Newt Gingrich Booed For Bragging He Balanced Budget (VIDEO)

When Newt Gingrich boasted that Congress balanced the budget four times when he was House Speaker, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) pounced.

"I went back and looked at the record. The national debt during those four years actually went up about a trillion dollars. What he's talking about is he doesn't count the money he takes out of Social Security," Paul said. "So [neither] Reagan nor you had a truly balanced budget, because the national debt goes up and that's what we pay the interest on."

Gingrich responded: "Under the system that was used, we were $405 billion in balance."

At this point, the audience began to boo Gingrich.

"I agree with Ron. Let me finish," Gingrich said testily. "I actually agree with you and I have proposed that we take Social Security off budget."

The Paul campaign sent out a release moments later with the headline: "Another Fudged Fact By Newt: 'I balanced the budget.'"

FACT: The National Debt went up nearly $1 trillion while he was Speaker

• In 1994, the year before Gingrich become Speaker the National Debt was $4.693 trillion
• In 1995, the year he become speaker the debt was $4.974 trillion
• In 1996 the debt was $5.225 trillion
• In 1997 the debt was $5.413 trillion
• In 1998-- the last year of his speakership-- the debt was $5.526 trillion

(Source: Treasury Direct.gov)

Comments

[Franciscan U Alumnus]

05:03 AM on 01/28/2012

When Ron Paul is President, he will:

Cut spending $1 Trillion in year one by eliminating 5 unnecessary bureacracies (Energy, HUD, Commerce, Interior, and Education) and returning spending to 2006 levels.
Cut taxes by lowering the corporate tax to 15%, allowing companies to repatriate capital without taxation, and ending the death tax and taxes on personal savings.
Repeal ObamaCare, Dodd-Frank, and Sarbanes-Oxley.
To stand with the American People, President Paul will take a salary of $39,336, approximately equal to the median personal income of the American worker.
Achieve a balanced budget by year three.

[A Denise Moore]

01:12 AM on 01/29/2012

The median personal income of the American Worker - 39,336
The personal income of Corporations By Year 3 - Infinite

Remember, corporations are people too.

[CountArtha]

05:48 AM on 02/05/2012

Correction: He will ASK for $1 Trillion in cuts and Congress will turn him down. Don't count on a balanced budget as long as we have a central bank to monetize the debt. He would actually veto new spending, though, so he's still a hell of a lot better than the other Republicans or Obama.

[Meldy1]

03:47 AM on 01/28/2012

@rich8049,.......you don't attack other commentators in here,do you hear me?This is the blogosphere,whether you agree or disagree you have to respect other's opinion!Be civil to your fellow bloggers or commentators..If other commentators are opinionated then so be it,but you don't attack them personally!!!that's the bottom line.That's up to HPost!You can attack politicians but not your fellow commentators...We'll see what Hpost will say about this..This rich8049,doesn't know me personally ,and calling me names...thru reply.

[Mstreet777]

09:40 PM on 01/27/2012

Ron Paul supporters, if you haven't already, please go to VoteRonPaul and "vote" for him. Take a look at the map that is shown. It'll show supporters from across the country. Please share the page with your friends, family and other Ron Paul supporters and scroll down to the bottom to like their facebook page. I would love to see EVERY Ron Paul supporter make their pledge to vote for him. We would make people's eyes pop out of their heads when they see the sheer number of us and no one will ever have a reason to say he is "unelectable" ever again. Thanks.

Ron Paul haters need not reply: I won't bother answering....

[TarzanaGirl]

09:04 PM on 01/27/2012

Putting the article aside for a moment, I'm trying to decide if Newt reminds me more of the Michelin Tire Man or the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man from "Ghostbusters?"

[mddunnington]

06:34 PM on 01/27/2012

Everytime that Gingrich gets caught in something he back peddles or lies.. Ron Paul I don't think will ever be President but he seems to be pretty smart and knows what he is taking about and I like him.

[Franciscan U Alumnus]

05:50 PM on 01/27/2012

Only RON PAUL has an actual concrete plan to restore the economy, he has it published for all to see on his official site: http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/ron-paul-plan-to-restore-america/ and also visit http://whyronpaul.com/ for a comprehensive argument showing why ALL the other candidates simply protect the status quo (i.e. Obama lite). For the sake of the good of our country, please review the information before rebutting my comment. God Bless America, may truth and liberty prevail this year!

[BOOWAH]

05:29 PM on 01/27/2012

Gingrich wants to take Social Security off budget alright! Permanently off by eliminating it! That way he wont have to pay back what he borrowed from it!

[amaboss52]

04:22 PM on 01/27/2012

If you listen to Newt he single handedly balanced th budget himself, which as it turns out is a doubledown lie. They've been raiding SS for years, stealing from the very people they're supposed to represent, now they want to use it to pay down the deficit. Anyone who backs this ridiculous proposal should be tarred and feathered. SS has NOTHING to do with the deficit, but if you listen to the baggers they agree with this nonsense, they think it's an "entitlement" (unless they're on it themsleves). It is truly time WE take back our country from the republibaggers so we can fix the problems once and for all.

[SofaKing22]

04:09 PM on 01/27/2012

That's what he gets from the lively audience that he wanted instead of the hold your applause crowd from the previous debate.

[Wmof2011]

04:04 PM on 01/27/2012

So he had stolen from the Social Security fund several times.. Now he claims he wants to protect it and put a lock on it? Yes, and "the crocodile wants to help the bunny rabbit cross the river safely." Or maybe not.

[mistybit]

05:06 PM on 01/27/2012

Not just him. When they took from the trust fund they used it as a piggy bank.

[CountArtha]

05:49 AM on 02/05/2012

That's what Social Security was for in the first place. It's a revenue program first and a social program second.

[mudshark12]

03:54 PM on 01/27/2012

Newt really underestimated the intelligence of the audience when he told that big whopper about balancing the budget.

[had410]

05:49 PM on 01/27/2012

and he may have gotten away with it, if it wasn't for that medling Ron Paul.

[karim banned]

05:55 PM on 01/27/2012

People no not care about how knowledgeable a person is.
People care about how a great fighters their candidate is.

Mitt, Newt and Barack might be great fighters, but they are not fighting for YOU.

[janmB]

03:22 PM on 01/27/2012

LET"S REVIEW when Gingrich shut down the Govt in '95-- because republicans wanted cuts to SS--medicare--environmental controls--education, Clinton held FIRM didn't allow it & still balanced the budget and created 21 million jobs . Republicans if in control-- are said to be threatening to try it again.
SS did NOTHING to create the deficit and yet republicans want to USE THE EXCUSE to HURT THE ELDERLY--DISABLED and CHILDREN. The wars...the tax relief for the richest....fraudulent drug plan contributed greatly to the deficit....

[softvoice]

03:14 PM on 01/27/2012

Newt Gingrich was flying by he seat of his pants last night in a way that has rarely been witnessed in a Presidential debate. He would change on a dime and go the opposite direction, if the audience booed him or an opponent touched a nerve. Newt Gingrich is not Presidential material on any planet, NOT EVEN THE MOON!

[PELAGIUS2]

03:44 PM on 01/27/2012

To be honest I 'd love to get a look at Newt's medicine chest. The way he bounces around I'm wondering what he's on.

[michaelmac]

03:09 PM on 01/27/2012

How come when Al Gore proposed this in the Election against Bush, It was laughed at? Remember the " Social Security Lock-box", that was a liberal idea! I have to say a very good idea! The neocons don't care who they steal from.

[jailtime]

03:06 PM on 01/27/2012

Congress has played games with the Social Security Fund for decades. There was plenty of money in the fund to keep it solvent well into the future. They do not need to reform Social Security. Congress, including both parties, needs to be reformed. It was your contributions, while you worked, that supported that system. Regarding the Newt fans, he played games with your money the same way the Democrats did. None of these candidates can keep their promises. Congress will not let them.