Newt Gingrich - Ethics
Summary
In a 2008 article, Congressman Gingrich referred to earmarks as a corrupt, undemocratic practice. He applauded President Bush's call for a reduction in earmarks and the President's order for the government to ignore any earmark that are not part of the actual bill voted on by Congress. Later that year, Congressman Gingrich called for a one year earmark moratorium.
At the end of 2008, Congressman Gingrich wrote an article stating that a large and bureaucratic government breed corruption, and that as the government grew into more areas of the economy corruption would grow too.
Real Earmark Reform
In February of 2008, Congressman Gingrich wrote an article for Human Events noting his views on earmark reform and what needed to be done to install more transparency.
Real Change in Earmarks
by Newt Gingrich
02/05/2008A few weeks ago, I called on the President and Congress to listen to the demands for real change coming from the American people in campaign '08 and to act immediately -- without waiting for the election.
Speaking directly to the President and Congress, this is what I said:
"The country is speaking loudly and clearly. The American people are rejecting the special interests, and the bureaucratic status quo in Washington. The question for you now is: What are you going to do about it?"
Well, today at least on one front, the answer is in. President Bush and the Congress, led by House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio), are leading an all-out fight for real change by ending the undemocratic, corrupt practice of pork-barrel spending through earmarks.
It's more then a dry exercise in accounting. It's the first step in the fight for real change. It's a fight to begin to restore accountability to how your tax dollars are spent in Washington.
It's a fight to reclaim the fiscally conservative soul of the Republican Party.
And we owe our congratulations to President Bush, Congressman Boehner and everyone leading the charge.
'If These Items Are Truly Worth Funding, Congress Should Debate Them in the Open and Hold a Public Vote'
President Bush, you might remember, made fighting earmarks a centerpiece of his State of the Union Address last week -- and for good reason.
Just before Christmas, the Democratic Congress had sent the President a $516 billion spending bill that was over-run with pork -- almost 9,000 special interest pet projects had been added to the bill. Even worse, most of the pork wasn't in the actual bill that was voted on by Congress. It was secretly slipped into the committee reports that accompany the bill -- endless bureaucratic documents that only a select few members read before they voted.
The President signed the spending bill, but he got the last word in his State of the Union Address last week. He announced two real changes to the way Washington spends our money:
- The President pledged that he will veto any appropriations bill that does not cut the number and cost of earmarks by half.
- And he announced an Executive Order, which was just issued, directing the federal government to ignore any earmarks that are not part of the actual bill voted on by Congress. What this means is that pet projects that are quietly included in the committee reports that accompany the bills -- such as the bulk of the pork in the pre-Christmas spending bill -- will no longer be acted on. "If these items are truly worth funding," the President said, "Congress should debate them in the open and hold a public vote."
Republicans Throw Down the Gauntlet of Reform -- Democrats Refuse To Pick It Up
Even before the President's State of the Union, Congressional Republicans took on the challenge of real change in how Washington spends our money.
On January 25, House Republicans called for a moratorium on earmarks and invited the Democratic majority to join them in a bipartisan effort to permanently end Washington's addiction to pork.
House Republicans gave House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic majority a week to consider their offer.
But last Friday, the deadline for Democratic action came and went with no response.
As Republican Leader Boehner put it in an op-ed yesterday: "With the majority's refusal to stop the earmarks, the circle is now complete. The leaders of the Democratic majority, who once promised to change the status quo in Washington spending, have become its champion."
Republicans Move Forward With Real Change
Moreover, and to the Republicans' credit, the House Democrats' failure to act has not stopped the Republican caucus from their goal of earmark reform.
Once again, Rep. Boehner put it well: "House Republicans have changed, too. We fully recognize the failure to control earmarks helped cost our party the majority, and dramatic change is needed."
Until Democrats come on board for fundamental change, House Republicans have vowed to set higher standards for themselves when it comes to spending the American people's money.
House Republicans have agreed to:
- No More "Monuments to Me": Ending the use of taxpayer money to fund projects named after members of Congress.
- No More "Airdropping" Pork at the Last Minute: Ending the practice of avoiding scrutiny of pet projects by adding them to legislation at the last minute.
- No More "Front" Groups to Launder Earmarks: Ending the practice of designating earmarks for "front" operations that mask the true recipients of pork-barrel spending.
A Fight That's Not Going Away Anytime Soon
House Republicans are the first to admit that the measures they've agreed to are just the beginning. To achieve real change, they need the cooperation of Democrats. Now is the time for all our leaders in Washington to put aside partisan advantage and seize this moment.
And if the anger and frustration of the American people over the lack of accountability for spending in Washington isn't enough to convince Democrats to act, this fact should be: Earmark reform is not a fight that is going away anytime soon.
Earmark reform will not only be a major issue for Republicans in Congress this year (Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) has just appointed a Republican task force chaired by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) to address earmark reform), it will also be a major fight in the battle for the White House.
And in this fight, on this critical issue of restoring accountability and integrity to how Washington uses our money, Republicans have a decisive advantage.
Real World Stories of Pork Barrel Corruption from Real Change
In my new book, Real Change: From the World that Fails to the World that Works (autographed copies available at newt.org), I devote a chapter to restoring fiscal sanity and accountability to Washington. Eliminating pork-barrel spending is a key first step.
I give real world examples of Congress's addiction to pork, and the lengths some members go to hide it from the American people.
In one amazing example included in the book, Congressman and earmarker extraordinaire John Murtha (D.-Pa.) sought a $1 million earmark for something called the "Center for Instrumental Critical Infrastructure" in his home district. When Rep. Jeff Flake (R,-Ariz.) challenged the earmark, saying the existence of the center could not be verified, the committee chairman responsible for the spending agreed: He didn't know whether Murtha's project existed either. Still, Flake's challenge to the earmark failed by a vote of 326 to 98.
The Reformers for Real Change Deserve Our Support
These kinds of pork-barrel spending are abuses of power and abuses of the public trust -- not to mention a waste of taxpayer dollars. They cannot be allowed to continue.
The next step is for full transparency. The full text of congressional spending bills should be released online to the public at least 72 hours before voting on the bill. This would allow the American people (including members of Congress) to know what is in the bill before it is voted on.
But let's acknowledge any step in the right direction. No one has been tougher on the candidates and elected officials of both parties about changing the broken bureaucratic, special interest culture of Washington than I have been. That's why it gives me so much pleasure to see some of our leaders making real progress on real change. Their efforts deserve the support of all Americans, regardless of party.
The American people have spoken, and their leaders are beginning to respond with real change. But it's not enough that just Republicans act. Democrats have to have the courage to act as well. And if and when they do, it will be a victory, not only for accountability in spending, but for the people's voice in their own government.
So here are two cheers for Republican leadership on earmark reform. I'm saving all three cheers for when real change becomes a bipartisan cause.
ReBranding the GOP
In May of 2008, Congressman Gingrich wrote an article for Human Events in which he listed 9 things that the GOP could do to rebrand the name. One of those items was an earmark moratorium.
Establish an earmark moratorium for one year and pledge to uphold the presidential veto of bills with earmarks through the end of 2009. The American people are fed up with politicians spending their money. They currently believe both parties are equally bad. This is a real opportunity to show the difference.
Big Government Breed Corruption
In December of 2008, Congressman Gingrich wrote an article for Human Events stating that a large government breeds corruption.
Big Government Breeds Big Corruption
by Newt Gingrich12/16/2008 Question: What do Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (D), convicted Senator Ted Stevens (R), failing public school administrators, and the 80 percent of retiring California Highway Patrol chiefs who apply for disability have in common?
Answer: None of them is honest, and all of them are part of America’s already vast and rapidly expanding government.
First, a Last Chance to Order Before Christmas
But before tackling this and adding some thoughts on the RNC’s new web ad, I want to mention that the Newt.org Online Store makes an excellent place to get memorable Christmas gifts for conservatives on your shopping list.
We are offering autographed books that can be personalized with a short message as well as discounts on audio books and DVDs such as Rediscovering God in America and We Have the Power.
Visit shop.newt.org and be sure to order by December 18 to receive your order before Christmas.
“When Buying and Selling are Controlled by Legislation, the First Things to be Bought and Sold are Legislators.”
The idea that big government is inherently corrupting is as old as America itself. It was part of the Founders’ case for casting off the chains of the British monarchy.
More recently, the principle that big government breeds big corruption was perhaps expressed best by humorist P.J. O’Rourke, who said:
“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.”
Blago is Just the Most Obvious Example
The shocking case of corruption in the office of the governor of Illinois by Rod Blagojevich is just the most obvious manifestation of this tendency for dishonesty to grow as government grows.
When the Detroit public school system continues to take money for the 76 percent of students that it fails to graduate on time or at all, its administrators aren’t being honest.
When 80 percent -- 80 percent! -- of California Highway Patrol assistant and deputy chiefs claim a disability at retirement to inflate their pensions, they are not being honest. (Also see this shocking story from yesterday’s New York Times).
When at least 25 percent of the $50 billion of the taxpayers’ money spent each year on Medicaid in New York is likely due to fraud, waste and misuse, it’s not only the individuals defrauding the system that are being dishonest, but the government officials allowing this travesty to continue are dishonest as well.
The list could go on and on.
Corruption Will Only Grow as Government Expands into Our Economy
It’s examples like these that have caused Americans to lose faith and trust in their government. It was Republicans who paid the price for this in November, but in reality, all of us are paying.
And we’ll only pay more as the federal government moves further and further into part-ownership of America’s insurance companies, banks, financial institutions and, most likely, Detroit’s auto industry.
That’s why I believe that the most important words in rethinking government in the next decade won’t be vague promises like “change” or massive government attempts at make-work “stimulus.”
Honesty. Effectiveness. Productivity. Creativity.
The four most important words in rethinking government in the years to come will be these:
- Honesty
- Effectiveness
- Productivity
- Creativity
There are sub-words that could be added. For instance, the natural counterpart to honesty in government is “accountability.” Honesty in government also breeds “integrity” in government.
But note one thing: Each of these words emphatically do not describe hulking behemoths like bureaucracies, bloated labor unions, or massive corporations.
Honesty, effectiveness, productivity and creativity don’t describe Washington. They describe places like Silicon Valley. They describe the lean, agile and innovative companies and institutions that are making American better every day.
The Watchwords of the World That Works
Honesty, effectiveness, productivity and creativity describe the world that works rather than the world that fails.
Our goal in the coming months and years must be to move our government from the world of dishonesty, failure, inefficiency and stagnation -- the world that fails -- to the world of honesty, effectiveness, productivity and creativity -- the world that works.
Think this sounds like cock-eyed optimism? If so, I’m in good company.
Ronald Reagan once said there are no easy solutions, just simple ones. Nothing could be simpler than the four watchwords for transforming government I’ve laid out -- and nothing will be more difficult than changing our government institutions to meet them.
Governor Blagojevich is long past due for a wake-up call. It’s time to get to work.
RNC Gets It All Wrong
With these four watchwords in mind, I was saddened to see the Republican National Committee’s recent web video trying desperately to draw a link between President-elect Obama and disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
This is exactly the type of mindless, character-assassination, attack politics that the voters rejected in 2006 and 2008.
Everything about this ad is wrong -- from its sheer desperation, to its tone, to what it says about the agenda of the Republican Party.
Clearly, we should insist that all of the taped communications about the Senate seat be made public. But that should be a matter of public policy, not of political attack.
Sponsored and Cosponsored Legislation
This representative has not been identified as sponsoring or cosponsoring significant legislation related to this title.