Gingrich Campaign Press Release - Another Reaganite Endorsement: 'America Needs Newt'

Bently Elliott, director of White House speechwriting for President Reagan, writes that Newt has won decisive victories for conservatives throughout his career and is the best candidate to do so again.

Newt Gingrich was an early foot-soldier for Ronald Reagan. He was inspired by Reagan's charisma, convictions and leadership. He supported Reagan in 1976 and witnessed the attacks by the Ford campaign to tar Ronald Reagan, the conservative, as unstable and dangerous. Sound familiar? Newt was also among the small band of conservatives, led by Jack Kemp in the late 1970s, who saw the tremendous potential for growth in Art Laffer's supply-side economics. When President Reagan embraced the Kemp-Roth tax cut, Newt Gingrich was on the frontlines working to pass the legislation. Then he helped to lead the Reagan Revolution forward in three meaningful ways.

First, Newt led the drive to build the Republican Party into the majority party. As Jack Kemp became the champion of supply-side and took the gospel of growth to the world, Newt Gingrich set out to build a Republican majority around the supply-side vision of a Conservative Opportunity Society — one that he knew could radically change the debate and balance of power. He admonished Republicans to get off defense and go on offense; to cease being tax collectors for the liberal welfare state and start creating opportunities for everyone, from every walk of life, to rise as high as their God-given talents could take them. Do this and Republicans could transform the Grand Old Party into the Grand New Party of growth, jobs and opportunity.

Second, Newt Gingrich helped Reagan prevail during the most difficult days of his presidency. When unemployment rose above 10% in 1982, and when The New York Times, CBS and the big guns in the national media began sneering their contempt of "Reaganomics," many in the party began to go wobbly. "I'm sorry, Mr. President, but your spending cuts are just too deep. Your tax cuts are too big." To his everlasting credit, the president stayed the course, demonstrating that leaders rise to greatness in the fires of adversity, not when times are easy, but when they are hard. However, the president needed every bit of support he could muster from his allies on Capitol Hill. Some may have forgotten, but Kemp and Gingrich never wavered, never flinched. They rallied our troops in Congress, while repeatedly admonishing the White House that success would only be won if we held firm and stood together.

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Just imagine what America could accomplish with the Gingrich Plan: with real spending restraints, real regulatory reform and a strong dollar, a 12.5% corporate tax rate, equaling Ireland's near-lowest in the world, 100% expensing, an optional 15% flat tax, zero tax on capital gains and inheritances, an all-out drive for American energy and the choice of personal Social Security accounts for young people. Logic compels us to believe that with these bold solutions, Americans will once again surpass expectations and shock the world.

The journey to restore America must begin with limiting government, as well as empowering and ennobling every individual. We not only empower but we ennoble when we honor the dignity, worth and potential of every person, born and unborn. We are not subjects of any elites, we are citizens, each born with a purpose and endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights. This is what Newt Gingrich believes. This is the idea he has fought for throughout his public life. This is why he has stood in the line of fire, again and again, on behalf of Ronald Reagan and the conservative cause. More than any other candidate, Newt Gingrich has won decisive victories, and can again, for individuals and families, and for a freer, stronger, more prosperous America at home and in the world.

 Read the whole column here.