they can go to school, often without shoes like others have and clothes that came from the Salvation Army. Small wonder most of them quit as soon as they can. Put your thinking cap on Newt and come up with something better.
Just..Wow. This sounds good in theory... I guess. Of course this is the same mind set amongst the child sweat shop owners of the world as well. This is just another way of getting cheap labor. Is this how we should fix the problem of child poverty....exploit the kids. We all know that it would start off as something innocent, and then we would start hearing the stories of children basically being held in slavery because of some nutjob in charge, or stories of horrific injuries caused by exposure to the chemicals or machinery. and lets not forget about the potential of some pedophile getting his or her hands on a desparate child. Yeah schools are gonna open themselves up to that. Also, who is gonna let their 9 year old go to work cleaning up his or her school. What's wrong with offering the same jobs to the parents? Wouldn't that be an even better solution? Oh and that "generation" he is talking about was in a different time when the world we live in was a lot different. Must be great to rich and above it all.
This guy is totally nuts. Sure it's great when kids can earn money and develop a work ethic, but have the poor kids clean the school like they are servants for the rich kids? Maybe they should all get lessons in email scamming and selling old rope the way Gingrich does. 33 million this year alone. Disgusting individual!
Gingrich is out of touch. Poor kids already try to get jobs as soon as they are old enough. When they do get jobs, the money doesn't go toward themselves, it goes to helping out their families. And since their parents are probably both working long hours, they also babysit the younger ones, do their homework, and do house chores. At least that is how my life as a poor child was.
And when exactly has Newt Gingrich had a real job? "Professional politician" and "professional lobbyist" don't count.
Child labor laws were put into place to protect children from dangerous jobs and to keep them from being sent to work instead of school. Gingrich has a short memory for a historian!
That's a horrible idea! I wouldn't want my child cleaning toilets, breathing chemicals and picking up after other children for a few bucks because we know that they would not earn a decent wage.
There are lots of foolish laws. One comes to mind is how can a disgraced fat crook who has a history of failure and thievery legally/illegal be allowed to run for the highest LEGAL position in this country. He needs to spend his time cleaning toilets and schools for food stamps[Whoops the last thing he needs is food stamps]or donate his salary to the needy not the GREEDY like himself. Hopefull his notoriety will dissapear as his life stylye and records become more openly public.
My God, this man truly is a monster.
Are you serious? So put children in unsanitary conditions, sounds like a great idea to me. What is this dude smoking?
What a pig – how about instead of forcing our poor children into labor, we pay their parents a decent living wage. What an idiot. Typical republican mindset...use and abuse the poor.
Hmmm, let's see.....Fire the adult janitors and put their kids in their place. Unemployed adults, and kids doing labor. The Newt will bring us back to the sweatshop era if it kills us!
It is Gingrich who is truly stupid. Instead of striving to help families keep kids in school and get as educated as possible, and thus help our economy in global market, he thinks it's great idea to revert to Dickensian times and give kids incentive to work too young, eventually quit school early and thus live out their lives in poverty. What does he care? The Gingrich kids and their cohorts no doubt had all the resources they needed to continue their education as far as possible.
Successful people all started working when they were 9? Maybe in movies, but I seem to recall that sociological studies have shown that the vast majority of successful people are above all very highly educated. In today's world, relevant work experience doesn't begin until the college years at the earliest.
Kids need good jobs, but for some folks religion is a great motivator too! Check out http://www.isitacult.com and see whether our thousands of visitors think your religion is a cult.
It is tragic letting Newt to hold the microphone, so much stupidity coming from him while making millions on it, that you wonder in sanity of Americans.
Please sir, may I have some more?
This could work! The poor can attend the same classes, but after lunch they can clear the plates for the rich kids. After school, when the rich kids are studying and advancing their opportunities for a great career, the poor kids can stay late and mop the floors. In Gingrich's world this all works out. This will prepare the poor kids for a minimum wage career later in life – taking care of rich people. The poor stay poor (or die), and the rich get richer. Everyone remains in their proper economic station in life. Newt for President!
I had a paper route at 11. That was MY choice. I don't think any kid wants to be a janitor for their school while attending class there. Next he'll be saying that children can be hired to dig ditches, too. Probably only wants to pay the kids 50 cents an hour or less also.
Yep Newtie – get rid of unionized janitors and hire slave labor in the form of poor black and latino children. That's the future for the poor – slavery, again.
I wish I could trust Newt to really care for 'poor ' kids!! I do not!! By firing the union janitors and giving their jobs to 'poor kids' I see slave labor for the kids and loss of jobs for the janitors!! I don't trust Newt on any issue except to be the Snake he is!!
PS!! Boehner cleaned up his fathers bar when he was a kid. Look how he turned out. The worst speaker of the house ever [at least since Ginhrich] only Boehner has earned his failure by putting the screws to the AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE GUIDINGAND HELPING instead oof hiring stooges to prey on the civil rights of legitimate protestors. Hopefully he will be gone back to bar cleaning in the 2012 melection.
So, instead of both parents working to keep a roof over their family's head, it's going to be just like when my grandparents were kids. "Sorry junior, i would love for you to go to school and learn something, but i need you to go to work instead." With no one in school, it makes it easier for the republicans to have their canon fodder for their next big oil war.
You're a fool, Newt. There are no laws that say children can't run paper routes. I myself ran paper routes, bailed hay, and did yard work w/o these phantom menace union masters trying to stop it. These kids today can also legally run a paper route, do yardwork, etc.
I know you can't wait to exploit children in your buddy's coal mines, but you should really try a different phantom menace.
Reminds of his orphanage recommendation for poor kids back in the 90's. Remarkable...
Great idea. Let's replace adult jobs with under privileged students and continue to perpetuate divisions among economic classes between students AND by eliminating more jobs for adults. I love republicans. They have the most awesomest ideas. (Note: grammar and spelling checkers need not reply)
He wants adults to work to 80, take away their pensions, take away their healthcare, welfare, education and make the kids start work at 9 years old...this man is a monster...make him work, take all his money off him and give him back his dignity, if he feels working hard makes the man then siting on his ass taking millions for dumb advice that a $5 hotdog vendor could give, maybe he should try working for a living instead of trying to take america back into the age of dickens, workhouses, poor house, slave labor, debtors prison and contract labor.
This man stoops to the lowest leavels anyone could stoop from adulterer to workhouse bully...."HUMBUG!"
unbelievably out of touch with reality.....maybe he would like a few minority kids cleaning his car...how about his shoes...? What a fool....
Taking away full-time hours, sometimes with benefits, from poorer parents with children. What a short-sighted moron, but we knew this 12 years ago.
Yes, that's right. Child labor laws are stupid. Now you tell us Newt. What were we thinking all this time? These little ingrates should have the opportunity to work after hours in the same schools that they'll be attending a few short hours after their shifts end. They just need to buck up and figure out when they'll get their homework done and they'll need to realize that time for character-building extracurricular activities are for the haves not for the have nots. And maybe the fact that their parents are no longer allowed to earn a decent wage as janitors will supplant the value of extracurricular stuff anyway-mom and dad not having a job will surely help to build even more character. Thanks for the lesson Newtie!
So many issues raised here...instilling a work ethic in children is a very important lesson. But Mr. Gringrich has made me uneasy with this proposal. He's willing to eliminate a union and replace at least some of the workers with children. He also seems to limit this to the people of lower socio economic status. He seems to imply that this lesson needed only by the poor, and thus by extension, a chils is poor, and grows up to be a poor adult because they have no work ethic. Work ethic is instilled by the parents, priviledged or not. Being divisive and elitist is no way to being America together.
Poor neighborhoods... Single "Master" janitor... Child labor... This sounds awfully familiar...
Yes Newt, lets break the back of those unions with child labor. Them kids don't need no education, especialy in your world were they would all be slaves anyway. You're truly stupid Gingich, and the only ones any denser are the ones who follow you.Lets get those sweat shops back workin again Newt, you and your bro's could make a bundle off of that huh? It's hard to beleive human being come as disgusting as this animal.
Why didn't he just come out and say it....slave labor..what an ass.
Lol.. Kids can't even clean their own rooms so what makes you think they will clean their own school.
Sure, Newt, you say pay them but if the time comes (it won't), you will just make them do it for nothing.
Our children have the "job" of going to school for an education, not to clean the schools. The Newster is a complete idiot.
Shouldn't the poor kids especially be studying instead of working so they have a chance at a better future?
this is wrong in so many ways, I don't even know where to start,
So the rich kids could laugh at the poor kids lets Creat more rich bully's
Corporate greed wants a society of cheap exploited labor.
I remember when poor kids had to clean the lunch tables in order to eat. I know that my mother and her sisters did not have food for lunch when they went to school and had to work for their lunch. They were ridiculed, bullied and ostracized by peers (and teachers!!!) THis man is soooooooooooooooo obnoxiiously arrogant, I am about to hyperventilate. SOMEBODY PLEASE ... call him out on this!!!!!
Most Americans are too sorry to work.
I don't know if I agree with Gingrich on this, but I do agree that the American work ethic has really diminished over the last few generations.
He needs to go clean the schools.
leave the children alone. get jobs for their parents
We have coal mines, farm equipment, garbage collection, stock boys that we can bust their unions too with child labor, this is of course the goal of this lizard....I so hate that slimmy Newt.
I can think of soon many reasons why this simplistic and not thought out idea is useless and even dangerous.
No Newt is good Newt.
I saw and heard the same speech and you are truly twisting his words.
Gingrich can't help but join the GOP clown parade? He's only he'd the "lead" in the polls for a couple days and he puts his foot in his mouth? The law in most states let's kids as young as 14 work with parent permission. This tub-of-lard should know full well the history of child exploitation and endangerment that led to laws protecting children and mandating public education. Gingrich disgusts me.
I do not disagree with kids working smaller jobs. Gingrich continues to speak out of his blowhole .12 year old kids acting as custodians which would mean handling hazardous materials and have responsibilities and need knowledge beyond the training typical of a 12 year old. This fat blow hard obviously has no concern for anyone other than the corporations that feed him.
Boy, Newt let that cat out of the bag too soon. Of course the GOP wants to get rid of ALL unions and replace the workers with cheap labor. They want to strip away the regulations, get rid of the "pesky" laws governing their businesses, and reduce the taxes on their "hard won" profits. Putting kids back to work is a great idea. It will bring us fully back into the robber baron era when they do away with all of the social services. Do republicans actually believe this is what our country should become? How awful !! Don't they read history?
This is truly the man to beat. Despite the fact he doesn't have movie star looks, this man has substance. Some stumbles along the way like many politicians, I still believe Gingrich can help us "raise" this country. His idea in this news story is typical of common sense. If the kids had a chance to clean their schools, it may make a world of difference, not to mention the socializing, ethical and working skills they learn along the way. Don't let the words "poor kids' do anything to screw up your view. ("Rich kids" wouldn't clean schools.... but hey, I would leave it open to ALL kids who wanted to clean their schools and ALL kids should get equal credit--not just the rich. Gingrich just makes sense.
Ok, now we know, it's Not the dems or Obama who support 'class war'. It's good old insensitive, idiotic, a-historic, pompous Newt Gingrich!
The man has no shame and no conscience. He dreams of feudalism and indentured servitude. Do you know what kind of bullying and abuse the kids would be exposed to who do the school cleaning for the rich kids????
Can you see how the kids will just mess up the facilities for the heck of it, because they know it's the poor kids who'd clean it up?
You call that a school system that grows citizens for a democracy? Oh no, upper class and the maid class. If I ever thought that Newt really understood something about history, well, now he proved beyond doubt that he is a dim light, only driven by EGO, and a poor slimey ego it is. Have you NO Sense of Shame, Mr?
I guess it would be productive to fire janitors who are trying to earn a living to support their families, so that children can be employed at minimum wage or less. What a COLD HARDED son of a _____! Is this the best republicans have to offer? Gingrich already had his 15 minutes. Don't waste your time espousing his demented theories.
Wow...Just, wow.
I am a little confused. The assumption being that poor kids don't have work ethic so that is why they are poor? Or, that we should train them how to be janitors so they can stay poor? Or, that every teenage kid will want to get their janitor shirt on at the end of a tough school day and spend 6-8 hours cleaning up after the rich kids. – Are you kidding me!
This Guy is so out of touch...
Ron Paul 2012
Just when I thought the GOP candidates couldn't stoop any lower. Hey, how about representatives fire their cleaning staff and do it themselves and use the money saved to pay for tutoring and academic enrichment for the children in their districts.
You're right Newt. Rich parents should not be forced to pay living wages to adults in exchange for janitorial services. They should be able to get away with using poor children to do that work, so that their own rich children can have even more money to themselves. This would also solve the problem of poor childred being able to come up in the world and compete with the rich children later on. Too hard to study when you're cleaning rich kids' toilets.
Great idea Newt! Let the kids work for pennies and no bennies. Increase unemployment! Fire the janitors! (they didn't need their jobs anyway) Save not only on salaries but bennies, too. Newt you are a true capitalist pig.
So basically put more people out of work and take children's focus away from studying and tell them to clean their school? And who decides who is poor enough to do these 'jobs'? Republicans like to say the Dems are exercising 'class warfare', but it is clear the GOP are the ones continuing to attack the lower and middle classes with stupid ideas like this one.....
Gingrich 2012! Its time to bring back serfdom!
What fantastic career preparation - teaching them to be janitors. How about hiring them to do jobs that will improve their skills and start them toward careers. Some examples might include: helping in the school library, helping set up labs, ...
The compassionate Newt strikes again. Maybe these kids can work in factories again as soon as they are walking. Why wait. Forget school they have jobs.
I thought this guy was supposed to know something about history! Apparently he missed the chapter on the the reason we have Child Labor laws!
Of course... let's start them out where they'll end up eventually. Why spend those hours studying for a better future when you can scrub toilets for a few dollars? Really Newt? Really? I am speechless...
Oh yeah, great thinking, take the kids DAD, who is a custodian at the school and trash his job, put him on unemployment and food stamps and oh, no retirement. Then send his kid in to do "his" job for peanuts. No union to pay no retirement, lower wage. Oh yeah good thinking. Do the world a favor newt..shut up.
Really?
Ah, yes of course. Fire an adult (who may or may not be a member of a union) who is trying to survive and raise their family while doing "dirt" work for crap wages, and hire a child. And just when is this child supposed to study and do their homework.....on their coffee (milk) break. Remember when the Reagan administration determined that ketchup was "a vegetable" so that they could claim it as a part of the hot food lunch program? This, of course, from the "leader of the pack" who was trying to impeach President Clinton because he "lied" about an affair, while having an affair himself. If this doesn't smack of hypocrisy what does?
NIke might even move their factories back to the USA! After all, if it's good enough for Pakistan and all those East African countries. Look how successful their economies are!!!
GOP Innovation at work I see.......
BD
So why limit this wonderful, character building jobs to just poor children. Expand this model to every school and require every child to take part.
Is this guy for real? What century is he from and when will he go back there.
Only they make a lot more money being drug mules. You don't need a formal education for that job either.
I have to agree with him. I was working at a very early age, and it instilled in me a strong work ethic, I made my own money, and took pride in what I did. And there's nothing wrong with flipping burgers. I did it, so can they.
Good Idea.. Fire the Janitor trying to make a descent living supporting his kids then higher his kids for $2.50/HR so they can support the whole family instead rather than encoring him to study, get an education and a better job.. so that way when he is old enough to have kids himself you can fire him from his School Janitor job. .. oh yeah if he then tries to protest you can just spray him in the face with mace and call him lazy...more great 1% republican solutions for this country!! Just what we need.
This guy is an idiot.
The more I think about it...pay RICH kids to clean the school, teach them about the REAL world. Without cutting the "real" workers of course.
God...these presidental hopefuls are scaring me.
Newt is a Nitwit. Why don't they instead for for Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae and make millions for providing next to nothing?
Newt lives in a fantasy world.
I am with Newt on this one.
Of course he would like Children to clean the schools for minimum wage. Then Washington would save money.
Seriously?? Who, with an IQ over 30, would vote for this idiot for President?? He is being blatantly honest here and this should scare EVERYONE! He would hire 10-year-olds to mow his lawn and clean his pool and deep down really believe he is doing a good thing for these children...??? He wants the elitists to make money on the backs of the disenfranchised, the vulnerable, the poor, and then be THANKFUL for the opportunity! Wake up America!!
That's a stupid idea. When I was a kid and got "free" lunches through no fault of my own in Colorado I had to work in the cafeteria. You're already embarrassed, yea lets give people MORE reason to pick on you and call you out for the accident of your birth. Fabulous!
Seems like he's saying that we should put cleaning staff out of a job. Classy.
Grinch: back to the nineteenth-century poorhouse and child labor. What an historian. We have been there, done that, and it took almost two centuries to repair the damage. Newt (the newt) has no young children, so he does not care about yours. Let's give him 36 million dollars to clean blackboards. (Or maybe 65 cents an hour.) Does this clown know what child labor has meant historically: slave wages and putting adults out of work so the 99% can relax in luxury with their half million dollar Tiffany credit lines to give third consort (courtesan) jewelry worthy of the prince he thinks he is.
I say we should have them digging for coal.
Nail, meet coffin...
I got a better idea... Why not have the rich kids clean the school for free??
What a jerk. So the poor kids would be in put in their place as servants, just as the rich would like them to be?
I guess Mr. Gingrich wants to return us to the 1850's. Maybe we can get those "poor kids" to drop out of school to become full-time janitors and save the taxpayers the cost of their education. With his ideas we could be like Haiti in one generation. That "pride in school" is a new one to me. Maybe the non millionaire members of congress could clean the Capitol, sweep streets in D.C. and help keep up the national parks in their home states to develop a "pride in the U.S". Tthe millionaires would be excused because they already have enough pride. I am sure all of the "poor" kids will really enjoy being heckled by their classmates, especially the "rich" kids who will be able to trash the school to their heart's content, because they already have pride in their school according to his premise.
Seriously? This man is a joke.
as a lib this idea sounds insane and is rife with problems. However after some consideration this is a solution that would realistically work. As much as we'd like it to be, life isn't fair and as much as i'd like to think we would do things to make life more fair, we don't. So while rich kids and middle kids get allowances and do whatever they want, poor kids should at least be given something and if its a job that takes them away from the idleness that most rich and middle kids enjoy so be it. in the end they will learn much more than the rich and middle kids and live more productive lives and do better then their parents which is all that anyone seems can hope for.....
....You know what? On second thought, garbage like this doesn't really merit a response from anyone with a triple digit IQ. I would imagine quite a few people are going to be speechless in the sight of such rampant arrogance.....
This is a little disturbing. I hope he doesn't bring up plantations next. I don't think a 9 year old poor child needs to be cleaning schools.
WOW so an education is wasted if you are poor and you have no hopes of getting out of it so you might as resign yourself to a minimal wage job such as cleaning toilets and flipping burgers. And I guess rich children do not have to learn any work ethics because well they are rich so they dont need to work. And the best thing about this plan is that we do away with another pesky union that tries to ensure fair treatment of its workers. Child labor laws are in place so children are not exploited and so they can get an education and add to the collaborative thinking of the next generation. your solutions sentences those children into a poverty level of existence and it keeps society as a whole unable to compete globally with other nations who value their education and their youth.
The liberals will never allow something that makes this much sense to pass. People could build self esteem, earn for school and make something out of their life, but then they would have a career and become conservative to keep some of what they worked so hard to earn. So no liberals need to quash this thinking, send in the camels to beat this concept back. 4 legs bad, 2 legs better
Sounds like the next step in the grand plan to make the middle class into the poor and turn them into peasant work.
Gingrich wants black kids to work as janitors, go figure.
And we are educating students now to pick up trash? Wow that is an incentive for poor youth!!! OMGoodness!!! I cannot believe this man said that!!! And he thinks he can be President of the free world.. Oh my!!! I did work when I was 16; I had a work permit back in the day and I worked for the Catholic Youth Oraginization as a Counselor.. I made a $1.00/day.(Memories of "bug juice and is too vivid) I made $45 dollars over the summer.. No wealth.. just the best experience of my life. I support the 99% all over the world. My husband and I are in that 99% and we are proud!! We are union and proud union!! They don't take our money; we give our moneytothem to represent us!!!
Wow, let's step back 100 years with Newt's plan to put young children to work. What an idiot.
This guy is stupid
I think that sounds like a perfectly reasonable idea actually
Newt...no...what are you thinking?
You don't go and make child labor okay and then not think about the emotional scarring that will take place.
Are you forgetting how cruel children can be? Especially to Custodians?
What is your plan? Have them clean during school hours where they can be mocked freely or after school when they should be studying and/or performing extra-cirricular activities?
Also, who are you to dictate what a child does when you couldn't even hold your marriage together?
Poor kids need to hold down a job and earn an incomes besides going to school, but they also need to learn a work ethic. Yeah, right Newt.
He is a prime example of what is wrong. The wealthy, powerful and influential like Newt seems to believe that their position somehow gives them more insight into people who are not in their position (the poor) and that he is somehow enriched with enlightenment and knows what poor people need. No thanks Newt. Your wealth, position and power does not make you or anyone else like you in anyway ordained by a higher power to somehow lead and be an example to those who are not.
Great idea, we could even give all poor kids time off from school, maybe half a day, so they could work for his rich family, and they can stay poor forever.i
It is always interesting and sad to see the wealthy try to express understanding and sympathy for those who are not wealthy. They just don't get it.
How about we just start them out at four? That method has worked great in sweatshops. Then only the privileged kids won't have to work. Just like the good, ole days!
Way to go Newt – it's about time we, as a nation, take 25 giant steps backward. No wonder people think you're so darn smart!!
This is stupid. Now, you want to segregate kids in school based on their parent's income. This plan is to further exploit poor kids at school. Have them clean school for what price? Have kids work instead of their parents for low prices. This saves money so that you can kill the plan to increase taxes on Multi-millionaires, after all you don't care about america. Go for it and make America like China. That's what they do in China, exploit child labor.
Nice talk from a guy that gets $25,000 a month for years from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, HUGE amount of money because he knows some people in Washington. Ridiculous. Credit line at Tiffany's so his wife can buy $500,000 worth of jewelry?
He has absolutely NO CLUE how poor people live, work, survive.
Wonder who cleans his office? Who cleans his house? When did HIS KIDS go out and get a job? He needs to go out and find some poor young teenagers and hire them with all of his money.
Also I would like to add I was one of the kids who had a job at 11. I joined the military after high school and retired at the age of 38. I'm 40 now and love that my parents taught their children discipline and the value of the dollar.
But Newt, being a Custodian is VERY different from washing cars and a paper route.
Also, smacks forehead, who reads newspapers any more?
Wow! Lets fire the adults, hire children and pay them below minimum wage. Republican politicians are a modern day Scrooges. Sadly, this idea is being floated just weeks before Christmas.
why not if you poor sell your kids as slaves..it the same thing GingRICH! better yet let poor people clean the #$##$ of the wealthy shoes..the man has no clue
And what is going to help a child by cleaning a school where the teachers are inferior?
How does that make sense?
"My skool iz kleen!!!" Oh lovely.
Oh Jeez....it doesn't even deserve a comment. This dimwit won't be the nominee or President anyway.
Is this man out of his mind??? Does he really believe that what "poor kids" need to do is take time away from academics to do custodial work? At the age of 9? His 15 minutes as the top Repub candidate is getting shorter every time he opens his mouth.
This guy is a Republican? When did it become "conservative" to take tax payer money and create worthless jobs with it? I'm all for high school kids working, but in that case lower the minimum wage.
Just say you want to get rid of union labor and stop all of the lying and nonsense.
Yes, let's take more of these children's childhoods away. Are they going to get benefits? No, probably not. What about the new poor children you are creating when you are putting the adult janitors/heads of households out of a job. Typical Republican evil.
Gingrich is/was part of the problem in Washington, D.C. !!!
We need to get rid of all of these corrupt politicians!
OMG and what if a kid pukes? You're going to have a child licensed in Bio/Chem cleanup?
And the toxins in the cleaners. Most kids can't even handle a sparkler on the 4th of July and you want to give them industrial grade chemicals to play with?
Newt, have you contracted syphilis? Is your brain riddled?
Now if this is not enough for Americans to revaluate the repukes then i don't know what it will take . They want children working.where is this country headed .I guess next we will be allowing nine year old children to fight wars.this fat clown is crazy.
If I were a poor kid living in an urban area, I would definitely take more pride in my school if I were giving the privilege of cleaning its toilets.
So now the janitor, who probably has kids of his or her own to support, is out of a job so we can pay some kid even less. Good thinking, Newt! I'm sick and tired of seeing those janitors rolling by in their BMWs and Mercedes.
Maybe we should let the poor kids do Newt's job, instead . . . if anyone can figure out what it is. Apparently Newt isn't any too clear on what he does for money or how much he gets paid to do it. But, whatever it is, I'm sure the poor kids will be able to do it for less and probably get it done at least as well.
OMG, here let the poor children work to clean the schools instead of after school activities, playing with friends and studying ... I guess that is only for the rich children to do.
Another division between the haves and the haves not ...
OK Mr. Gingrich why dont yiou givve back to the Government what you stole in consulting fees. You are a sleezy calculating politiicans and America does not need your unethical character. We have already too many of you in Government.
So then more adults would be out of work...brilliant, Newt.
I guess these phonies realize that saying you want to screw over all workers won't go over so well.
I didn't know unemployment of 9 year olds was such a problem.
If this doesn't motivate people to get an education I don't know what will.
Why not just ship them off to the Gingirch plantation and force them to pick cotton?
Ah yes, the mind of a Republican. So simple. So naive. Gingrich doesn't have a clue what janitorial staff actually do in our schools and businesses. They don't just sweep floors and clean the bathrooms. They're often on ladders, in lifts, in the boiler, fixing pipes, fixing electrical, etc. How are kids going to do most of those jobs? But more importantly, how is one "master janitor" going to supervise them all? "Jenny, you clean the girl's upstairs bathroom, and please use the hydrochloric acid. Kyle, I need you to shut down the boiler and clean it. Tim, I need you to find the broken light bulb in the east corridor stairwell and replace it, you'll find the 20' extension ladder in the shed. This is all routine, folks. Let's go!"
So the plan here is to fire their parents and put poor kids to work? My mother was the lunch lady for years at my school. She had the job because it allowed her to provide health insurance for her children. Way to go, Newt. If your plan had been in effect in the 1990s, then I could have spent my school years impoverished and working and instead of studying and applying for scholarships and eventually becoming the first member of my family to go to college. Also, my now retired mother, who worked her way up into an accounting position after a decade of serving lunches, would be without a pension. You are a genius.
I had every intention of voting Republican this presidential election, but the Republican braintrust is doing everything they can to steer me away. Seriously, abolish the child labor laws in poor areas which have poor schooling... Teach kids to give up on their schooling and enter the job force with no high school degree... This would set a precedent to revert back to olden days where families sent their kids to work to generate income for the family rather than send them for schooling... Absolutely repulsive that a future prospective leader of Our country would pine for this...
Work study functions well for college age students like myself, largely because we have flexible schedules that can handle the extra workload. Not so for young children, who spend the entire day in classes. Giving poor students extra duties would create even more of a class system, cutting down on their chance to take advantage of after-school programs which supplement learning, or requiring them to come early. Then you come to the ethics of putting a 9 year old to physical labor, and in a position of vulnerability to other, more fortunate students, and I'm pretty uneasy with this idea. A final point-NOT EVERY PROBLEM IN THE COUNTRY CAN BE SOLVED BY UNDERCUTTING WORKERS' RIGHTS. We're in an age that values money more than work, and those who have money have ceased to be equated with those who work. Forcing the few surviving unions to compete for jobs with children from even poorer families will just accelerate the race to the bottom that's been dominating our economy for the last thirty years.
I see there is no response to Mr. Gingrich. It could be that he used the word poor kids, instead of just kids. So we should only instill a work ethic in poor kids. What an idiot. I guess those kids that aren't poor don't need a work ethic, they can just get rich by stealing from the public, and become a politician.
How about ALL students (rich and poor, private and public) assist current janitors in labors in prideful clean-up? Call it community service. Why just teach poor kids about the value of work? Seriously. Rich kids slack off much more than poor kids except when they fail they get a free rental across town till they get their act together.
Oh, really, so we turn poor kids into wage slaves, just so Newt and the other Republicons do not have to raise taxes on wealthy people. Gee, if there are not enough school jobs, maybe some of the kids can shine shoes in the mens rooms of expensive hotels and clubs. And the poor gals can clean houses in the afternoons on Rich St. Of course, that means they would not have enough time to study, do homework, or participate in schools sports or other activities. But, that is right, schools are cutting music, sports and clubs, due to cost constraints.
WOW! This is a great example of what the republicans really want – sweatshops, child labor, the rich getting richer & who cares about the poor or our children. Utterly bankrupt morally. I'm sure they'd love to see slavery become legal again. Anyone who votes for this clown belongs in an insane asylum & will, most certainly, have a LOT of explaining to do to God!
I'm sure there are plenty of coal mines, textile mills, meat packing plants, and sweat shops that could also use their help.
Newt wants a return of CHILD LABOR? Have we forgotten about the horrible spectator of children working on assembly lines and as chimney sweeps early in the industrial era? Bachmann advocates "No work, NO FOOD!" (What about disabled people, the elderly and infirm?). Newt wants elementary school children to give up study time and work instead of being educated. What is next advocating the return of slavery? These ideas a based in the horrors of the past and are immoral. "Put poor children to work" says Newt. Not ANY children, POOR CHILDREN. I may vomit!
Oh my God..... Im gonna do it.....Here it comes..... I AGREE WITH NEWT GINGRICH !!!!!!
Children should be in school, not out working to support themselves or useless parents.
Yes, let's dumb down American children some more. You can be sure that this jerk did not have to work as a young child to survive.
No problems here – we cleaned our school beginning at 3rd grade – taking trash out – cleaning erasers, etc. A janitor came around once a week for the heavy duty stuff.
Obama must be grinning from ear to ear knowing the Republicans have nothing but these idiots to throw up against him next year. Is Gingrich insane? Or does he think none of these poor kids are qualified to help Fannie and Freddie Mac?
Newt would be an excellent choice for the GOP. He truly represents all the Republican party's values.
I thought the biggest problem in the nation was unemployment. Firing parents to hire children at minimum wage probably isn't the best plan for that. Giving young children concentrated exposure to solvents is also kind of silly.
It is absolutely outrageous to suggest that children should have to work to get out of poverty. What is government for if not to help people? I hope this fascist falls on his face.
Yes Mr Grinch, poor children sweeping up after rich kids. How Republican.
So, kids who are not poor need not apply? Does this mean that they do not need to be endowed with a strong work ethic as much as the poor kids? Kick the janitors to the streets and give their jobs to the poor kids in school, the rich kids can be taught how to properly look down on them and the positions they hold. Talk about class warfare!
Mr. Gingrich, you are not a fool. My uncles and grandfather started working in Pennsylvania coal mines when they were 14. All had black lung, and all but one died early. My other grandfather left school after the eighth grade to go to work in a stone quarry. No, Mr. Gingrich you are not a fool. You are a damned, stupid, dangerous, ignorant, stiff-necked fool.
OF course he wants to fire all the janitors who make $15 bucks an hour and let CHILDREN get paid $3 an hour so that we lower wages even more in this country... great plan idiot. He is not for the middle class at all. I was raised poor and I was able to make extra money to help my family through baby sitting and cleaning horse stalls... NO reason to take away an adults job... who probably has children to feed, to give it to a child just so the Government and the Corporations can lower wages on the American people and enslave us. The Republicans and the Democrats are SICK and don't even consider middle class America anymore. It is no wonder our economy is in the tank... if the middle class can't spend, because everyone in power is trying to enslave us, then our economy will fail.... but the powerful don't care... all they care about are themselves, their money and their greed.
Just what teachers need. Students rummaging through their rooms after hours. Not to mention that having hundreds of students in a school makes for serious messes during the school day. Are they to be taken out of class to clean up? They would have to be trained in bio-hazard clean-up for when students got sick or cut. Custodians also do the heavy lifting and setups for special events in the Cafe-gymna-itorium. Poor Newt just pictures a kid with a broom sweeping a hall. Perhaps he needs to work as a school custodian for a month and then rethink his plan.
I'll bet Newt Gringrich has never done one full day of real work his entire life, and he has the nerve to say that child labor laws are "truly stupid." Those laws were put in place because of gross exploitation of child workers. He's obviously not much of a "historian" if he doesn't know that history. The last thing we need is a relaxation of those laws, because doing so would result in even more adults being unemployed because kids could be hired at a lower rate of pay.
And then when I think it's safe to return to my life, you Mr. Gingrich compel me to return and type some more.
What about the unemployed adults? Why not employ them first and let the kids be kids? You know they only get one authentic childhood.
Educate the parents and impose fines on those who fail. Don't think taking a child with a compromised parent and having that child work is going to teach them anything.
I think you may have watched "Precious" and let me tell you, that outcome of a somewhat happy ending (minus the HIV via incest) is not a common story.
New't idea is as truly stupid as I can expect of him. Great idea for poor kids. Does he want his kids and grandkids working an eight hour day before they get around to doing their homework and embarking on a successful life? I think not.
What a diipshiit. How are we supposed to take Gingrich seriously when he takes positions like this?
What next? All this from a guy whose core group consists of upwardly mobile, tax-loophole privileged opportunistic corporate neo-cons who have supported their inflated lifestyles and bank accounys by using low wage foreign labor which has stagnated the employment possibilities of many U.S. workers. Bring those jobs back home so the children of these laid off U.S. citizens can learn good work ethic by seeing it with their own eyes.
What a terrible idea. Typical political pandering without a trace of economic insight. Stick to history Newt and let Ron Paul continue to school and the rest of republican wannabees in Economic matters. Ron Paul 2012!
OMG why wait till they are 9 or 10, let's put them to work at 5 or 6. With their little hands they can do can do all kinds of sanding or polishing. They are just the right size to clean toilets. Hey when we get rid of all those illegals we can have them picking all of the vegetables from the fields. Well hell since they are learning a trade, what is the use of them actually going to school. Just look at all the millions of dollars we could save on all those public schools. Newt you are a genius!!
Yeah Newt, lets have them sewing in sweatshops too!
But Newt, Government doesn't create jobs-only the private sector does!
Put them kids back in the coal mines, have children work in the farm fields, hire twelve-year-olds to clean out restrooms in railroad and bus stations.
Yessir, the Republicans have a grand vision for America's future, and Newt the Pathological Liar will lead them.
The ABSOLUTE Insanity of the GOP once again catches me off guard! Now they want to get rid of Child Labor Laws. Gee, let's turn the clock back about 100 years, why don't we? Shall we lock employees inside their offices to make sure they do an "honest day's" work for their measly wages?
So,that LITTLE money will bring them Above Poverty? Those succsessful people he points to, many were NOT so poor he makes them to be.plus many had innovative genuine Idea made them successes. SO your Idea is Stupid
What? Are there no workhouses? Are there no prisons? Bah, Humbug! Dare I believe it? Ebenezer (Scrooge) Gingrich is alive and well.
What a jerk. He wants poor kids to clean the schools like slaves for less than minimum wage plus do their school work. Will somebody please take this fool out?
Wow. Cut taxes for the rich and put poor kids to work while laying off the janitors. Can bringing back slavery be far behind?
This guy's citizenship license should be revoked.
Why not have ALL the kids keep their schoolyards clean? why just the poor kids? When I was a kid, we had to clean the playground after recess – all of us. It's called personal responsibility.
And that will buy them Drug. Nothing positive.
I think Gingrich should open the a school and call it the Newt Gingrich school of influence peddling. These kids should learn how to run for office and then make millions scamming people like ol' Newt does.
In the mid-1990's Gingrich also proposed taking poor children from their families and raising them in orphanages.
And while were at it, why don't we get rid of those pesky child labor laws and eliminate the minimum wage Newt. This ranks up there with Limbaugh saying poor kids could find their next meal in a dumpster. What's next? Throwing poor people to the lions as a pay-per-view event?
Wow. What an idiot. Enjoy your brief polling bubble.
I couldn't agree more. We have ruined generations of people because of the so called child specialist. We have actually had to train new fire recruits how to clean a bathroom, because mom and dad didn't. Had 1 kid push the lawnmower out on the grass and stand there, when I asked what was wrong he stated he had never mowed a lawn, this is what we have raised, I'm proud my 3 worked when they were young now all are successful
So what happens to the janitor's jobs? So essentially with this idea, lost of janitors get laid off because the schools are obviously going to hire the kids who will work for less. Great idea. Let's go backwards with society.
Just another I've got mine, to hell with the poor and the downtrodden by this egotistical blowhard. The janitors work hard to clean up, and have to deal with all kinds of germs and other health hazards, but because they belong to a union Gingrich wants them fired and go to slave labor using kids that should be doing their homework or helping out at home while their parents work three or four jobs to pay bills. This Clown went from an obscure teacher at a small west Georgia college to being a multi millionaire , all at the taxpayers expense. When are the idiots that back him going to wise up?
Genius! That way you can bust unions, identify lower income kids, and display them cleaning up the filth of "their betters" all at the same time! That will keep those peasants in their place! The really sad part is there are people out there who don't see how demeaning and insulting this is. Those successful people chose their early jobs. They weren't given "leftover" work that was created by eliminating living-wage jobs. Thought process of the 1%, I guess.
He tells Harvard students (aka the wealthy) to put the poor kids to work? What about the kids that are not poor? What a crock!
yes newt you moron...bring back slavery i say!!!
Really? So what this old coot is saying is that only poor children should have to sacrifice their childhood just because they happened to be born into a poor family? And children who are not poor? They can just be kids, is that right? The only "job" a child should have is to go to school and learn all they can. Another stupid idea by a good ol' boy.
How about paying their parents to clean the school so they can learn a work ethic????
Child labor, an 18 hour work day, no minimum wage and no unions. Republicans for the return of the Glided Age of Robber Barons!
GOP message to Americans: If you're not filthy rich, screw you peasants.
So that the richer kids could crap on the floors and have the poorer kids clean it up. That's what will happen . . .
Sure, let's bring back the dark ages of exploited 8 year olds. This man has NO concept of reality! Nowadays kids are more likely to case a school and see what electronics can be stolen. There's more money in that anyway and less effort than working some lousy backbreaking job for what would no doubt be less than minimum wage.
He's an idiot
That used to happen until Reagan and Bush 1 cut the summer jobs programs.
And I suppose that the not-so-poor kids wouldn't tease these children about their families having no money? ANOTHER bad idea by a stupid republican.
Afterthoughts: 1) One of the jobs of the janitor is to run the furnace and boiler. Does Gingrich propose having a ten year-old do that? 2) When I was in elementary school it was the janitor who was summoned to clean up when a kid vomited on the floor. I have a life-size picture in my head of a child doing that. Not any child I have ever known.
Now, Gingrich wants to give poor kids a road to employment by firing their fathers and making sure the kids are nothing more than janitors. How condescending.
Problems: How will they get home after missing the bus due to work? Will free snacks be provided after school ends and before they start work? Will the one "master janitor" oversee each child and keep them safe? Will that one person train everyone regarding infection control when cleaning bathrooms? If a child gets hurt, will there be lawsuits against the school? In addition to the chores the children have at home, when will they have time to do their homework? Will there be any time for play in the fresh air before dark? Will the children be paid by check or cash? Will the money be taken from them? Sounds like a great idea for teens, since the fast food jobs are all being taken by the unemployed adults. But this sounds like third world country sweat shop horror for young children. Newt is out of touch with reality to suggest this for underage children. Not well thought out, possibly because his mother, wife and maid always did everything and all Newt had to do was decide where to eat lunch that day while coming up with ridiculous ideas.
So the suggestion is to put existing janitorial staff out of work, get them to start looking for new jobs and collecting unemployment.. while hiring young, inexperienced, low cost students to clean up messes their classmates make. Not that teenagers are ever cruel and go out of their way to make a mess for people they consider lower than themselves, right?
Gee Newt, maybe they could peddle your books for you...
An idea that makes sense but will probably catch some flak for being politically incorrect.
Not a horrible idea. Too bad school service workers unions and liability concerns will make this all but impossible.
Pay the child's parent to do the cleaning, and let the child study. Poor kids are poor because their parents are poor. Not because the child is out of work! It is a stupid proposal.
Presumably, Gingrich is not suggesting these kids work instead of going to school. So, allowing time to complete homework, when does he propose these children work?
I have a better idea...let's have Newt clean the schools.
There goes Newt, trying to get kids used to working for the government. Meanwhile, he wants to fire their parents. He's such a genius.
there is no difference between gingrich and hitler, same garbage.
There should be a law prohibiting Mr. Gingrich, from eating more food, than many 3rd world countries. But there isn't.
"Truly stupid"? How are yours any better?
I had to check to make sure this wasn't The Onion. I kept waiting for the punchline.
This guy want to turn US into China.
What does Newt know about janitorial work? He comes up with these halfbaked ideas without having any idea how they would work. The guy is dangerous!!
Wow, I wonder how many votes he lost with that speech? Let's see, all the janitors, union or not, and any parent or teacher who wants to see a child studying instead of taking out school trash. What votes did he get from this speech? The same ones he would already have. Until now, I thought he had a chance.
Wow. Just wow. Newt gives a lecture on childhood work ethics, meanwhile, he lived off of his wife who put him through school, only to serve her divorce papers IN THE HOSPITAL as she was recovering from cancer treatment. Left her with young children to feed, and as he took his mistress with him to DC, she and his children had to resort to going on welfare. Left to his decision, they would have starved, save the "socialist" government who provided for that lazy trash. His children should have been working jobs, not lazing about in school and eating government cheese, is what this fool is really saying.
What a really stupid idea...putting young kids to work to earn money only teaches the kids that money is the most important thing in life which should not be the case. If kids are expected to clean schools then ALL students are required (rich or poor) otherwise it's a demeaning situation.
The "truly stupid" bit in this is anyone taking Newt Gingrich seriously. He's a bloated, lying blowhard with no sense of personal morals or ethics, whose chief accomplishments include shutting down the federal government over a temper tantrum and resigning after being investigated for ethics violations.
Seriously? This is the best the GOP has to offer? I'd laugh if it weren't so depressing.
so lets use poor kids as cheap labor...nice...
Kids' place is in the school not for cleaning but learning. Learning a lot more than what they learn now. We need quality teachers and responsible parenting that supports the work teachers do.
Only thing I can say about Gingrich is that he is a big league moron.
Why do poor children need to exposed to cleaning up any way. Except their own house . This is newt way of sayin that poor chidren don't need internships that would change their exposure to another life. He want's poor people to get use to cleaning the toilet. I don't think so. let rich kids clean toilets so they can have a better understanding that poverty is man made a sustained.
So now we are going to look for cheap labor in the Schoolyard instead of Overseas, Newt? Brilliant plan. Make the United States a Third World Country. What century are you from anyways?
no Gingrich the only work that a child should do is around there own house no child shouldnt work in any school and get sicker they come home with flu's colds cought why would u want them to clean the schools thats is wrong u would'nt put your own child working in the schools would you now
This guy is so out of touch he doesn't even realise how evil he is. Frightening.
Gingrinch is saying this because they are looking for excuses to lower the minumum wage and have labor at "slave" prices again. Corporate Greed!
Oh, Gee, instead of some parent's job being taken by an illegal immigrant working for a janitorial service that the school outsourced the mom or dad's job to, it can be taken by their kid working for pocket money.
Real in touch, Newt.
How about come up with a plan to GET PEOPLE GOOD JOBS, not one to REPLACE LOW END WORKERS with EVEN CHEAPER LABORERS!
- Newt Gingrich proposed a plan Friday that would allow poor children to clean their schools for money, saying such a setup would both allow students to earn income and endow them with a strong work ethic.
This racist pig will never get no where near the White House to make kids work like slaves.
Fire janitors and put kids under 14 years of age to work cleaning schools? You want children to handle the work while you lay off adult workers, Mr. Gingrich? Sounds like a quick and dirty (pardon the pun) way to cut costs. Those janitors usually live in the same districts where they work. How is firing someone's dad so you can hire their child for less money and no union benefits "helping" the family? You, sir, are insane. Stay far, far away from the Oval Office.
In my 33 years teaching in public schools, I fought to get the child labor laws enforced! Children working until after midnight, sleeping in class because they are truly tired, and not being prepared because the time is not there to do studying or homework – these are the things that cause failing students and failing schools. Give the students good meals and enough rest – they will be off like rockets.
Wow Newton.... How low can you go when it comes to the children of those who don't have a half Million dollar charge account an Tiffany's. Send your grandchildren to clean the schools for pay. Brush up on the child labor laws before you make more stupid suggestions. Support education.
How about just providing a quality education for ALL of our children in a safe environment? It looks like Newt is going after unons and using children as their replacements. What a guy.
I think getting kids to work is a great idea. Not sure that having the "poor" kids clean up after their more well off classmates is the way to go about it, though...
Another intellectual and moral lightweight!!!
Crazy. The job of public education is to help kids spends lots of money on colleges for liberal arts degrees, not teaching them about life skills like managing money, but instead, teaching them chemistry, literature, and how to exercise.
Also, up is down and down is up.
Is he kidding. Does he really believe he knows any thing about poor kids.
woooooooow the GOP is now promoting child labor, and economics policies bringing us back to the days of Laissez Faire. They want to end unions as well....
Looks like they're trying to bring us right back to the pre-depression era industrial age that destroyed our economy once already.
Is this man serious, take that crap to your white neighbors. Let's see how they like it. Forget about instilling in our kids the desire to learn and the value of an education but instead let the little poor children just become indenture servants.
GOP POSSIBLE CONTENDERS:
1. Sarah Palin
2. Arnold Schwarzenegger
3. Donald Trump
4. Michelle Bachmann
5. Mitt Romney
6. Herman Cain
7. Rick Perry
8. Newt Gingrch
9. Donald Duck
what planet does this man live on?
Totally agree except why should schools get all the cheap labor. Why not expand this out such that poor kids take all the jobs too menial for normal people? You know, like making shoes in a Dickensiean factory?
In fact, all these labor laws are SO constrictive. If I want to hire a young woman to be my "personal" assistant, I should be able to. I'm just suggesting we formalize typical business practices. RE: Herman Cain. What's could be wrong with that?
Newt Gingrich is "truly stupid"...
What an idiot. Pray for him.
But hypothetically this is also what could happen- poor parents would force their kids to go clean the school, kid gets paid for the work they did, money goes to parents to buy more booze and drugs, thus perpetuating and possibly exacerbating the problem. Kid feels cheated in life because even mom or dad steals from them...hardly the embodiment of a strong work ethic ensues. I think if this plan were to be successful the kid's earnings would need to be protected from their own parents and I don't think the government's going to want to step into that mess.
Seriously, how can anyone justify voting for a republican?
I teach 5th grade social studies, and we cover labor unions and child labor. I can't believe this guy's ignorance. He is "truly stupid".
Wow he is as dumb as he looks. Lets not fix our school system, let's just make a cast system so the haves can look down on the have not's mopping the floor. And what about the adult who makes a living cleaning the school, now they are unemployed. Use your heads people, Obama isn't great but these republicans are truly a joke!
typical. fire all the union workers and hire 5 year olds to handle toxic cleaning chemicals with no training and no benefits. what a soulless basta*d
I can't help but feel that this proposition would create an embarrassing two tier class in schools; the have nots that have to work to clean them, and the haves that get to mess them up.
Yes kids! Why deal drugs when you can earn less than minimum wage (presumably) by being a janitor at your school. This will work perfectly!
Wow this guy is a genius.
Kids. They are so cute, so tiny, lets put them back into the mills and the mines. Mine companies could make more money and reduce their expensive adult employees.
No, Newt Gingrich is truly stupid! Lets force poor children to clean their schools...while were at it since child labor laws are so stupid, we should probably get rid of minimum wage laws as well and keep the poorest communities as poor as possible...please, Newt, shut the F up already!! Thank you...
So take away a job done by an adult, and replace him or her with a 10 year old? Is this guy for real?
Perfect. Kids taking their parents jobs, for far less money, far earlier than they should be taking others jobs. Brilliant Newt, simply brilliant.
Newt u idiot...kids can do work like mowing lawns and washing cars now....god ur pathetic.
Somebody want to tell this bozo that there is a difference between selling papers (which you can't do here anyway, our local paper says you have to be 18), mowing lawns and washing cars and being the custodial staff at a building!
Maybe the poor kids can get free healthcare and lunches instead of money after you destroy public healthcare and education, Mr. Gingrich. Child labor laws basically prevent the indentured servitude of those least able to defend themselves or grasp the concept of abuse. It's almost imaginable that yourself, Cain, Perry, Bachman, and the rest are being paid to say such outlandish things in order to ensure Romney's nomination. Oh wait, I guess that's what book deals and exorbitant speaking fees accomplish. The two-party system you help to force upon the ignorant masses is the real issue.
So Newt's solution to ending poverty is to lay off janitors and make the janitors' kids clean the school for lower wages?
Excellent idea that few have the courage or sense to recognize, let alone act upon. Work enables kids to gain true confidence; teaches them to look for solutions rather than the nihilist mentality that's killing our country at every level. Children can do more than what most give them credit for.
Now let me get this straight. WHAT?? 10 year olds should work as janitors in the schools. Fire the adults (who may be working to support a family) and have the kids clean the schools. Child labor laws are stupid. Gingrich is smart. Perhaps he can explain when the 10 year old should do homework, study, read a book. After he finishes cleaning the toilets. Got it. Keep up the good work Newt.
Great, so instead of focusing on learning in school and preparing for a good career to lift them out of poverty, now CHILDREN who happen to be born poor will have to work to earn money in school. Meanwhile children of wealthy families continue to get ahead by focusing on their education unhindered by a need to work. What better way to widen the achievement gap. How about focusing on equalizing educational opportunities for ALL CHILDREN. If you want to teach responsibility to children because it is a good thing, then you should teach it to ALL CHILDREN including the children of middle class and wealthy families. Leave it to someone like Gingrich who got millions from the same housing industry that engaged in predatory lending to poorer families that did not have sufficient education to realize what risks they were taking to talk about the meaning of work and responsibility. Perhaps the wealthy children can go down to the poor school districts and help to clean up and repair those schools. Unless you think that poor children only benefit from actual hard labor like cleaning and rich children only benefit from bake sales. Gingrich and his 1% need to wake up!
Why not have the rich mommy and daddy's boys and girls get up off their spoiled well paid butts to clean the schools and see what it feels like to actually work a real job and earn minimum wage?
you sir, are truly stupid!!!
Wow. "Please sir, may I have some more?" immediately comes to mind here. I never dreamed that anybody would use the world of Charles Dickens novels as something to aspire to!
It is clear Marryin' Newt belongs in the 1930s, maybe even the 1830s. He has no concept of "All men are created equal". He still believes some are more "equal" than others. Core Repub/TP value is it ? Come on Newt, it is the 21st Century !!!
Child labor laws are truly stupid?? really!!?? ahahah.. I hope Ron Paul wins he is the only one that could beat Obama next year.
Even for the GOP field, this is a new low. They're not willing to send their kids to war but have no problem getting us into plenty of wars...they're not willing to pay their share of taxes but have no problem letting little kids work to be able to go to school so that the rich don't get any tax increases. This is truly disgusting and embarrassing for this country.
No Newt, you are " truly stupid". Child labor laws were put in palce for a reason, to protect the kids from people like you. Since you have such bright ideas, why don't you give the money you took from your so called consulting fees and give it to the kids. while your at it, give some of your hard earned money to the schools so they can keep the teachers and the janitors so the kids can learn what they shouldn't be doing to be anything like you.
What a great way to save money. Replace the janitors with 10 year olds. Because Newt favors abolishing the minimum wage. We only have to pay them 2.00 an hour. Who needs school anyway ? Its not for educating . Its for creating the future American Janitor class of worker bees.
Yeah, that's the republican answer for everything. Get rid of the unions.
I suppose Newt would be a fan of Scrooge. "Are there no workhouses?"
Hey Newt – work with any kids lately? Good luck getting them to clean anything. And they wold be the butt of a million jokes from their friends, and the targets of taunting. How about a job for the kids where they would actually learn something – like in the school kitchen, or the mechanical systems or school computers. Or maybe you think the poor are poor because they are tto dumb to learn anything beyond how to work hard for low pay?
This guy is amazing!
What planet is he from?
For a historian, he sure doesn't get it.
Let's go back to the 18th century and put kids to work in factories.
They aren't learning anything in school anyway.
Its always preach/teach the poor.
This is the most ridiculous $%*# i've ever heard in my life! Instead of a plan to create jobs, increase wages to sustainable amount, or providing skills training to impoverished PARENTS this idiot wants to put POOR kids to work?! So not only do these POOR kids have to be neglected by the county their schools are in but they have to do the job that the state should have done in making schooling proportionate throughout the state regardless of the parents income?! There is so much wrong with this that I can't even see through my anger to type anymore. Way to go Newt!
These Gop'ers are so out of touch and honestly have not a creed of empathy amonst them. They continually show that they DO NOT care about the plight of the ordinary american but of Corporate america. Now they want poor kids, underage kids, working to earn a penny. Do you know that their parents are already working 2-3 jobs to keep the family afloat? But you want the kids to work instead of just being kids and maybe doing homework. As a former Republican voter, I am so sick of my party.
Is this man an egotistical maniac or just insane? Can you imagine being a poor child in a school, watching a wealthier classmate laugh and throw trash in the hall, knowing that after school you would have to clean it up? What would that do to a 12-14 year old's self image?
good point
Watching the republicans is like watching reality TV star wannabees trying to out-crazy each other. Wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of housewives or a balloon boy at the next debate.
A "master" janitor? C'mon, Newt, did you really mean to phrase it that way? Who am I kidding?
So, Gingrich's plan to deal with poverty is in part.. child labor. Yes, its just crazy, says Newt, who was paid $120,000 a year by a think tank to simply have dinner with the folks there a few times a year, to not use poor children as cheap labor to help them out. It will instill a work ethic in them. Because, of course that is why they are living in poverty; lack of work ethic in their parents, not the high unemployment and low wages that have plagued the areas they live in.
Not to bad Newt, you still have some crazy idea's but Obama is my pick, he's actually cleaning some of your mess, when you were Speaker!
what about the work ethic for the rich kids?? are you saying they don't need ethics?? that the rich kids can just live off of their parents money!! talk about "class warfare" thank you for a perfect example of what NOT to do!!
So, Gringrich is promoting a system where rich kids in rich schools have janitors that do the cleaning and poor kids in poor schools do the cleaning instead of janitors....Gringrich is a freaking fool!
Child labor for poor children in this country!?!?!? Are you kidding me? Did your kids clean up the school? No! These kids should be focusing on learning and that is why they are in school. Not for you to have cheap labor. Working kids at 9 years old!?!?!? This guy is unbelievable. I hope he wins the nomination. This guy has no morals at all.
How about their unemployed parents...
Another instance of a Republican wanting to take us back to the 1800s. The are pros and cons with every idea but with 10% unemployment I think we have enough people to clean our schools. Our kids are supposed to be kids and learn, not work.
Kinda like washing the dishes if you can't afford your meal..
This clown (Grinwich) steals millions from the American taxpayer and now proposes to perpuate the servant role of the poor (to to rich). What poor kids need to do better is tutors and better education which the Republican party wants to reduce. In the Republican mind, education & advancement should be a priveledge of the wealthy. They want to perpetuate the difference in classes.
This is the same nut job that wanted to take poor kids away from their parents and put them in group homes !
I know! Let's make poor children the janitors in our schools. That will be lovely. Of course, we'll have to get rid of those pesky child labor laws. Why who knows where we might find ways to put poor children to work. Just like in those third world countries where our sneakers and designer tee shirts and other clothes are made by children laboring in American-owned sweatshops.
Right, take away the income from the adult who may be supporting his own kids , and pay minimum wage or less to the poor. Gingrich the adulterer and paid lobbyist for failed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac really has the welfare of the poor as a priority. Right.
WHAT! (smh)
What a total d-bag. I'm sure he worked at nine. He shows his true self again with his "plan". Why don't we get all in congress and senate to clean up the Capitol? Then they would be good for something.
Why doesn't Gingrich take some of the money he took from the Health Care Industry and donate it to poor children and unionized jschool anitors instead of buying bling for his trophy wife? This man is sick and is what the GOP is all about.
It is risky to amend child labor laws with just one outcome in mind. It opens doors for much abuse as experienced in many countries across the world. Please think about all repurcussions before making such recommendations.
Not a day goes by that this moron doesn't say something stupid.
So he wants to fire people who have been cleaning floors, sinks, and toilets in schools for years, if not decades, and hire kids to do the work? This seems more like an underhanded way to pay janitors less and eliminate more union jobs than a way to do anything positive for a community.
Fire the adult, so that he/she can no longer provide for their family, and hire a child to do the labor instead? Crazy!
This man is the devil...what an absolutely absurd proposition. Please tell us what you're thinking for those of us who have degrees and no jobs so that we can pay for these kids to stay in school and not have to clean up their classmates' filth! Idiot.
Fire the janitors – put them out of work.
How about instead: pass the Obama jobs bill and do a true compromise with serious spending cuts plus tax increases, including letting the 4 trillion dollar Bush tax cuts benefitting mostly the rich expire. That way, the parents of many poor children could finally get a job and we wouldn't have to resort to child labor of the 19th centuryas the rich lobbyist/Tea Party shill suggests. Typical GOP. Keep the corporations rich and let the poor manage on their own.
I can't see Neutered Get-rich getting nominated, much less elected. Unfortunately he has too much money to just go away.....pity.........what an idiot.....
Sure thing Newt, China has 6 year olds making sneakers for Nike, why can't the 1%rs have child slave-labor right here in the US too. Picture an America under control of this guy.
Newt Gingrich has no idea what he is talking about. I'm not even sure he is listening. This is not the 1840s and children do not work in this country for many reasons. Going to school for eight hours for 5 days a week is there job. He wants to effectively create an even bigger gap in the experiences of children of different classes in society. I cannot imagine how cleaning toilets at 9 years old instead of focusing on school is going to help anybodys self esteem. Think about what you're saying Newt.
Unbelievable. Get rid of janitors and pay the kids a pittance.
You go Newt.
He is a total nightmare. I dont think he understands what janitorial work actually involves. Its hard to believe the republicans couldn't find one decent qualified person without baggage.
Why stop there Newt? Why not let the poor kids in West Virginia and Western PA work in the Coal Mines? Then lets beat the crap out of union workers and take away the minimum wage. Heck, by 2013 we can completely negate 100 years of hard fought for employee rights. Is anyone REALLY stupid enough to vote for any of these clowns? Here's a very rational synapses for those of you considering it. These Republicans aren't Ronald Reagan. They aren't even George H.W. Bush. If you are making less than $200K a year, they don't care about your well-being. You are a parasite to them and they will exploit your religious views and deep concern over minuscule issues like the right to own automatic weapons to run the country into the ground. By the time they're finished, 3% of the population will be incredibly wealthy and the rest will be serfs. Look at South America to see how well that works...
Not a new idea. The Neighborhood Youth Corps has been doing just that since the 70s, unless the Repubs have cut the program.... why does anybody take this relic (Gingrich) seriously??
Not surprised. Republicans always think that poverty is a curse. Why only the poor kids. All kids are poor. Dads money isn't necessarily kids money. All kids can clean restrooms regardless. Lets find ways of ending generational povety, other than giving tax breaks to the rich, which will in turn create the society that we have now. REPUBLICANS, PLEASE DONT REMIND US OF HOW POOR WE ARE. WE ALREADY KNOW OUR MISERY.
This sad excuse for a human being is a virulent narcissist and a veritable museum of psychiatric personality defects.....his comments are truly disgusting....
Sure. And all the financial stable kids, in rich schools, can keep studying and leave the janitorial jobs to janitors. And the Dems are supporting class warfare?!?
Sounds good to me... and I'm a democrat
Sounds like a great idea Newt...then what's next old friend? First school yard work crews then sweat shops. That's right...let's send our kids away from the books and into the workplace. Since we owe so much to China, we might as well look like them too.
Better idea...put their poor parents to work in living wage jobs so they can earn a respectable living doing something respectable. End poverty not laws to prevent abuse.
Sooooo.... the poor kids have to stay late after school to clean for a pittance while everyone else goes off to be kids? Yeah... no socioeconomic issues there at all. If you really want them to be able to work and help their families, which most kids will want to do, let them choose what job they want.
And what does he do... give different advice to "poor children" as opposed to "rich children?" Yeah... this guy's a jerk. He's not even a frontrunner and he's already talking about 'us' and 'you people.' Rich kids and "poor kids," they're all kids and they deserve a childhood that doesn't include having to stay late to clean the school because their parents are poor. He might actually be on to a decent idea but you'd never be able to tell with all the nonsense it's wrapped in.
And the rich kids won't have to clean their schools, thereby continuing A LACK OF a work ethic. Then, when those rich kids grow up, they hire those poor kids-turn-adults to clean their homes/fancy offices and/or cheat white-collar workers (ie. Enron). By the way, it's not the schools and teachers who are failing–it's the parents raised in a society that values sports over academics, fame, violent video games, and promiscuity.
Newt's after school program:
Black kids – janitor
White kids – soccer
This coming from a guy who went to a top notch school payed for by his father's military service. He was never poor – read his wiki file and you'll find that he is 100% politician and never really held a REAL job. He is disgusting to say that poor kids don't work. Of course kids who are poor probably start working at early years then the wealthier kids – that may result in better work ethics but it doesnt matter. Its about the money you have – that will get you into college. College will become only for the wealthy and the poor will become slaves. That's exactly what Newt wants – slaves to work for cheap and be forever stuck in their class.
I would think Newt Gingrich would provide a better example than that. Making poor kids clean up after rich kids isn't the right message. How about having poor kids work in business and technology to earn money and learn skills instead of training them to be janitors.
It is very apparent that Mr. Gingrich has no knowledge or understanding as to why child labor laws were put into place in the first place. I am amused by the fact that Mr.Gingrich thinks that only poor students should have the priviledge of cleaning up the schools for money. He says they would "begin the process of rising" at the expense of their education. I suppose "rich" students have a work ethic that is unparalleled among children. I personally could really care less who wins the G.O.P. nomination. I just hope it is someone who at least "sounds" smarter than a 5th grader.
So not a supporter of Gingrich, but I really like this idea. I remember when I was young the kids who got free and reduced lunches helped out in the cafeteria for a bout 15 minutes of their after-lunch recess. No one made fun of them, we just thought it was normal because that was the way it had always been. Good incentive for the kids to actually eat their lunches too, I hope.
Interesting. It makes me nervous coming from Newt, but very interesting. I agree that the maturation process of kids has been extended way past what is healthy. Let 'em work the cafeteria too. And in fact, have ALL the kids work the schools, and forget about the money. Let's get off this money-as-God mentality and discover how to care for 'free.'
Actually we should have the rich children do it for free and give them a sense of worth. What an Arrogant idea, so out of touch.
At a time when we don't have enough jobs for all the adults, Newt wants to fire some more and give their jobs to children. I don't think so. There are traditional kid jobs and family chores. That is where the parents can teach the children a work ethic, not at the expense of school custodians.
Don't like it, too many opportunities to go wrong. What's next? Factories like China where our 10 year olds can work for sub minimum wages? It would just lead to cheap labor for business owners to take advantage of. We made child labor laws for a reason. Children need to have these early years to go to school, learn, and play. They'll be working for plenty of years. It doesn't surprise me that he thinks this is a good idea.
Sure, stigmatize the poor kids. Make them work for a living, make them earn their keep at their schools. That free, public education thing ? Not for the poor anymore. And Republicans can't understand why people are using the term "class war".
Why anyone votes for Republicans these days is beyond me !
Pure idiot ....Let's go back to 1903... Another great depression in the making.
What the hell is this idiot smoking?
Another sick human. Let's take away other peoples jobs and train poor kids to work and get training for their future. While their rich peers can put them down and plan on how to invest their inheritance from their rich fathers and mothers for janitorial work is above them. Why not let all poor and rich kids do the work equally at no pay out of kindness I suppose.
Not much really needs to be said- Obviously this guy doesn't even understand what's wrong with what he's saying.
I can't imagine the stigma that these "worker" children will face when confronted by their peers at school.
School is stressful enough for children much less having them clean the bathrooms and mop the floors.
A child's main responsibility is to focus on their education not worry about helping to pay the rent.
Adults need jobs not kids.
Only a wealthy man would come up with such a ridiculous idea.
I wonder if Gingrich's own kids would work in the school if told they had to for money.
So, there should be no reason for kids to stay in school and have no chance at reasonable education? I guess that he doesn't care about advancing the country. There were plenty of reasons to prevent child labor. This gives them a chance to get an education and keeps companies honest because how many kids can really understand a labor contract/agreement. Developing a work ethic can also be done while doing school work. I guess that he doesn't understand staying with something... Or someone!
So, Newt wants to cut the janitors jobs. The poor guy is maybe trying to feed his family. Well I think Newt has lost his mind and is not in touch with reality.
i see no reason children shouldnt work with industrial strength cleaning chemicals. they understand hazmat, i'm sure they know where to locate a material saftey data sheet, and what child couldn't be trusted to call the proper athorithies when an accident happens. i see no potiential for harm here...
This is a great plan. Personally I am an 18 year old aspiring chef, I started my work in the restaurant business when I was 15 years old. I know so many people my age that do not work, do not want to work, and if they do they have a poor work ethic. When taught things at a young age we really begin to understand the value of money and hard work. Believe me, I know. The restaurant business has some of the hardest jobs out there, I start as a busser/dishwasher. These kids would learn these values at a young age from one supervisor and would learn to take pride in their schools. When you care about something, you put forth the best effort you possibly can.
Hey Gingrich, here is another idea. Make poor kids slaves of rich kids so they learn early in life that rich people are superior to poor people. Or maybe poor kids could "work" for some famous coach in some famous University – like ball boys or "personal service" employee. Gingrich, do you have any other stupid ideas?
Gingirch: "Yes, and then we could get rid of those over paid (read: union) auto workers and put those poor kids on assymbly lines. And then those over paid (read: union) coal miners need to go. Those poor kids will fit in smaller shafts saving the companies untold monies...er...I mean teaching those kids good work ethics. Why, we could even get rid of those farm workers (read: illegals) and put those poor little suckers to picking tomatoes and cotton. After all, when did a 12 hour day in the hot sun in the middle of summer ever hurt one of us 1%ers? Well, I mean if we ever would do that."
Yeah Newt....take us back to the 18th century. Idiot.
This is merely part of his desire, and that of other "elitist" Republicans to do away with Union Jobs and livable wages, to put children back to work at less than minimum, let alone a livable wage just to help their families put food on the table, and return the Dickensian days of sweat shops and no publicly funded welfare programs because you can bet you life that if he was successful in implementing this policy the next thing he would do is abolish welfare programs with the excuse that those kids can get jobs swabbing out toilets at their schools.
But of course he would never have to worry about his kids or grandkids having to clean toilets at school. How humiliating?
Sir,
This is an excellent idea, if there weren't already so many getting paid something for nothing. I'm referring to welfare recipients. They should at least be required to do some of the jobs around the city, if they choose not to work. I'm not sure who allows it, but if you go to the required number of job interviews with earings hanging off your face, tongue, and wherever else, you're not getting hired. These are the people that don't choose to work. Put their butts out cleaning the streets and schools.
I have a hard time believing that Mr.Gingrich would propose that a janitor should be laid off from his or her job, so that their child can earn a little spending money at their parent(s) expense. Or perhanps, Mr.Gingrich thought the janitor's child was attending a private school, so that would eliminate any conflict of interest between the janitors job and the student being prepared to replace the janitor. I don't think Hollywood could create candidates such as these. Even though I am not happy with the state of our economy and believe that our President can and should do more to improve it, hd at least has enough sense not to say things off of the top of his head just for a reaction. These G.O.P. candidates need to take a step back, and look at themselves through the eyes of the common man. They are saying some very wild and crazy stuff that would make Steve Martin pause for a moment to wonder if they are stealing his lines. If you want to be the next President then act Presidential, don't sit around a smoky room with your staff trying to come up with good sound bites. Your only biting the hand that should vote for you. Think about it.
Have the wealthy clean schools
This is wrong on so many levels. What an arrogant twerp.
Ahhh the power of thinking has failed to solve another real life problem; Who is going to clean the toilets... Poor people watch out, there is a new sheriff in town. I wonder if Gingrich ihad his children cleaning the toilets at his middle school. I just be he is hoping some poor kid will clean them for him!
Hey, newt............nothing and no-one could clean up the mess that is YOU.
I didn't used to like Newt, but these comments bring him up lots in my book! The most important things about work I learned while working at Subway in the early 90s: Be on time, clean, and courteous. Do it right or do it again. If the boss is pleased, you make more money. Etc. Thumbs up for Newt.
Child labor is okay by Newt. After all, all those expensive suits and luxuries he and his wife enjoy come from companies outsourcing jobs overseas so they can employ Chinese child labor at cheaper prices than American workers cost!
Any policy or idea that Newt doesn't agree with is stupid. He uses that word so much that I think he believes everyone is stupid except Newt Gingrich.
This is a joke right? This is wrong on so many levels it's hard to know where to begin. Doing away with child labor laws is not a solution to anything. Think it through Newt. You're supposed to be the smart one. Janitors deserve to make a living wage. I am all for young people getting jobs, which is perfectly legal, but it should be regulated, and it should not be the focus of a child's life. As the student ages, the amount of hours and days they are permitted to work is increased. Let's not throw adults out of work just so we can replace them with "cheaper" labor, vulnerable kids who will be taken advantage of.
Wow, seriously? The solution to the plight of the poor is going back to allowing child labor? Welcome back to the Gilded Age indeed. And never mind the massive stigma of a child basically having to be a janitor at their own school, I'm sure that will make them want to go even more!
But hey, once America has a permanent multi-generational underclass of uneducated laborers think how smoothly things will go for the permanent upper class!
This is great. Child labor for the poor. Rich children don't need their work ethics tweaked. Slavery worked something like this.
Heaven forbid, these underage children concentrate on their studies to actually become something instead of basically making them workfare slaves. This system would in all likelihood teach these kids that their life is only going to be as good as a janitor, which i think is really ignorant and doesn't allow these students to see their potential
So this is going to solve all our problems. Maybe instead of calling it 9-9-9, it could be a catch phrase of kids-kids-kids. After all, its those catch phrases and slogans that really help our country, now isn't it?
Today's children will have to work until they are 80, so let them be children while they can. Who says all people who clean schools are union people? And so what if they are, they are the working poor or the middle class and need the monies for their own children.
So if our African-American population tends to be of lower income on average than those of European descent, then does that mean that Gingrich wants to further drive a wedge of segregation against a population still fighting against modern day racism? Great, just great. . .
OMG! Is this guy for real? Actual adult janitors trying to support their families on poverty level pay should lose their jobs to poor 9-year-olds? Child labor? This is the 21st century, not the dark ages. This man is unbelievable. I don't normally believe in torture, but Newt needs to be water boarded for this horrendous idea.
Good advice – flip burgers when you're 15 so you don't have to flip burgers when you're 25. He has to be very careful with this though, as the only way he's going to avoid the predictable backlash is to keep harping on the millionaires that started working when they were 10.
The other idea we need to throw out the window – which has been a total disaster – is this notion that EVERY kid should go to college. Not only do we need *some* real workers, but you're also telling people that they are failures if they put in a hard, honest day's work. Nothing could be further from the truth.
"allow poor children to clean their schools for money"
.... I'm sure cleaning up after their classmates will be SO confidence boosting and the others students will surely be more careful with their school/environment knowing their classmates are clearning it.
YEA. I'm SURE.
Worked for the janitor after school. Paid me less than half minimum wage. Took me an hour to do the job per day. I left before school was out for another low paying job during the summer. The kid that got my old job was paid minimum wage and he took twice as long as I did to do the job. I've been on the bottom of the ladder most of my life.
Yep, we can fire the union janitors and then hire their low income children to do the work for less than half the pay. Sounds like a win-win, of course with Daddy now unemployed the low income child is now the only income in the household. Hmmmmmm, thanks Newt!
Wow, GOP, you've got a bunch of clowns - Gingrich, Cain, Bachmann and one sane candidate, Huntsman, but you let the inmates run the asylum. Child labor laws are stupid?
Growing up...those of us on free & reduced lunches had to work in the lunch room once we were in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. It wasn't horrible...and gave me an amazing work ethic. I've been teaching for 15 yrs & have a masters degree...so it didn't screw me up! ha ha
lol Newt you loony nut you!
Newt is a moron. Children of parents with little money should not even have to think about providing for themselves or their household through labor, they are under enough stress as it is. The fact that this guy is "surging" in the polls is either out of lack of options for a decent Republican candidate or there has been a recent influx of sweatshop lobbyists in Washington.
Giny- That's fine that you thought of enstilling work ethic for teenagers. But what about training for those adults you just fired and replace with lower paying labor. Why does that sound so corporate America.
I am not a fan of Newt Gingrich, but .... the man has a good point on this one. You always here of the older generation having jobs at a young age. Let's stop being pansy's about letting kids learn about what life is all about after school. I would never vote this nut into office though. Dinner would be OK.
Another "truly stupid" idea. That generation Newt is talking about (in which children went to work at 9 to 14 years of age) could also get middle class jobs without a high school diploma. Newt, why can't you and the rest of your embarrassing excuse for a political party accept that the world has changed. Americans of all demographics need an education to succeed in this world, not a paper route nor a job scrubbing their own middle-school toilets. And you were selling this pseudo-intellectual garbage at Harvard? I can't believe anyone showed up.
Hmmm, why just the "poor children"? I think having the kids doing the cleaning of their schools is actually a pretty good idea, but why not ALL THE CHILDREN? Could you imagine the abuse "the poor children" would be made to endure by the "well off children"? Make it a requirement for all students who want to graduate, everyone has to put in their time cleaning their school. Of course a financially secure person whose own children wouldn't have to clean the schools came up with this idea...and he wants to be our President.
WHAT!?
Oh my god... so guys, I had this great idea, we can pay children to clean the school and fire janitors! LOLOL
I never thought I'd see such a stupid comment from Gingrich... Hell, you know what? We need to get rid of the minimum driving age too, kids could be truck drivers!
Kids can work around the house if they don't want to be lazy.
Unfortunately, in this economy, with the job market being what it is - you would be putting adults out of work. Like the poor children's parents!! Also, with millions of illegal immigrants in the country - something Newt did NOTHING about when in Congress, and which he turned a blind eye to industries using illegal labor - no jobs in my state for teenagers, much less younger kids.
this guys is insane period.
You could've assumed this. Advocating child labor fits perfectly into the Republican platform, which is built off the cultural and social ideas of 1875.
That's a new way of getting rid of unions. Lay off adult workers getting decent wages and hire kids at minimum wage. That's nEWWWt's America, folks.
One of the main points of the child labor laws was for the kids to get an education. If they can't do their homework, or participate in extracurricular activities, then it sets them back. I think kids, once they turn 15 or 16, can work on weekends, but after school sets up a hardship when it comes to getting ahead. Newt needs to be re-educated on history.
MORON
master janitor, i want my 10 year old son to master the art of cleaning up vomit
And you Americans actually elect iditos like this!
Gingrich's plan is "truly stupid!" Let's single out the low-income kids even more and have them scrub dirty toilets to make them feel good about themselves as they help pay the rent.
Right, because we have too few people competing for too many jobs. This makes perfect sense.
And why waste pepper spray on the OWS protesters, why not just start firing at unarmed folks and killing them like Kent State?
You moron, and you are supposed to be the "smart one" in GOP?
I am pulling for Princess Perry, at least that way only 2 folks would die, he would forget to tell 'em to shoot the third!
Yes, another way to kill unions while getting rid of laws that have worked for almost a century. Can, we just call him an idiot instead of having some sorta media discussion where Fox confuses everyone. I can't wait for Obama to destroy these morons.
Is he planning on having the White House pages double as chimney sweeps, too?
Windbag with another not thought out program
Though this sounds great let the poor kids earn money; all this will do funnel money to some sum bag company that hires kids while paying them in college book coupons
The program will be underfunded
Have no real goals
Not solve any real problems
Loose all its funds through fraud
Us truly stupid people figured out that there's more to life than money.
The main reason why Newt shouldn't even allow to be a dogcatcher, let alone the President of the United States. He is as clueless as he is heartless.
This is plan is coming from a super wealthy man who has one clue what goes on in schools let alone a low socioeconimic area....this plane is just horrible
Though this idea may sound good, as it echoes off the walls of Newt's cavernous, empty skull, it would further marginalize the poor, especially a group of people which are particularly well-versed in ridicule -kids. If he really wants to come up with a viable solution, he should walk a few miles in the shoes of the poor. In other words he should really spend time with them. Then, he can combine both his sheltered, privileged, Italian loafers perspective with the sheltered, under-privileged worn sneakers perspective.
Excellent, President Newt! Our conversion to Somalia will be complete when you ascend the throne. Here's what you propose: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.globalfootprints.org/issues/images/childlabour1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.globalfootprints.org/issues/local/children/ls2_bgl.htm&h=498&w=614&sz=82&tbnid=xojv_TSAlQWJ8M:&tbnh=88&tbnw=108&zoom=1&docid=ufXBifqdIAaj5M&sa=X&ei=1YfITr7oMoGOigLWzZz8Dw&ved=0CDkQ9QEwAQ&dur=701
instead of paying kids to mop floors pay for their education this is 2011 not 1940 when. these kids that Newt wants working have parents that can not get jobs!!! Perhaps Newt can pass on the few of the millions of dollars he has made advising Fanny May and health insurance companies towards educating our poor youth. He can also apply to be the master janitor, Newt is a bright and educated man but he is out of touch with the reality of being poor
Why even pay them? There should be a portion of the day (preferably after school) where all the kids participate in cleanup. This is how the Army works, for the most part. It also keeps kids from trashing the school grounds because it will be THEM to have to clean it up.
That's right Newt!
Repeal all those pesky child labor laws.
Let those 5 year olds and 10 year olds get a job and work for a living!
Their schools are bad and their teachers are bad, so the hell with educating them. We still need street sweepers and crop pickers.
On second thought, how about we keep things as they are and let the kids go to school and learn something first.
how sick and low can republicans be?
Wow.
So, the idea is to lay off all janitors (in poor neighborhoods) to increase unemployment rates and then employ kids to do the cleaning so that they learn their place in society? Rich kids get a good night sleep, tutoring when they have difficulties, and poor kids get to get up earlier to work. That will ensure they never even get a chance of being more than a janitor.
Why not have rich kids clean their schools too? That way we could lay off even more janitors and they could learn work ethics too. My experience with graduate students is that the lazy ones are the rich ones, they know Mom and Dad will take care of them. The poor kids are the ones who works hard towards their PhD to get to a higher position in society. Of course, there are exceptions on both sides.
Newt finally nailed it– All these years, the arrogant thugs at 'Big Janitor' have been keepin' us DOWN!
These loons operate under the delusion that there are *tons* of available jobs– enough to even justify overturning child labor laws to ease the burden of unfilled positions! News flash: Maybe in your world in which your mistress has a half-million dollar credit line at Tiffanys, but not in this one.
Those kidde janitor jobs would be snapped up by *actual* adults who have *actual* bills and a DESPERATE need for money– not just moxie and the desire to earn some after-school money. I recently posted an ad for an open position, and had to pull it down after only about ten minutes– the response was that overwhelming. I got a very well-qualified ADULT as a result.
Furthermore, what would stop those kids from forming their OWN union.
Careful what you wish for, Newt
Most janatorial work done at a school is after the kids leave. His plan calls for one senior custodian, how long are the kids supposed to work, one or two hours after school, or when the senior custodian leaves at one o'clock in the morning. That means no time for sports or anyother extracurrular activities, not to mention time to study. But did he mention this is just his plan for poor neighborhoods, rich kids will have their unionized adult custodians.
Because nothing says pride in your school by singling out poor students and having them scrub the toilets for the other privileged students. Good going, Newt.
Mr Tiffany Account; a charter member of the 1% club now advocates child labor, and the destruction of America's history of organized labor. How about another solution Newt. How about admitting all the Reagan era rhetoric on tax cuts does nothing to promote either a strong economy or a equal society.
Wow, what a ridiculous idea. Great way to build self-esteem for poor students, since the other kids will know that you clean up their school.
OK, Gingrich so you give all the janitorial jobs in schools across the country to little kids, then what? All the janitors go and join the ranks of the 14 million other unemployed adults because their jobs have been given away? That's silly.
I understand the intent behind Gingrich's plan, but kids need to focus on school. They need to be at home with their noses in the books studying and doing homework, not at school scrubbing toilets. Making kids work takes away time that should be devoted to studies. Especially if the kids are poor, education is the best ticket out of poverty. Get good grades, go to college and you can make a heck of a lot more money than a janitor.
That would and could work.They could add landscaping, cafeteria, and office help to name a few. I like that Newt just don't say it once.
Why just "poor children"? Why not children of rich parents or just children period?! Why don't they clean their schools and as you say "actually work get cash and take pride in the schools."
As far as I'm concerned rich people's children are poor as well because they live off the check of their parents. They're freeloaders practically taking handouts.
Last I checked you Repubs hate that.
It's a slippery slope Newt, a slope that will slide us back into truly Dickensian times. Sorry we won't fall for it.
Wow, he's really channeling the grinch, isn't he?
He's supposed to be so educated – didn't he read any Charles Dickens? There are good reasons that child labor laws were enacted – to protect children from employers like him!
OR... they could do homework and get into college instead of training to be janitors when they grow up.
Are you kidding me? Deunionize and introduce child labor? Let's open debtor prisons while we are at it. If a child does not get an education and has to start work at age 9, I guess that will destroy the middle class for good. Minumum wage for children could be a dollar a day. Let's take us back to the 19th century.
WOW!! He is completely out of it!!! WOW!
Gingrich's ideas to put children (as young as 9 years old) to work as janitors in their school is cruel and disgusting. Poor children should not have to work because of the status of the family they were born into. They should be able to just be kids. Anyone with ideas like this should not be in the race for president. This is just disgusting.
This old has-been needs to retire and spend his time playing golf.
I totally agree and because kids have more energy, they should work 14 hour shifts too. Bring back the good ole days!
What an elitist arrogant man. After taking lobbying dough, insurance corps' dough, having hundreds of 1000's of dollars of credit at Tiffany's, this, the man who desires to be president spews this kind of labor ideas? Let's break the union janitors, who most likely are the fathers of the kids; let's break the janitors' union and kill their jobs so they will loose their health care for the families of these kids Newt is speaking about; let the kids to the work for pittance~ because if the child labor laws change you know the wages will go down. So let's put their parents out of work and let the students do the cleaning so that they can feed the family as well. Newt~ REX FECESIUS
I have to post again...I am speechless. I re-read the article and I want to smack this dough boy. A race to the bottom~ this is Newt's dream ~ a race to the bottom for the poor. He should be fired and frog-marched out of town. Give him a minimum wage hamburger flipping job; no health care and let him see how far he gets. Disgusting. Obama 2012
Well, now that Marryin' Newt has told us what kind of jobs "poor children" should have, will he tell us what kind of jobs "rich children" should have ? I'm waiting . . .
I rather see them kids learning something to help them stop the cycle of poverty. That just says spent your time cleaning in stead of studying, and just accept your life and don't try to be a doctor.
He must be kidding. Next put thgem to work as guards in debtor prison or burnong liberal books?
"It is tragic what we do in the poorest neighborhoods, entrapping children in child laws which are truly stupid," Gingrich said. "Saying to people you shouldn't go to work before you're 14, 16. You're totally poor, you're in a school that's failing with a teacher that's failing."
This coming from a lobbyist or historian who is paid a million dollars for advice. Newt is not only aragonite and self righteous . How can he be and outsider when he works on the inside.
So wait a minute. So if you are a child or teenager and you are in a school that is failing Newt wants you to quit school and go and find work. Is that it?
"Newt also offered a system that would help student get out of poverty."
Newt, the only system that would help students out of poverty is to invest in their education and make that better and productive citizens tomorrow so that when they get out of school, they can find a decent paying job to support they and their families. Unfortunately, you and the Republicans what to shut down schools an send the kids on a job hunting spree. .
Just when you thought this guy couldn't be any dumber, he opens his mouth again. comedy gold!
It is evident that Gingrich has no clue what janitors actually do. On the other hand maybe we could have kids scrabble in slag heaps looking for the odd piece of coal to heat the schools.
Forget 2012.......1812 Here were come.......
Are there no prisons?And the workhouses? Are they still in operation?My taxes help support the establishments I have
mentioned and those who are badly off must go there.
Sounds great, fire adults and let kids take up the job of cleaning the schools – using chemicals, because 10 year olds don't have to read to learn what is dangerous, if another kid dies from something, they should learn from seeing that happen.
What a great twofer. Child slavery and no unions. Stay in the class you are born into, education is not needed for the poor, work them so they die young and don't use health care, that is for the rich only.
Do these candidates have a heart at all? Or are they so into the middle ages they can't see what it will do to them as well?
If you believes that these GOP fools aren't trying to erase 100 years of progress, you are part of the problem.
So not only do they have to go to the damn school, but they have to clean it too?
Is this a joke? Is this the Onion?
This must be Newts idea for defecit reduction. Have poor kids in the ghetto clean the school instead of janitors.
Child labor laws, thats so 1920's. If we want to compete with the likes of India and China we need to step our game up.
This is Newts idea for defecit reduction. Have kids in the ghetto clean the school instead of janitors.
Child labor laws how 1920's. If we want to compete with the likes of China and Inda we need to step up our game!
The observation that the GOP/TP “Candidates” are nothing to brag about is all too evident. And, they manage to add nonsense every day to the mountain of BS they create.
The latest – Gingrich does not like current child labor laws and said: "making work worthwhile" for children ...and, I might add, a little later: corporations.
As their parents lose their jobs: …get rid of unionized janitors… Please draw your own conclusions…
To read “A Christmas Carol” to the GOP/TP we know will not work – but, you can vote them out…
Amazing that the School of Government would want this fraud to speak there. That his idiotic proposal is given any bandwidth is astounding. He and his GOP frauds want to bust unions. Anything to make more money go to the 1%.
Okay, quick question, here.....if schools in the inner city cannot afford to pay minimum-wage custodians to keep the places clean....HOW ARE THEY GOING TO FUND THIS PROGRAM? Further, if these laws are relaxed, this means that the entire national workforce is expanded by about oh, ten million per major city or so, I'd think. Jobs that like immigrant labor are likely to be cheaper, and more easily exploited, as children will not know their rights under law, and will not make educated decisions about their employment. In other words, we're to more or less throw those with college educations already struggling to find employment under the bus, because Newt Gingrich wants to bring back Social Darwinism, and the Industrial Revolution?
....and, people WONDER why we claim that the government is entirely disconnected from reality?
Or... we could take care of the, provide them with basics and a world class education... like we should. Ging-Rich would like the Victorian times to come back with the very rich and the very poor, and I don't think he's planning on being with the poor majority.
So here's what Republican policy amounts to: return to child labor, break the unions, end workplace safety regulation, and let the big banks run wild.
Actually not a bad idea. I worked in my junior high cafeteria washing trays for free lunch and my summer job at 14 was cleaning, painting, etc., in the same school.
One of the few decent ideas I've heard from either side this cycle and it comes from Gingrich; go figure! (Mitt's still got my vote, though.)
Sure Newt! Get rid of all the unionized labor and pay kids slave wages. What do we do with the people you are going to put out of work? Where do those unionized workers go?
Great campaign slogan,........'When I'm President, we'll put children to work!'
Wow! Heck let's not beat around the bush, just bring back indentured servitude and call it what it is...
Remember when he wanted to bring back orphanages instead of having a foster care system? Why is this man fixated on abusing children??
socialist
Are you kidding me? How can even Newt sink to this?
Keep talking . The wingnuts will send the blondes after Newt soon.
Yea Newt – let’s get those poor kids working
You will be teaching them great job skills for the future – like how to clean toilets and mop floors.
They will be helping support their families as one of their parents just lost their job as a custodian at the local school.
Why stop at just cleaning schools – why don't we get them working in factories, mines and make their minimum wage $2 an hour…
This system is in place and working well in other countries – like India, Venezuela, Kenya and most other third world countries.
Newt's ideas and policies seem to resemble what is seen in many third world countries: large difference between rich and poor, poor or no health care, poor or unsafe working conditions, high level of pollution, child labour and insufficient or no public education.
Is this guy really running for president or is he just enjoying getting the campaign contributions and heading down to Tiffanies.
All right Newt, bringing back child labor. But what about indentured servitude Newt? You might want to keep that option open as well. Or were you taking things one step at a time?
Both have made many people rich in India and other "developed" countries, so why not here?
Here's another idea for you.. roll back the law preventing companies from locking all the fire exits. That will keep those lazy workers from taking breaks.
I think the American public has forgotten why we have all those "unnecessary job killing regulations" by now Newt, so go for it.
Really? I am so sure that poor children would just love to clean up after their more affluent classmates. And I am equally sure that the more affluent would be more careful for their lesser economically advantaged classmates.
Work the poor! Save money from their labor. Work the poor!
Yes, newter man, you ARE a simple man. A liar, a cheat but a simple thrice married man.
Well, if this isn't the Republican dream! Put children to work and fire all the janitors that are raising families. Then you can hate them for getting food stamps.
you talk of child labor after taking bribe to lobby from Freddie Mac....Idiot...another Reagan idiot...nation's shame, and detriment....
Nice. Fire the janitor and then hire his 9 year-old daughter at a fraction of the price. Now I know why everyone puts the word "brilliant" in front of Newt's name.
Just more evidence that the Republican party wants to bring us back 100 years. Once America is totally deregulated and deunionized we will be able to compete with China, Indonesia, etc. for the sweat shop jobs - as long as we compensate the "job creators" for their generosity in the form of reduced taxes.
BTW... I don't know of any 4th grader who had a job 50 years ago. I wonder what Newt's was.
You know, it doesn't get any better than this... Newt Gingrich sticking his foot in his mouth, yet once more.
I keep hearing this guy is a genius... that we should really consider some of his ideas. And then he opens his mouth and removes all doubt. This guy would be like another George W in the White House, only this time, he'd actually think he was smarter than his advisors. Scary thought, that.
Gingrich for child labor......isn't that nice. Next he will be opening sweat shops for child labor in his own back yard....our maybe ours. PATHETIC.
Maybe he should get a job! Why is the assumption that all poverty children go to failing schools with failing teachers. Maybe if they let us teach instead of prepping kids for tests, the students could learn more. Congress has failed us. Let's start testing them.
This man's idea of what is ethical boggles me. Before child labor laws were enacted and enforced children worked in coal mines and all kinds of other dangerous and poisonous environments and mean life expectancy was 45 years. Unfortunately if Newt's thoughts above are actually implemented only disadvantaged minorities will accept these jobs because of their plight in our free country. Go away Newt. You disappeared for a few years (at least from my view) and it was a pleasure not being reminded that you exist on a daily basis. Please go back to wherever you were during your absence from public life. You have nothing constructive to contribute. Your only appeal is that your ideas are not main stream, some might say radical. I have no fear that you will be our next President although hearing your voice, reading your words and seeing you in pictures and on film turns my stomach. Please go away.
Would they make minimum wage? Or do you consider that stupid as well? Newt you may be the smartest of the field of candidates but you are the meanest SOB's in the current Republican field. I hope you enjoy your 15 minutes as front runner pal. If ,God forbid, you get elected, you will need a big storage unit somewhere because you have way too much baggage to be President.
Republican rule – first have kids clean schools, then put them back in the sweat shops. Obama Biden 2012, for America's sake.
No Newt. What's truly stupid are the things you say and believe! You know darn well child labor laws are not in place to prevent kids from mowing lawns, babysitting, or washing cars!! It's amazing how stupid you are, particularly when you get a bounce in the polls. I guess it's Rick Perry's turn to play flavor of the week. You guys are an embarassment to the GOP. ALL of you should just disappear. Go live in a cave someplace where you can have your way with 9-14 yr olds. I will NEVER vote for an idiot like you.