South Carolina Debate: Newt Gingrich & poor kids doing janitorial work

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Forums > All Posts > South Carolina Debate: Newt Gingrich and poor kids doing janitorial work

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01-17-2012, 08:36 AM

Schmidt
Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 1058

I didn't watch the South Carolina debate last night, but was struck again by the audience reaction to an exchange between Juan Williams, one of the moderators, and Newt Gingrich when Williams confronted him over his comments earlier this winter that poor children in low-income neighborhoods should be given janitorial work in local schools.

Jon Ward of the Huffington Post documented this exchange in which the crowd gave Gingrich a standing ovation:

"Can't you see that this is viewed at a minimum as insulting to all Americans, but particularly to black Americans?" asked Williams.

Gingrich replied flatly: "No, I don't see that." The crowd erupted approvingly.

Gingrich talked about his daughter "doing janitorial work at 13," and another young man who started a doughnut company at age 11. He said that New York City could "hire 30-some kids to work in the school for the price of one janitor, and those 30 kids would be a lot less likely to drop out."

"They'd be getting money, which is a good thing if you're poor. Only the elites despise earning money," Gingrich said, as the audience roared its approval.

Williams came back at Gingrich, asking the former speaker if his comments had been "intended to belittle the poor and racial minorities." The crowd, most of it white, booed Williams loudly.

I added the bolding. Now black unemployed kids are also elites?

I have seen this type of audience reaction before at these Republican debates, but this one to me has clear racial overtones. What is it about the audiences at these debates that they have to glorify Gingrich's remarks?

01-17-2012, 01:50 PM

Schmidt
Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 1058

Just doing a bit of checking and arithmetic:

The average salary for a janitor in New York is $21,000 per year. That works out to maybe $11/hour. If you replace one janitor with 30 kids (11-13 years old) that means you would have to pay the kids $0.37 per hour to break even.

Sorry, Newt...you and your rabid audience might think 37 cents per hour is good cheap child labor to take advantage of, but some of us "elitist liberals" would take issue with it. This isn't China.

01-17-2012, 01:59 PM

Ray Larsen
Mishawaka, IN
Posts: 1

I was a Libertarian for Ron Paul but Newt Gingrich last night had me cheering in my living room. I am for Newt now!

01-17-2012, 08:13 PM

Mr.H.W.
Not Selected
Posts: 3

If it isn't clear already, any one of the candidates will do anything in their power to harm the working poor. There are just enough Americans who don't think deeply about these matters and who will by into the "Oh, they're in poverty? Just make them work longer hours at lower pay!" line of reasoning because it's buried behind the veil of rhetoric that goes "Anyone who opposes our policies just hates work," that Newt, Mittens, or even Ron "I Hate Civil Rights" Paul just might get elected.

The best shot for Democrats is to support Santorum for the GOP nomination, especially in South Carolina where there is an upcoming open primary. Santorum will lose because his name has become a joke. People vote based on those things in general elections. It's sad that it has come down to this, but that's how American elections work. Kerry lost in 2004 because he was the "Waffle House" candidate; Santorum will lose in November because he will be the "Frothy Mixture" candidate.

01-17-2012, 11:02 PM

66mustang
Not Selected
Posts: 2

I for one am tired of the liberal media throwing the race card out so adimently the last few days. Gingrich said nothing about race in the debate. Quite the contrary, he said that ALL lower income individuals should be taught skills/trades to be better prepared to succeed. The race card is so far left. The left doesn't want to lose the black votes and will try and use this card in ANYWAY it thinks it can getaway with it.

As far as the janitor issue; what school has 30 janitors? He is simply saying that the school could save money if the kids did some ofthe regular maintenance, and in turn could charge less for food, books, registration, etc.

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