Newt Gingrich is no Ron Paul, but luckily their voting records and political principles are easy to compare because they were in the house together for almost a decade and are now running against one another for president. Let’s see just how far Newt strays from the small-government conservative he fancies himself nowadays.

FOREIGN POLICY

Gingrich would have invaded Libya: (Ron Paul would not have).

Gingrich voted for authorization of force in Lebanon and then against withdrawal of troops from Lebanon in 1983. (Ron Paul voted against our involvement in Lebanon). As Paul described in 2005: €œWe should remember Ronald Reagan’s admonition regarding this area of the world. Ronald Reagan reflected on Lebanon in his memoirs, describing the Middle East as a jungle and Middle East politics as irrational. It forced him to rethink his policy in the region.€

Gingrich voted in 1982 against reducing the number of US troops stationed abroad by 50% by 1987. (Ron Paul voted for). Gingrich also voted against troop withdrawal from El Salvador in 1983. (Ron Paul voted for).

Gingrich voted against a provision requiring congressional approval prior to deployment of U.S. troops into Central America in 1983. (Ron Paul voted for the congressional approval requirement).

Gingrich voted to allow the US military to participate in drug seizures outside the United States, other measures escalating the drug war in 1982 and 1998 (the “Western Hemisphere Drug Elimination Act” — an act that has clearly achieved its objectives). (Ron Paul voted against).

Gingrich voted for continued production of toxic nerve gas for use by the US military in 1981, and again in 1982, and again in 1983, and again in 1984. (Ron Paul voted against).

Gingrich voted for federal aid to Cambodian refugees, food aid to Uganda, aid to Rhodesia, voted for continued development assistance to OPEC nations, aid to the Caribbean, aid to Lebanon, and military assistance to the Philippines. (Ron Paul voted against all of it).

Gingrich voted to increase CIA secrecy and against any requirement that the President report covert activity to congress before it is initiated. (Ron Paul voted against it). Also voted for continued CIA covert ops in Nicaragua in 1984. (Ron Paul didn’t).

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Gingrich thinks he can solve global warming with Nancy Pelosi: (Ron Paul is against federal cap and trade initiatives).

Gingrich is for cap and trade. (Ron Paul is against it). Newt said:

I think if you have mandatory carbon caps combined with a trading system, much like we did with sulfur, and if you have a tax-incentive program for investing in the solutions, that there’s a package there that’s very, very good. And frankly, it’s something I would strongly support.

Gingrich voted to create the 19M-Acre Alaska National Wildlife Refuge in 1979, voted to create the 2.3M-Acre Idaho River of No Return Wilderness in 1980, voted to expand the 1.5M-Acre Mark Twain National Forest in 1982, voted for expansion of the Sipsey Wilderness, and voted for designation of wilderness areas in Wisconsin, and in North Carolina, and in Virginia, and voted for another 2.3M-Acre national forest in California in 1983. (Ron Paul voted against all these unconstitutional land grabs).

Gingrich voted for gasoline rationing and Jimmy Carter’s Emergency Energy Conservation Act. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for Jimmy Carter’s “Energy Mobilization Board.” “Carter wanted the authority to ration gasoline, form an ‘energy mobilization board,’ create a bureaucracy to guarantee that we would ‘never use more foreign oil than we did in 1977,’ set oil import quotas and develop solar power. ‘These efforts will cost money,’ Carter explained, ‘a lot of money….'” (link). (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for federal wind energy research in 1979. (Ron Paul voted against it). He also voted for hundreds of millions of federal research dollars going toward environmental research and development in 1984 and 1985. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for federal farm subsidies to encourage the use of green energy on farms. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for the creation of a federal ocean and coastal resources management and development fund, which would block-grant money to the states to manage their coastal resources. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for a bill “promoting conservation of migratory waterfowl and offsetting or preventing the serious loss of wetlands by the acquisition of wetlands and other essential habitat.” (Ron Paul voted against it). Also voted for federal funds to fisheries. (Ron Paul didn’t).

Gingrich voted in favor of a federal ban on pesticides used to control fire ants in 1979 (then voted to extend federal control over pesticides), then voted against states’ authority to request health and safety data and imposition of time requirements on federal rulemaking. (Ron Paul opposed the ban and voted against federal control).

THE ECONOMY, BAILOUTS, & TAXES

Gingrich would have “reluctantly voted yes” to the TARP bailouts since congress was backed in a corner and “given no choice.”

Gingrich voted to strengthen the federal home loan agencies “to ensure the availability of home mortgage loans” — condoning the federal involvement in the mortgage industry that led to the housing collapse. He also voted for $1B increase in federal mortgage subsidies in 1982. (Ron Paul voted against).

Gingrich was paid $1.6 million dollars to offer “strategic advice” to Freddie Mac:

Gingrich voted in favor of the Chrysler Bailout in 1979 (including a 3-year wage freeze on Chrysler workers). (Ron Paul voted against them both).

Gingrich voted for increased powers to the FDIC to bail out struggling savings and loans through reorganization, purchase of bad assets, or recapitalization. (TARP-Lite). He also voted to reaffirm that the cash deposits are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. (Ron Paul voted against).

Gingrich voted to permit the Federal Reserve to purchase Treasury Debt, thereby allowing monetization of all fiscal deficits through inflation. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for an increase in the debt ceiling in 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1984. (Ron Paul voted against every increase in the debt ceiling).

Gingrich voted for an oil windfall profits tax in 1979, which was signed by Jimmy Carter. (Ron Paul voted against).

Gingrich voted for an increase in taxes on coal producers in 1981. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for a 5-cent increase in the gas tax to fund highway and other mass-transit projects. (Ron Paul voted against it).

THE REGULATORY STATE

Gingrich voted for increased regulations on automobile manufacturers as to the construction of domestic vehicles. When the bill was poised to pass, Ron Paul voted for an amendment to change the description of the bill to: “To reduce competition in the automobile industry, protect jobs in one industry to the detriment of jobs in other industries, and to increase the price of automobiles to consumers.” Newt Gingrich voted against this change.

Gingrich voted against a states rights provision for the regulation of insurance and then voted for federal regulation of property and casualty and life insurance activities. (Ron Paul voted for states rights and against federal regulation of insurance).

Gingrich voted for increased authority to the FDA to regulate baby formula. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted to increase federal regulation over solid waste and strengthen enforcement mechanisms. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for transaction fees on futures and commodities contracts to pay for the federal regulatory Commodity Futures Trading Commission. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for stricter regulations and greater funding for the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. (Ron Paul voted against it).

THE WELFARE STATE

Gingrich was, or is, in favor of federally-mandated healthcare: (Ron Paul is against mandated healthcare).

Gingrich stated that “All of us have a responsibility to pay for healthcare” – but said the Ryan plan went too far: (Ron Paul says it didn’t go far enough).

Gingrich voted to extend HUD programs in 1979. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted to extend the public works act of 1965, which established the Economic Development Agency, an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides grants to economically distressed communities to generate new employment, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth. The agency exists to this day (www.eda.gov). (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for federal subsidies on milk prices, federal research into potatoes, extension and expansion of farm subsidies in 1980 and 1981, and establishment of modern Federal Crop Insurance. (Ron Paul voted against).

Gingrich voted against cutting the food stamp budget, then voted for increased “emergency” appropriations, and was also against reinstating the purchase requirement for foods stamps. (Ron Paul voted opposite to Newt on each measure). (Also, read about the purchase requirement). Gingrich also voted for a resolution stating “that the federal government should maintain correct efforts in federal nutrition programs to prevent increases in domestic hunger.” (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for the creation of federal job training programs twice in 1982, and again in 1983, and supported increasing the federal budget for community service employment for senior citizens. (Ron Paul voted against).

Gingrich voted for the extension of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act in 1983, which established VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), its stated purpose to supplement efforts to fight poverty in low-income communities by engaging Americans from all walks of life in a year of full time service. Voted for continued funding in 1984. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for federal preventative health programs in 1984. (Ron Paul voted against it).

EDUCATION

Gingrich voted to create the Department of Education in 1979. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted to extend the Higher Education Act of 1965, which increased federal money given to universities, created scholarships, gave low-interest loans for students, and established a National Teachers Corps. This program exists to this day, and is the primary reason that higher education costs have skyrocketed, education quality has eroded, and students are saddled with insurmountable debts. (Ron Paul voted against it).

NEEDLESS SPENDING

Gingrich was one of the few who voted against the 1984 bill requiring the President and Congress to submit a balanced budget. (Ron Paul voted for).

Gingrich voted for the creation of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration in 1981 and voted for continued funding in 1983. (Ron Paul voted against). By 1996, the USTTA was correctly abolished.

Gingrich voted for continued authorizations of the federal Corporation of Public Broadcasting in 1981, and again in 1984, and resisted efforts to cut the public broadcasting budget. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for a congressional pay raise. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted against a 33% across-the-board cut to the Department of Transportation budget. (Ron Paul voted for).

Gingrich voted for an increase in HUD appropriations by increasing EPA research by $25 million. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted against a bipartisan 1% cut to the Department of Defense budget for 1983. (Ron Paul voted for).

Gingrich voted for continued federal research and subsidies into Guayule rubber. (You may not know what that is, but you know Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for federal funds to train child care workers on prevention of child abuse. (Ron Paul voted against it).

Gingrich voted for federal alcohol and drug abuse programs and federal mental health programs in 1984. (Ron Paul voted against it).

CIVIL RIGHTS

Gingrich voted to preserve the Selective Service in 1979, and again in 1980, and then voted to increase its budget by 30x. In 1983, Gingrich even voted to make selective service registration a requirement for federal student loans and grants. (Ron Paul voted against).

Gingrich voted for the failed Civil Rights Act of 1984, which would have prohibited discrimination by any recipient of Federal financial assistance, and defined the term “recipient” to include any State or local governmental unit, any public or private agency or entity, including members of congress and the federal judiciary. It did have one loophole: it stated that nothing in the Act should be construed as changing the status of historically black colleges and universities. (Ron Paul voted against it).