Newt!, by Dick Williams: on Families & Children
Newt Gingrich:
Marriage penalty costs low-income couples $4,600 per year
Americans, Gingrich believes, are not rule-dominated; they are incentive-dominated. Because of this, today's welfare incentives are backwards in a democratic, entrepreneurial society.His favorite example: the tax code's marriage penalty, or that part
that affects lower-income citizens. Gingrich used the example of a man earning $11,000 a year who wanted to marry a woman earning the same amount. Because each taxpayer would be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit, a marriage ceremony and license
would cost the couple $4,000 a year.
"And then you have politicians," Gingrich says, "who say, 'Gee, we have too many births out of wedlock.' And your government wants to encourage you to get married by taking from you 25% of your income?"
Gingrich doesn't blame individuals for socially damaging behavior. His target is the system that fosters it. He wants instead a system that guides citizens to the proper choices.
Source: Newt!, by Dick Williams, p. 43
Jun 1, 1995
Newt Gingrich:
1979: his marriage collapsed because "all humans sin"
When Newt went to Washington in 1979, [his first wife] Jackie went with him. But she didn't stay long. She had been diagnosed with uterine cancer the year before and was undergoing treatment. The couple tried counseling, but separated. Gingrich has said
they discussed a divorce for 11 years, but Jackie insisted on trying to save the marriage.Over the years, a body of lore has been compiled about the marriage and what broke it: Gingrich is said to have told a friend that Jackie wasn't young enough or
pretty enough to be the wife of a president. He denies those comments.
When asked why his marriage ended, Gingrich never has denied that he broke his marriage vows: He confirmed in many forums, "I'm human, and all human beings sin."
The fires were
fueled in 1981, when just a few months after his divorce, Gingrich married Marianne Ginther. She was 15 years younger than Jackie. A body of stories developed that is still circulating today concerning alleged affairs with unnamed women.
Source: Newt!, by Dick Williams, p. 94-95
Jun 1, 1995
Dick Gephardt:
Co-established bipartisan task force on the family
Today we had a bipartisan service. It talked about caring about our spouses, and our children, and our families. Because if we're not prepared to model that, beyond just having them here for one day,
if we're not prepared to care about our children, and we're not prepared to care about our families, then by what arrogance do we think we will transcend our behavior to care about others?
That's why with Congressman [Richard] Gephardt's help, we've established a bipartisan task force on the family.
We've established the principle that we're going to set schedules we stick to so families can count on times to be together, built around the school schedules, so that families can get to know each other and not just on C-Span.
Source: Inaugural Speaker speech, in Newt!, by D.Williams, p. 220
Jan 4, 1995
Newt Gingrich:
Co-established bipartisan task force on the family
Today we had a bipartisan service. It talked about caring about our spouses, and our children, and our families. Because if we're not prepared to model that, beyond just having them here for one day,
if we're not prepared to care about our children, and we're not prepared to care about our families, then by what arrogance do we think we will transcend our behavior to care about others?
That's why with Congressman [Richard] Gephardt's help, we've established a bipartisan task force on the family.
We've established the principle that we're going to set schedules we stick to so families can count on times to be together, built around the school schedules, so that families can get to know each other and not just on C-Span.
Source: Inaugural Speaker speech, in Newt!, by D.Williams, p. 220
Jan 4, 1995
Page last updated: Feb 19, 2019