Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich opens his new book, To Renew America, with a touch of Charles Dickens, "These are the best of times and the worst of times.'' He believes that America is still the world's only superpower and the greatest nation ever to be in existence. However, we have come to a crossroads of history. America is on a moral decline and increasingly becoming pressed economically by strengthening economies in other countries (mainly ones who have discovered the advantages of a free-market). But unlike the few protestors who have been attending some of his book signing tours, (Gingrich has commented that they are there and they are loud, but they have no answers) Gingrich does have answers. He sums them up as "six challenges":
What really sets this book apart is that it is not just simple rhetoric that typical politicians feed the public. Speaker Gingrich actually goes into detail concerning his ideas and the six chllenges. He believes we must reassert our spiritual dimension that was with the Founding Fathers by teaching about who they actually were, not the imaginary secularists some would like to believe. In one of his most important sections, the Speaker describes the work of Edwards Deming, an American who is, unfortunately for us, extremely well-known in Japan and virtually not at all in our own country (There is even a very prestigious national award for quality named after him in Japan.) Dr. Deming was the man who advised the Japanese in how to operate their businesses. Gingrich sums his teaching up in four main points: the customer is your focus, systems should targeted for improved production -- not people, there has to be a theory before each action, and each individual employee must be treated as essential. The Speaker also believes we are on the brink of an Information Revolution, similar to the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions that came before. He has described himself as a futurist, a term that suits him well given his optimism and belief in technology.
For those interested in the intrigues of passing legislation he offers two chapters devoted to how the Contract With America was kept in the House.
After describing that process he lays down a foundation of eight reforms that will shift us to an opportunity society including "shifting from caretaking to caring" and "learning as the focus of education." He believes that we have become so involved in the structural process of programs that we have abandoned their original purpose. He discusses proposals to save Medicare and at the same time give senior citizens more choices concerning their health care and making the program more efficient. He also proposes a radical idea for students: if a student graduates high school early with above a B average, he or she would get a scholarship worth 80% of what a school system would normally pay to keep that student in high school one or two more years, depending on when they graduate. His view on the environment: "we have to become gardeners of the Earth . . . Gardeners are not looters and despoilers. Neither are they Eastern holy men who refuse to kill any living thing."
The reader will also get to peak into the window of just who Newt Gingrich is. He describes growing up in France, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere (as an army brat). He tells his story of how his love of animals and want of a zoo for his town, forever sparked his interest in politics at just ten years of age. He even has a tyrannosaurus rex skull in the Speakers office!
One of the most obvious, but striking things about his writing style and his own personality, is his reference to, and amazing understanding of, history and books. He is a
history professor, but he is able to make everyone realize just how important (in a very
entertaining way) the study of history is to our future. From history we can see where we
have been and just whee we may be headed, as well as how how not to get there. This book is not only for political junkies like myself. It is at the same time a very easy and quick read, but also one that is very provocative and may have to be read several times in order to catch things that may have been missed the first time. Hopefully, people of all political philosophies will at least attempt to read To Renew America and make their own conclusions. After all is said and done in the House Ethics Committee, maybe
someone will remember that then Senator Al Gore wrote a book while in office, too. History will decide which book, which person, will have the lasting impact and produce the
better results.
Your education is your responsibility. To inform yourself about the public policy process, hear the debate on current issues, and learn why you believe what you believe, you must read. Your classes will only offer a limited perspective and you can't count on others to tell you what to believe.
Who Stole Feminism? by Christina Hoff Sommers
Creatin a New Civilization by Alvin and Heidi Toffler
Illiberal Education by D'nesh D'souza
Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater