The context and quote, of course, are quite different;
"This is something that no liberal wants to deal with," Gingrich said. "Core policies of protecting unionization and bureaucratization against children in the poorest neighborhoods, crippling them by putting them in schools that fail has done more to create income inequality in the United States than any other single policy. It is tragic what we do in the poorest neighborhoods, entrapping children in, first of all, child laws, which are truly stupid. "You say to somebody, you shouldn't go to work before you're what, 14, 16 years of age, fine. You're totally poor. You're in a school that is failing with a teacher that is failing. I've tried for years to have a very simple model," he said. "Most of these schools ought to get rid of the unionized janitors, have one master janitor and pay local students to take care of the school. The kids would actually do work, they would have cash, they would have pride in the schools, they'd begin the process of rising."
He added, "You go out and talk to people, as I do, you go out and talk to people who are really successful in one generation. They all started their first job between nine and 14 years of age. They all were either selling newspapers, going door to door, they were doing something, they were washing cars."
"They all learned how to make money at a very early age," he said. "What do we say to poor kids in poor neighborhoods? Don't do it. Remember all that stuff about don't get a hamburger flipping job? The worst possible advice you could give to poor children. Get any job that teaches you to show up on Monday. Get any job that teaches you to stay all day even if you are in a fight with your girlfriend. The whole process of making work worthwhile is central."
That sounds a lot different than children should be working at nine, doesn't it? It conjures up sweatshops and coal mines. And you idiots fall for it. Either that or you morons on here that are against Newt are making the lie sound like it is truth. Look up the whole quotes...don't let your unreasoning hatred make you willing, useful idiots.
I worked, just as he said, right next to my Pop when I was nine. And I'll bet a lot of you older folks did, too. And you are better for it.
That's good advice, right there. I started earning money through babysitting at age 11. In high school, I worked two jobs on the weekends. It's important to learn how to earn and manage your money when you're young. In homeschool cooperatives, teens and younger children help with cleanup, and sometimes teens assist in (or even run) classes, so allowing teens to have janitorial jobs at schools doesn't sound like a bad idea.
That said, there don't seem to be as many jobs available for young people today. Adults have been taking jobs that kids and teens used to have - like newspaper delivery. And, increasingly, the nanny-state laws "protecting" young people hold them back, which is the point Gingrich is making, I guess. I'm not a big fan of Gingrich, but I agree with him here.