Winning the Future : A 21st Century Contract with America

Rating:
Summary: FUNNY STUFF!!!
Review: After reading the last chapter of the book I had to vomit. Newt is a great example of Republikan values...he ran out on his wife that had been diagnosed with cancer to marry the woman that he had been carrying on an adulterous affair with. Newt, your 15 minutes of fame are OVER! Please, crawl back under your rock...

Rating:
Summary: More politico-babble from the master
Review: As with all Newtie's previous "ideas": Everything he proposes sounds good to the simple-minded, until even they think about it, and then it all falls apart.

Rating:
Summary: Newt paves the way
Review: I knocked this book out in two reading sessions, I couldn't put it down. Despite what the haters on Amazon have to say (having only read the table of contents and maybe the book jacket), this book is such a true roadmap. This book should open a ton of discussion and though Newt's vision may not be enacted, at least a national discussion can now take place.

Newt has written several influential books and they have always seemed ahead of their time. At least Winning the Future has the interactive website (newt.org) to go along with it and encourages further discussion through meetup.com and a yahoo group.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book Regarding America's Future
Review: I've always been deeply impressed by Gingrich's scholarship

His latest book likely has more information than most encyclopedias, and definitely more opinions - but I mean that in a good way

It would take too long to explain all of Gingrich's ideas, but overall, he offers us a vision of an American government that seems to function much better than it ever has before

I recommend this book to not just all students of politics, but also, all students of sociology, urban policy, etc etc etc ---- as this book has little to do with partisan politics, instead offering an intimate look at the problems America will face and the innovative ways that we can go about curing them, today!

Do not let Gingrich's Republican colors fool you - this is a book that will give all a great insight into America's functions of today and what we really need to do in order to, as Gringrich says, "win the future!"

Rating:
Summary: Wouldn't fade away in grace
Review: Newt Gingrich is a complex and odd man. In a 190 pages, he regurgitates the same hypocritical vows he is famous for. He preaches God's role in every corner in the book while he could not honor his marital vows, commit adultery, and resigned his job in disgrace. He preaches patriotic education to immigrants and all citizens while dishonoring the tax laws of his country that ended him in embarrassing legal shambles. He preaches healthy lifestyle and better health care for all Americans while he walks like a sick fat ball. He claims to put the interests of USA first above the UN, the world court, and the enemies, while defending racism by Zionists in Israel and committing Americans to risk their lives for the sake of advancing racism in the Middle East.

Ironically, Gingrich does not even have the slightest clue into his own skewed logic. He starts his book by a condescending style of testing the readers' level of patriotism and faith and ends it by soliciting from the readers to propagate his agenda. He really believes that his views are still relevant to modern issues. Here is some of his distorted reasoning:

1- In the Introduction, He lists the five threats that face America as attacks by terrorists, absence of God in our lives, loss of patriotism, outsourcing, and collapse of support for aging Americans. He then contends that the liberal elites are standing in our way of warding off these threats.

2- He contends that his first contract with America rose the republican votes, between 1990 and 1994, by 9 millions and reduced the democrats votes by a million, cut taxes, and balanced the budget. Yet, he failed to explain why the republican administration that rose to power due to such effort has incurred huge deficit, enormous spending, and engaged in futile wars.


3- Somehow, he contends to know what is good for America in the 21st century. With Ph.D. in history and two decades in politics, you would expect him to propose intelligent ideas for modern America. Instead, he wants to commit America to long wars to defeat terrorists and tyrants while in reality America has always supported terrorists and tyrants, from bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Shah Iran, Saudi kings, Zionist racism.

4- Although he admits to the mistakes America has made in Iraq, he fails to understand that the Iraqi insurgents would not be defeated by their own people and that those who volunteer to cooperate with the foreign occupier are the desperate minority. Saddam was able to crush the insurgency by efficient intelligence, which America lacks. In the 21st century, Mr. Gingrich should have awakened to the fact that there is not a single state in America that is Christian, Jewish, or of any religious constitution. Had he realized that Zionist racism is against American values, he might have concluded that toppling the Jewish state in Israel would bring more stability in the Middle East than the "shock and awe" barbaric campaign that toppled the Iraqi government. The creator that Newt Gingrich refers to is the same creator; that condoned racism in America and Nazism in Germany. Faith and religion have never done any good when people have ill intention, prejudice, and insatiable greed.


5- The campaign to privatize social security is another preposterous blunder by the republicans who wasted over $200 billions on the Iraqi mess and conspired with criminal CEO's to bankrupts many American corporations. Had these billions been spent on education, America would have benefited from well-educated generation that could do better on health, science, and trade.

6- The health care reform proposed by Mr. Gingrich is another malicious effort to deprive the poor and unable and enrich the big corporation. It does not address the major issues such tobacco and alcohol or health and fitness education. I wish that Mr. Gingrich would have proposed a weekly walk campaign for all overweight conservatives.


Rating:
Summary: An American patriot's vision for the future
Review: Newt Gingrich is a person who has thought deeply about the problems and needs of America. I do not feel myself qualified to comment on many of the issues he considers especially those related to internal American economic and social affairs. The reforms of the medical and social security systems he proposes may be an answer to the crises they are now in, but I cannot really venture an educated opinion on this.
I can however commend his strong stand in regard to the strengthening of American defenses in the war against terror. His clear recognition of the dangers presented by Islamic fundamentalist and other fanatic terrorism , his understanding that intelligence is key to the battle, and that it is necessary for America to strengthen itself in this area seems to me 'right on'.
I also believe that his desire to strengthen the American educational system, to raise the level of its pupils in math and science is an important priority. The future may or may not belong to the better educated, but it is clear that to be competitive on a world-wide scale America cannot rely as it does to an extent already, on importing the best- brains from outside.
Gingrich is a true American patriot whose love for his country means his love for its fundamental values, freedom and justice for all.
It is possible to quarrel with countless points in this book, and I am show experts on various areas will be able to do so, but it is impossible to quarrel with the truth that Gingrich is an especially dedicated American who in this work too has found a way of serving his country.

Rating:
Summary: The topics of this book
Review: Newt presents in this book a 21st century contract with
America. It recognizes the need to adopt an idelogy of
permienent revolution in American government so that we
can be safe from all our enemies.

There are five points in the contract and each of them have
at their heart the need for the government to control Americans
and their culture. We believe, as conservatives, that
the role of government is to shape culture and build freedom
around the world in every country.

War is the natural state of man. Terrorism is irrelivant to
our new national goal of destroying evil in the world. Wars
build national character and miltary spending on wars builds
the national economy. We must re-build the world in our
image no matter what the price in dollars or lives is.

We believe that the US is a Evangelical Christian country
and that Evangelical Christianty is the only true christianity.
We also believe in applying religious tests to judges and
other public officals to ensure that those who don't
follow the state religion are kept from doing harm to the public.
We also recognize that the deep love at the basis of Christian
beliefs requires that we use all the powers of the state to
save Catholics, Jews, Muslims and non-christian groups such
as Methodists from hell by converting them to the only true
Christianity which is rooted in John Darby and his vision
of the pre-tribulation rapture.

We also don't believe that judges have any role in overturning
laws. We think that congress is in the best position to
decide what is a constitutional law and that our president
should have unlimited power of interpretation of the law.

We rejoice in the free flow of labour into the american economy
and the benefits enjoyed by all americans flowing from a
reduced cost labour force with no government benefits and no
rights. We also understand that actually
enforcing ANY immigration laws would create a hardship for
the american economy. And therefore we call for yet stronger
laws that we have no intention of enforcing.

Further, we are still so stupid that we believe that an
anmesty and expanded legal immigration will decrease the
amount of illegal immigration even though every time this
has been done the opposite has happened.

We also stupidly believe that at the same time America is
outsourcing massive numbers of science and techology jobs
to India and China because of lower wages, that somehow
school performance in math and science is a problem. The
world economy has spoken and it has told America that there
is no particular value worth paying extra for on americans
educated in science and math. So why would anyone care about
science or math when the real rewards in the american economy
are centered on careers in services, the law or medicine.
Being an insurance agent these days offers a far better and
more rewarding career than science or math. In a global
economy, being the best doesn't matter anymore. Its the least
cost that wins. So what we really need is to educate more
people that they need to be in science jobs that pay a wage
level competitive with India or China.

We also stupidly believe in english as offical language laws
in spite of the fact that the mass waves of illegal immegration
have created whole communities within America with their own
radio/television and newspapers not in english. We affirm
our belief that english-only laws are a much more effective
way of fixing america than actually going into businesses
in every community that everyone knows are there and that
hire exclusively undocumented workers and ending the practice.
Better to pass a useless law than to enforce the existing
laws.

We also need to end local control of schools and introduce
a system of political education. It is the duty of the federal
government and the american public schools to introduce
values, christianity and proper political views into all
children.

Given the burden of Medicare and Social security taxes on
business and the lost money to the financial markets they
represent, both programs must be ended. Further, we must
move from a tax system based on income to one that is based
on consumption. The problem with America is that too many
people waste too much money buying things. America needs to
force the standard of living downward through tax policy.

And then, when everyone has accepted true christian ideas and
become a member of the ownership society, nonsense like
concerns about the environment will be settled once and for
all. God is going to destroy the world in the next few years.
If you don't believe that, your not a christian. And since
the world is going to be destroyed, we should use every
avaliable resource god has given us before it happens. To
do otherwise would be wasteful of the gifts of god.

These are the topics Newt discusses. I encourge everyone to
read it and get familar with it. Because if you don't you
will probably not have a place in the american society. And
you will certainly have problems talking to your re-educated
children. Then talk to your neighbors about it. If any of
you don't agree with it, tell people in authority. It it will
help in rounding up the enemies of America when the time
comes.

Remember, America is now in an eternal war with satan and
evil. The closer america comes to winning the war, the deeper
the enemies of america will hide within its institutions
sabotaging them. And the harder good people will have to
work in purging them. It might be someone who says bad
things about our leaders. It might be a teacher who isn't
enthusiastic about prayer. But remember, what might seem
like mild behavior in public could be hiding treason at home.

Remeber, there was nothing wrong with the desire of the liberals
to remake society. It was only their ideas that were evil,
not their methods.




Rating:
Summary: The topics Newt includes in this book are dead center!
Review: The problem with reviewing a book like this on Amazon is that too many people vote against your review if you like the book and they disagree with the author's politics. Newt Gingrich certainly draws the ire of quite a few people. Nonetheless, I believe this is a terrific and important book.

Newt led the Republican takeover in Congress in 1994 with the famous Contract With America. This book discusses a new contract. Newt calls it a 21st Century Contract With America. It is more fundamental and in many ways more challenging than the original Contract. There are five points in the new version and they have at their heart a change in our national culture.

I am pleased to tell you that for tens of millions of us, these five points hit dead center on what we are concerned about and want to change in our country. We are comfortable with a war to defeat terrorism that lasts as long as it takes because we believe our enemies must actually be defeated rather than mollified until they decide to come after us or our children again.

We believe in God and refuse to accept the notion that these fundamental and sacred beliefs that we hold precious are not fit topics for public discourse. We also believe the current judiciary is overreaching its rightful role in our government and the doctrine of judicial supremacy is a recent innovation and is incorrect.

We rejoice in new citizens joining us as Americans, but reject that tacit acceptance of illegal immigration and woefully inadequate monitoring of those whose Visas have expired. Nor do we feel comfortable with treating non-Citizens as if they were Citizens with the rights of Citizens. No, we don't want them to starve or their children suffering. However, this discussion need not be so binary. There are things that can be done to increase guest worker programs and keep contact with those who are here on a temporary basis.

We also believe that our current low level of education in math and the hard sciences is not only a national tragedy, but is very dangerous and could lead to national disaster. We need to be creative and dedicated in ensuring the rising generation is the best in the world in these areas. We have been coasting for more than a generation and it shows.

English should be our official language with everyone strongly encouraged to learn it, and that our Founding meant something and continues to hold importance for us today. There is a reason they wrote a Constitution rather than the living and changing constitutions used in other places around the world. We need to emphasize patriotic education and what is glorious about America.

Personal Retirement Accounts, Personal Medical Accounts, and Personal Social Security Accounts are all needed and would be important sources of wealth creation and cost control in our society. With greater wealth our society can do the important things in other areas such as actually studying the environment rather than simply positing solutions on the fly.

These are the topics Newt discusses in this book and I encourage everyone to get a hold of it, read it, and think about it. Then, whether you agree or disagree (obviously I agree with enough to recommend it) have discussions with your friends and neighbors about these points and the new Contract.

There is more information on this Contract at:
http://www.newt.org/winningthefuture

Rating:
Summary: full of ideas going nowhere
Review: This book is a blueprint for Gingrich's particular breed of
fascism. As it typical, he combines a phony "moral" agenda
with a desire to purge society of those he considers the enemy.

Starting with his moral agenda, he isn't a religious guy. Never
has been and never will be. As with most fascists, he sees
a state religion as a useful means of social control, but
considers himself above it. He has always shown more interest
in evolution and palentology in this private life than ever
anything to do with god.

As far as purging the enemy, he makes elaborate arguments for
purging democrats from the federal courts. But what he is
arguing for in reality is a system of law based on politics
where judges are controlled by politicans. The reason judges
get lifetime appointments is so that they are free from political
control. His ideas subvert the constitution and the seperation
of powers.

Newt's thinking process and intellectual nature has never been
all that compatible with America or Democracy. He doesn't
really see the value of a democracy or understand that often
"getting things done" is less important to a healthy society
than how they get done. Newt wants to be Caesar or Napoleon
or Franco.

The bigger problem with all his ideas is that they are those
of a dabbler. Someone who plays around and talks big, but
never quite gets anything done. Since Clinton humiliated
him and then his own guys in the house turned on him, his
accomplishments have been rather underwhelming.

He will never be president because too many republicans hate
him inside the party and because he has consistantly proved
to be too unstable for any statewide or national office.

He is amusing though. He talks about god, but really has
no use for religion. He talks up defense, but he holds
the uniformed army and its leadership in total contempt.
He talks about history, the constitution and the founding
fathers, but promotes an ideology of destroying the seperation
of powers and bringing the courts under political control.

Newt's America is a fascist state constiting of an all-powerful
president, a one-party congress and rubber-stamp judges.
Foriegn policy will conducted through christian missionaries
and the country will always be at war with someone. Those
who disagree will be driven from office, profession or
employment.

Actually, you can get a good idea of what Newt's America will
look like by taking a good look at China.


Rating:
Summary: Winning My Vote
Review: While reading his concise contract for America, I felt as though I was being spoken to my a very knowledgably professor. Gingrich presents his ideas in an easy-to-read and like myself. His perceived threats to America in the 21st Century include: environmental, China/India, terrorism, lagging behind technologically, and more. I particularly liked his ideas regarding welfare and social service, and really enjoyed that he spoke about God and the influence of God on the Constitution and the founding of America. He may or may not be right, but I enjoyed reading about it anyway. Some of the ideas he presented didn't really have merit in my opinion, like paying students to study math/science. And, many of his ideas involved too much reliance upon technology and processing things via computer.. Computers make mistakes too, but he presents the ideas of computerized elections, etc. as if that will solve problems. Overall, an enjoyable book.