"I think every person up here worked at a young age," Gingrich declared. "What I suggested was kids ought to be able to work part time in schools, particularly in the poorest neighborhoods."

"If you take one half of the New York janitors, who are paid more than the teachers. An entry-level janitor gets paid twice as much as an entry-level teacher. You take half those janitors, you could give lots of poor kids a work experience in the cafeteria, in the school library, in the front office, in a lot of different things. I'll stand by the idea young people ought to learn how to work."



Yes, Newt. Let's take away jobs from adults who are supporting themselves & their families and give those jobs to children. Why are you only targeting poor children and not the ones who come from better off families? Why are you taking children away from their school work? School work that may one day help them get out of poverty?

Or is it your ultimate plan that these children will grow up & live in poverty for the rest of their lives?

Now, what do you suppose those adults are suppose to do when they've lost their jobs? What about their children?

I'm waiting for your answers, Newt, especially to the latter part of your poorly thought out plan.

What a mean small-hearted asshole. I wish I had studied more psychology in university, because this Republican field of candidates could be illustrations of all sorts of things.

I worked on an alfalfa farm after school from 8th grade until I graduated high school. It isn't for everyone but I am not opposed to it either. And Newt is kinda right, kids in poor neighborhoods don't even have opportunities to work on farms, some of them never even get to see farms. They should get to help out and learn what real life and working is all about because public education does not teach that. That "go get um follow your heart and get a college degree" attitude is awesome but it really isn't panning out. Learning a work ethic is just as important.

violentsalvation: I worked on an alfalfa farm after school from 8th grade until I graduated high school. It isn't for everyone but I am not opposed to it either. And Newt is kinda right, kids in poor neighborhoods don't even have opportunities to work on farms, some of them never even get to see farms. They should get to help out and learn what real life and working is all about because public education does not teach that. That "go get um follow your heart and get a college degree" attitude is awesome but it really isn't panning out. Learning a work ethic is just as important.

The thing is that Newt isn't talking about 8th grade-high school aged children working in the schools. He's wanting elementary school children to be doing this work.

I'm all for children developing a work ethic, but not at the expense of their education or at the expense of adult employees losing their jobs so that children can perform them. And yes, that's what Newt is proposing doing.

violentsalvation: I worked on an alfalfa farm after school from 8th grade until I graduated high school. It isn't for everyone but I am not opposed to it either. And Newt is kinda right, kids in poor neighborhoods don't even have opportunities to work on farms, some of them never even get to see farms. They should get to help out and learn what real life and working is all about because public education does not teach that. That "go get um follow your heart and get a college degree" attitude is awesome but it really isn't panning out. Learning a work ethic is just as important.

I have a work ethic too, which I learned from a young age, but I didn't have to mop up the piss and shiat of other people to save my school money at the same time. There is nothing wrong with hard honest work, just don't use the people doing that job to try to save money for people with more money than them or their parents.

It's not the sermon on the mount, Newt, you asshole. It is just basic human decency, a trait you seem sorely to be lacking.

Bathia_Mapes: "I think every person up here worked at a young age," Gingrich declared. "What I suggested was kids ought to be able to work part time in schools, particularly in the poorest neighborhoods."

"If you take one half of the New York janitors, who are paid more than the teachers. An entry-level janitor gets paid twice as much as an entry-level teacher. You take half those janitors, you could give lots of poor kids a work experience in the cafeteria, in the school library, in the front office, in a lot of different things. I'll stand by the idea young people ought to learn how to work.".

I thought teachers were overpaid, Unionized Socialists who teach crap like gravity (which is only a theory, btw) instead of Intelligent Falling? Now they get paid half of much as your average piss-mopper?

It's a moron rodeo. The one to stay on their bull longest wins. As someone watching from outside the USA watching the Republicans attempt to elect their candidate it is utterly appalling.

violentsalvation: I worked on an alfalfa farm after school from 8th grade until I graduated high school. It isn't for everyone but I am not opposed to it either. And Newt is kinda right, kids in poor neighborhoods don't even have opportunities to work on farms, some of them never even get to see farms. They should get to help out and learn what real life and working is all about because public education does not teach that. That "go get um follow your heart and get a college degree" attitude is awesome but it really isn't panning out. Learning a work ethic is just as important.

My folks sent me to work at 15 over the summer to our veterinarian's office to serve as Kennel Manager. I hated that job. It was valuable to me in the sense that I realized I never wanted to work a job like that, ever again. And I haven't. I also take my work ethic very seriously, and thus far it's kept me employed nonstop since the age of 18. I'm not sure if I have a point, but that's my experience.

SundaesChild: Let me guess: he'd have the kids paid an amount below the federal minimum wage too, if at all.

When they're fully grown, they'll get full wages. Not a day sooner.

Ed Finnerty: SundaesChild: Let me guess: he'd have the kids paid an amount below the federal minimum wage too, if at all.

When they're fully grown, they'll get full wages. Not a day sooner.

Yeah, but then Adulthood won't begin until the age of 50 so the corporate masters job creators can save money.

Gingrich brings to mind this:

"At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge," said the gentleman, taking up a pen, "it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and Destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir."

"Are there no prisons?" asked Scrooge.

"Plenty of prisons," said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.

"And the Union workhouses?" demanded Scrooge. "Are they still in operation?"

"They are. Still," returned the gentleman, "I wish I could say they were not."

You know you can laugh at it, but this is a serious job, requiring a serious person.

Sgt Otter: I thought teachers were overpaid, Unionized Socialists who teach crap like gravity (which is only a theory, btw) instead of Intelligent Falling? Now they get paid half of much as your average piss-mopper?

Republican voters aren't capable of thinking that through.

Bathia_Mapes: violentsalvation: I worked on an alfalfa farm after school from 8th grade until I graduated high school. It isn't for everyone but I am not opposed to it either. And Newt is kinda right, kids in poor neighborhoods don't even have opportunities to work on farms, some of them never even get to see farms. They should get to help out and learn what real life and working is all about because public education does not teach that. That "go get um follow your heart and get a college degree" attitude is awesome but it really isn't panning out. Learning a work ethic is just as important.

The thing is that Newt isn't talking about 8th grade-high school aged children working in the schools. He's wanting elementary school children to be doing this work.

I'm all for children developing a work ethic, but not at the expense of their education or at the expense of adult employees losing their jobs so that children can perform them. And yes, that's what Newt is proposing doing.

I'm not getting how this is going to deliver the message you intend. If a kid from a poor neighborhood goes to work on an alfalfa farm and let's say, makes minimum wage, that's all well and good. But then the kid comes home, sees a local drug dealer pulling down six bills selling crack and meth, which experience is going to have more of an impact?

I don't doubt the sincerity of this plan. Just the intended outcome. Better educational opportunities and schools that aren't failing will do far more to advance poor children's fortunes than cleaning up vomit in the cafeteria.

Sure, Newt. Let's put elementary-school-age children in positions where they're going to be in contact with and have access to noxious chemicals, pay them less than minimum wage, take away from homework time and offer them no health benefits of any kind (because you'd damn well better believe his plan won't). What happens the first time a kid who hasn't yet been schooled in basic chemistry mixes bleach and ammonia when cleaning the floor and gets her lungs and eyes burned by a cloud of chlorine gas? Or dumps some Drano on a wet patch of skin? Or are those the science lessons you say you want so much for them to learn, Newtie? Asshole.

winterwhile: Obama spent baby spent

best part.. these kids will have to pay it all back

good job dem-o-rats

Oh, do shut the ƒںсk up, already. I've endured you long enough. To the ignore bin you go.

Well, if the problem is union janitors being overpaid, how about just hiring non-union janitors instead of kids to replace them?

Which laws is he planning on changing? I really don't care if a 16 year old makes a few extra bucks mopping floors, but I didn't really think that was illegal right now.

Experiencing the opportunity of the pursuit of happiness in Newt's universe. Between beatings and injuries, that is.

Sgt Otter: I thought teachers were overpaid, Unionized Socialists who teach crap like gravity (which is only a theory, btw) instead of Intelligent Falling? Now they get paid half of much as your average piss-mopper?

His point was that the janitors are overpaid, so um, saying they make twice as much as an overpaid teacher is a valid argument.

Wyalt Derp: This is a double-win proposal - not only forcing children to work, but also taking jobs away from adults. Quite brilliant!

There is an alternative for the children...we could sell them all for medical experiments.

Scrooge started back, appalled. Having them shown to him in this way, he tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude.

"Spirit! are they yours?" Scrooge could say no more.

"They are Man's," said the Spirit, looking down upon them. "And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it!" cried the Spirit, stretching out its hand towards the city. "Slander those who tell it ye! Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse. And bide the end!"

"Have they no refuge or resource?" cried Scrooge.

"Are there no prisons?" said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. "Are there no workhouses?"

The bell struck twelve.

FlameDuck: buckler: Wyalt Derp: This is a double-win proposal - not only forcing children to work, but also taking jobs away from adults. Quite brilliant!

There is an alternative for the children...we could sell them all for medical experiments.

or prostitution?

Why, yes! Every poor neighborhood could have a "Little Bangkok" district! The children would learn the value of hard work and the importance of interpersonal relationships, while simultaneously giving and getting input from their local and national GOP representatives!