Gingrich Praises Ryan Budget Cuts, Except for Research

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is considering a run for the Republican presidential nomination, mixed praise with criticism of Rep. Paul Ryan’s proposed budget. The Wisconsin Republican’s budget doesn’t put aside enough money for medical and scientific research, said Gingrich, calling that a mistake, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Gingrich praised Ryan’s efforts to cut government spending drastically, but he disagreed with details of the spending plan.

“One of them is cutting investment in science and research," Gingrich said during a conference at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. "It's essentially like saying I want to save money on your car [so] we're not going to change the oil. And for about a year I can get away with it, then the engine will freeze, and we have to change the engine."

When companies tighten their belts, they "always distinguish between research and investment, which are essential to their survival, and spending,” Gingrich said.

Governments should do the same. Americans "will support a smart effort to get to a balanced budget, but not a cheap effort [that] will sell out the future in favor of current interest groups."