My jaw didn't drop. What's wrong with offering kids paid work/learning opportunities? I would have tried it, when I was a kid. He's definitely too prejudiced against the poors, but it sounds like a good program for kids from any demographic.

Your paper sure championed that little girl from West Linn who's parents set her up with a lemonade stand at First Thursday. Do you think she did it for free? Do you think her parents weren't trying to teach her entrepreneurship and money management? That sounds exactly like what he's discussing, here.

Putting 9-year-olds to work scrubbing toilets in their schools because they happen to be from poor familes is teaching "entrepreneurship and money management," Reymont? Really? Sure your brain didn't bake on that Waikiki beach?

It's an okay idea phrased really badly (this is Newt, after all). A return to vocational training and apprenticeship could be hugely beneficial. The reality is we have not reached the "philosopher society" and a great many people work with their hands for a living.

9-year-olds shouldn't be working as janitors but teaching 14 and 15 year olds about skilled labor while paying them to learn could be invaluable.

The problem is making sure it's not forced on anyone who doesn't want it and isn't such a financial draw at a young age as to discourage students from going into longer-term fields of study like science and liberal arts.

Dear god, I'm not a praying man, nor am I a big Obama supporter, but sweet Jesus, let Gingrich get the GOP nomination. Please, god, I'm begging you, give us this gift of watching the Newtster self destruct in 2012. Amen.

@Todd - Who's brain is baking? You're the one making up staw man arguments, here. Who said anything about "putting" nine-year olds to work? I don't think even crazy ass-hat Newt was implying that it be mandatory. Read what Ben said after you and see if that gets past the big chip on your shoulder.

CLEANING BATHROOMS IS NOT SKILLED LABOR. IT LITERALLY TAKES 15 MINUTES TO TEACH SOMEONE HOW TO SPRAY AND WIPE. IT IS NOT A MARKETABLE SKILL. THE THING THAT NEWT DIDN'T SAY IN THIS PARTICULAR CLIP IS THAT HE WAS SUGGESTING THAT SCHOOLS COULD REPLACE THEIR PAID EMPLOYEES WITH CHILDREN.

THE OTHER MAJOR ISSUE IS THAT NEWT IS TRYING REALLY REALLY HARD TO BLAME PEOPLE WHO ARE THE VICTIMS OF SYSTEMIC ECONOMIC INJUSTICES BY SAYING THEY'RE LAZY AND DO NOT KNOW HOW TO WORK.

OVERALL, THERE'S A PEARL OF A GOOD IDEA IN THERE: PROVIDING ON THE JOB EXPERIENCE TO YOUTH. THERE'S A DUMPTRUCK OF BULLSHIT AND HORRIBLE IDEAS SURROUNDING THE GOOD IDEA.

+1 Graham

What Graham said.

Capital letters Graham appears to be onto a nuanced something, although I must admit that in my mind he is yelling at me like the announcer of Manswers.

Speaking of which: WSH -- you must check out this show if you haven't already discovered it: Manswers. It is on Netflix Streaming. The announcer is exhausting, but I have learned good things: you can die from pooping; despite a good sized budget, they cannot manage to get the boobs bouncing as nicely as I would like; jump up into the speeding car's windshield; your poop can save your friend. 3 parts violence to 2 parts boobs to 1 part poop, but I find the poop part most interesting so my summary is unbalanced.

Yeah, Graham is on track with this one. There is a tiny bit of wisdom in what Newt says; teaching work ethics and all. But as usual with these guys (the Republican field) he can't help but put it into the most class hating terms he can. There is no nuance, let alone compassion, to the Republican field at all. What a bunch of bozos.

@CATBOT: WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT MY KEYBOARD IS BROKEN?

NEWT REMINDS ME OF THIS OLD JOKE:
A PRIEST AND A RABBI ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREET, WHEN THEY SEE A LITTLE BOY. THE PRIEST SAYS, "LETS GO SCREW THAT BOY!" AND THE RABBI SAYS, "OUT OF WHAT?"

EVERY PROPOSAL THE REPUBLICANS PUT FORTH SHOULD BE ANALYZED THROUGH THE LENS OF THE RABBI. WHO ARE THEY SCREWING AND WHAT ARE THEY SCREWING THEM OUT OF?

I don't see anything wrong with his initial observation. Poverty can be passed down through generation because it permeates the culture. It's not genetics he's talking about, Humpy. Nevertheless, why not put the adults to work and let them serve as role models rather that jump right to child labor? Gingrich is usualy smart but he's clearly of dubious character...and not just because he's a conservative. ;-)

All kids should learn work skills. Not just the poor ones. i know plenty of entitled, well-heeled kids who've never lifted a finger a day in their lives either. And a school system where the poor kids clean up after the less poor ones only further institutionalizes class distinctions, setting more firmly in the mind of the young that some sorts of people are fit for cleaning up kinds of jobs and others are meant for readin', writin' and 'rithmatic kinds of jobs.

Pay kids from underserved communities to learn, if you want to pay them- that's what will really reverse the drop out rate.

And require all kids in the school to participate in work programs that teach tenacity, responsibility, and discipline and rewards their efforts accordingly. With a pizza party. Not a pay check.

Because frankly I've met a lot of grown humans from middle class families who evidently never learned to clean a toilet either. A valuable skill set for all humanity, I say.