Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich Speaks at Millsaps College

(12/04/09)

A bipartisan group of Millsaps students volunteered during the event in directing traffic and collecting tickets. The students presented former Speaker Newt Gingrich with a copy of the book Proud to Call Mississippi Home which includes a feature on Millsaps College.

About 500 people filled the Academic Complex Recital Hall on Dec. 3 to hear Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and general chairman of American Solutions for Winning the Future, outline his plan to create jobs and encourage entrepreneurship, savings and investment.

Howard McMillan, acting president of Millsaps College, welcomed visitors to campus. Mississippi Lt. Gov. Bryant and State Auditor Stacey Pickering provided introductions.

Millsaps students, faculty, staff and alumni attended the event along with small business owners, metro area residents and high school students. About 4,000 people watched the event streaming live at americansolutions.com.

Watch a video of this presentation.

Gingrich spoke for about 30 minutes before opening the floor to questions. He said the federal government should balance the budget each year, develop more domestic energy sources and lower several taxes. He suggested a two-year, 50 percent reduction of the payroll tax; the abolishment of taxes on capital gains; a reduction in the business tax rate; and abolishment of the death tax.

Gingrich has written widely on world history, military issues and international affairs. He was first elected to Congress in 1978 and was speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999.
Gingrich joins a long list of national and world political leaders to visit Millsaps College including: John Stennis (1955), Richard Nixon (1966), Robert Kennedy (1967), Robert S. McNamara (1967), Strom Thurmond (1968), Jimmy Carter (1975), George H.W. Bush (1983) and Margaret Thatcher (2000). Chelsea Clinton visited the campus during the 2008 presidential campaign.
Millsaps College does not endorse any candidate seeking elected office or any political party. The College does support critical thinking and analysis of political candidates by its students, faculty and staff, and encourages participation in the democratic process.

 

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