Gingrich wants Obama to learn from the first president
Gingrich spoke to a packed crowd at the Fort Worth Club Oct. 22 about his newly released book, To Try Men’s Souls, and gave his take on issues including the war on terror, Afghanistan, immigration, education and health care reform.
Gingrich’s new book, co-authored with William R. Forstchen, focuses on a key Revolutionary War story: When George Washington crossed the Delaware.
“There’s no one else who comes anywhere close to Washington and his impact on America,” Gingrich said. “We all stand on his shoulders, that the very nature of this republic was shaped for over 200 years by George Washington.”
Gingrich spoke about the low morale surrounding the Revolutionary War leading up to the night Washington and troops crossed the river in 1776, and the effect Washington’s presidency has had on the United States since.
Before writing the book, Gingrich said he and Forstchen believed the book would be released when the country was experiencing hard times.
“We said we think the economy will be difficult, the world will be dangerous, we’ll have a very radical left-wing administration, and an even more radical left-wing Congress,” he said. “And, the result will be an amazing number of Americans trying to figure out what should we do, how should we think and what is the future of America. And, one of the best ways to think about America is to go back to the people who created it and to look at what they did and how they did it.”
Gingrich later said he wants Obama to slow down in his decision making, and be sure to carefully consider not just his options in Afghanistan but the larger picture of the war on terror. He added that the war on terror will be long, and will include battles in countries more volatile than Afghanistan.
Key initiatives to success in Afghanistan, Gingrich said, are to pave as many roads as possible for easier transportation in the country, to expand communications and Internet access to the country’s younger population, and to increase and strengthen the Afghan police and military forces.
Gingrich spoke about Afghanistan in context of his larger concerns on national security issues, including immigration reform, bioterrorism, nuclear proliferation, and foreign policy initiatives. He also gave his opinion on reforming taxation, education and health care, adding that he believes the current health reform bills moving through Congress are intended to move the U.S. toward a socialist government system.
