Gingrich Stops Teaching Class, Puts Philosophy On Tape

House Speaker Newt Gingrich wrapped up his stint as a college teacher Saturday and said a 10-week course, which critics charged was used as a partisan forum, had accomplished its goals.

Gingrich said he now has 20 hours of videotape from the Reinhardt College course that can be distributed to teach others about his philosophy of government. There is no need for him to personally teach the class again, he said.

“I don’t think this class is going to get any better,” Gingrich told reporters after the class ended. “I want to take a couple of years off from teaching and implement the ideas in the course.”

In the final class at the private college, about 50 miles north of Atlanta, Gingrich told about 60 students the founders of the United States had intended that the federal government be limited and that its growth has hindered people from taking on personal responsibility.

“When government becomes unlimited it becomes inefficient and crowds out good citizenship,” he said.