#DAD09 - Newt Gingrich

Tim Phillips, AFP president, introducing Newt Gingrich by talking about the GOPAC audio tapes he used to listen to...today, Newt is one of the best minds in the movement. He's an ally and friend of AFP...

* thanks audience for taking time out of regular lives to be here and for already making a difference this year.

* in 1994, we won a resounding victory with the Contract with American because millions of Americans got engaged with changing things in a positive way.

* two analogs of where we are today are 1977 and 1993.

* Republicans failed to deliver and lost 2006 and 2008 elections. People voted for change they could believe in, but found out they got change in WHAT they believe.

* President Barack Obama had a great opportunity to reach out and govern in a bi-partisan way, but socialists within the party have won...with pressure on the president to pass legislation so far to the left that you couldn't allow the American people to read it.

* stimulus package - no one read it, most of the $$ won't be spent, promised the package would cap unemployment at 8% ... but unemployment is 9.5%, which means we've thrown away all that money...

* Now have a country where insurance companies, banks and car companies are being run by government.

* New York Times had a column about the collapse of socialism in Europe ... German elections: only 23% voted for the socialist party; Sarkozy (sp?) defeated a socialist candidate... Times story did not quite make the connection with the U.S.

* the socialist wing of the Democratic Party will lead them to spectacular defeat - which means we're at a great learning moment in American history.

* Ronald Reagan - great educator as well as a great communicator. He explained, as a matter of principle, why things weren't working. President Jimmy Carter entered office with higher approval ratings than Obama, but all the issues (government-created gas shortage, Iranian hostage, double digit inflation, unemployment, etc...), quickly brought his approval down.

* During the gas shortage, you could only get gas on the days that matched your license plate number - even number, gas on even-numbered days; odd number, gas on odd-numbered days. So a friend used to go out and change the license plates on his cars so he could get gas whenever he wanted.

* If you're a conservative who hears the story of getting around the license plate rule in gas shortage, you want to repeal it, but if you're a liberal you want to create license plate police...

* Three things: 1) candidates at every level who are committed to principles - every race! 2) learn how to campaign effectively - good - better - at getting the message out...no neighborhood or group we should write off, it's a constant effort ... our country is worth our commitment to make sure that everyone is engaged.

* We have to win the argument - and the President is helping us to educate the American public - we should encourage him to go on every talk show as often as he can. Good advertising kills a bad product faster because it draws attention to the bad product. That's what's happening with the impact of the energy bill which will increase individuals' costs. There are so many things the federal government cannot do now, so the American public wonders what those people in DC are thinking in trying to take over health care.

* serious point - indicator of the fundamental danger of the Administration: if this Administration had had consistent, steady, disciplined plan for several months, Chicago might have won the Olympics, but you cannot think that running in at the last moment and smiling is any substitute for hard work and preparation.

* presidents prepare for months for summits and meetings with foreign leaders - a smile is no substitute for success...

* when you have 9.5% unemployment, people only working part-time and many having given up, you have a genuine need for a policy; government spending is not economic growth, it actually weakens the economy.

* what good jobs program looks like ... if we want prosperity for our children, here are four ideas to get to that point: 1) two-year 50% reduction in SS/Medicare tax, including for the employer side - all benefit by this tax reduction and everyone would understand the amount that they are paying since they'll see it in their weekly paychecks. 2) create jobs that compete with China, not protect jobs that can't protect - match the China capital gains tax, which is 0%!!! (much applause) 3) if you want American companies to be able to compete in the world market, it's not a card-check, it's to match the Irish corporate tax rate which is only 12%. We pay the highest corporate tax in the world. 4) make permanent the elimination of the death tax. 5) need an American energy policy using American energy sources to return the U.S. to power. "Bowing to a Saudi king is not an energy policy."

* how do you pay for this? look at the economic growth potential between the socialistic policies proposed by Obama and what I've just described... We can balance the federal budget - as four years as speaker, we balanced the federal budget. (significant applause)

* kept growth in spending to 2.9%, and made other changes, resulting in the smallest growth rate of federal government since Calvin Coolidge.

* would get the money for his proposals by taking back stimulus funds and redirecting them to offset the tax cuts; immediately sell all ownership in every company we've taken over (extended applause); explained how every person will be positively impacted by these ideas, showing them that a better future is possible.

* better slogan than Obama's campaign: "yes we really can, but not his way" (standing ovation)

* last story - he and his co-authors of several novels looked for a moment in American history that reminds us of what freedom requires...new novel coming out in November.

* Christmas day 1777 - many defeats and desertions, no boots for many soldiers. Washington realizes that if they don't have a win soon, they would lose their army. (Americans did not fight like professional armies - they shot at British troops from behind trees and were dressed in camouflage ... prior story of Washington being shot at but surviving...

* Washington's plan - cross river at night in snow storm and surprise the British troops. Officers were reluctant - Washington explained that if they didn't have a success, they were going to lose the troops, then lose the war, then be hanged - so the officers had nothing to lose...(much laughter)

* British pulled in all their guards thinking that no one would be out in the snow storm...U.S. captured 800 professional troops with only 1 death on their side. News of victory spread. Their password that night: victory or death.

* When you talk to reluctant people in your communities, remind them of this and ask them what 'excuse' they can give for this degree of a fight.