Newt Gingrich is not a stupid man. A graduate of my undergraduate alma mater Emory University (we both graduated with a B.A. in history), and a recipient of a Ph.D. in History from Tulane University, Newt Gingrich in many ways is accurately labeled the “thinking man’s Republican.” Admittedly, his Ph.D. is in modern European History, but that’s truly beside the point.
Given all of that, it’s even more staggering that Newt Gingrich said this:
It is tragic what we do in the poorest neighborhoods, entrapping children in, first of all, child laws, which are truly stupid. 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. (Emphasis added)
Now I’m not an expert in labor history, but I do know a few things about the subject. Perhaps a slight amount of background information would be helpful.
In earlier times, children were routinely subjected to basic enslavement and terrible work conditions. Children were manipulated into working dangerous jobs for long hours for almost no pay. It was not until 1938 and the Fair Labor Standards Act that nationally, we had laws on the books prohibiting such deplorable activity. I would invite everyone to search for pictures and stories of children working in sweatshops, and perhaps you will glean a picture of conditions before child labor laws existed.
It was in large part thanks to organized labor that we now have laws that prevent such cruel exploitation of young Americans (and you can thank unions for your weekend, while you’re at it).
So I invite Dr. Gingrich to regale us with some of his intellectual elitism, and tell us why these child labor laws are “truly stupid.” Why he would rather us return to a time where young people could legally be forced into near-slavery in the most deplorable of conditions. To me, his lack of historical perspective is just staggering.
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