Gingrich's first ad focuses on love of U.S. economy
"We can regain the world's respect by standing strong again, being true to our faith and respecting one another. We can return power to the people and to the states we live in so we all have more freedom, opportunity and control of our lives.
"Yes, working together, we can and will rebuild the America we love. I'm Newt Gingrich and I approve this message."
The ad begins with traditional images of Americana: golden fields of grain, an American flag hanging from a pillared porch, surrounded by a white picket fence. The ad then cuts to a smiling Gingrich, who is sitting in front of dark mahogany bookcases and addresses the camera directly. It then flips back to images of a woman sweeping the sidewalk outside of a store and men welding in a factory as Gingrich talks about the need for less regulation to increase job growth. As Gingrich speaks about "regaining the world's respect" an image of troops drilling in their dress uniforms is shown which fades into a shot of the Statue of Liberty. When faith is mentioned, a white church next to a red barn is shown in nestled in the rolling hills of the countryside is shown.
The instrumental soundtrack is the theme of the 1993 film Rudy.
Accuracy:
Between the soft music and nostalgic images, the ad doesn't address anything more than familiar conservative appeals.
Dealing with some of these issues, such as "throwing out the current tax code," is easier said than done. Even small adjustments in the tax system are difficult to finesse, given the number of stake holders involved.
Gingrich voted for the latest version of tax reform when it passed Congress in 1986, meaning that even when he had the opportunity to push bills to eliminate the tax code while speaker he did not. In fact, the conservative Club for Growth says Gingrich backed tax credits that were "special-interest tax incentives that empower politicians to pick winners and losers in the marketplace."
Those credits include a tax credit to spur investment in biofuels and renewable energy and "a permanent 50% tax credit for research and development, or at least for 'companies that are willing to take on government's 'grand challenges' 'such as "the first inhabitable moon base."
